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The 2025 HBCU football season will bring excitement, great games, rivalries and more. We’ll be tracking the season from start to finish below with scores from every FCS HBCU football game, plus the latest news.
Key dates for the 2025 HBCU football season 📝
Here are some key dates for the 2025 HBCU football season.
Key dates
NCAA.com’s Preseason HBCU football power rankings will release on Friday, Aug. 1.
The 2025 HBCU football season begins with the MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Saturday, Aug. 23.
The 2025 FCS Playoffs start on the weekend of Saturday, Nov. 29.
The 2025 SWAC Football Championship Game is on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The 2025 HBCU football season concludes with the Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Click or tap here for a complete list of HBCU homecomings and classics in 2025.
HBCU football news and notes 📰
Preseason news
The preseason is here, conferences are announcing their all-conference teams and predicted orders of finishes. Here’s where HBCU programs landed.
MEAC
South Carolina State (5 first-place vote) — 63 points
North Carolina Central (4) — 61 points
Morgan State — 39 points
Norfolk State (1) — 36 points
Howard (1) — 33 points
Delaware State (1) — 20 points
Click or tap here to see the full MEAC preseason all-conference teams.
SWAC East
Jackson State (16) —126 points
Florida A&M (3) — 99 points
Alabama State (2) — 91 points
Alabama A&M — 62 points
Bethune-Cookman (1) — 45 points
Mississippi Valley State — 24 points
SWAC West
Southern (17) — 120 points
Alcorn State (2) — 90 points
Prairie View A&M (1) — 72 points
Texas Southern — 60 points
Grambling State — 55 points
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1) — 28 points
Click or tap here to see the full SWAC preseason all-conference teams.
Other HBCUs
Preseason players of the year
MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Running back Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State
MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Linebacker Erick Hunter, Morgan State
SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Quarterback Jacobian Morgan, Jackson State
SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Defensive lineman Ckelby Givens, Southern
Defending Champs entering 2025
The defending Celebration Bowl champion is Jackson State. The Tigers also won the SWAC after previously winning the SWAC East division.
South Carolina State won the MEAC in 2024.
The defending SWAC West division champion is Southern.
Click or tap here for a complete HBCU football championship history
🗓 Full HBCU football schedule
See a week-by-week HBCU football schedule in the FCS below. Stay tuned for HBCU football power rankings each week.
All time Eastern | Click or tap any of the games below for live stats | Click or tap here for a live scoreboard
Week 0
Saturday, August 23
7:30 p.m. | North Carolina Central vs. Southern (MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta) | ABC
Week 1
Thursday, August 28
7 p.m. | Delaware State at Delaware | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Towson at Norfolk State | ESPN Family of Networks
8 p.m. | Alcorn State at Northwestern State | ESPN+
8:30 p.m. | Alabama State at UAB |ESPN+
Friday, August 29
7 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman at FIU | ESPN+
Saturday, August 30
3 p.m. | Hampton at Jackson State | HBCU GO
4 p.m. | Howard at Florida A&M (Orange Blossom Classic in Miami, Florida) | ESPNU
4:15 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Arkansas | SEC Network+
4:30 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at Tennessee State | ESPN+
5 p.m. | Southern at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
6 p.m. | Wofford at South Carolina State | ESPN+
6 p.m. | New Hampshire at North Carolina Central | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Morgan State at South Alabama | ESPN+
7:30 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Tech | ESPN+
8 p.m. | Langston at Grambling State | SWAC TV (in Shreveport, Louisiana)
8 p.m. | Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern | SWAC TV
Week 2
Saturday, September 6
1 p.m. | UAlbany at Delaware State | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Howard at Temple | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | North Dakota State at Tennessee State | ESPN+
3:30 p.m. | Grambling State at Ohio State | Big Ten Network
5 p.m. | Jackson State at Southern Miss | ESPN+
6 p.m. | North Carolina Central at Old Dominion | ESPN+
6 p.m. | Texas Southern at California | ACC Network X
6 p.m. | Florida A&M at FAU | ESPN+
6 p.m. | Elizabeth City State at Hampton | FloFootball
6 p.m. | Virginia State at Norfolk State | TBD TV
7 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman at Miami (FL) | ACC Network X
7 p.m. | South Carolina State at South Carolina | SEC Network+
7 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at UCF | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Alcorn State at Alabama A&M | HBCU GO
7 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State at Tarleton State | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Central Arkansas | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Alabama State at Southern | ESPN+
7 p.m. | UTRGV at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Towson at Morgan State | TBD TV
Week 3
Saturday, September 13
1 p.m. | Howard vs. Morehouse (HBCU NY Football Classic in East Rutherford, NJ) | HBCU GO
3 p.m. | Bowie State at Delaware State | TBD TV
3 p.m. | Tuskegee at Jackson State | SWAC TV
3:30 p.m. | Norfolk State at Rutgers | Big Ten Network
3:30 p.m. | Morgan State at Toledo | ESPN+
4:30 p.m. | Alabama State at Tennessee State (Legacy Series) | ESPN+
5 p.m. | Miles at Alabama State | TheGrio
6 p.m. | Bethune- Cookman at South Carolina State | TBD TV
6 p.m. | Fayetteville State at North Carolina Central | TBD TV
7 p.m. | Kentucky State at Grambling State | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Lamar at Texas Southern | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Lincoln at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Albany State at Florida A&M | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Hampton at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
Week 4
Saturday, September 20
12 p.m. | Central State at Morgan State | TBD TV
12 p.m. | South Carolina State at South Florida | ESPN+
1 p.m. | Delaware State at Saint Francis (PA) | TBD TV
3 p.m. | Edward Waters at Bethune-Cookman | HBCU GO
4 p.m. | Hampton vs. Howard (Truth & Service Classic in Washington, DC) | HBCU GO
4 p.m. | Sacred Heart at Norfolk State | TBD TV
4 p.m. | North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
7 p.m. | Lane at Alabama A&M | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | East Texas A&M at Grambling State | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Northwestern State at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
Week 5
Saturday, September 27
12 p.m. | Delaware State at Sacred Heart | TBD TV
12 p.m. | Norfolk State at Wagner |NEC Front Row
2 p.m. | Hampton at Elon | FloFootball
2 p.m. | Morgan State vs. Miles (Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, IN) | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Howard at Richmond | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Alabama State at Florida A&M | HBCU GO
3 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Bethune-Cookman | SWAC TV
3:30 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at Maine | FloFootball
4:30 p.m. | Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State | ESPN+
5 p.m. | Texas Southern at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
6 p.m. | South Carolina State at Charleston Southern | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
7 p.m. | Jackson State at Southern | ESPN Family of Networks
7 p.m. | Alcorn State vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | TheGrio
7 p.m. | North Carolina Central at East Texas A&M | ESPN+
Week 6
Saturday, October 4
1 p.m. | Delaware State at Monmouth | FloFootball
1 p.m. | Morgan State at Georgetown | ESPN+
1:30 p.m. | Savannah State at South Carolina State | TBD TV
3 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman at Alabama State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois | ESPN+
3:30 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at William & Mary | FloFootball
4 p.m. | Norfolk State at Hampton (Battle of the Bay) | FloFootball
4 p.m. | Prairie View A&M at Alcorn State | SWAC TV
5 p.m. | Florida A&M at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
5 p.m. | Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State | HBCU GO
7 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Southern | SWAC TV
Week 7
Saturday, October 11
12 p.m. | Southern Connecticut State at Delaware State | TBD TV
1 p.m. | South Carolina State at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
1 p.m. | Virginia-Lynchburg at Morgan State | TBD TV
1 p.m. | Howard at Sacred Heart | TBD TV
1:30 p.m. | Norfolk State at Wofford | ESPN+
2 p.m. | Campbell at Hampton | FloFootball
3 p.m. | North Carolina Central at Florida A&M | HBCU GO
3 p.m. | Westgate at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State at Alabama A&M | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Lincoln (CA) at Alcorn State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Southern at Bethune-Cookman | SWAC TV
3:30 p.m. | Alabama State at Jackson State | ESPN Family of Networks
4 p.m. | Tennessee State at Southeast Missouri State | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Texas Southern at Grambling State | ESPN Family of Networks
Week 8
Saturday, October 18
1 p.m. | Hampton at Villanova | FloFootball
3 p.m. | Grambling State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Virginia-Lynchburg at Texas Southern | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Lincoln (CA) at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
4 p.m. | Alcorn State at Florida A&M | ESPN Family of Networks
5 p.m. | Prairie View A&M at Southern | HBCU GO
5:30 p.m. | Howard at Tennessee State | ESPN+
Week 9
Saturday, October 25
1 p.m. | Campbell at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
1 p.m. | Delaware State at North Carolina Central | TBD TV
2 p.m. | South Carolina State at Norfolk State | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Monmouth at Hampton | FloFootball
2:30 p.m. | Western Illinois at Tennessee State | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State at Alcorn State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Bethune-Cookman | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Lincoln (CA) at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
3:30 p.m. | Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M (Magic City Classic in Birmingham, AL) | ESPN Family of Networks
5 p.m. | Florida A&M at Southern | SWAC TV
6 p.m. | Jackson State vs. Grambling State | HBCU GO
TBD p.m. | Morgan State at Howard | TBD TV
Week 10
Thursday, October 30
7 p.m. | Norfolk State vs. Delaware State (in Philadelphia, PA) | TBD TV
Saturday, November 1
12 p.m. | Towson at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
1 p.m. | North Carolina Central at Howard | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Morgan State at South Carolina State | TBD TV
3 p.m. | Alcorn State at Texas Southern | HBCU GO
3 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State at Bethune-Cookman | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Southern at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Grambling State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Alabama State at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
4:30 p.m. | Lindenwood at Tennessee State | ESPN+
7 p.m. | Jackson State at Florida A&M | ESPN Family of Networks
Week 11
Saturday, November 8
12 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at Stony Brook | FloFootball
1 p.m. | Maine at Hampton | FloFootball
1:30 p.m. | Howard at South Carolina State | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Norfolk State at North Carolina Central | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Tennessee State at UT Martin | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Florida A&M at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | HBCU GO
3 p.m. | Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman at Grambling State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Prairie View A&M at Alabama A&M | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Texas Southern at Alabama State | SWAC TV
3:30 p.m. | Delaware State at Morgan State | TBD TV
4 p.m. | Southern at Alcorn State | ESPN Family of Networks
Week 12
Saturday, November 15
12 p.m. | Monmouth at North Carolina A&T | FloFootball
12 p.m. | Morgan State at Norfolk State | TBD TV
1 p.m. | Howard at Delaware State | TBD TV
1 p.m. | William & Mary at Hampton | FloFootball
1 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman at Jackson State | TheGrio
2 p.m. | South Carolina State at North Carolina Central | TBD TV
2:30 p.m. | Gardner-Webb at Tennessee State | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Grambling State at Alcorn State | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Florida A&M at Alabama A&M | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Texas Southern at Southern | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
5 p.m. | Alabama State vs. Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
Week 13
Saturday, November 22
12 p.m. | North Carolina Central at Morgan State | TBD TV
1 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State | TheGrio
1 p.m. | Hampton at Rhode Island | FloFootball
1 p.m. | South Carolina State at Delaware State | TBD TV
2 p.m. | Tennessee State at Charleston Southern | ESPN+
2 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at Elon | FloFootball
3 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State at Prairie View A&M | SWAC TV
3 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Texas Southern | HBCU GO
3:30 p.m. | Alcorn State at Jackson State | ESPN Family of Networks
3:30 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M (Florida Classic in Orlando, FL) | ESPN Family of Networks
TBD p.m. | Norfolk State at Howard | TBD TV
Week 14
Thursday, November 27
3 p.m. | Tuskegee at Alabama State | SWAC TV
Saturday, November 29
2 p.m. | Southern at Grambling State (Bayou Classic in New Orleans, LA) | NBC/Peacock
Week 15 – Conference Championships
Saturday, December 6
2 p.m. | SWAC No. 2 at SWAC No. 1 (SWAC Championship Game) | ESPN2
Week 16 – Bowls
Saturday, December 13
12 p.m. | MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion (Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, GA) | ABC
HBCU Football Basics
There are 21 football programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) at the FCS level. FCS HBCU football programs primarily play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) or the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Below are all the HBCU football programs and the conference they will play in for the 2024 season.
MEAC
Delaware State
Howard
Morgan State
Norfolk State
North Carolina Central
South Carolina State
SWAC
East Division
Alabama A&M
Alabama State
Bethune-Cookman
Florida A&M
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
West Division
Alcorn State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Grambling State
Prairie View A&M
Southern
Texas Southern
CAA*
Hampton
North Carolina A&T
OVC-Big South Football Association*
*The CAA and Ohio Valley are not “HBCU conferences”
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
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