Thursday, September 3, 2026. Kickoff 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Samford opens at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham against Southern Illinois, an FCS matchup between two of the better programmes at that level. It streams on ESPN+.
| Kickoff | 7:00 p.m. ET · 6:00 CT · 5:00 MT · 4:00 PT |
| TV | None — streaming only |
| Streaming | ESPN+ (standalone subscription) |
| Venue | Seibert Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama |
Two Established FCS Programmes
Southern Illinois competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, widely regarded as the strongest league in FCS football. Samford plays in the Southern Conference and has been a consistent postseason contender.
This is a better matchup than most Thursday ESPN+ games — two programmes that expect to be playing in December.
How to Watch
ESPN+ is a standalone subscription with no cable requirement. There is no television broadcast.
The Bottom Line
Southern Illinois at Samford kicks off 7:00 p.m. ET Thursday, September 3, streaming exclusively on ESPN+. Full Thursday listings are in our Thursday schedule.