Ahead of talking season, it’s time to dive into which SWAC teams will stand out, contend, or even possibly surprise during the 2026 season.
While the official SWAC East and SWAC West order of predictions will not be revealed until SWAC Football Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama, we do the work for you.
Here are our predictions for both divisions and which team ultimately takes the SWAC.
SWAC East outlook
Jackson State should be the favorite in the East because it brings back quarterback Jared Lockhart, keeps key returnees such as Nate Rembert, Quaveon Davis, and Kam Sallis, and supplements the roster with a large transfer class that addresses multiple needs.
T.C. Taylor also enters 2026 with a deeper staff structure and a program that already proved it can win the division, which matters in a race where continuity is still a separator.
Alabama State is the biggest threat because Andrew Body is back, Tony Hull is now running the offense, and the Hornets already showed in 2025 that they can score at a high level when Body is healthy and operating efficiently. The concern is health and depth, but the upside is obvious: if Body stays upright, Alabama State has enough firepower to pressure Jackson State into a late-season fight.
Predicted East order
Jackson State
Alabama State
Florida A&M
Bethune-Cookman
Alabama A&M
Mississippi Valley State
Sleeper: Bethune-Cookman made a significant jump in 2025 to finish third in the SWAC East last season. With six All-SWAC preseason players returning, the Wildcats could be a teaser contender.
SWAC West outlook
Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC champions, enters 2026 as the team most equipped to seize control of the West, thanks to a roster that was made stronger through the transfer portal. It also helps that the Panthers return five All-SWAC players, including many of the pieces that made up the conference’s top defense, to run it back again. The only question is whether Tremaine Jackson can identify a Cameron Peters replacement at QB. But former Harlon Hill Trophy finalist Preston Brown might be the solution.
Texas Southern figures to be a solid No. 2 behind Prairie View after the Tigers won six games a year ago and added ex-Jackson State signal-caller Cam’Ron McCoy, whose taken meaningful snaps in his SWAC career.
Predicted West order
Prairie View
Texas Southern
Southern
Grambling State
Alcorn State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Sleeper: Southern is now led by first-year head coach Marshall Faulk, and while that could be viewed as a setback because of inexperience in the role, he has put together an intriguing recruiting class that could help lay the foundation for the program. Add in the team’s motivation to prove it was better than one of the conference’s worst showings, and that combination could fuel a late-season surge.
SWAC champion
The most likely conference title matchup still feels like a Prairie View showdown again versus Jackson State, with the Tigers coming out on top this time because of their depth and experience.
