The Pittsburgh Panthers have added the Bucknell Bison to their 2026 football schedule, according to a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday.
Per the report, Pitt is scheduled to host Bucknell at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., in September during the 2026 season. The agreement for the game was reportedly signed several years ago but was never formally announced.
Pitt and Bucknell first met on the gridiron in 1902 and last played in 1945. The Panthers have won three consecutive contests against the Bison and currently lead the overall series 7-2.
The Bucknell Bison currently compete in the Patriot League in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Bison finished the 2025 season 5-7 overall and 2-5 in Patriot League action.
With the addition of Bucknell, Pittsburgh now has three non-conference opponents set for the 2026 season. The Panthers are scheduled to open the season with consecutive games at home against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Sept. 5 and the UCF Knights on Sept. 12.
Last week, Pitt and Wisconsin announced that they had mutually agreed to cancel their contest in 2026, which was scheduled to be played in Madison, Wisc., on Sept. 19. The two schools are still scheduled to meet to open the 2027 season on Saturday, Aug. 28 in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
With three non-conference opponents, Pitt’s slate for the 2026 season may be complete. That depends on the number of ACC opponents the Panthers are assigned, as the league is reportedly shifting to a partial nine-game conference schedule in 2026 before fully implementing the format in 2027.
In ACC action next season, Pitt is currently scheduled to host Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Syracuse and play at Boston College, Louisville, Miami, and Virginia Tech. Those opponents could change, however.
Pitt is the second known non-conference opponent for Bucknell in 2026. The Bison are also scheduled to visit the VMI Keydets on Sept. 12.
Football Schedules