SWAC Football Makes Early National Statement

The 2026 HBCU football season has barely gotten underway, but the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is already sending a message loud enough to be heard well beyond the conference footprint.

Six SWAC programs are ranked among the Top 10 in the latest Black College Football Poll, giving the conference the largest representation in the national Division I FCS rankings.

For a conference long recognized as a powerhouse in HBCU athletics, the early results are more than a statistic. They are a reflection of the growing depth, competitiveness, and national visibility of SWAC football.

Leading the SWAC contingent is Alabama State, which jumped to No. 2 nationally with 482 points and eight first-place votes. Jackson State follows at No. 3 with 446 points, while Prairie View A&M sits at No. 5 with 328 points.

Texas Southern made one of the poll's most significant moves, climbing from No. 9 in the preseason to No. 6 following its opening-week victory over North Carolina Central. Grambling State is ranked No. 8, while Florida A&M rounds out the SWAC representation at No. 9.

And while six teams occupy spots in the Top 10, the conference's reach extends even further. Alcorn State, Bethune-Cookman and Alabama A&M also received votes, meaning nine of the SWAC's 12 football-playing institutions appeared on ballots.

That kind of representation tells its own story.

ALABAMA STATE: FROM EXPECTATION TO VALIDATION

Alabama State entered the season with expectations already attached to its name.

The Hornets were selected as the preseason favorite to win the SWAC Eastern Division, receiving 16 of the conference's 24 first-place votes. They also entered the inaugural national Black College Football Poll ranked No. 4.

Then came opening weekend.

Facing Southern University in the inaugural Birmingham Football Classic at historic Legion Field, Alabama State found itself trailing early. Southern jumped out to a 14-3 advantage, putting the Hornets in a position to demonstrate whether their preseason ranking was based on potential—or substance.

Alabama State answered.

The Hornets rallied for a 30-17 victory, shutting Southern out over the final two quarters and establishing themselves as one of the early teams to watch nationally.

The result helped propel Alabama State to No. 2 in the first post-opening-week poll.

That is a significant leap—and one that could become even more meaningful as the season progresses.

JACKSON STATE: A WIN THAT HAD TO BE EARNED

Jackson State's opening weekend wasn't nearly as comfortable.

The Tigers found themselves in a battle with Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic, eventually escaping with a 26-24 victory.

The game was decided late, with Andrew Ivaniciuc connecting on a 21-yard field goal with 2:31 remaining. Tennessee State still had an opportunity to answer, but Jackson State's defense held on to preserve the victory.

The Tigers received a balanced offensive performance.

Quarterback Jared Lockhart completed 17 of 26 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, while Jabari Jones exploded for 117 receiving yards, including an 88-yard touchdown reception. Running back Nate Blount IV added 101 rushing yards.

Jackson State's No. 3 ranking reflects more than its Week 0 victory. It reflects the national expectations surrounding a program that consistently finds itself in the conversation when HBCU football's elite programs are discussed.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M REMAINS IN THE CONVERSATION

Sometimes a loss can tell you almost as much about a team as a victory.

Prairie View A&M entered the season ranked No. 2 nationally after a championship-caliber 2025 campaign. The Panthers captured the SWAC Western Division and finished 10-4 overall before advancing to the Celebration Bowl.

Their opening-week opponent, however, was no ordinary opponent.

Prairie View traveled to face Tarleton State, a nationally ranked FCS program, and came away with a 49-30 defeat.

Yet the Panthers remained ranked No. 5 nationally.

That is important.

The voters did not erase Prairie View's preseason credentials because of one difficult night. Instead, the Panthers' body of work and expectations entering the season continue to carry considerable weight.

Now the question becomes how Prairie View responds.

In college football, particularly at the HBCU level, championship seasons are rarely defined by one game. They are defined by how a team responds when the first obstacle doesn't go according to plan.

TEXAS SOUTHERN IS THE TEAM TO WATCH

If there is an early "stock rising" team in the SWAC, Texas Southern has a strong case.

The Tigers began the year at No. 9 in the preseason poll.

After one game, they moved to No. 6.

The reason?

A dramatic 42-30 comeback victory over North Carolina Central.

Texas Southern fell behind 14-0 before turning the game around with an explosive third quarter. The Tigers ultimately produced 462 yards of total offense, including 277 rushing yards.

Quarterback Cam'Ron McCoy threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns, while Athean Renfro Jr. rushed for 163 yards. JaQuan McGee added 115 receiving yards.

Perhaps most noteworthy, Texas Southern became the only SWAC team other than Alabama State to receive a first-place vote in the latest poll.

One first-place vote may seem insignificant in September.

By November, it could be a very different story.

GRAMBLING STATE BRINGS THE HAMMER

Grambling State wasted little time making its presence known.

The Tigers opened the season with a dominant 49-7 victory over Clark Atlanta, putting together one of the most convincing performances of the opening weekend.

Grambling accumulated 487 yards of total offense and scored 28 unanswered points in the first half.

Tony Phillips Jr. set the tone immediately, returning the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.

Quarterback Reginald Johnson was equally efficient, completing 15 of 17 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

But perhaps the biggest statement came from the defense.

Grambling held Clark Atlanta to 224 total yards and just 10 first downs while limiting the Panthers to a 1-of-13 conversion rate on third down.

The Tigers moved from No. 7 in the preseason poll to No. 8 after the opening weekend.

FLORIDA A&M STARTS A NEW CHAPTER

Florida A&M's opening-week victory carried a little extra significance.

The Rattlers defeated Albany State 20-7, beginning a new chapter under head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr.

Florida A&M's defense immediately made its presence felt, recording 10 sacks in the victory.

The Rattlers led 10-0 at halftime and controlled the game before Albany State finally found the end zone in the fourth quarter.

After entering the preseason poll at No. 10, Florida A&M moved to No. 9.

The next challenge is considerably larger.

Florida A&M will meet No. 1-ranked South Carolina State in the Orange Blossom Classic on Sunday, September 6.

That matchup could provide the Rattlers with their biggest opportunity yet to move from being ranked to being considered a legitimate national championship contender.

THE BIGGER STORY: HBCU FOOTBALL HAS A NATIONAL POLL OF ITS OWN

Perhaps the most important development surrounding these rankings isn't simply where the teams landed.

It is what the poll represents.

The Black College Football Poll was created as an officially endorsed national poll dedicated specifically to HBCU football programs competing at the NCAA Division I FCS and Division II levels.

The poll is sanctioned by four major HBCU conferences:

SWAC • MEAC • CIAA • SIAC

That creates something HBCU football has needed for years—a centralized national ranking system that allows programs across different conferences and divisions to be evaluated within a common framework.

The inaugural preseason poll was voted on by a national panel of HBCU head coaches and media members.

After opening weekend, those rankings have now begun to transition from preseason expectations to on-field evidence.

And the SWAC is making an impressive early case.

THE SWAC HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE

There is another layer to this story.

Six teams in the national Top 10 means that every week, SWAC games will carry implications beyond conference standings.

A team ranked No. 2 could fall with a bad performance.

A No. 6 team could climb into the Top 5.

A team receiving votes could suddenly become a nationally ranked program.

And every conference matchup becomes an opportunity to strengthen—or damage—a team's national résumé.

The 2026 season could therefore become a fascinating measuring stick for the SWAC.

Can Alabama State maintain its position near the top?

Can Jackson State turn close victories into a championship run?

Can Prairie View A&M rebound from its early setback?

Can Texas Southern continue its rapid climb?

Can Grambling State's explosive opening performance translate into consistency?

And can Florida A&M use its defensive dominance to challenge the nation's best?

Those questions will be answered on the field.

MORE THAN FOOTBALL

For generations, HBCU football has represented more than touchdowns and trophies.

It represents tradition.

It represents alumni pride.

It represents bands marching into stadiums, families traveling across state lines, students wearing school colors, and communities gathering around institutions that have helped shape Black America.

The national attention being placed on these programs gives those traditions an even larger platform.

The Black College Football Poll provides another vehicle for telling the stories of these universities and the young men representing them on the field.

And after one weekend, the SWAC has already provided plenty of stories worth telling.

Six teams in the Top 10.

Nine of 12 SWAC football-playing institutions receiving recognition.

And an entire season still ahead.

The rankings will change. Upsets will happen. Stars will emerge. Rivalries will intensify.

But one thing is already clear:

The SWAC has arrived on the national HBCU football stage—and it isn't planning to leave quietly.

Derek Payne
The Weekly Press