The Southwestern Athletic Conference is set to showcase its 2026 football landscape at a Media Day that will bring together every head coach and a select group of student‑athletes, including seven quarterbacks, in Birmingham on July 15.
The 2025 season proved fiercely competitive, with Alabama State and Jackson State sharing the Eastern Division crown after posting identical 7‑1 conference records, while Prairie View A&M secured the Western Division title with a 7‑1 mark and finished the year 10‑4 overall.
Among the storylines that will dominate the conversation is the return of those championship contenders, the emergence of new leadership at Florida A&M, and the first appearance of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as Southern University’s head coach.
Florida A&M will begin a new chapter under former Rattlers quarterback Quinn Gray, who transitioned from player to head coach ahead of the upcoming season, while Andrew Body returns to Alabama State after playing a key role in the program’s recent Eastern Division share.
Jared Lockhart, who guided Jackson State to the conference championship last year, will lead the Tigers once again as they chase another title, and Tremaine Jackson’s Prairie View A&M squad enters the new campaign with momentum after a strong finish in 2025.
A New Era for the SWAC
The presence of Marshall Faulk, a Hall of Famer, underscores the growing prestige of the conference and signals a renewed focus on developing talent both on and off the field.
Fans and media alike can look forward to a season that promises high‑stakes matchups, dynamic quarterback play and the continued rise of historically black colleges and universities as powerhouses in collegiate football.