LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The Long Island University football team will play its second game of the 2026 season in a road matchup against Kansas on Friday, Sept.4. Opening kickoff at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m.
 
The game will be televised on ESPNU, with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Jeff Woody (analyst) on the call.
 
 
Quick Facts

-FULL SPEED AHEAD: LIU and Kansas will face off for the first time in program history on Friday, marking the first of two upcoming FBS matchups for LIU.  After opening the season at University of North Dakota last week, the Sharks will wrap up this additional game on the road before hosting their home opener against UAlbany on Sept. 12 and Homecoming vs. Villanova on Sept. 19.
 
-PUTTING UP A FIGHT AGAINST FIGHTING HAWKS: Despite a 42-21 defeat to UND on Aug. 27, the Sharks had a late game surge against the Fighting Hawks. LIU outscored its opponent 21-0 in the second half, with quarterback Luca Stanzani finishing the game by connecting on 12 of 16 attempts, including a 65-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Boakai Veikai late in the third quarter. Stanzani went on to score a touchdown of his own in the fourth as well.
 
-NEC PRIME PERFORMERS: After leading LIU's late game surge against LIU, Luca Stanzani earned himself weekly recognition in the form of an NEC Prime Performer nod. Also earning that same honor for the week was linebacker Rafael Fasolino, who led the Sharks' defense with 10 solo tackles. 
 
-2025 IN REVIEW: The Sharks will look to contend for the NEC title following a banner campaign in 2025 after finishing 6-6, boasting the most overall wins for a single season in the program's Division I tenure. The season was also highlighted by a 28-23 win at Eastern Michigan University, the program's first-ever victory over an FBS team. LIU finished the season on a three-game winning streak, with wins in five of its final six games.