University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Sun Belt, ESPN Announce Start Times For Selected 2026 Games
5/27/2026 2:37:00 PM | Football
Louisiana to play nighttime non-conference games at home; late night start at USC
NEW ORLEANS – Start times and network designations for four games on the 2026 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football Schedule, including the first three weeks of the season, were announced on Wednesday by the Sun Belt Conference and ESPN.
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Louisiana will play non-conference opponents Lamar (Sept. 5) and UAB (Sept. 19) in nighttime contests at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium with its September 12 West Coast matchup at USC slated for a 10 p.m. CT start.
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The Ragin' Cajuns will open the season against Lamar in the annual Herbert Heymann Classic with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Two weeks later, Louisiana will face American Conference member UAB at 7 p.m., with both games scheduled for broadcast on ESPN+.
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Louisiana will face USC for the first time on September 12. The game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will start at 8 p.m. PT and will be available on the Big Ten Network.
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The SBC Office and ESPN also announced that Louisiana's game at ULM on Thursday, November 12, will start at 8 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN or ESPN2.
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The 2026 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game is slated for a 6 p.m. start on Friday, December 4 on ESPN. The game will feature the champions of the conference's East and West Divisions and will be played at the site of the divisional winner with the best overall conference record.
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Kickoff times and television designations for the remaining games will be announced 12 days before the scheduled date.
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Fans are encouraged to stay connected with Louisiana Football by downloading the official #GeauxCajuns App — click here for iOS and here for Android — and by following the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB).
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Louisiana will play non-conference opponents Lamar (Sept. 5) and UAB (Sept. 19) in nighttime contests at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium with its September 12 West Coast matchup at USC slated for a 10 p.m. CT start.
Â
The Ragin' Cajuns will open the season against Lamar in the annual Herbert Heymann Classic with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Two weeks later, Louisiana will face American Conference member UAB at 7 p.m., with both games scheduled for broadcast on ESPN+.
Â
Louisiana will face USC for the first time on September 12. The game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will start at 8 p.m. PT and will be available on the Big Ten Network.
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The SBC Office and ESPN also announced that Louisiana's game at ULM on Thursday, November 12, will start at 8 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN or ESPN2.
Â
The 2026 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game is slated for a 6 p.m. start on Friday, December 4 on ESPN. The game will feature the champions of the conference's East and West Divisions and will be played at the site of the divisional winner with the best overall conference record.
Â
Kickoff times and television designations for the remaining games will be announced 12 days before the scheduled date.
Â
Fans are encouraged to stay connected with Louisiana Football by downloading the official #GeauxCajuns App — click here for iOS and here for Android — and by following the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB).
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