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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

• sifoeeprocess.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.

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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

1. South Carolina State (5 first-place vote) — 63 points
2. North Carolina Central (4) —  61 points
3. Morgan State — 39 points
4. Norfolk State (1) — 36 points
5. Howard (1) — 33 points
6. Delaware State (1) — 20 points

SWAC East

1. Jackson State (16) —126 points
2. Florida A&M (3) — 99 points
3. Alabama State (2) — 91 points
4. Alabama A&M — 62 points  
5. Bethune-Cookman (1) — 45 points
6. Mississippi Valley State — 24 points 

SWAC West

1. Southern (17) —  120 points
2. Alcorn State (2) —  90 points
3. Prairie View A&M (1) —  72 points
4. Texas Southern —  60 points
5. Grambling State — 55 points
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1) —  28 points

Other HBCUs

• Tennessee State was predicted to finish 8th in the CAA.
• Hampton was predicted to finish 11th in the CAA.
• North Carolina A&T was predicted to finish last at 14th in the CAA. 

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

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🗓 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

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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*

• Tennessee State

*The CAA and Ohio Valley are not "HBCU conferences"