Wayne State opens the 2026 season on the road Thursday evening with a visit to in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney set for 6 p.m. at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.  The 'Cats are coming off a 7-4 season (7-3 NSIC) while the Lopers posted records of 6-5 overall and 4-5 in the MIAA and received four votes in the AFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll.  Last season, the two teams renewed their rivalry for the first time since 2011 with the Lopers coming away with a 28-21 win at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne.  UNK leads the all-time series 60-19-6 and has won the last two meetings but the Wildcats have emerged victorius by scores of 24-17 in overtime in 2010 when UNK was #13 in the country and a 28-12 win in Kearney in the 2008 opener.