(BALTIMORE – September 5, 2026) – The 2026 HBCU football season is underway, bringing another fall filled with historic rivalries, homecoming celebrations and nationally televised classics. From the season-opening showdowns to the Bayou Classic and Celebration Bowl, BMORENews has assembled key dates, matchups, locations, and broadcast information to help fans follow the action.
Compiled by BMORENews from official university and conference schedules, ESPN, HBCU GO, NCAA.com, New York Amsterdam News, HBCU Classics, and additional published listings. Updated Sept. 5, 2026.
Editor’s note: Kickoff times and broadcast assignments remain subject to change. Readers should check the participating schools’ official schedules before traveling. Scores are included for games completed as of Sept. 5, 2026.
Week 0 — Aug. 29–30
| Date | Classic | Matchup | Location | Result / Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29 | Inaugural Birmingham Football Classic | Southern vs. Alabama State | Legion Field, Birmingham, AL | Final: Alabama State 30, Southern 17 |
| Aug. 29 | Battle of the Border Classic | Johnson C. Smith vs. Benedict | Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC | Final: Benedict 32, Johnson C. Smith 10 |
| Aug. 29 | Unity Classic | Florida Memorial vs. Edward Waters | Nathaniel Glover Stadium, Jacksonville, FL | Final: Edward Waters 42, Florida Memorial 28 |
| Aug. 29 | Natural State Kickoff Classic | Morehouse vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AR | Final: UAPB 35, Morehouse 15 |
| Aug. 29 | Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff (pres. by Toyota) | Howard vs. Alabama A&M | Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, GA | Final: Howard 31, Alabama A&M 24 — ABC |
| Aug. 29 | John A. Merritt Classic | Jackson State at Tennessee State | FirstBank Stadium (Vanderbilt), Nashville, TN* | Final: Jackson State 26, Tennessee State 24 — ESPN+ |
| Aug. 30 | Red Tails Classic | Tuskegee vs. West Alabama | Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL | Final: West Alabama 27, Tuskegee 17 — ESPN2 |
*Relocated from Nissan Stadium to Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium — the Titans had an NFL preseason game at Nissan that weekend.
Labor Day Weekend — Sept. 5–6
| Date | Classic | Matchup | Location | Time / Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5 | ATL Labor Day Classic | Clark Atlanta vs. Morehouse | B.T. Harvey Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 PM ET — SIAC Network |
| Sept. 5 | Port City Classic | Fort Valley State vs. Tuskegee | Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL | 4:00 PM CT — ESPN2 |
| Sept. 5 | Labor Day Classic | Lane at Alabama State | ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL | 5:00 PM CT — HBCU GO |
| Sept. 5 | HOPE Labor Day Classic | Edward Waters at Jackson State | Miss. Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS | 6:00 PM CT — HBCU GO |
| Sept. 5 | Willard Bailey Classic | Livingstone vs. Virginia Union | Hovey Field, Richmond, VA | 6:00 PM ET |
| Sept. 5 | Louis Crews Classic | Miles at Alabama A&M | Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL | 6:00 PM CT — SWAC TV |
| Sept. 5 | Pete Richardson Classic | Kentucky State at Southern | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 7:00 PM CT |
| Sept. 6 | 41st Labor Day Classic | Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M | Panther Stadium, Prairie View, TX | 11:00 AM CT — ESPN2 |
| Sept. 6 | Orange Blossom Classic | South Carolina State vs. Florida A&M | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | 3:00 PM ET — ESPN |
| Sept. 6 | Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic | Johnson C. Smith vs. Albany State | Tom Benson HOF Stadium, Canton, OH | 4:00 PM ET — NFL Network |
Sept. 12
| Classic | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Hall Americanism Football Classic | Edward Waters vs. Miles | Fairfield, AL | — |
| Chicago Football Classic | Lincoln (PA) vs. Mississippi Valley State | Soldier Field, Chicago, IL | SWAC TV |
| Southern Heritage Classic | Alcorn State vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN | HBCU GO |
| Aggie-Eagle Classic | North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central | O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Durham, NC | — |
| The Legacy Series | Tennessee State at Alabama A&M | Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL | SWAC TV |
| Morgan State home game | Virginia University of Lynchburg at Morgan State | Hughes Stadium, Baltimore, MD | 6:00 PM |
Sept. 19
| Classic / Homecoming | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie McGirt Classic | Fayetteville State vs. Johnson C. Smith | Irwin Belk Complex, Charlotte, NC | — |
| Battle of the Bay | Hampton at Norfolk State | William “Dick” Price Stadium, Norfolk, VA | ESPN+ |
| Lucille M. Brown Community Youth Bowl | Bluefield State vs. Virginia Union | Hovey Field, Richmond, VA | — |
| Hall of Fame Game | Bowie State vs. Alabama A&M | Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL | SWAC TV |
| Battle for Greater Baltimore | Morgan State at Towson | Johnny Unitas Stadium, Towson, MD | 6:00 PM EDT |
| Delta Classic | Delta State vs. Mississippi Valley State | Itta Bena, MS | SWAC TV |
| W.C. Gorden Classic | Tuskegee vs. Jackson State | Miss. Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS | SWAC TV |
| Bethune-Cookman Homecoming | Virginia University of Lynchburg vs. Bethune-Cookman | Daytona Beach, FL | — |
Sept. 26
| Classic / Homecoming | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Fair Classic | Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling State | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX | ESPN platform TBD |
| Boombox Classic | Southern at Jackson State | Jackson, MS | ESPN+ |
| Arkansas Baptist Homecoming | Langston vs. Arkansas Baptist | Little Rock, AR | — |
| Lincoln (MO) Homecoming | Upper Iowa vs. Lincoln (MO) | Jefferson City, MO | — |
Oct. 3
| Classic / Homecoming | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truth & Service Classic (Battle of the Real HU) | Howard vs. Hampton | Audi Field, Washington, DC | HBCU GO |
| Gulf Coast Challenge | Jackson State vs. Alabama A&M | Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL | SWAC TV |
| Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic | Morehouse vs. Tuskegee | Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL | — |
| Bluefield State Homecoming | Johnson C. Smith vs. Bluefield State | Mitchell Stadium, Bluefield, WV | — |
| Grambling State Homecoming | Alcorn State vs. Grambling State | Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium, Grambling, LA | SWAC TV |
| Livingstone Homecoming | Fayetteville State vs. Livingstone | Alumni Memorial Stadium, Salisbury, NC | — |
| Miles Homecoming | Lane vs. Miles | Fairfield, AL | — |
| Southern Homecoming | Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Southern | A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | SWAC TV |
| West Virginia State Homecoming | West Liberty vs. West Virginia State | Institute, WV | — |
Oct. 10 — Homecoming Saturday
| Host | Opponent | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State | Florida A&M | Montgomery, AL | HBCU GO |
| Albany State | Lane | Albany, GA | — |
| Alcorn State | Arkansas Baptist | Lorman, MS | SWAC TV |
| Central State | Tuskegee | Wilberforce, OH | — |
| Delaware State | Franklin Pierce | Dover, DE | — |
| Elizabeth City State | Lincoln (PA) | Elizabeth City, NC | CIAA Network |
| Kentucky State | Miles | Frankfort, KY | — |
| Morehouse | Savannah State | Atlanta, GA | — |
| Morgan State | Robert Morris | Baltimore, MD | — |
| Norfolk State | Virginia University of Lynchburg | Norfolk, VA | ESPN+ |
| North Carolina Central | William & Mary | Durham, NC | — |
| Virginia State | Livingstone | Ettrick, VA | CIAA Network |
Oct. 17 — Homecoming Saturday
| Host | Opponent | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | Grambling State | Huntsville, AL | SWAC TV |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Alabama State | Pine Bluff, AR | SWAC TV |
| Benedict | Edward Waters | Columbia, SC | — |
| Clark Atlanta | Allen | Atlanta, GA | — |
| Fayetteville State | Elizabeth City State | Fayetteville, NC | — |
| Howard | Morehouse | Washington, DC | — |
| Jackson State | Florida A&M | Jackson, MS | ESPN platform TBD |
| Johnson C. Smith | Lincoln (PA) | Charlotte, NC | — |
| Langston | Wayland Baptist | Langston, OK | — |
| Mississippi Valley State | Bethune-Cookman | Itta Bena, MS | SWAC TV |
| Prairie View A&M | Alcorn State | Prairie View, TX | HBCU GO |
| Savannah State | Fort Valley State | Savannah, GA | — |
| Tennessee State | Morgan State | Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN | ESPN+ |
Oct. 24 — Homecoming Saturday
| Host | Opponent | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie State | Johnson C. Smith | Bowie, MD | — |
| Edward Waters | Clark Atlanta | Jacksonville, FL | — |
| Florida A&M | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Tallahassee, FL | — |
| Florida Memorial | Thomas University | Miramar, FL | — |
| Fort Valley State | Lane | Fort Valley, GA | — |
| Hampton | Monmouth | Hampton, VA | FloCollege |
| Lincoln (PA) | Winston-Salem State | Lincoln University, PA | — |
| South Carolina State | Norfolk State | Orangeburg, SC | ESPN+ |
| Virginia Union | Shaw | Richmond, VA | — |
Oct. 31
| Classic / Homecoming | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic City Classic | Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State | Legion Field, Birmingham, AL | ESPN platform TBD |
| Allen Homecoming | Morehouse vs. Allen | Columbia, SC | — |
| Lane Homecoming | Tuskegee vs. Lane | Jackson, TN | — |
| North Carolina A&T Homecoming | Elon vs. North Carolina A&T | Greensboro, NC | FloCollege |
| Shaw Homecoming | Bluefield State vs. Shaw | Durham, NC | — |
Nov. 7
| Classic / Homecoming | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| YES HBCU Bahamas Classic | Morehouse vs. Kentucky State | Nassau, Bahamas | — |
| Fountain City Classic | Albany State vs. Fort Valley State | Columbus, GA | — |
| AME Classic | Allen vs. Edward Waters | Jacksonville, FL | SIAC Network |
| Commemorative Classic | Johnson C. Smith vs. Livingstone | Salisbury, NC | — |
| Tuskegee Homecoming | Miles vs. Tuskegee | Tuskegee, AL | — |
| Winston-Salem State Homecoming | Fayetteville State vs. Winston-Salem State | Winston-Salem, NC | — |
Nov. 13–14 — Championship Weekend
| Date | Event | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 13 | CIAA Championship Weekend Third-Place Game | No. 3 vs. No. 4 CIAA teams | Durham County Memorial Stadium, Durham, NC | TBD |
| Nov. 14 | SIAC Championship | TBD | TBD | ESPNU |
| Nov. 14 | 56th CIAA Football Championship | Top two CIAA teams | Durham County Memorial Stadium, Durham, NC | TBD |
| Nov. 14 | Battle of Miami Gardens | St. Thomas (FL) vs. Florida Memorial | Miami Gardens, FL | Urban Edge Network |
| Nov. 14 | Battle of the Bell | Langston vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State | Goodwell, OK | — |
Nov. 21
| Classic | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Classic (Florida Blue) | Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL | ESPN platform TBD |
| Soul Bowl (Capital City Classic) | Jackson State vs. Alcorn State | Lorman, MS | — |
Thanksgiving Week — Nov. 26 & 28
| Date | Classic | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 26 (Thu) | Turkey Day Classic | Tuskegee vs. Alabama State | ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL | HBCU GO |
| Nov. 28 (Sat) | 53rd Bayou Classic | Grambling State vs. Southern | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA | NBC |
Postseason
| Date | Event | Matchup | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 5 | SWAC Championship | SWAC East vs. SWAC West champ | Campus site | ESPN2 |
| Dec. 12 | Cricket Celebration Bowl (pres. by Toyota) | MEAC champ vs. SWAC champ | Atlanta, GA | ABC |
| Feb. 27, 2027 | Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl | HBCU All-Star Game | Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, GA (relocated from New Orleans) | NFL Network |
Compiled by BMORENews from official university and conference schedules, ESPN, HBCU GO, NCAA.com, New York Amsterdam News, HBCU Classics and additional published listings. Schedule information remains subject to change.
