MEAC play is finally here. All six MEAC teams open conference play this weekend, starting Friday night in Dover, and Saturday’s headliner is in the SWAC, where No. 1 Jackson State visits No. 8 Bethune-Cookman in the Black College Football Poll, with the SWAC East’s No. 1 team on the line.

Four HBCUs also celebrate Homecoming on Saturday: Florida A&M, Hampton, South Carolina State and Texas Southern. Hampton plays on its own campus for the first time all season, and Texas Southern takes its 99th Homecoming to Reliant Stadium against Southern.

Howard visits No. 4 Morgan State for the Hall of Fame Game in Baltimore, and No. 9 Norfolk State opens its MEAC schedule at No. 3 South Carolina State’s Homecoming. Here is a look at every HBCU game on the board.

Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Grambling State, Mississippi Valley State, and North Carolina A&T are idle this week.

First Place on the Line: No. 1 Jackson State at No. 8 Bethune-Cookman

Jackson State and Bethune-Cookman meet at 1 p.m. ET at Daytona Stadium, with the game on SWAC TV. Jackson State (6-1, 3-1 SWAC) is tied with Alabama A&M atop the SWAC East, and Bethune-Cookman (4-3, 2-1 SWAC) is a half game back.

The stakes are simple. The Road to Dec. 5 lays out why Jackson State is the only SWAC team that wins its division just by winning out, and this is the first of its four remaining tests. A win over Bethune-Cookman would tie the Wildcats with Alabama A&M at 3-1 and put the Tigers a game back. Alabama A&M would still hold the tiebreaker over Bethune-Cookman, but the Wildcats would own the head-to-head over Jackson State.

The yardage numbers point to a line-of-scrimmage battle. Jackson State gains 450.9 yards a game and allows 317.6, while Bethune-Cookman gains 331.9 and allows 364.0. The Wildcats run for 228.4 yards a game, but the Tigers allow just 113.7 on the ground. Bethune-Cookman’s run defense gives up 206.9 a game, and Jackson State runs for 215.7.

Jackson State has won five straight in the series. The Tigers’ last trip to Daytona Beach came in 2024, when Bethune-Cookman controlled the first half before Jackson State came back to win 37-17.

About Jackson State

Jackson State leads the SWAC in run defense, ranks 16th in FCS in that category, and is second in the SWAC in total defense. The offense averages 37.7 points a game and throws for 235.1 yards a game. Since 2021, the Tigers are 39-5 in regular season games against SWAC opponents.

Jared Lockhart has completed 98 of 162 passes for 1,493 yards and 14 touchdowns with one interception. Nate Blount IV leads a deep backfield with 562 rushing yards and three 100-yard games.

The secondary is coming off a big day. B.J. Washington had two interceptions against Florida A&M, and the offensive line has allowed just seven sacks all season.

About Bethune-Cookman

Bethune-Cookman is 3-1 at home this season, and a win would bring the Wildcats to nine wins in their last 10 home games. The road has been a different story: Bethune-Cookman has won just four road games since joining the SWAC in 2021.

The Wildcats lead the SWAC and rank fifth in FCS in rushing, running the ball on 67 percent of their snaps. Redshirt freshman Rashon Brown leads the SWAC with nine rushing touchdowns and was named to the Jerry Rice Award midseason watch list. The passing game ranks near the bottom of FCS, averaging 103.4 yards per game.

The defense is the reason Bethune-Cookman is in this spot. Jaden Davis was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Week, and Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after his three-interception game at Mississippi Valley State, and Keontae Byas broke up nine passes in the same game, tying the NCAA record. Bethune-Cookman is 4-0 when it records three or more sacks, and its 11 interceptions are tied for the most in FCS.

A win would also be Bethune-Cookman’s fifth of the season, its earliest fifth win since a 5-1 start in 2019, and the 16th of Raymond Woodie Jr.’s career.

The Hall of Fame Game: Howard at No. 4 Morgan State

Morgan State opens its 51st MEAC season against Howard at 3 p.m. ET at Hughes Stadium, streaming on ESPN+. It is the 79th meeting between the two, and Morgan State leads the series 44-33-1.

Howard won last season’s meeting 33-27 in overtime at Greene Stadium. Morgan State last won the series 35-21 at Hughes Stadium in 2024.

On paper, the yardage favors the Bears’ offense and Howard’s defense. Morgan State gains 363.7 yards a game, 239.0 of it through the air, but allows 431.3. Howard gains 268.6 yards a game and allows 378.6. The Bears give up 311.7 passing yards a game, and the Bison throw for 151.6.

The first Toyota Championship Projection makes Morgan State the MEAC favorite at 63.4%, and Howard sits at 4.5%. The Road to Atlanta explains why the Bears’ schedule puts their biggest tests up front, with South Carolina State coming to Baltimore on Thursday night.

About Morgan State

Morgan State (5-2) has already passed last season’s win total and is chasing its first winning season since 2009. The Bears are coming off a 25-16 loss at Tennessee State that snapped a four-game winning streak and was their first loss to an FCS team this season.

Cameron Edge leads the MEAC in passing efficiency (155.7), passing yards (1,499), and touchdown passes (12). Justin Perry leads the league with 468 receiving yards, and Joseph Towler leads it with five touchdown catches.

Keith Jenkins Jr. leads the MEAC in all-purpose yards at 143.3 a game and in kickoff returns at 25.1 yards per return. On defense, Donovan Moyer has six sacks, second in the MEAC, and nine tackles for loss.

About Howard

Howard (3-4) has lost 15 straight road games, including a 0-6 road record last season. The Bison are 2-0 at neutral sites this season, beating Alabama A&M and Hampton, and 1-1 at home.

Eden James was named MEAC Offensive Player of the Week after the Homecoming win over Morehouse, and he averages 6.7 yards per carry. Kyle Dillon took the league’s Defensive Player of the Week honor from the same game.

The Bison rank last in the MEAC in both passing and rushing, but they have made the most of their chances. Howard has scored on every trip inside the red zone this season, the best rate in FCS, and leads the MEAC by converting 69.2 percent of its fourth-down attempts.

Ja’Shawn Scroggins has thrown for 1,040 yards and six touchdowns. Rodney Roane Jr. leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and Aidan Foster has 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Damon Wilson is 1-3 against Howard as Morgan State’s head coach.

Homecoming in Orangeburg: No. 9 Norfolk State at No. 3 South Carolina State

South Carolina State celebrates Homecoming against Norfolk State at 1:30 p.m. ET in Orangeburg, streaming on ESPN+. The Bulldogs beat the Spartans 51-20 at last year’s Homecoming.

The Bulldogs are chasing a third straight MEAC title, have not lost a conference game since 2023, and carry an 11-game MEAC winning streak into the opener. Norfolk State comes off a bye, and Michael Vick made it clear what the next five weeks mean. “This time of the year, it’s like playoff season for us,” he said.

This is a matchup between the MEAC’s two stingiest defenses in terms of yardage. South Carolina State gains 452.0 yards a game and allows just 242.9, and Norfolk State gains 415.6 and allows 292.6. Both teams lean on the run, with the Bulldogs averaging 228.0 rushing yards a game and the Spartans 214.0, but South Carolina State allows only 92.0 on the ground, and Norfolk State allows 101.9.

About South Carolina State

South Carolina State (5-2) leads FCS in scoring at 43.6 points a game and also leads the nation in total defense and run defense. The Bulldogs opened 5-0 before losses to The Citadel and Charleston Southern.

Mason Pickett-Hicks leads the MEAC with 741 rushing yards and averages 7.5 yards a carry. Josh Shaw leads the league with 12 rushing touchdowns. The Bulldogs rank sixth in FCS in rushing.

About Norfolk State

Norfolk State (4-3) has already won three more games than it did all of last season, when it went 1-11. The Spartans rank ninth in FCS in rushing, with Jalyn Daniels leading with 606 yards.

The defense leads the MEAC with 11 interceptions, and Jason Wonodi has returned two punts for touchdowns. The Spartans closed nonconference play with a 62-0 win over Virginia University of Lynchburg before their bye.

MEAC Opener on ESPN2: North Carolina Central at Delaware State

MEAC play opens Friday night in Dover, where Delaware State hosts North Carolina Central at 5 p.m. ET at Alumni Stadium. The game airs nationally on ESPN2, and both teams are coming off a bye.

North Carolina Central at Delaware State Preview: MEAC Play Opens Friday Night on ESPN2 has the full breakdown of Friday night’s opener.

This is the 32nd meeting in a series dating to 1945. North Carolina Central leads 23-8, has won 10 of the last 12, and Trei Oliver is 5-1 against the Hornets as head coach.

The one loss came last season, when Delaware State won 35-26 in Durham. Kaiden Bennett threw three touchdown passes to NyGhee Lolley, and Marquis Gillis ran for two scores in the fourth quarter.

The first Toyota Championship Projection gives Delaware State a 7.3% chance to reach the Celebration Bowl and North Carolina Central 0.7%. The Road to Atlanta: Every Path to the MEAC Title and the Celebration Bowl breaks down both teams’ conference schedules.

About North Carolina Central

North Carolina Central (2-5) closed nonconference play with four straight losses. The last was a 17-14 Homecoming loss to William & Mary on Oct. 10, a game in which the Eagles outgained the Tribe 439 to 221 and ran for a season-high 282 yards.

The biggest question is at quarterback. Oliver said Josh Jones has been banged up all season, and Nelson Layne was hurt in the Campbell game, leaving Cobey Thompkins as the healthy quarterback during the bye week. Oliver called Jones and Layne day-by-day decisions.

Layne has thrown for 781 yards and accounted for eight touchdowns. Thompkins has thrown for 229 yards and run for 109, mostly on a 98-yard day against William & Mary that included a 69-yard touchdown run.

Plez Lawrence leads the Eagles with 317 rushing yards. Chance Peterson, the MEAC’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has 33 catches for 348 yards.

The defense has forced 16 turnovers, at least one in every game, tying it for third in the FCS. Its eight fumble recoveries are tied for the FCS lead. Zarion Walters leads the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Safety Joshua Truesdale, who leads the Eagles with 52 tackles, is back this week, and so is cornerback Terrence Brown.

Freshman kicker Riley Daniels is 10-for-13 on field goals but missed one against William & Mary. Oliver said the staff is working with him on his plant foot and hip position, and that he would rather his offense score touchdowns “and take the pressure off the young fella.”

Oliver also expects the conditions in Dover to be a factor. “That’s a tough place to play, especially this time of the year,” he said. “Usually, it’s real cold up there, gloomy, very windy. The wind’s coming off the water, and it’s usually swirling winds.”

About Delaware State

Delaware State (4-3) is 4-0 at Alumni Stadium, with home wins over Stony Brook, Bowie State, Towson and Franklin Pierce, and 0-3 on the road. The Hornets have alternated wins and losses all season and are coming off a 34-0 Homecoming shutout of Franklin Pierce.

DeSean Jackson is in his second season. His first produced eight wins and a 4-1 MEAC record, Delaware State’s best season since 2007. The Hornets were picked third in the MEAC preseason poll with two first-place votes, behind South Carolina State and North Carolina Central.

Quarterback Ui Ale has completed nearly 61% of his passes for 1,050 yards and four touchdowns, and he adds 42.5 rushing yards a game. The Hornets run for 187.6 yards per game.

Safety Kemari Nix is second in the MEAC with 47 tackles and has 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Oliver said the Eagles have to “stop the run defensively” and keep Delaware State’s “very athletic and mobile” quarterbacks in the pocket. He also pointed to a strong Hornets defensive line and called their linebackers “very fast and athletic.”

98th Homecoming: No. 18 Monmouth at Hampton

Hampton finally comes home. The Pirates host Monmouth for their 98th Homecoming at 2 p.m. ET, their first game at Armstrong Stadium this season after the stadium’s turf and track were replaced. The game streams on FloCollege and airs on Monumental Sports Network, and a sellout crowd is expected.

Hampton played its first three home games at the City of Hampton’s Darling Stadium, and 41 freshmen and transfers will play their first home game on campus. The Pirates are 59-37-1 all time at Homecoming.

Monmouth has won all five meetings, including a 28-10 win at Hampton’s Homecoming last season. That game was Frankie Weaver’s first career start.

The yardage leans heavily toward the Hawks. Monmouth gains 407.6 yards a game and allows 370.1, while Hampton gains 300.1 and allows 420.3. Monmouth runs for 174.6 yards a game, and Hampton gives up 184.7 on the ground.

About Monmouth

Monmouth (5-2, 4-0 CAA) sits alone atop the CAA and is No. 18 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 19 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. The Hawks have won four straight, most recently a 42-21 win at New Hampshire, in which they ran for 326 yards.

Weaver has thrown for 233 yards a game with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, and Kenny Smith Jr. and Elijah Jennings each average better than 80 rushing yards a game. Monmouth converts 51.5 percent of its third downs, third in FCS, and has allowed just two sacks all season, the fewest in FCS.

About Hampton

Hampton (1-6, 0-3 CAA) has used three quarterbacks. Starter Jalen Woods has not been cleared to return since he was hurt against Bryant on Sept. 12; Tre’Von Taylor has started the last four games, and true freshman Xavier Brookins has come off the bench in each of the last three.

Cam Sturdifen leads the defense with 64 tackles, fourth in the CAA, and two forced fumbles. Defensive end Korede Sogbesan, a preseason All-CAA first team pick, spent his first two seasons at Monmouth.

Homecoming in Tallahassee: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Florida A&M

Florida A&M celebrates Homecoming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 3 p.m. ET at Bragg Memorial Stadium, streaming on HBCU GO. It is the Rattlers’ first home game since Sept. 26.

Florida A&M is 3-0 all time against the Golden Lions, including a 31-28 win in Pine Bluff last season. Saturday is just the second meeting in Tallahassee, after a 27-6 Rattlers win in 2022.

The yardage favors the Golden Lions. Arkansas-Pine Bluff gains 395.2 yards a game and allows 444.7, while Florida A&M gains 266.1 and allows 454.3. The Rattlers give up 234.4 rushing yards a game to a UAPB team that runs for 208.3. Florida A&M runs for just 71.7 yards a game but throws for 194.4, and its defense allows 311.7 through the air.

About Florida A&M

Florida A&M (2-5, 1-2 SWAC) is ineligible for the SWAC Championship Game, but its five remaining SWAC games still count for every opponent, starting with an Arkansas-Pine Bluff team chasing the West. Jamal Hailey leads the Rattlers with 254 rushing yards.

Armond Parker has thrown for 925 yards and eight touchdowns, and Armand Burris averages 27.7 yards per catch on nine receptions. That big-play passing game gets a chance against an Arkansas-Pine Bluff defense that ranks last in the SWAC in pass defense and has allowed opponents to complete 70.5 percent of their passes.

Linebacker Denzel Johnson leads the SWAC at 11.9 tackles a game, and safety Justin Bostic has three interceptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. Florida A&M also leads the SWAC in net punting at 40.3 yards.

About Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-3, 1-2 SWAC) averages 32.8 points a game and ranks third in the SWAC in rushing. Za’Marion Webber averages 7.6 yards a carry, Garrison Davis has thrown for 709 yards and 11 touchdowns, and D’Avery Robinson has six touchdown catches.

Jalen Williams leads the SWAC with 35.4 yards per kickoff return, and Trey Glymph is 8-for-8 on field goals. Alonzo Hampton’s team is still very much alive in the West, and The Road to Dec. 5 explains why the Golden Lions win the division if they win out, as long as Alcorn State does not.

99th Homecoming at Reliant Stadium: Southern at Texas Southern

Texas Southern hosts its 99th Homecoming at Reliant Stadium, facing Southern at 2 p.m. CT on SWAC TV. It is Texas Southern’s first game at Reliant since 2014 and the first time the two have met on Texas Southern’s Homecoming weekend since 2015. The Ocean of Soul and the Human Jukebox will share the halftime stage.

Both teams are coming off a bye. Southern (3-4, 1-2 SWAC) last played on Oct. 10, when it won 28-14 at Prairie View A&M. That result keeps Southern in control of a key piece of the West race: the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Panthers.

Neither defense has stopped many people. Texas Southern gains 353.7 yards a game and allows 437.3, and Southern gains 341.6 and allows 405.6. Southern gives up 218.0 rushing yards a game and Texas Southern 179.2, while the Jaguars run for 172.0 and the Tigers 163.3.

About Southern

Trey Holly leads Southern with 635 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and Christian Johnson has thrown for 935 yards and eight touchdowns. Ckelby Givens leads the defense with three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss.

About Texas Southern

Texas Southern (1-5, 0-3 SWAC) has lost five straight since its season-opening win over North Carolina Central, but two of those losses came against FBS opponents, and two of its SWAC losses were by a combined seven points. Cam’Ron McCoy has thrown for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns, and Athean Renfro has run for 531 yards and five scores. Donovan Jones leads the defense with 47 tackles.

OVC Play Resumes in Nashville: Charleston Southern at Tennessee State

Tennessee State returns to OVC play against Charleston Southern at 3:30 p.m. ET at Nissan Stadium, with the game streaming on ESPN+. It closes a three-game homestand and starts a five-game conference stretch to end the regular season.

Charleston Southern leads the series 2-1, and the home team has won all three meetings. The last two were decided by a combined five points: Tennessee State won 13-9 in Nashville in 2024, and Charleston Southern won 7-6 last season. The Buccaneers (3-4, 0-2 OVC) are coming off a game at Clemson, and two weeks ago they knocked off South Carolina State for the second straight year.

The two offenses move the ball in very different ways. Tennessee State gains 310.4 yards a game, 243.0 of it through the air and just 67.4 on the ground, and allows 437.4, including 184.9 rushing. Charleston Southern gains 251.6 yards a game, with 120.6 rushing and 131.0 passing, and allows 338.4. The Buccaneers have also given up 28 sacks in seven games.

About Tennessee State

Tennessee State (2-5, 0-2 OVC) is chasing its first conference win and its first back-to-back wins of the season after stunning Morgan State. Daylin Lee has thrown for 1,614 yards and 11 touchdowns and has thrown 13 of the Tigers’ 16 offensive touchdowns.

Cam Bulluck has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games and leads the team with 38 catches, 562 yards, and six touchdowns. On defense, Rymen Mosley has three interceptions, Jaylon Price has 4.5 sacks, and Brendan Hale leads the team with 36 tackles.

A Nonconference Stop in Commerce: No. 10 Prairie View A&M at East Texas A&M

Prairie View A&M closes the day at East Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT at Memorial Stadium, streaming on ESPN+. The game does not count in the SWAC standings, and the Panthers (3-5, 3-2 SWAC) remain the only West team with three conference wins. East Texas A&M is 2-5.

Ethan Eddins was named SWAC Specialist of the Week after his 37-yard field goal beat Alcorn State. Tevin Carter has thrown for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns and leads the team with 401 rushing yards and five rushing scores. Kamrin Canterbury leads the defense with 40 tackles.

Prairie View gains 294.8 yards a game, 141.0 on the ground and 153.8 through the air, and allows 379.2 yards.

Follow every result and the full standings on the 2026 football season dashboard.