HOUSTON -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced that it will broadcast HBCU football on SWAC TV for the 2026 season, from Week 0 in late August through the Turkey Day Classic on Thanksgiving Day. 2026 SWAC Football has the makings of being one of the most competitive and compelling seasons for fans.Despite ESPN cherry-picking quite a few of the conference's classics and rivalries this season, the SWAC TV slate still carries league crossovers and division matchups, along with non-conference home tests and other contests in the platform's second season. The digital platform games remain separate from the contests ESPN claimed for its linear networks.Last week, the conference released its 2026 ESPN television schedule, which locked in the national-window classics, including the Orange Blossom Classic, the Labor Day Classic, the Boom Box Classic, the State Fair Classic, the Magic City Classic, and the Florida Classic.Surprisingly, more non-conference opponents will fill the spectrum of contests with Morehouse facing a SWAC program, a first in years for the Maroon Tigers under new head coach, Brad Sherrod.The SWAC TV slate fills in the remaining games, and 2026 shapes up as a pivotal year for the platform. The conference must prove to subscribers that the SWAC product is worth supporting and tuning into each week. A strong season also gives potential advertisers a preview ahead of the 2026-27 New York upfronts, positioning SWAC TV as a highly respected broadcast platform for their brands.2026 SWAC TV ScheduleSaturday, Aug. 29Clark Atlanta at Grambling StateAlbany State at Florida A&MMorehouse vs. Arkansas-Pine BluffMiles at Alcorn StateSaturday, Sept. 5Miles at Alabama A&MLane at Alabama StateCentral State at Grambling StateKentucky State at SouthernSaturday, Sept. 12Tennessee State at Alabama A&MLincoln vs. Mississippi Valley StateStetson at Bethune-CookmanSaturday, Sept. 19Stephen F. Austin at Prairie View A&MBowie State at Alabama A&MTuskegee at Jackson StateDelta State at Mississippi Valley StateLouisiana Christian at SouthernVirginia Lynchburg at Bethune-CookmanCentral State at Arkansas-Pine BluffSaturday, Sept. 26Texas Southern at Alcorn StateAlabama A&M at Florida A&MMississippi Valley State at Alabama StateSaturday, Oct. 3Arkansas-Pine Bluff at SouthernAlcorn State at Grambling StateAlabama State at Bethune-CookmanPrairie View A&M at Mississippi Valley StateJackson State vs. Alabama A&MSaturday, Oct. 10Bethune-Cookman at Alabama A&MSouthern at Prairie View A&MArkansas Baptist at Alcorn StateMississippi Valley State at Texas SouthernJackson State at Grambling StateSaturday, Oct. 17Southern at Texas SouthernBethune-Cookman at Mississippi Valley StateAlabama State at Arkansas-Pine BluffGrambling State at Alabama A&MSaturday, Oct. 24Jackson State at Bethune-CookmanSaturday, Oct. 31Bethune-Cookman at Arkansas-Pine BluffAlcorn State at Mississippi Valley StateGrambling State at Texas SouthernSaturday, Nov. 7Bethune-Cookman at SouthernAlabama A&M at Prairie View A&MAlabama State at Texas SouthernArkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling StateFlorida A&M at Alcorn StateSaturday, Nov. 14Grambling State at Bethune-CookmanPrairie View A&M at Arkansas-Pine BluffMississippi Valley State at Florida A&MTexas Southern at Alabama A&MSaturday, Nov. 21Alabama A&M at Mississippi Valley StateThursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving Day)Tuskegee at Alabama State10 Key Games to WatchJackson State at Grambling State (Revenge Game)Southern at Prairie View A&M (A must-win for Coach Faulk’s Jags?; Coach Jackson to show dominance)Alabama State at Bethune-Cookman (Could be a shootout)Stephen F. Austin at Prairie View A&M (2nd FCS opponent in TX to battle the Panthers)Tennessee State at Alabama A&M (Both squads must show improvement; should be competitive)Alabama State at Texas Southern (Andrew Body returns to where it all began in H-Town!)Albany State at Florida A&M (Dubbed "The Coach Gray Classic") Southern at Texas Southern (2nd trip to Texas in 2 weeks)Grambling State at Texas Southern (Two coaches in a pivotal season)Alcorn State at Mississippi Valley State (A much-improved clash)My Team Has How Many Games?Alabama A&M leads at 10 games on SWAC TV with three non-conference home dates (Miles, Tennessee State, Bowie State).Florida A&M and Jackson State sit lowest at 4 each. The Rattlers and Tigers are heavily booked on ESPN linear networks with FAMU's Orange Blossom and Florida Classics, JSU's Boom Box Classic, and the Alabama State East showdown. The non-conference opponents that recur are Miles, Central State, and Tuskegee, who each appear twice. Non-conference visitors that are appearing once: Clark Atlanta, Albany State, Morehouse, Lane, Kentucky State, Tennessee State, Lincoln, Stetson, Stephen F. Austin, Bowie State, Delta State, Louisiana Christian, Virginia Lynchburg, and Arkansas Baptist.How many times?Alabama A&M -- 10Bethune-Cookman -- 9Mississippi Valley State -- 9Grambling State -- 8Arkansas-Pine Bluff -- 7Alabama State -- 6Alcorn State -- 6Southern -- 6Texas Southern -- 6Prairie View A&M -- 5Florida A&M -- 4Jackson State -- 4That totals 80 SWAC-team slots across the 50 games being broadcast this season on SWAC TV. It looks to be a great season of broadcasting in the Southwestern Athletic Conference!Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow