Southern University Football Schedule 2026

Southern Jaguars 2026 Football Schedule: Marshall Faulk's First Season, a Houston Road Trip and the 53rd Bayou Classic

BATON ROUGE, La. - Marshall Faulk will begin his first season as an HBCU football head coach at a neutral site in Birmingham, Alabama, and finish it at the Caesars Superdome.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and College Football Hall of Famer spent last season coaching running backs at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders, who previously coached at Jackson State.

Faulk takes over a program that was in shambles. Last season, the Jaguars finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in SWAC play under former head coach Terrence Graves and interim head coach Fred McNair, who completed the season for the Jags. McNair is returning as a senior advisor on Faulk's current staff.

#Southern fall camp under Marshall Faulk has begun.

The QB competition continues on with Ashton Strother, Wyatt McCauley (#9), and now Christian Johnson (#10). Johnson transferred from Hutchinson CC earlier in the summer. pic.twitter.com/EYnkzz8z3z
— Kevin Batiste (@KBatisteJr) August 1, 2026

SWAC coaches and sports information directors picked Southern to finish fifth in the Western Division.

Coach Faulk believes in focusing on preparation during Fall camp. "The separation from the guys who are first in the conference to the guys who are last is the preparation," he told reporters after Saturday's practice. "The separation is in the preparation. We got to make sure that we prepare right."

Marshall Faulk - Southern University — Marshall Faulk | Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Indianaplis Colts former running back Marshall Faulk on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Southern 2026 Football Schedule

Aug. 29 – Alabama State | Birmingham, Ala. | 3 p.m. / ESPNU
Sept. 5 – Kentucky State | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. | TBD / SWAC TV
Sept. 12 – at Houston | TDECU Stadium, Houston | TBD
Sept. 19 – Louisiana Christian | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. | TBD / SWAC TV
Sept. 26 – at Jackson State (Boom Box Classic) | Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Miss. | TBD
Oct. 3 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Homecoming) | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. | TBD / SWAC TV
Oct. 10 – at Prairie View A&M | Panther Stadium, Prairie View, Texas | TBD / SWAC TV
Oct. 17 – Open date
Oct. 24 – at Texas Southern | Reliant Stadium, Houston | 2 p.m.
Oct. 31 – at Florida A&M | Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla. | TBD
Nov. 7 – Bethune-Cookman | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. | TBD / SWAC TV
Nov. 14 – Alcorn State | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. | 2 p.m. / HBCU GO
Nov. 21 – Open date
Nov. 28 – Grambling State (Bayou Classic) | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans | 1 p.m.

Kickoff times and network designations are subject to change.

"The separation is in the preparation."

This is probably the 1st of several catchy lines Marshall Faulk will say this year.

Find out what he is prioritizing in Southern football's fall camp before the season opener vs Alabama State on Aug. 29 ⬇️

STORY: https://t.co/cNym58jVF5 pic.twitter.com/9V8QaChlII
— Toyloy Brown III (@TJ3rd_) August 1, 2026

Andrew Body and Bama State — Quarterback Andrew Body during the Alabama State University football practice on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday July 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Week 0 opener against Alabama State

The Jaguars start their season on Aug. 29 against Alabama State at the inaugural Birmingham Football Classic. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. on ESPNU and is a nonconference matchup. This is the second year in a row that Southern has opened in Week 0 at a neutral site.

Southern will host Kentucky State on September 5, travel to Houston on September 12, and return home to face Louisiana Christian on September 19. The game in Houston is the only Football Bowl Subdivision matchup on their schedule.

Scheduling tiers draw scrutiny

Kentucky State plays in Division II and Louisiana Christian is part of the NAIA, considered to be not on the Jaguars' level. Their inclusion on the schedule has sparked ongoing debate in HBCU football. Some critics say Division I teams should not schedule games against lower-division opponents, which the Southwestern Athletic Conference may phase out.

Athletic administrators, however, believe these games help with preparing the team for grueling conference battles, home-game guarantees, ticket sales, and roster development.

Boom Box Classic versus Jackson State — Cedric the Entertainer performs with Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South during the game against the Southern Jaguars in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Conference slate runs through three classics

Southern begins SWAC play on Sept. 26 at Jackson State in the Boom Box Classic, and will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff for homecoming on Oct. 3.

Next, the Jaguars do a Texas-two-step, playing back-to-back road games at Prairie View A&M on Oct. 10 and at Texas Southern's homecoming at Reliant Stadium on Oct. 24.

The TSU game was rescheduled from Oct. 17 to Oct. 24 because the Texas Southern Board of Regents was forced to approve an adjusted schedule after losing games at Shell Energy Stadium.

Last year, Southern played Texas Southern at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge and lost 35-30. Reliant Stadium, which seats over 72,000, will be the largest venue for Faulk's team until the Bayou Classic in Caesars Superdome, which seats over 73,000 spectators.

November closes with the 53rd Bayou Classic

The Jaguars will travel to Florida A&M on Oct. 31, host Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 7, and play Alcorn State at home on November 14.

After an open date on Nov. 21, Southern will have its annual regular season finale against Grambling State at the 53rd Bayou Classic inside Caesars Superdome on Nov. 28.

Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, and Mississippi Valley State cannot play in the postseason in 2026 because of NCAA Academic Progress Rate penalties. All three teams are in the Eastern Division.

Southern is still eligible for the Pepsi SWAC Football Championship Game on Dec. 5.

Faulk takes over a team that won just one conference game under Graves. The first sign of their progress will come on Oct. 3, when Southern hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff for homecoming; the Golden Lions are the only Western Division team ranked below Southern in the preseason poll.

The Southern faithful are anticipating a vastly improved team with Faulk at the helm. Understanding their lack of patience for slow starts in Baton Rouge, Faulk's team must display better technique, discipline, and preparation to make a difference over the next few years in a highly competitive SWAC West field.

Quick FAQs on Southern's 2026 Football Season

When does Southern open the 2026 football season?

The Jaguars open Aug. 29 against Alabama State in Birmingham, Alabama, with a 3 p.m. kickoff on ESPNU.

Who is Southern’s head coach in 2026?

Marshall Faulk, a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and College Football Hall of Famer, enters his first season leading the program.

Does Southern play an FBS opponent in 2026?

Yes. The Jaguars travel to Houston on Sept. 12, the only Football Bowl Subdivision opponent on the schedule.

When is the 2026 Bayou Classic?

The 53rd Bayou Classic against Grambling State is set for Nov. 28 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans with a 1 p.m. kickoff.

When is Southern homecoming in 2026?

Homecoming falls Oct. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

When does Southern play Texas Southern in 2026?

Texas Southern’s board-approved schedule places the game Oct. 24 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Southern’s earlier release listed Oct. 17.

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