The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has announced its 2026 football TV schedule on the ESPN networks, which features 14 games set for broadcast.
SWAC football action on the ESPN networks kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, August 29 with the Southern Jaguars taking on the Alabama State Hornets at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. The game will be televised by ESPNU at 3:00pm ET / 2:00pm CT.
Then at 7:30pm ET / 6:30pm CT, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs will battle the Howard Bison in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. The game will be televised live by ABC.
Two games are scheduled to be played on Sunday during Week 1 of the season (September 6) — Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M (12pm ET, ESPN2) and South Carolina State vs. Florida A&M (in Miami; 3pm ET, ESPN).
The 2026 Pepsi SWAC Football Championship will be carried live by ESPN2 at 2:00pm ET on Saturday, December 5. The Cricket Celebration Bowl, featuring the champs from the SWAC and MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) will be broadcast by ABC on Saturday, December 12.
Below is the SWAC football TV schedule on the ESPN networks for the fall 2026 season.
SWAC 2026 ESPN football TV schedule
* All times Eastern.
Saturday, Aug. 29
Southern vs. Alabama St. (Birmingham) – 3pm, ESPNU
Alabama A&M vs. Howard (Atlanta)- 7:30pm, ABC
Sunday, Sept. 6
Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M – 12pm, ESPN2
SC State vs. Florida A&M (Miami) – 3pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 26
Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M (Dallas) – TBD
Southern at Jackson State – TBD
Saturday, Oct. 17
Florida A&M at Jackson State – TBD
Saturday, Oct. 31
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (Birmingham) – TBD
Saturday, Nov. 14
Jackson State at Alabama State – TBD
Saturday, Nov. 21
Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Jackson State at Alcorn State – TBD
Prairie View A&M at Alabama State – TBD
Saturday, Dec. 5
Pepsi SWAC Championship – 2pm, ESPN2
Saturday, Dec. 12
Cricket Celebration Bowl – TBD, ABC
