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July 2, 2026 · The BlackEvents Team

HBCU Homecoming Schedule 2026: Every Game, Every Weekend

Every HBCU homecoming with a confirmed 2026 date — game day, city, opponent. From Norfolk State in September to Southern in mid-November. Bookmark this.

Fall 2026 is homecoming season. 17 HBCU programs have confirmed 2026 homecoming game dates — from Norfolk State's Battle of the Bay in September to Southern's Marshall-Faulk-era debut in mid-November. Every weekend from October 3 through November 14 belongs to a school.

Below: the master schedule. Cross-references to individual event listings for each. Save this page.

September

Sat Sep 19 — Norfolk State Homecoming (Battle of the Bay) Norfolk, VA · vs Hampton · Dick Price Stadium. The MEAC rivalry that anchors the Hampton Roads HBCU calendar. Spartan Legion vs the Marching Force in one stadium.

October — the busiest month

Sat Oct 3 — Grambling State Homecoming Grambling, LA · vs Alcorn State · Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. The World Famed Tiger Marching Band on home turf. Falls 8 weeks before Bayou Classic, so Grambling gets its own weekend before the season-closer.

Sat Oct 3 — Truth & Service Classic (Howard vs Hampton) Washington, DC · Audi Field. The two HBCU networks with the strongest DC alumni presence share a stadium. Tailgates in adjacent lots, after-parties across U Street.

Sat Oct 10 — Morehouse Homecoming Atlanta, GA · vs Savannah State · Morehouse College. AUC homecoming week — Spelman and Clark Atlanta programming overlays.

Sat Oct 10 — FAMU Homecoming (at ASU Stadium) Tallahassee, FL (week) + Montgomery, AL (game) · vs Alabama State. Marching 100 travels for the game — same matchup Alabama State designates as their homecoming.

Sat Oct 10 — Alabama State Homecoming Montgomery, AL · vs FAMU · ASU Stadium. Mighty Marching Hornets vs Marching 100 in a double-band showcase.

Sat Oct 10 — NCCU Ultimate Homecoming Experience Durham, NC · vs William & Mary · O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Durham's Black-owned restaurant and coffee scene overlays the whole week.

Sat Oct 17 — Howard Homecoming Washington, DC · vs Morehouse · Greene Stadium. Yardfest, the parade, alumni parties. DC turns Bison for a full week.

Sat Oct 17 — Prairie View A&M Homecoming Prairie View, TX · Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field. Houston's Black professional class and Texas Southern's alumni network intersect here.

Sat Oct 17 — Jackson State Homecoming Jackson, MS · vs FAMU · Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Sonic Boom vs Marching 100 — a rare double-band showcase.

Sat Oct 17 — Tennessee State Homecoming (99th annual) Nashville, TN · vs Morgan State · Nissan Stadium. Parade down Jefferson Street; Aristocrat of Bands leads the day.

Sat Oct 17 — Alabama A&M Homecoming Huntsville, AL · vs Grambling · Louis Crews Stadium. A&M vs Grambling is a bucket-list SWAC matchup — two of the top marching band programs in one place.

Sat Oct 24 — Hampton University Homecoming Hampton, VA · Armstrong Stadium. Hampton's alumni network is one of the tightest in the country — spills into DC alumni events for a full month after.

Sat Oct 24 — Bowie State Homecoming Bowie, MD · vs Johnson C. Smith · Bulldog Stadium. The DMV's Division II HBCU homecoming. Overlaps Hampton's weekend — DMV alumni double up.

Sat Oct 31 (Halloween) — NC A&T GHOE 100th Centennial Greensboro, NC · vs Elon · Truist Stadium. The 100th anniversary of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth. Week of programming Oct 25 – Nov 1. 130,000+ attendees.

November

Sat Nov 7 — Winston-Salem State Homecoming — Forever Red Winston-Salem, NC · vs Fayetteville State · Bowman Gray Stadium. One of the CIAA's biggest homecoming weeks.

Sat Nov 14 — Southern University Homecoming Baton Rouge, LA · vs Alcorn State · A.W. Mumford Stadium. Marshall Faulk's first homecoming as head coach.

Sat Nov 28 (Thanksgiving weekend) — Bayou Classic New Orleans, LA · Grambling vs Southern · Caesars Superdome. Not a homecoming, but the season-closer. Thanksgiving Day parade, Battle of the Bands Fri, game Sat. Hotels booked six months out.

Not on this list

Bethune-Cookman, Tuskegee, Alcorn State, Delaware State, Morgan State — all played 2026 games but their homecoming games weren't publicly designated by the time we published. Check the official NCAA HBCU aggregate if these matter to your travel plans.

How to actually pick one

If you have to choose:

  • First-time homecoming attendee? Go NC A&T GHOE 100th. The centennial is a once-in-a-generation moment.
  • DMV based? Truth & Service Classic (Oct 3) or Howard (Oct 17) — you're already there.
  • In Atlanta anyway? Morehouse Oct 10 — AUC week takes over the city.
  • Want the best bands? Any Marching 100 game (FAMU / Alabama State / Jackson State on Oct 10 or 17).
  • Bucket-list matchup? Alabama A&M vs Grambling (Oct 17). Two of the top three HBCU marching band programs facing off.

Sub-events worth watching

Each homecoming week has sub-events (yardfest, alumni ball, coronation, parade) that most schools haven't published dates for yet. As those firm up, they'll appear on individual event pages linked above. Watch the BlackEvents.us weekly drop for updates.

Related

This page updates as schools announce homecoming week programming (yardfest, coronation, ball, alumni brunch). Bookmark it.