QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University sprint football program has released its 2026 schedule as the Hawks prepare for their fifth season as a program and second under head coach Kirkland Burton.

Quincy will look to bounce back from a 1-6 campaign in 2025, which marked the lowest win total through the first four seasons of the program. The Hawks finished 0-4 at QU Stadium and 1-2 on the road, with their lone victory coming in the season finale, a 34-0 win over Oakland City.

The Midwest Sprint Football League will have a different look in 2026, as the league is down to four teams. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College added an NAIA football program and dropped sprint football, while Oakland City University will not participate in the 2026 MSFL season following the university's decision to suspend undergraduate operations for the 2026-27 academic year.

With four teams in the league, Quincy will face each of the other three MSFL programs twice, once at home and once on the road, for a six-game regular season. Postseason play will follow, with the MSFL Semifinals set for Saturday, Oct. 31, and the MSFL Championship Game scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7.

2026 Quincy Sprint Football Schedule

Saturday, Sept. 12 – Quincy at Bellarmine
Saturday, Sept. 19 – Calumet College of St. Joseph at Quincy
Saturday, Sept. 26 – Midway at Quincy
Saturday, Oct. 3 – Bye Week
Saturday, Oct. 10 – Quincy at Calumet College of St. Joseph
Saturday, Oct. 17 – Bellarmine at Quincy
Saturday, Oct. 24 – Quincy at Midway

Saturday, Oct. 31 – MSFL Semifinals
No. 4 seed at No. 1 seed
No. 3 seed at No. 2 seed

Saturday, Nov. 7 – MSFL Championship Game
At highest remaining seed

History vs. Bellarmine

The Hawks open the 2026 season on the road against Bellarmine, a team Quincy has faced five times in program history. Bellarmine leads the all-time series 3-2 and has won each of the last two meetings.

Last season's matchup at QU Stadium turned into a defensive battle, with Bellarmine edging the Hawks 9-7. The Knights finished the year 3-5 overall before falling to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 41-14 in the MSFL Semifinals.

The two teams will meet again later in the season when Bellarmine comes to QU Stadium on Oct. 17.

History vs. Calumet College of St. Joseph

Quincy's home opener will come against Calumet College of St. Joseph on Sept. 19. The Crimson Wave opened last season against the Hawks and handed Quincy an 18-0 loss, marking just the second time in program history that QU was shut out offensively.

Calumet finished 6-2 last season and advanced to the MSFL Championship Game before falling to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 33-6. The Crimson Wave lead the all-time series against Quincy 3-1 and have won the last two meetings.

The Hawks will make the return trip to Calumet on Oct. 10 following their bye week.

History vs. Midway

The Hawks will also face Midway twice in 2026, beginning with a home matchup on Sept. 26 before traveling to Midway on Oct. 24 to close the regular season.

The two programs met twice last season as well, with Midway winning both matchups and scoring a combined 100 points across the two games. The Eagles finished 5-3 overall before falling to Calumet 19-7 in the MSFL Semifinals.

Midway leads the all-time series 3-2 and has won the last three meetings against Quincy.

With a mix of returners and newcomers, the Hawks will look to take a step forward in year two under Burton and build momentum throughout the 2026 season.