INDIANAPOLIS - With the end of the football program's spring football practice session approaching, the Knights and head coach Ted Karras Jr. have released the completed schedule for the 2026 season. Marian's 2026 season will feature an 11-game regular season for the second consecutive year, marking the first time since the 2008-2010 seasons that the team will play a minimum of 11 games during the season. 

The upcoming season marks Marian's third year in the MSFA Midwest League, as the Knights come off an 8-4 record. Marian will play five of its 11 games at home this fall, while six contests will be on the road, including the season opener on Thursday, August 27, when the Knights travel to the south side of Indianapolis to face UIndy. 

After the opener against UIndy, Marian will play two more games away from home, traveling to Defiance College for the first road meeting of the series, while spending the following weekend, September 12, in Fort Wayne for a night game with Saint Francis. This upcoming season, Saint Francis returns to the MSFA Mideast League, making this meeting the first-ever regular-season non-conference matchup between the two teams.

The crossover games between MSFA Mideast opponents continues when the Knights play their first home game of the season on September 19, taking on Madonna University on Family Weekend. The team will spend the following week idle on its bye, and then continue a lengthy home stretch as the calendar flips to October, welcoming Taylor back to Indianapolis on October 3. The meeting with Taylor will be the first played in Indianapolis since the 2022 season, while Marian will be riding a 16-game winning streak entering that contest. 

On October 10, the Knights will host their 2026 Homecoming game, as they face rival Indiana Wesleyan for the third consecutive season at Ascension St. Vincent Field. Marian's homestand will conclude on October 17, as the team begins MSFA Midwest League action with a home date against Olivet Nazarene. 

October concludes with a pair of road conference games, with Marian traveling to newcomer Saint Mary of the Woods on October 24, and ending the month with a Halloween matchup in Joliet at Saint Francis (Ill.). 

The Knights return home on November 7 for their Senior Day game against Saint Xavier and conclude the regular season on the road at Judson on November 14. 

The NAIA Football Championship Series will run from November 21 through December 19, with the NAIA National Championship game to once again be hosted in Fort Worth, Texas. All matchups in the First, Second, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal Rounds will be held at Campus Sites around the NAIA.

All times listed on the team's online schedule are subject to change, and any such changes will be announced on MUKnights.com. Tickets for the 2026 season will go on sale during the summer months, along with updates to parking changes for M-Club tailgating.

Marian football ends their spring practices this Saturday, as the team plays its annual Blue vs White Spring Game. The game begins at 12:00 p.m. at Ascension St. Vincent Field.

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