Marshall Faulk Era Begins as Southern Opens Season Against Alabama State at Legion Field

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Southern University will open the 2026 football season under the direction of a new head coach when the Jaguars face Alabama State on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Legion Field.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Central Time, and tickets are now available for the highly anticipated Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup.

The game will carry added significance for Southern as Marshall Faulk makes his collegiate head coaching debut. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and former NFL star takes over the Jaguars program after spending the previous season on the coaching staff at the University of Colorado.

Faulk’s first game on the Southern sideline will provide an early look at how the Jaguars respond to a new coaching philosophy and a new era of leadership.

For Alabama State, the opener represents the beginning of the fifth season under head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. The Hornets enter the season with championship aspirations after coming within one game of reaching the SWAC Championship Game last season.

That near miss has raised the stakes for Alabama State, which will look to establish itself early against a Southern program beginning a new chapter.

The matchup also gives both programs an opportunity to make an immediate statement in a competitive SWAC race. With conference championship ambitions on both sides, the season opener could provide an early indication of how each team is positioned heading into league play.

Southern and Alabama State are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, one of the nation's prominent conferences for historically Black colleges and universities. The SWAC sponsors championship competition in a broad range of men's and women's sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, golf and tennis.

Game Information

Southern vs. Alabama State
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Time: 2 p.m. Central
Location: Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama

Tickets for the Southern-Alabama State season opener are now on sale.

For additional information and ticket purchases, fans can visit the official Southern University Athletics website or the Southwestern Athletic Conference's official website.