After a thriller 24-20 comeback win over the Alcorn St. in the last matcup, the Golden Lions will face off against Alcorn St. in the 37th Annual Southern Heritage Classic Sept. 12, 2026
Memphis, TN.- The Southern Heritage Classic, one of the nation's premier HBCU Classics, will return to its historic calendar time slot, the second Saturday in September - Sept. 12, 2026, at 6 p.m. - with a rematch of last year's exciting SWAC contest featuring the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Alcorn State University.
The game will be played at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, with renovations expected to be completed in time for this year's college football season.
"We are very excited to have the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Alcorn State return to Memphis for a second straight year," said Fred Jones Jr., Southern Heritage Classic founder. "It's very pleasing to be able to present different schools while still maintaining a high standard of competition and entertainment at the same time. We look forward to the ever-present challenge of always improving our event, as it reflects on our great city, our unique culture, and the visibility of the competing institutions."
Arkansas-Pine Bluff won last year's Classic, 24-20. The 2026 game marks the fourth appearance in a row for the UAPB Golden Lions, and the second straight for the ASU Braves.
The game will again be a SWAC conference game. Alcorn State will be the home team, as UAPB hosted in 2025.
Ticket availability and additional events will be announced in the coming weeks.
SOUTHERN HERITAGE CLASSIC NOTABLE POINTS
1. Of the 34 Classic games that have been staged, a total of 1,533,071 fans have attended.
2. Participating schools in the Classic have collectively earned over $16.1 million.
3. The Classic provides a national stage for HBCU programs to showcase their best. A total of 56
players have played in the Classic, then went on to play in the National Football League. Four of
these players were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
4. Over the past three years, the game has reached a nationwide audience through live broadcasts
on HBCU Go, TheGrio Cable Network and participating local broadcast affiliates. That national
exposure will continue in 2026, with the Classic once again livestreamed on HBCUGO.tv and its
mobile app.
5. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium is on schedule to complete its renovation in time for the 2026
college football season. That means the only home to the Classic will be getting a facelift with
upgraded amenities designed for an enhanced fan experience.
6. The Classic has signed a contract to produce The Big Game at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
on the second Saturday in September through the year 2032.
7. Many accompanying events surrounding The Big Game have enhanced the fan experience and
helped make the entire Classic Cultural Celebration a true spectacle with something for the
whole family. The Classic Fashion Show has been a staple since 1991.
8. The Classic Parade, held in the Orange Mound community of Memphis, and the Classic Tailgate
each continually draw well over 10,000 people and have attained their own legendary reputation.
9. The AutoZone Halftime Show features the marching bands from the University of Arkansas at
Pine Bluff and Alcorn State University. The UAPB band, the Marching Musical Machine of the
Mid-South, performed to a standing ovation at the Honda Battle of the Bands in Inglewood,
Calif., in the Spring of 2025. The ASU band, the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, was honored to play at
the 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
10. The City of Memphis Office of Youth Services, in partnership with the Classic, holds a College
and Career Fair at the Memphis Sports & Events Center, where many area colleges connect with
potential students and many companies recruit potential employees. Over 3,700 young people
attended the event last fall, making it one of the fastest growing events on the Classic calendar.
