FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The 2026 Mountain East Conference football season begins on Thursday, August 27 as four league teams get underway with non-conference contests.
Charleston, the reigning MEC Co-Champions who were selected to finish second in the MEC Preseason Poll, kicks off the 2026 season on Thursday night. The Golden Eagles welcome Grand Valley State to Charleston, West Virginia as kick off is set for 6 p.m. ET.
West Liberty also kicks off the season at home, welcoming Walsh University to West Liberty, W. Va. at 7 p.m. Concord will hit the road, taking on Davidson in Davidson, North Carolina at 7 p.m., while Glenville State also travels to North Carolina, facing off against Elon at 7 p.m.
The action continues Saturday as four MEC teams continue competition against non-conference opponents at noon. Fairmont State heads to Dayton, Ohio to face off against Dayton while West Virginia State hosts Chowan. Additionally, Wheeling will play host to Thomas More while West Virginia Wesleyan welcomes Post University.
Week 0 Matchups
Thursday, Aug. 27
Grand Valley State (0-0) at Charleston (0-0) | 6 p.m. | Charleston, W. Va.
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Notes: Defending MEC Co-Champions Charleston welcome Grand Valley State to Charleston, W. Va., to open the 2026 season … Charleston was selected second in the MEC Preseason Poll, after finishing 8-3 overall with a 7-1 mark in MEC play … the Golden Eagles return first-team All MEC selections Jamarious Pegues, Nesta Owens and Caleb Barringer … in 2025, UC finished first in the MEC with their scoring offense that averaged 36.2 points per game … Charleston is receiving votes in the American Football Coach Associate (AFCA) poll … Grand Valley State enters the contest ranked eighth nationally in the D2Football.com poll and tied for ninth in the AFCA poll … GVSU finished the 2025 season with a record of 7-3, with a mark of 5-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference … the Lakers return multiple key players, including preseason All-American candidate offensive lineman Evan Curtiss.
Walsh (0-0) at West Liberty | 7 p.m. | West Liberty, W. Va.
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Notes: The Hilltoppers begin the 2026 season under the direction of first-year head coach Chad Salisbury .. West Liberty opens the season at home, for the first time since 2024, against non-conference opponent Walsh University … WLU returns 2025 MEC Offensive Player of the Year, running back Hunter Patterson … also returns QB Kohl Meisman to direct the offense after completing 136 of 237 passes for 1,752 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 219.0 passing yards per game in 2025 … West Liberty finished the 2025 season 3-8, with a 3-5 mark in conference play … Walsh was selected sixth in the Great Midwest Athletic Preseason Poll, after finishing 6-5 with a 4-5 mark in GMAC play during the 2025 season … in the teams last meeting, the Cavaliers defeated West Liberty, 38-10 on Aug. 28, 2025 at Larry Staudt Field in North Canton, Ohio.
Concord (0-0) at Davidson (0-0) | 7 p.m. | Davidson, N.C.
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Notes: Concord kicks off the 2026 season under second year head coach Cody Edwards against Davidson on the road, in Davidson, North Carolina … the matchup marks the first time that Concord has faced off against a DI opponent since 2012 … CU possessed the second-best passing offense (262.6) in the league … the Mountain Lions tied the program's second-most wins record, 4-7 over the past decade … Concord returns wide receiver Que Moore, who finished fifth in the MEC with 37 receptions with eight touchdowns, good enough for All-MEC Second Team … Davidson finished 2-10 with a mark of 1-7 in Pioneer Football League play … the Wildcats return quarterback Casey Bullock, who competed in six games for the ‘Cats last season.
Glenville State (0-0) at Elon (0-0) | 7 p.m. | Elon, N.C.
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Notes: Glenville State’s first year head coach Jake Casteel along with nearly 80 newcomers look to open the 2026 on the road versus Elon University, in Elon, North Carolina … the Pioneers were selected as sixth in the MEC Preseason Poll, after finishing the 2025 season 6-5 with a 5-3 mark in conference play … GSU returns the bulk of their offensive line, alongside veteran defensive pieces Braden Boggs, Anthony Bachinski, Kaevon Blanding, Maddox Gillespie and Donovan Williams … Elon finished the 2025 season 6-6, with a record of 4-4 in CAA conference play … four Elon football players were named to the Phil Steele Preseason FCS All-America team, including kicker Luke Barnes who earned first-team honors after converting 14 of 15 field-goal attempts from inside 50 yards and making all 40 of his extra-point attempts.
Saturday, Aug. 29
Fairmont State (0-0) at Dayton (0-0) | 12 p.m. | Dayton, Ohio
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Notes: Fairmont State opens the 2026 season on the road, heading to Dayton, Ohio to face off against Dayton … third year head coach Luke Barker and the Falcons were selected as third in the MEC Preseason Poll, after finishing with a record of 6-5, 3-5 in 2025 … the Falcons return with veteran quarterback Nino Marzullo, who had a passing efficiency of 132.6 a season ago … additionally, the Falcons welcome back first-team all conference kickers Emmanuel Richardson and Ethan Vargo-Thomas … Dayton completed the 2025 campaign 7-4, with a record of 5-3 in the Pioneer Football League … the Flyers led by fourth-year head coach Trevor Andrews, were selected fourth in the PFL Preseason Poll.
Chowan (0-0) at West Virginia State (0-0) | 12 p.m. | Institute, W. Va.
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Notes: West Virginia State led by head coach John Pennington opens the 2026 season at home, welcoming Chowan to Institute, W. Va. … the Yellow Jackets were voted fourth in the MEC Preseason Poll, after posting an overall record of 5-6, with a 4-4 mark in league play … WVSU returns 2025 MEC Offensive Freshman Player of the Year, Devin Cox as well as first-team all conference wide receiver Malik Baker … Chowan was voted fifth in the Conference Carolinas Preseason Poll, finishing the 2025 season 4-7 with a 2-4 mark in conference action … three Trailblazers were honored to the Conference Carolinas 2026 Players to Watch list, including tight end Dezmond Randolph, linebacker Cameron Richardson, and defensive end Malachi Howell.
Thomas More University (0-0) at Wheeling (0-0) | 12 p.m. | Wheeling, W. Va.
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Notes: Wheeling was voted fifth in the MEC Preseason Poll, which is the highest ranking in the preseason poll in program history … the Cardinals kick off their season welcoming Thomas More for the teams first-ever meeting in program history to Wheeling, W. Va. … Wheeling closed out the 2025 season 6-5, with a 5-3 mark in league play … QB Landon Lutz will return as the veteran quarterback for Wheeling, who set the program record for passing attempts (609) and passing touchdowns (34) a season ago … Thomas More finished the 2025 season 1-10, with a record of 1-8 in GMAC play … the Saints were selected as ninth in the GMAC’s Preseason Poll.
Post University (0-0) at West Virginia Wesleyan (0-0) | 12 p.m. | Buckhannon, W.Va.
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Notes: West Virginia Wesleyan enters the 2026 season under the helm of new head coach, Mike Kellar … Kellar previously served as the head coach of league member Glenville State for seven seasons … the Bobcats were voted ninth in the MEC Preseason Poll, after finishing the season 0-11 with a record of 0-8 in MEC play … West Virginia Wesleyan will look to get their first win since Oct. 22, 2022 which came after defeating Alderson Broaddus, 31-30 … Post will travel to Buckhannon, W. Va. to face off against West Virginia Wesleyan in the program's season opener … Post finished the season 4-6, posting a 1-6 mark in Northeast 10 Conference play … Post was selected as seventh in the NE10 Preseason Poll.