---
"title": "HBCU spring games are close — see when your FCS team hits the field"
"description": "As March fades, HBCU football practice fields are coming alive this April with a full slate of spring games. From Baton Rouge to Baltimore, programs are using the annual tune-up to showcase new talent, sharpen systems, and give fans an early glimpse of what’s to come this fall. Here are all the spring game dates […]"
"date": "2026-03-27"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "HBCU Sports"
"url": "https://hbcusports.com/2026/03/27/hbcu-spring-games-are-close-see-when-your-fcs-team-hits-the-field/"
"categories":
  - "Football"
---

# HBCU spring games are close — see when your FCS team hits the field

As March fades, [HBCU football](https://hbcusports.com/?s=hbcu+football+) practice fields are coming alive this April with a full slate of spring games. From Baton Rouge to Baltimore, programs are using the annual tune-up to showcase new talent, sharpen systems, and give fans an early glimpse of what’s to come this fall. Here are all the spring game dates we know so far: Southern University kicks off the schedule on April 4, as the Jaguars host what first-year coach Marshall Faulk is calling a spring showcase in Baton Rouge. One day earlier, Florida A&M gets things started with an evening affair on April 3 at 6 p.m., setting the tone for a busy month ahead under new coach [Quinn Gray](https://hbcusports.com/?s=quinn+gray).

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### Mid-April filled with spring games

The April 11 weekend marks the most action-packed stretch, featuring a wave of spring finales across the SWAC, MEAC, OVC, and CAA. Jackson State, the SWAC East champion, gets things rolling at 12:30 p.m., followed by Texas Southern at 1 p.m. North Carolina A&T also at 1 p.m. Alcorn State and North Carolina Central each take the field at 2 p.m. In comparison, Alabama A&M follows at 3 p.m. Alabama State, HBCU national champion South Carolina State and Tennessee State are also slated for the same weekend, adding to the crowded spring calendar.

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MEAC and CAA action continues later in the month Morgan State takes the field on April 16, with Bethune‑Cookman following under the lights on April 17 at 6 p.m. A trio of spring games — Grambling State, Howard, and Hampton — headline April 18, giving fans in Louisiana and along the East Coast a final look at their squads before fall camp. To close out the month, Arkansas–Pine Bluff and Norfolk State share the stage on April 25, both kicking off at 2 p.m. as the last Division I HBCUs to hold their spring exhibitions. With new coaches, emerging stars, and transfer quarterbacks all looking to make their mark, April’s spring games promise to deliver more than just tune-up reps — they’ll serve as early statements for the chase to Atlanta and beyond this fall.

### Division I HBCU spring game dates

## April 3

- Florida A&M

## April 4

- Southern University

## April 11

- Alcorn State
- Alabama A&M
- Alabama State
- Jackson State
- Texas Southern
- NC Central
- Tennessee State
- North Carolina A&T
- South Carolina State
- Norfolk State

## April 16

- Morgan State

## April 17

- Bethune-Cookman

## April 18

- Grambling State
- Howard
- Hampton

## April 25

- Arkansas-Pine Bluff

## TBA

- Delaware State
- Mississippi Valley State