The 2026 HBCU homecoming schedule is already shaping up to be one of the biggest fall seasons for alumni, students, fans, and families across the country. From Daytona Beach to Durham, Washington, D.C., Tallahassee, Greensboro, and beyond, HBCU football will once again anchor some of the most important cultural weekends on the calendar. The latest 2026 HBCU football homecoming and classic schedule includes a strong mix of conference matchups, rivalry games, historic classics, and homecoming weekends that will bring thousands of people back to campus.
For the HBCU community, homecoming has never been just about a football game. It is a family reunion, a business weekend, a fashion show, a networking event, a tailgate, a concert, a Greek life gathering, and a celebration of Black college culture all wrapped into one. Every fall, alumni return to the yard, students get to experience the tradition in real time, and schools use the moment to highlight their legacy, growth, and pride.
This year’s homecoming slate begins in September with Bethune-Cookman and runs deep into November with major dates at schools across the MEAC, SWAC, SIAC, CIAA, and beyond. October will once again be the busiest month, with several schools hosting homecoming games on Oct. 10, Oct. 17, and Oct. 24.
2026 HBCU Homecoming Schedule
The 2026 HBCU homecoming schedule below combines the listed homecoming games into one master calendar instead of separating schools by division.
| Date | School / Host | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 19 | Bethune-Cookman | Virginia Lynchburg | Daytona Beach, FL |
| Oct. 3 | Grambling State | Alcorn State | Grambling, LA |
| Oct. 3 | Southern | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Oct. 10 | Morgan State | Robert Morris | Baltimore, MD |
| Oct. 10 | North Carolina Central | William & Mary | Durham, NC |
| Oct. 10 | Alabama State | Florida A&M | Montgomery, AL |
| Oct. 10 | Delaware State | Franklin Pierce | Dover, DE |
| Oct. 10 | Alcorn State | Arkansas Baptist | Lorman, MS |
| Oct. 10 | Texas Southern | Mississippi Valley State | Houston, TX |
| Oct. 10 | Norfolk State | Virginia Lynchburg | Norfolk, VA |
| Oct. 10 | Morehouse | Savannah State | Atlanta, GA |
| Oct. 10 | Albany State | Lane | Albany, GA |
| Oct. 10 | Virginia State | Livingstone | Petersburg, VA |
| Oct. 17 | Howard | Morehouse | Washington, DC |
| Oct. 17 | Tennessee State | Morgan State | Nashville, TN |
| Oct. 17 | Alabama A&M | Grambling State | Huntsville, AL |
| Oct. 17 | Prairie View A&M | Alcorn State | Prairie View, TX |
| Oct. 17 | Jackson State | Florida A&M | Jackson, MS |
| Oct. 17 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Alabama State | Pine Bluff, AR |
| Oct. 17 | Mississippi Valley State | Bethune-Cookman | Itta Bena, MS |
| Oct. 17 | Clark Atlanta | Allen | Atlanta, GA |
| Oct. 17 | Savannah State | Fort Valley State | Savannah, GA |
| Oct. 17 | Fayetteville State | Elizabeth City State | Fayetteville, NC |
| Oct. 24 | Hampton | Monmouth | Hampton, VA |
| Oct. 24 | South Carolina State | Norfolk State | Orangeburg, SC |
| Oct. 24 | Florida A&M | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Tallahassee, FL |
| Oct. 24 | Bowie State | Johnson C. Smith | Bowie, MD |
| Oct. 31 | North Carolina A&T | Elon | Greensboro, NC |
| Nov. 7 | Winston-Salem State | Fayetteville State | Winston-Salem, NC |
| Nov. 7 | Tuskegee | Miles | Tuskegee, AL |
The schedule gives fans plenty of major weekends to watch. Oct. 10 features a packed lineup with North Carolina Central hosting William & Mary, Alabama State welcoming Florida A&M, Texas Southern facing Mississippi Valley State, Morehouse taking on Savannah State, and Virginia State meeting Livingstone. One week later, Oct. 17 brings another major wave of homecomings, including Howard vs. Morehouse, Jackson State vs. Florida A&M, Tennessee State vs. Morgan State, Alabama A&M vs. Grambling State, and Prairie View A&M vs. Alcorn State.
North Carolina A&T will also have a major moment on Oct. 31 when the Aggies host Elon in Greensboro. The date stands out because A&T’s homecoming remains one of the most talked-about traditions in the HBCU world, drawing alumni, students, celebrities, vendors, and supporters from across the country. For more HBCU culture and campus coverage, follow our HBCU Homecoming and HBCU Football coverage throughout the season.
HBCU Classics And Special Games To Watch
While homecoming weekends will bring fans back to campus, the 2026 classics schedule gives the season another layer of tradition. HBCU classics are often played in major cities or neutral-site venues, turning one football game into a full weekend of events, alumni meetups, battle of the bands moments, and community celebrations.
| Date | Classic / Event | Matchup | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29 | MEAC/SWAC Challenge | Alabama A&M vs. Howard | Atlanta, GA |
| Aug. 29 | John Merritt Classic | Jackson State at Tennessee State | Nashville, TN |
| Aug. 29 | Nature State Kickoff Classic | Morehouse vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Little Rock, AR |
| Aug. 30 | Red Tails Classic | Tuskegee vs. West Alabama | Montgomery, AL |
| Sept. 5 | Louis Crews Classic | Miles at Alabama A&M | Huntsville, AL |
| Sept. 5 | Pete Richardson Classic | Kentucky State at Southern | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Sept. 5 | HOPE Labor Day Classic | Edward Waters at Jackson State | Jackson, MS |
| Sept. 5 | Labor Day Classic | Lane at Alabama State | Montgomery, AL |
| Sept. 5 | Port City Classic | Tuskegee vs. Fort Valley State | Mobile, AL |
| Sept. 6 | Labor Day Classic | Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M | Prairie View, TX |
| Sept. 6 | Orange Blossom Classic | Florida A&M vs. South Carolina State | Miami Gardens, FL |
| Sept. 6 | Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic | Albany State vs. Johnson C. Smith | Canton, OH |
| Sept. 12 | Aggie-Eagle Classic | North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central | Durham, NC |
| Sept. 12 | The Legacy Series | Tennessee State at Alabama A&M | Huntsville, AL |
| Sept. 12 | Southern Heritage Classic | Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Alcorn State | Memphis, TN |
| Sept. 12 | Chicago Football Classic | Lincoln PA vs. Mississippi Valley State | Chicago, IL |
| Sept. 19 | Battle for Greater Baltimore | Morgan State at Towson | Towson, MD |
| Sept. 19 | Battle of the Bay | Hampton at Norfolk State | Norfolk, VA |
| Sept. 19 | W.C. Gorden Classic | Tuskegee at Jackson State | Jackson, MS |
| Sept. 26 | State Fair Classic | Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M | Dallas, TX |
| Sept. 26 | Boombox Classic | Southern at Jackson State | Jackson, MS |
| Oct. 3 | Battle of the Real HU | Hampton vs. Howard | Washington, DC |
| Oct. 3 | Gulf Coast Challenge | Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State | Mobile, AL |
| Oct. 3 | Morehouse Tuskegee Classic | Morehouse vs. Tuskegee | Montgomery, AL |
| Oct. 31 | Magic City Classic | Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State | Birmingham, AL |
| Nov. 8 | Fountain City Classic | Fort Valley State vs. Albany State | Columbus, GA |
| Nov. 14 | CIAA Championship | TBD | Durham, NC |
| Nov. 14 | SIAC Championship | TBD | TBD |
| Nov. 21 | Florida Classic | Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M | Orlando, FL |
| Nov. 21 | Soul Bowl | Jackson State at Alcorn State | Lorman, MS |
| Nov. 26 | Turkey Day Classic | Tuskegee at Alabama State | Montgomery, AL |
| Nov. 28 | Bayou Classic | Grambling State vs. Southern | New Orleans, LA |
| Dec. 5 | SWAC Championship | SWAC East Champion vs. SWAC West Champion | Campus Site |
| Dec. 12 | Celebration Bowl | MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion | Atlanta, GA |
The classics schedule starts early with the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kick-Off, which will feature Alabama A&M and Howard in Atlanta on Aug. 29. That game gives the season a national opening moment before fans move into Labor Day weekend classics, September rivalry games, and late-season staples like the Florida Classic, Bayou Classic, and Celebration Bowl.
The Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State will once again be one of the biggest rivalry events of the year. The Bayou Classic between Grambling State and Southern remains one of the most recognizable HBCU football traditions in the country. The Florida Classic between Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M will also bring another major fan weekend to Orlando.
The 2026 HBCU homecoming schedule shows why HBCU football remains one of the strongest cultural engines in college sports. These games are not only about wins and losses. They bring alumni back to campus, support local businesses, create content moments, boost school spirit, and give current students a deeper connection to the institutions they represent.
For many schools, homecoming is also one of the most visible weekends of the year. It creates a chance to showcase bands, cheer squads, dance teams, student organizations, Greek life, alumni chapters, campus upgrades, and school traditions. For smaller schools, these weekends can be even more important because they help tell a larger story about campus life and community pride.
Fans should keep in mind that football dates are usually announced before full homecoming week details. Concerts, step shows, comedy shows, alumni receptions, tailgate rules, parade times, and ticket information may be released later by each school. Anyone planning to travel should check directly with the school before booking final plans.
Still, one thing is already clear: the 2026 season will give the HBCU community another packed fall calendar. From early-season classics to October homecoming weekends and the December Celebration Bowl, HBCU football will continue to prove that the culture around the game is just as powerful as the game itself.
