Southern University is going to draw the attention of the HBCU football world as Marshall Faulk is set to kick off his first season in the fall. Even before Faulk was named the head coach, Southern University has always commanded attention in college football.
They're one of the blue-blood programs in HBCU football, featuring several legendary coaches, NFL players, and even Pro Football Hall of Famers. Southern has had recent success in the SWAC West, making the SWAC championship in 2022 and also in 2024. But Southern's main problem over these past few years is stepping up against the bigger contenders in the SWAC. Marshall Faulk has a tremendous opportunity to make a name for himself with these three big-time matchups that are on Southern University’s schedule this fall.
Versus Alabama State University (August 29)
Southern University kicked off the season last year with a huge primetime matchup against North Carolina Central. It was a great test for the talent of Southern University, and a good showing or even a win against the Eagles would likely a great indication on how they'll compete against their competitors in the SWAC.
But outside of a few good plays from Trey Holly and Southern showing their proficiency in the ground game, the Jaguars were routinely beaten. The way the season started is ultimately the way the season ended, as they only won two games the rest of the way. Marshall Faulk has the opportunity to start the season off with a bang as they host Alabama State University, which was one of the three best teams in the conference and finished the season with only one loss. To make the matchup even more interesting, star quarterback Andrew Body left the transfer portal and is returning to Alabama State with something to prove.
It's not impossible for an HBCU quarterback to be selected in the NFL Draft, but that quarterback's going to have to put up monster numbers. I'm sure that Body’s ambitions of going to the NFL haven't changed since he left the transfer portal, and he certainly will look to repeat as one of the most dominant players in HBCU football this fall. If Faulk is able to score a victory over Eddie Robinson Jr.'s Hornets, it will surely put the world on notice. A tremendous start to the season could very well help land them in the SWAC Championship game in Faulk's first year on the sidelines.
Versus Jackson State (September 26)
Marshall Faulk and his Jaguars have to travel to Jackson State to continue one of the fiercest rivalries in HBCU athletics. The Boombox Classic is always highly anticipated, as both Southern and Jackson State have fervent fan bases. Jackson State is also perennially at the top of the charts when it comes to FCS attendance, and they'll certainly show up and show out for this game.
Many HBCU prognosticators are writing off Jackson State as a contender, as Alabama State has drastically improved, and FAMU looks to retool under Quinn Gray. But T.C. Taylor has always had a penchant for putting together championship teams. He and his recruiting staff have always put together teams that place them at the top of the SWAC East, and Jackson State has dominated Southern University in recent matchups.
Perhaps Faulk can turn the tide on the rivalry and put Southern University back in the win column. But it won't be easy, as rivalry games are always the toughest to win, and Jackson State circled this game on their schedule.
Versus Prairie View A&M (October 10)
The SWAC West has been pretty predictable over the past few years, while the SWAC East has seen the emergence of Jackson State, Alabama State, and Florida A&M as contenders. Typically, either Grambling or Southern are fighting each other for a SWAC championship appearance. Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M has snuck themselves into SWAC championship appearances in 2021 and 2025, with first-year coach Tremaine Jackson leading the Panthers to an upset SWAC championship victory over Jackson State and, ultimately, a Celebration Bowl appearance.
The game between Southern and Prairie View A&M will be an interesting clash of styles, as Faulk boasts professional experience but minimal coaching experience at the collegiate level. Meanwhile, Tremaine Jackson took the tried-and-true path to head coaching as an assistant, a championship-contending coach at the Division II level at Valdosta State, and then arguably one of the most successful FCS coaches of the past year who is already garnering interest from FBS programs as a potential hire.
After tasting success in December's Celebration Bowl matchup against South Carolina State, where they dominated the first half and were only two quarters away from winning the first Celebration Bowl in the school's history, Jackson surely wants to lead his team back to championship prominence. Meanwhile, Faulk should certainly want to follow in Jackson's footsteps by leading his team to championship success in his first season.
Also of note, the Prairie View A&M matchup has been the catalyst for coaching changes for Southern over the past couple of years. Eric Dooley's final game coaching was against Prairie View A&M in 2023. Only a couple of years later, Terrence Graves' last game coaching was against Prairie View A&M University.
While Faulk's job is certainly safe regardless of the outcome of this year, the Prairie View A&M game has always seemed to be a measuring-stick game for the Jaguars, and one that he would certainly want to win to secure the confidence of the Jaguar faithful and also find his team at the top of the SWAC West.
