JACKSONVILLE — Jax State head baseball coach Steve Bieser announced the 2026 season schedule on Friday morning.
The schedule contains 13 games against NCAA regional teams from a year ago, including a regional host in Auburn who the Gamecocks will play home and away.
The Gamecocks will also play 13 teams who won 30 or more games in 2025, including five teams who won 35+ and three teams who won 40+.
The 2026 slate kicks off on February 13 when the Gamecocks host the Big XII's Cincinnati Bearcats for a three game set. This represents the first meeting between the two programs.
February continues with a Tuesday game against Georgia State (2/17) before Toledo comes down for a weekend series from February 20th to 22nd. Jax State will host Mississippi Valley State in a two-game midweek series on February 24th and 25th.
Jax State's first road contest will be at Memphis from February 27th to March 1st. Jax State and Memphis met for the first time on the baseball diamond last season, with Jax State winning the series two games to one.
The Gamecocks will remain on the road to take on Alabama on March 3rd in Tuscaloosa before returning home to host Valparaiso from March 6th to 8th. Jax State will then play North Alabama in the brand new Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium on March 10th.
Jax State will open Conference USA play on the road at Sam Houston from March 13th to 15th. The Gamecocks ended the 2024 regular season at Sam Houston and are looking to win its first game and series in Huntsville this season.
Jax State will return home for two midweek meetings, hosting Samford (3/17) and Alabama A&M (3/18) before hosting Western Kentucky from March 20th to 22nd. The Hilltoppers took down the Gamecocks in extra innings in last year's Conference USA Championship game.
The Gamecocks will head to UAB (3/24) before facing Louisiana Tech in Ruston for a three-game set for potentially the last time as CUSA members, as LA Tech has announced plans to move to the Sun Belt in the near future.
The month of March finishes with the Crimson Tide returning to Jim Case Stadium on March 31st before the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders arrive to Jacksonville for a conference series from April 2nd to April 4th. On April 7th, the Gamecocks head south to take on Auburn, who was a regional host lost season, before heading north to take on Liberty for a three-game CUSA set from April 10th to 12th.
April 14th will see Jax State and Alabama A&M meet at Toyota Field in Madison for a midweek clash in the Trash Pandas' ballpark. The Gamecocks will then return home to host FIU from April 17th to 19th before meeting Troy at Riddle-Pace Field on April 21st.
April's final series will be a home CUSA series against New Mexico State from April 24th to 26th. Jax State will travel to Samford on April 28th to conclude April.
May opens with a road conference series at Missouri State, who the Gamecocks have never met. Mo State represents the second conference champion the Gamecocks will meet this season, as the Bears won the Missouri Valley regular season crown last season.
Jax State's final home conference series will be against rival Kennesaw State from May 8th to 10th. Jax State took two of three from the Owls who had to play at a park in Marietta due to construction of their new stadium last season. Jax State's final home contest will be a Tuesday night game on May 12th against Auburn.
The regular season concludes with a road trip to Dallas to take on DBU, who will leave CUSA for the Pac-12 after the season ends. DBU won the CUSA regular season crown last year, making them the third conference champion Jax State will face in conference play. Jax State upset DBU twice to earn a spot in the CUSA Championship game last year.
The Conference USA Championship will be hosted by Kennesaw State, who is opening the all-new Mickey Dunn Stadium this season.
Tickets will go on sale for baseball at a later date.
