The 2026 SWAC football schedule is set, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference returns 12 football-playing members split into East and West divisions across the Deep South and Texas. The SWAC is the flagship league of HBCU football, home to the biggest classics, band traditions, and rivalries in the FCS. Its champion does not enter the FCS playoffs; instead it meets the MEAC champion in the Celebration Bowl. Below is the full 2026 membership, the week-by-week conference schedule, how the title race works, and a free printable standings tracker to follow the divisions all fall.
- Teams: 12 football-playing members
- Conference games: 8 per team, with Alabama State and Southern each playing nine
- Season window: August 29, 2026 to November 28, 2026
- Postseason: Champion advances to the Celebration Bowl (HBCU national title game)
- Last updated: August 1, 2026
2026 SWAC Conference Schedule
Every 2026 SWAC conference game, week by week. Conference play opens Aug 29 and runs through the final weekend on November 28. Non-conference dates fill in around these matchups, and kickoff times plus TV are confirmed closer to each weekend.
| Date | Conference Games (Away at Home) |
|---|---|
| Aug 29 Sat | Southern at Alabama State |
| Sept 6 Sun | Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M |
| Sept 12 Sat | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State |
| Sept 26 Sat | Alabama A&M at Florida A&M Mississippi Valley State at Alabama State Texas Southern at Alcorn State Southern at Jackson State Prairie View A&M at Grambling |
| Oct 3 Sat | Alabama A&M at Jackson State Alabama State at Bethune-Cookman Alcorn State at Grambling Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Southern Prairie View A&M at Mississippi Valley State |
| Oct 10 Sat | Florida A&M at Alabama State Bethune-Cookman at Alabama A&M Jackson State at Grambling Mississippi Valley State at Texas Southern Southern at Prairie View A&M |
| Oct 17 Sat | Florida A&M at Jackson State Grambling at Alabama A&M Alabama State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M Bethune-Cookman at Mississippi Valley State Southern at Texas Southern |
| Oct 24 Sat | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Florida A&M Jackson State at Bethune-Cookman |
| Oct 31 Sat | Southern at Florida A&M Alabama State at Alabama A&M Alcorn State at Mississippi Valley State Bethune-Cookman at Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
| Nov 1 Sun | Grambling at Texas Southern |
| Nov 7 Sat | Florida A&M at Alcorn State Alabama A&M at Prairie View A&M Alabama State at Texas Southern Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling Bethune-Cookman at Southern Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State |
| Nov 14 Sat | Mississippi Valley State at Florida A&M Texas Southern at Alabama A&M Jackson State at Alabama State Alcorn State at Southern Prairie View A&M at Arkansas-Pine Bluff Grambling at Bethune-Cookman |
| Nov 21 Sat | Florida A&M at Bethune-Cookman Alabama A&M at Mississippi Valley State Prairie View A&M at Alabama State Jackson State at Alcorn State Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Southern |
| Nov 28 Sat | Grambling at Southern |
2026 SWAC Members
Here are the 12 schools playing SWAC football in 2026.
| School | Location | Nickname | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M Bulldogs | Huntsville, AL | Bulldogs | Louis Crews Stadium |
| Alabama State Hornets | Montgomery, AL | Hornets | ASU Stadium |
| Alcorn State Braves | Lorman, MS | Braves | Jack Spinks Stadium |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions | Pine Bluff, AR | Golden Lions | Simmons Bank Field |
| Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | Daytona Beach, FL | Wildcats | Daytona Stadium |
| Florida A&M Rattlers | Tallahassee, FL | Rattlers | Bragg Memorial Stadium |
| Grambling Tigers | Grambling, LA | Tigers | Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium |
| Jackson State Tigers | Jackson, MS | Tigers | Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium |
| Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils | Itta Bena, MS | Delta Devils | Rice-Totten Stadium |
| Prairie View A&M Panthers | Prairie View, TX | Panthers | Panther Stadium |
| Southern Jaguars | Baton Rouge, LA | Jaguars | A.W. Mumford Stadium |
| Texas Southern Tigers | Houston, TX | Tigers | Alexander Durley Stadium |
2026 Realignment: What Changed
The SWAC holds steady at 12 football members for 2026, six in the East (Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State) and six in the West (Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Texas Southern). Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman anchor the Florida wing of the league, while the West is still built around the Bayou Classic rivalry between Grambling and Southern, which closes the regular season on November 28.
How the 2026 SWAC Season Works
The 2026 SWAC football schedule gives each team 8 conference games, with Alabama State and Southern each playing nine between August 29, 2026 and November 28, 2026. Programs fill the rest of the schedule with non-conference opponents, and the league standings decide the automatic playoff bid plus seeding for teams in the hunt for at-large spots. Kickoff times and TV or streaming details are confirmed closer to each weekend.
SWAC and the Celebration Bowl
Unlike almost every other FCS conference, the SWAC champion does not advance to the 24-team FCS playoff. The East and West division winners meet in the SWAC Championship Game in December, and the conference champion then plays the MEAC champion in the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, the recognized national title game of HBCU football. That makes the division races and the head-to-head tiebreakers inside each division the whole story of the SWAC season. Explore the rest of the subdivision with our 2026 FCS football schedule and conference guide.
How to Watch SWAC Football in 2026
SWAC games are carried across ESPN platforms, including ESPN+, along with regional and conference streaming outlets. Exact network and start time for each game are confirmed in the weeks before kickoff, so bookmark this page and check back as the matchups firm up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams are in the SWAC for 2026?
12 teams play Southwestern Athletic Conference football in 2026. The SWAC holds steady at 12 football members for 2026, six in the East (Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State) and six in the West (Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Texas Southern). Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman anchor the Florida wing of the league, while the West is still built around the Bayou Classic rivalry between Grambling and Southern, which closes the regular season on November 28.
How many conference games does each SWAC team play?
Each team plays 8 conference games, with Alabama State and Southern each playing nine in 2026, with non-conference dates added around them. FCS programs may now play a full 12-game regular season.
When does the 2026 SWAC season start and end?
The 2026 SWAC season runs from August 29, 2026 through the final regular-season weekend on November 28, 2026, ahead of the FCS playoffs.
Does the SWAC champion play in the FCS playoffs?
No. Unlike almost every other FCS league, the SWAC champion does not enter the 24-team FCS playoff. It instead meets the other historically Black conference champion in the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, the recognized national title game of HBCU football.
Is there a printable SWAC schedule and standings tracker?
Yes. A free printable PDF standings tracker is available above, with every 2026 member listed and blank columns to fill in conference and overall records all season.
More 2026 FCS Coverage
Explore the rest of our FCS hub: the 2026 FCS football schedule and conference guide, the printable 2026 FCS playoff bracket, and every notable 2026 FCS vs FBS matchup.
