Cal Poly Football’s Home Opener to be Televised on ESPN
5/27/2026 3:33:00 PM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly Football’s 2026 home opener against the University of Idaho on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. will be showcased on ESPN, setting the stage for a nationally televised celebration honoring the legacy of football legend John Madden and marking the first Mustang home game since the opening of the John Madden Football Center.
The nationally televised matchup will serve as Cal Poly’s 2026 season opener during Week 0 of the college football season and will also open Big Sky Conference play for the Mustangs. The primetime contest will shine a national spotlight on Cal Poly and commemorate a transformational moment for the football program as the Mustangs take the field for the first time at home alongside the program’s new state-of-the-art facility bearing Madden’s name.
The game will also mark the beginning of a new era for the Mustangs under first-year head coach Tim Skipper, who will lead Cal Poly onto Mustang Memorial Field for his first home game at the helm of the program.
“This will be an incredibly special night for Cal Poly Football and the entire university,” Carter Henderson said. “To have our home opener televised nationally on ESPN while honoring the legacy of John Madden and playing our first home game following the opening of the John Madden Football Center creates a truly historic moment for our program. It’s also the beginning of an exciting new era under Coach Tim Skipper, and we’re proud to showcase the energy, momentum, and future of Cal Poly Football on a national stage. We expect Mustang Memorial Field to be electric and for this to be a night our fans, alumni, students, and community will remember for years to come.”
The evening will feature tributes to Madden’s extraordinary impact on football, both at Cal Poly and throughout the sport, while recognizing the significance of the John Madden Football Center as a major investment in the future of the program.
A proud Cal Poly alumnus, Madden became one of the most influential figures in football history through his Hall of Fame coaching career with the Oakland Raiders, his iconic broadcasting career, and his lasting cultural impact through the Madden NFL video game franchise.
Season ticket for Cal Poly football are currently on sale at GoPoly.com/tickets. Individual game tickets will be available for purchase in early June.
