The 2027 football schedule is still missing one opponent. Talks are heating up this week to fill that vacancy before the 2026 season begins. The latest intel is a potential Week Zero matchup against ECU in Charlotte. ECU is the goal but if that flames out, then an FCS buy game would be the likely option.

So, if we land Week 0 in Charlotte, that means we only get 5 home games next year. We could be very limited on Saturday home games with the possibility of Marshall, GaSo & Coastal being a weeknight. That would suck, but that would be a heck of an opening to the season - ECU, Boise, @ SCAR.

BUTCH1991 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 3:24 pm

So, if we land Week 0 in Charlotte, that means we only get 5 home games next year. We could be very limited on Saturday home games with the possibility of Marshall, GaSo & Coastal being a weeknight. That would suck, but that would be a heck of an opening to the season - ECU, Boise, @ SCAR.

On campus games are so much better than a neutral site game in a half-filled stadium with inflated prices. That's going to continue to erode season ticket holders, if we're not winning. (Yes, we "sold out" of season tickets, but no one knows publicly what that number is)

DLo needs to deliver some wins to keep the fanbase happy

BUTCH1991 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 3:24 pm

So, if we land Week 0 in Charlotte, that means we only get 5 home games next year. We could be very limited on Saturday home games with the possibility of Marshall, GaSo & Coastal being a weeknight. That would suck, but that would be a heck of an opening to the season - ECU, Boise, @ SCAR.

It would be disappointing to only have 5 home games but there are expected to be 7 in 2028 so it would even out.

I just got an email from ECU and our ticket is their most expensive ticket of the year. It seems it would be a no brainer to make that an annual game.

It has to be a Saturday game this time. The move to Thursday in 2021 killed ticket sales, especially for ECU. It was a solid crowd but it could have been a lot better.

JTApps1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 8:34 pm

It has to be a Saturday game this time. The move to Thursday in 2021 killed ticket sales, especially for ECU. It was a solid crowd but it could have been a lot better.

We're always going to get bumped to Thursday. Power 4 game will always be at the stadium that Saturday.

WASU 93 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 8:47 pm

JTApps1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 8:34 pm

It has to be a Saturday game this time. The move to Thursday in 2021 killed ticket sales, especially for ECU. It was a solid crowd but it could have been a lot better.

We're always going to get bumped to Thursday. Power 4 game will always be at the stadium that Saturday.

The national champions made the call and we got bumped. No brainer.

Good news for us is that P4's aren't scheduling those types of big games anymore so hopefully we can hold a Saturday opener slot now.

WASU 93 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 8:47 pm

JTApps1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 8:34 pm

It has to be a Saturday game this time. The move to Thursday in 2021 killed ticket sales, especially for ECU. It was a solid crowd but it could have been a lot better.

We're always going to get bumped to Thursday. Power 4 game will always be at the stadium that Saturday.

That was first and possibly only time they had two games that weekend. We were the only game originally then they added the Clemson/Tenn game. Interestingly enough, they currently have NC A&T/ NC Central scheduled for Week 0 and have a ND/Wake game listed as TBD next year. I wonder if we will bump them A&T/Central game to Thursday, or if the ND/Wake game is getting rescheduled?

Gillin said in July they were working on a "Charlotte game in the next couple of years" and this fits the description.

ECU already has six home games, so I'd prefer Boone.

The Notre Dame/Wake game is Oct. 9.

The benefit of scheduling Week Zero is an extra off week during the season.

EDIT: Here's what Gillin said in July on the in-house podcast.

“We will announce another Charlotte game, coming up, we’ll announce that in September, another cool game down in Charlotte, that’ll come in the next couple years.”

T-Dog wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 12, 2026 1:56 pm

Gillin said in July they were working on a "Charlotte game in the next couple of years" and this fits the description.

ECU already has six home games, so I'd prefer Boone.

The Notre Dame/Wake game is Oct. 9.

The benefit of scheduling Week Zero is an extra off week during the season.

EDIT: Here's what Gillin said in July on the in-house podcast.

“We will announce another Charlotte game, coming up, we’ll announce that in September, another cool game down in Charlotte, that’ll come in the next couple years.”

Gonna disagree with gillin. It’s no cool down in Charlotte in early September. It’s hot as balls. I’ll go it’s easy for me but I’d rather be in Boone

T-Dog wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 12, 2026 1:56 pm

Gillin said in July they were working on a "Charlotte game in the next couple of years" and this fits the description.

ECU already has six home games, so I'd prefer Boone.

The Notre Dame/Wake game is Oct. 9.

The benefit of scheduling Week Zero is an extra off week during the season. Every other future game had a date listed.

EDIT: Here's what Gillin said in July on the in-house podcast.

“We will announce another Charlotte game, coming up, we’ll announce that in September, another cool game down in Charlotte, that’ll come in the next couple years.”

Where did you see Oct 9 for the Wake/ND game? The Mayo site showed TBD this morning.

JTApps1 wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 12, 2026 9:01 pm

Where did you see Oct 9 for the Wake/ND game? The Mayo site showed TBD this morning.

Both schools said Oct. 9 when they announced it last year.

https://godeacs.com/news/2025/7/28/foot ... ca-stadium
https://fightingirish.com/news/2025/07/ ... yo-classic

T-Dog wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 12, 2026 11:05 pm

JTApps1 wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 12, 2026 9:01 pm

Where did you see Oct 9 for the Wake/ND game? The Mayo site showed TBD this morning.

Both schools said Oct. 9 when they announced it last year.

https://godeacs.com/news/2025/7/28/foot ... ca-stadium
https://fightingirish.com/news/2025/07/ ... yo-classic

Interesting that the official website show TBD. I wonder if that has something to do with our potential game?

Listening back to Coach Loggains’ opening press conference, he mentioned finding competitive advantages with fall camp. I think a week zero game would fall under that category. You could have a longer fall camp without dialing back hours with class starting 3 weeks before the first game.

Nice coast versus mountains match up
Would be nice to be annual occurrence

Saint3333 wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 16, 2026 9:00 am

https://x.com/thesportsobj/status/20887 ... 4bzw7Djosw

biggie wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 16, 2026 1:53 pm

Saint3333 wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 16, 2026 9:00 am

https://x.com/thesportsobj/status/20887 ... 4bzw7Djosw

ECU must have gotten a better offer, or it does nothing to help their ability to make the college playoffs by playing Appalachian.

spacemonkey wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 11, 2026 7:16 pm

I just got an email from ECU and our ticket is their most expensive ticket of the year. It seems it would be a no brainer to make that an annual game.

E-Z-U fan here coming in peace, I’m curious what you all think of future matchups together? Obviously App has had ECU’s number the last few matchups so it’s always been a fun game for you all so far.

For us as ECU fans, with the way CFB is going I’m guessing that it will to be rather difficult to schedule games against NC State and UNC going forward. For decades those games and other ACC matchups gave many ECU fans their favorite moments with college football.

In the American ECU has no real regional rivals, obviously there’s UNCC but it’s hard to get excited to play them. I see the App State game as an opportunity to continue to build and enjoy an in-state rivalry with another fanbase and university that is passionate about football. I would love if this became a game that’s played every other year like it has been recently.

This isn’t as big of an issue for App playing in the Sunbelt but so im curious how you all see the game?