NEW ORLEANS — Georgia State will officially kick off the 2026 Sun Belt football season when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. 
 
The season-opening matchup will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
Georgia State’s non-conference schedule also includes an in-state matchup at Kennesaw State (Sept. 12), a trip to UCF (Sept. 19) and a visit from Northern Illinois (Sept. 26). Alongside annual dates with their East Division brethren, the Panthers will travel to Arkansas State (Oct. 24) and host Louisiana (Nov. 28) from the Sun Belt West Division. 
 
Following back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2013-16, the Panthers were picked to finish seventh in the Sun Belt East Division in last month’s 2026 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
Third-year head coach Dell McGee will guide a roster that returns one All-Sun Belt pick from 2025 and had no players named to the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams. 
 
Georgia State went 1-11 in 2025, with its lone victory against FCS opponent Murray State. 
 
Since the program was founded in 2010, the Panthers are 65-126—including a 55-103 mark in 13 seasons of FBS football in the Sun Belt. 
 
To listen to head coach Dell McGee, redshirt senior quarterback Cameran Brown and senior defensive lineman Jabriel Rhodes-Nelson’s comments from the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days, visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube page. 



2026 SCHEDULE

9/4	North Carolina A&T
9/12	at Kennesaw State
9/19	at UCF
9/26	Northern Illinois
10/3	Old Dominion*
10/17	at James Madison*
10/24	at Arkansas State*
10/31	Coastal Carolina*
11/7	at App State*
11/14	Georgia Southern*
11/21	at Marshall*
11/28	Louisiana*

 
* Sun Belt Conference Game 
 
2025 ALL-SUN BELT RETURNERS
Honorable Mention
QB – Cameran Brown, Georgia State (RS Sr., QB – Warner Robins, Ga.) 

2026 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT SELECTIONS
N/A