SPOKANE, Wash. – For the first time in five years the Whitworth University football team gets a home-heavy schedule in 2026. Six of the ten dates on the Pirates' slate will be at home.
"I love this schedule because we have six home games and we get to start at home for two straight weeks, allowing us to get the entire team involved and be part of the game day experience," said Whitworth head coach Rod Sandberg.
The opening date (September 5th) will be an exhibition game against the Utah Islanders, a club program comprised of college-age players, based in the greater Salt Lake City area. Eastern Oregon returns to the Pine Bowl on September 12th for the annual Military Appreciation Game. The Pirates visit Redlands (California) on September 19th for their only night game (7:00 pm).
Following a bye week, Whitworth plays a seven-game NWC slate that begins with a home game against Pacific (Ore.) on October 3rd. The three other home games include Homecoming/One Big Weekend vs. Linfield on Oct. 17th and Lewis & Clark on October 24th. The Pirates will have Senior Recognition on November 7th against Willamette.
The three NWC road games include George Fox on October 10th, Pacific Lutheran on October 31st and Puget Sound on November 14th in the regular season finale.
Each home game will start at 1:00 pm, with the exception of November 7th which will be a noon start.
The Bucs bounced back from a 1-2 start against non-conference opponents, which included losses to Eastern Oregon and Redlands, to go 7-0 in the NWC in a rebuilding season. The Pirates had to replace 19 starters from 2024 but still made the NCAA Division III playoffs for the third straight season and fifth time under Sandberg.
The last time Whitworth had six home games on the regular season schedule was 2021.
