Jackson State enters the 2026 season as the two-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division champion under head coach T.C. Taylor. The Tigers went 9-3 (7-1 SWAC) last season and were picked to finish second in the East Division at SWAC Media Days this July, behind Alabama State. The 2026 slate features five home games and four "Classics," opening on the road against Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic — the first meeting between the two schools since 2022.

2026 Jackson State Schedule:

• August 29 (Sat), 7:30 p.m. — at Tennessee State (Nashville, Tenn.) — John Merritt Classic
• September 5 (Sat), 6 p.m. — vs Edward Waters (The Vet) — HOPE Labor Day Classic
• September 19 (Sat), 6 p.m. — vs Tuskegee (The Vet) — W.C. Gorden Classic
• September 26 (Sat), 6 p.m. — vs Southern (The Vet) — SWAC opener
• October 3 (Sat), 4 p.m. — vs Alabama A&M (Mobile, Ala.) — Gulf Coast Challenge
• October 10 (Sat), 4 p.m. — at Grambling State
• October 17 (Sat), 2 p.m. — vs Florida A&M (The Vet) — Homecoming
• October 24 (Sat), 12 p.m. ET — at Bethune-Cookman
• November 7 (Sat), 2 p.m. — vs Mississippi Valley State (The Vet)
• November 14 (Sat), 2 p.m. — at Alabama State
• November 21 (Sat), 2 p.m. — at Alcorn State

Tickets can be purchased online at gojsutigers.myimpacttickets.com/football, in person at The Vet (Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium) box office Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., via phone at 601-354-6021 (stadium) or 601-979-0845 (campus), or by email at jsuticketoffice@jsums.edu.

Learn more in our JSU Game Day Guide.

Belhaven enters the 2026 season under third-year head coach CJ Nightingale, who was hired as the eighth head coach in program history after the Blazers' historic 2023 season that included their first USA South Conference title and first NCAA Division III playoff appearance. Nightingale, a former collegiate player at Wheaton College, brings extensive experience at the NCAA Division III and NAIA levels.

The season begins with the traditional Riverside Rumble against crosstown rival Millsaps on Thursday, September 3 — this time on the road at Millsaps' Harper Davis Field. Belhaven enters as the reigning sword-holder after a dominant 50-24 win in the 2025 meeting, their fourth win in the last five Riverside Rumble matchups. The Blazers finished the 2025 season 6-4, their sixth consecutive season with a .500-or-better record.

2026 Belhaven Schedule:

• September 3 (Thu), TBA — at Millsaps (Riverside Rumble)
• September 12 (Sat), 6 p.m. — vs East Texas Baptist (Belhaven Bowl Stadium)
• September 19 (Sat), 11 a.m. — vs Central College (Belhaven Bowl Stadium)
• October 3 (Sat), TBA — at Brevard College
• October 10 (Sat), 12 p.m. — vs North Carolina Wesleyan (Belhaven Bowl Stadium)
• October 17 (Sat), TBA — at Greensboro College
• October 24 (Sat), 12 p.m. — vs Southern Virginia (Belhaven Bowl Stadium) — Homecoming/Family Weekend
• October 31 (Sat), TBA — at Methodist University
• November 7 (Sat), 12 p.m. — vs LaGrange College (Belhaven Bowl Stadium)
• November 14 (Sat), TBA — at Huntingdon College (Ala.)

For the latest news on Belhaven Blazers athletics, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like them on Facebook.

The Millsaps Majors enter 2026 under third-year head coach Brandon Lechtenberg, who returned to Jackson in 2024 after previously serving as the team's defensive coordinator from 2011-2016, when the Majors won SAA titles in 2012 and 2013. After inheriting a team that went 1-9 in 2023, Lechtenberg has engineered a steady turnaround: a 5-5 mark in his first season (2024) and a 6-4 record in 2025 — the program's first winning season since 2013.

Lechtenberg's Majors will look to defend home turf in the season-opening Riverside Rumble against rival Belhaven on September 3, after suffering a 50-24 setback in 2025. The Majors compete in the Southern Athletic Association and are building toward a return to championship contention.

2026 Millsaps Schedule:

• September 3 (Thu), 7 p.m. — vs Belhaven (Harper Davis Field) — Riverside Rumble
• September 12 (Sat), 6 p.m. — at Centenary College
• September 19 (Sat), 1 p.m. — vs Hendrix College (Harper Davis Field) — Hall of Fame Game
• October 3 (Sat), 5 p.m. — vs Rhodes College (Harper Davis Field)
• October 10 (Sat), 1 p.m. — vs Centre College (Harper Davis Field)
• October 17 (Sat), 1 p.m. — at Sewanee
• October 24 (Sat), 1 p.m. — vs Trinity University (Harper Davis Field) — Homecoming
• October 31 (Sat), 1 p.m. — at Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas)
• November 7 (Sat), 1 p.m. — vs Berry College (Harper Davis Field) — Senior Day
• November 14 (Sat), 12 p.m. CT — at Maryville College

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the football program, follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook, or visit gomajors.com.