Mississippi Valley State University has filled the final blank on its 2026 football schedule.
The Delta Devils announced they will play Lincoln University (PA) as its opponent for the marquee Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field on Sept. 12.
The official matchup, which had been undetermined for weeks, is now clarified.
“This is the kind of matchup that elevates our program and our conference,” MVSU head coach Vincent Dublado said in a statement from the athletics department. “Lincoln’s pedigree and Chicago’s energy make this a perfect launchpad for 2026.”
From Scheduling Mystery to Windy City Spotlight
The announcement ends a saga that began in late February, when MVSU’s slate surfaced without a named Chicago opponent.
Lincoln, fresh off a 0-10 season in the CIAA, is the latest Division II opponent the Delta Devils would have played in Chicago in recent years.
“We don’t care. We’re going to show up,” head coach Terrell Buckley said on the Terrell Buckley Show hosted by The Bluebloods podcast. “Whoever they work out, they just need to be ready for the heat. We’re going to bring that heat at Soldier Field.”
Mississippi Valley State opens its 2026 campaign with a Thursday night matchup against Nicholls State and then FBS-bound Sacramento State before making the high-profile trip to Chicago as part of the team’s non-conference slate.
Mississippi Valley State last played in the Chicago Football Classic in 2023 against Central State, which ended in a 24-21 loss for the Delta Devils.
What It Means for Both Sides
Both programs now pivot to spring ball, but Sept. 12 looms large—a scheduling puzzle solved and a classic revived. For MVSU fans, it’s another concrete reason to circle a date.
