Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics
Nichols, Falcons Announce Fall 2026 Schedule
April 22, 2026 | Men's Soccer
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University men's soccer coach Eric Nichols has announced his team's schedule for the 2026 season. The Falcons will play a 17-match regular-season slate that includes seven contests inside the friendly confines of Cochrane Stadium.
"Our 2026 schedule will test us in every way," said Nichols. "Facing elite non-conference opponents alongside a demanding MVC slate, our group is motivated and ready to compete at the highest level."Â
The regular-season schedule begins with a home match vs. Wright State on Thursday, August 20, as the teams battle for the I-75 Cup, a traveling trophy that goes to the winner of each year's BGSU-WSU game.
BGSU then hits the road for the next two matches, with trips to Duquesne (Aug. 23) and IU Indianapolis (Aug. 28) before hosting Wake Forest on Labor Day (Monday, Aug. 31).
The Falcons begin the month of September with a pair of contests vs. Big East Conference foes, traveling to face Xavier (Sept. 4) before meeting DePaul at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 11) on back-to-back Fridays.
BG returns to the road to meet Milwaukee (Sept. 15) and Mercyhurst (Sept. 19), before opening the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule on Friday., Sept. 25, vs. Western Michigan. That game is part of the program's annual Alumni Weekend.
The Falcons end the month of September with a road game against Northern Kentucky (Sept. 29). NKU is coached by former BGSU associate head coach Sean Teepen, with former Falcon forward Sergi Martinez on the Norse coaching staff as well.
BGSU plays three-straight MVC matches on as many Saturdays to start the month of October. The Falcons sandwich trips to Bradley (Oct. 3) and Evansville (Oct. 17) around a home game vs. Drake (Oct. 10).
After a non-conference match at Oakland on Oct. 20 – one of five matches vs. Horizon League foes on the schedule – the Falcons face Belmont in an MVC matchup on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The final home match of the regular season is a non-league, in-state contest vs. Wilmington on Wed., Oct. 28, before the Falcons end the regular-season schedule with a trip to Chicago to face UIC (Nov. 4).
Prior to the regular-season opener, the Orange and Brown will play three scrimmages, hosting former BGSU assistant coach Nate Kopunek's Detroit Mercy squad (Aug. 7) and hitting the road to face Indiana (Aug. 10) and Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 14).
The complete schedule is below. CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date schedule throughout the season.
For more information on the BGSU men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMSoccer), Instagram (bgfalcons and bgsumsoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
BGSU MEN'S SOCCER – FALL 2026 SCHEDULE
Date   Opponent        Â
AUGUSTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 7Â Â DETROIT MERCY #Â Â Â Â Â Â
Mon., 10 Â at Indiana #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 14 Â at Purdue Fort Wayne #Â Â
Thu., 20 Â WRIGHT STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sun., 23  at Duquesne       Â
Fri., 28  at IU Indianapolis   Â
Mon., 31 Â WAKE FORESTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
SEPTEMBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 4  at Xavier        Â
Fri., 11 Â DePAULÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Tue., 15  at Milwaukee      Â
Sat., 19  at Mercyhurst      Â
Fri., 25 Â WESTERN MICHIGAN *Â Â Â Â
Tue., 29  at Northern Kentucky  Â
OCTOBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat., 3 Â at Bradley *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat., 10 Â DRAKE *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat,. 17 Â at Evansville *Â Â Â Â Â Â
Tue., 20  at Oakland       Â
Sun., 25 Â BELMONT *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Wed., 28 Â WILMINGTONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NOVEMBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Wed., 4 Â at UIC *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
* MVC match            Â
# Scrimmage            Â
HOME matches at Cochrane Stadium Â
Â
"Our 2026 schedule will test us in every way," said Nichols. "Facing elite non-conference opponents alongside a demanding MVC slate, our group is motivated and ready to compete at the highest level."Â
The regular-season schedule begins with a home match vs. Wright State on Thursday, August 20, as the teams battle for the I-75 Cup, a traveling trophy that goes to the winner of each year's BGSU-WSU game.
BGSU then hits the road for the next two matches, with trips to Duquesne (Aug. 23) and IU Indianapolis (Aug. 28) before hosting Wake Forest on Labor Day (Monday, Aug. 31).
The Falcons begin the month of September with a pair of contests vs. Big East Conference foes, traveling to face Xavier (Sept. 4) before meeting DePaul at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 11) on back-to-back Fridays.
BG returns to the road to meet Milwaukee (Sept. 15) and Mercyhurst (Sept. 19), before opening the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule on Friday., Sept. 25, vs. Western Michigan. That game is part of the program's annual Alumni Weekend.
The Falcons end the month of September with a road game against Northern Kentucky (Sept. 29). NKU is coached by former BGSU associate head coach Sean Teepen, with former Falcon forward Sergi Martinez on the Norse coaching staff as well.
BGSU plays three-straight MVC matches on as many Saturdays to start the month of October. The Falcons sandwich trips to Bradley (Oct. 3) and Evansville (Oct. 17) around a home game vs. Drake (Oct. 10).
After a non-conference match at Oakland on Oct. 20 – one of five matches vs. Horizon League foes on the schedule – the Falcons face Belmont in an MVC matchup on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The final home match of the regular season is a non-league, in-state contest vs. Wilmington on Wed., Oct. 28, before the Falcons end the regular-season schedule with a trip to Chicago to face UIC (Nov. 4).
Prior to the regular-season opener, the Orange and Brown will play three scrimmages, hosting former BGSU assistant coach Nate Kopunek's Detroit Mercy squad (Aug. 7) and hitting the road to face Indiana (Aug. 10) and Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 14).
The complete schedule is below. CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date schedule throughout the season.
For more information on the BGSU men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMSoccer), Instagram (bgfalcons and bgsumsoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
BGSU MEN'S SOCCER – FALL 2026 SCHEDULE
Date   Opponent        Â
AUGUSTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 7Â Â DETROIT MERCY #Â Â Â Â Â Â
Mon., 10 Â at Indiana #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 14 Â at Purdue Fort Wayne #Â Â
Thu., 20 Â WRIGHT STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sun., 23  at Duquesne       Â
Fri., 28  at IU Indianapolis   Â
Mon., 31 Â WAKE FORESTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
SEPTEMBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Fri., 4  at Xavier        Â
Fri., 11 Â DePAULÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Tue., 15  at Milwaukee      Â
Sat., 19  at Mercyhurst      Â
Fri., 25 Â WESTERN MICHIGAN *Â Â Â Â
Tue., 29  at Northern Kentucky  Â
OCTOBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat., 3 Â at Bradley *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat., 10 Â DRAKE *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Sat,. 17 Â at Evansville *Â Â Â Â Â Â
Tue., 20  at Oakland       Â
Sun., 25 Â BELMONT *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Wed., 28 Â WILMINGTONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NOVEMBERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Wed., 4 Â at UIC *Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
* MVC match            Â
# Scrimmage            Â
HOME matches at Cochrane Stadium Â
Â
Off The Pitch: Gonzalo Carranza (Oct. 30, 2025)
Thursday, October 30
Off The Pitch: Jack Bennett (Oct. 22, 2025)
Thursday, October 23
Off The Pitch: Ryko Bodurov (Oct. 16, 2025)
Friday, October 17
Eric Nichols Post-Match Interview (Oct. 10, 2025)
Saturday, October 11