The first half of the 2026 season has delivered a little bit of everything: Jackson State and Alabama A&M battling for SWAC East supremacy, Prairie View A&M surviving a turbulent start while remaining in the West race, and Mississippi Valley State proving it can win conference games.
In the MEAC, South Carolina State and Morgan State have built strong résumés, while several contenders are still searching for consistency.
SWAC report cards
Jackson State Tigers
SWAC East · Grade: A
Jackson State remains a championship contender under T.C. Taylor, with a 6-1 record and wins over Alabama A&M and Florida A&M in conference play. The loss at Grambling exposed defensive vulnerabilities, but the Tigers have responded. Their 3-1 SWAC mark keeps them near the top of the East. The challenge now is avoiding another costly stumble
Alabama A&M Bulldogs
SWAC East · Grade: A
Alabama A&M has one of the conference’s most productive offenses, averaging 40.1 points per game. The Bulldogs rebounded from losses to Howard and Jackson State by winning four straight, including a 61-31 demolition of Grambling. Their 3-1 SWAC record puts them firmly in the East race. Sustaining that offensive firepower against the division’s best defenses will determine their ceiling.
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
SWAC East · Grade: B
Bethune-Cookman has quietly become a factor in the East. Its 34-14 victory over Mississippi Valley State followed a win over Alabama State, giving the Wildcats two conference victories. The 55-17 loss to Alabama A&M showed the gap between them and the league’s top offense. Still, at 2-1 in SWAC play, Bethune-Cookman has a legitimate opportunity to disrupt the division race.
Alabama State Hornets
SWAC East · Grade: B−
Alabama State’s season has been a series of missed opportunities. The Hornets lost close conference games to Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M before edging Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 21-15. At 2-2 in SWAC play, they remain in contention, but the margin for error is shrinking. The defense must help stabilize a team that has struggled to turn promising stretches into consistent results.
Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
SWAC East · Grade: C+
Mississippi Valley State has been one of the season’s most unpredictable teams. The Delta Devils beat Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern in consecutive conference games, scoring 28 and 38 points, respectively, before losing to Bethune-Cookman. Those victories show real progress, even with an uneven overall record. The next step is proving the breakthrough was more than a brief run.
Florida A&M Rattlers
SWAC East · Grade: D
Florida A&M has struggled to find its footing under Quinn Gray Sr., but the Rattlers have shown flashes of resilience. Their 28-27 upset of Alabama State demonstrated their potential. Losses to South Carolina State, Alabama A&M and Jackson State have shown they have a lot of room for growth. The Rattlers have been working through injuries and multiple quarterbacks to try to find their footing in what is a tough league.
Prairie View A&M Panthers
SWAC West · Grade: B−
Prairie View A&M’s 3-5 overall record disguises how dangerous the Panthers remain in the West. They have won three conference games, including a 41-38 shootout against Alcorn State, and beaten Grambling. However, losses to Mississippi Valley State and Southern exposed troubling inconsistency. The Panthers are still in the division race, but their difficult schedule down the stretch leaves little room for further mistakes.
Grambling State Tigers
SWAC West · Grade: B−
Grambling delivered one of the season’s biggest statements by beating Jackson State, 45-38, after a wild 63-59 win over Alcorn State. But the defense gave up 61 points to Alabama A&M the following week. At 2-2 in conference play, Grambling has the offensive punch to beat anyone. Defensive consistency will decide whether the Tigers can challenge for the West title.
Alcorn State Braves
SWAC West · Grade: B−
Alcorn State averages 41.9 points per game, the SWAC’s highest scoring rate, yet sits at .500. The Braves have played in several offensive track meets, including a 63-59 loss to Grambling and a 53-51 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Their 41-38 defeat at Prairie View was another missed opportunity. If the defense cannot deliver stops in critical moments, the offense’s production led by Jaylon Tolbert may go to waste.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
SWAC West · Grade: C+
Arkansas-Pine Bluff has been competitive in a season full of high-scoring games. The Golden Lions beat Southern 41-10 and Central State 41-35, but lost a 53-51 shootout to Alcorn State and fell 21-15 to Alabama State. Their .500 record leaves room for a second-half surge. The key is finding enough defensive stops to turn close contests into conference wins.
Southern Jaguars
SWAC West · Grade: C-
Marshall Faulk’s first season as Southern’s head coach has brought growing pains and a promising upset. The Jaguars beat Prairie View A&M, 28-14, showing they can compete with a West contender. But losses to Alabama State, Jackson State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff highlighted the challenge of building consistency. Southern needs to stack conference wins if Faulk’s first year is to gain momentum.
Texas Southern Tigers
SWAC West · Grade: D
Texas Southern opened with a 42-30 win over North Carolina Central but has since endured five straight losses. The Tigers came close against Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State, losing those conference games by three and four points. Their 0-3 SWAC record leaves them chasing the pack. The offense has shown life; closing games and improving defensively are urgent priorities. Head coach Cris Dishman is taking over the defensive play-calling to reduce the number of big plays the unit has allowed this season.
MEAC report cards
South Carolina State Bulldogs
MEAC · Grade: B+
South Carolina State opened with five straight wins, including victories over Florida A&M, Furman and Bethune-Cookman. The Bulldogs have since lost consecutive games to The Citadel and Charleston Southern, cooling their momentum. Their 5-2 record still reflects a strong start, but the late-September and October form raises questions. The defending MEAC power needs to rediscover its defensive consistency before conference play intensifies.
Morgan State Bears
MEAC · Grade: A−
Morgan State has emerged as one of the season’s biggest HBCU football surprises. The Bears won four consecutive games after a loss at Arizona State, beating Towson, Villanova, and Robert Morris during that stretch. Their 5-2 record signals tangible progress, although a 25-16 loss to Tennessee State interrupted the run. Morgan now has a chance to prove its strong start is sustainable in MEAC play.
Norfolk State Spartans
MEAC · Grade: B
Norfolk State has handled the games it was expected to win, including dominant shutouts of Winston-Salem State and Virginia-Lynchburg. The Spartans also beat Hampton, 42-21, but losses to Old Dominion, Virginia and Robert Morris exposed the limits of their early résumé. At 4-3, Norfolk has enough offensive potential to contend. Its ability to perform against stronger opposition remains the unanswered question. They will get that test against defending champion South Carolina State.
Delaware State Hornets
MEAC · Grade: B−
Delaware State has shown progress with wins over Stony Brook, Towson and Franklin Pierce, but its schedule has exposed inconsistency. The Hornets lost to William & Mary, South Florida, and UAlbany before falling 31-12 to North Carolina Central in their MEAC opener. At 4-4, the Hornets can build momentum, but they’ve been all out of sorts because their once-strong running back isn’t as potent as last season.
Howard Bison
MEAC · Grade: C+
Howard opened with an impressive 31-24 road win over Alabama A&M, but heavy losses to Indiana and Rutgers exposed the gap against FBS competition. The Bison have also beaten Hampton and Morehouse, showing they can compete at their level. At 3-4, Howard has just as good a shot at winning the MEAC as anyone.
North Carolina Central Eagles
MEAC · Grade: C
North Carolina Central’s 31-12 win at Delaware State offered a timely reset after a difficult stretch. The Eagles have been competitive against non-conference opponents, though a season-opening loss to Texas Southern also hurt their résumé. At 3-5, NCCU needs to build on its conference-opening victory and make the MEAC race more interesting.
And the rest
Tennessee State Tigers
OVC–Big South · Grade: C−
Tennessee State’s signature win of the season was a 25-16 victory over then-HBCU No. 1-ranked Morgan State. Quarterback play of Daylin Lee has shown promise, including three touchdown passes against Morgan State. The next challenge is building consistency in a tough conference slate that features FCS postseason contenders.
Hampton Pirates
CAA · Grade: D
Hampton’s season has unraveled since its 45-0 win against Virginia-Lynchburg. The Pirates have lost six straight, allowing 34.4 points per game while averaging just 17.6. Quarterback Tre’von Taylor leads the team with 783 passing yards and five touchdowns, but the offense needs more support. Hampton must improve its defensive execution and protect the quarterback to stop the slide.
North Carolina A&T Aggies
CAA · Grade: C+
North Carolina A&T has shown meaningful improvement after a 0-4 start. The Aggies have won three consecutive games against Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Chicago State.
A 31-30 loss to Bryant remains a frustrating missed opportunity. At 3-5, the Aggies have momentum under second-year coach Shawn Gibbs, who has yearned for improvement. No matter how the second half turns out, the Aggies have made important strides.
