The first 2026 HBCU football schedule of the Division II level has dropped and Virginia State has revealed a lot.
VSU’s schedule shows how the new-look CIAA will be vastly different from previous seasons — and that it will be taking on an FCS/MEAC team NOT named Norfolk State.
HBCU champs will host VSU
Virginia State will take on defending HBCU national champion South Carolina State on Sept. 12. VSU has played Norfolk State yearly since 2019, but that streak will come to an end in 2026.
VSU will open the season on Aug. 29 as part of a home-and-home agreement. After that the schedule gets interesting.
Its second game will be Sept. 5 against CIAA rival Bowie State University. Both programs were previously in the CIAA North, meaning they would usually play in the second half of the season. In fact, the two teams have often played each other for homecoming on an alternate basis.
Looking at that game and the rest of the season, it’s clear that the CIAA division scheduling format has pretty much been wiped clean. Another former CIAA North foe, Elizabeth City State, will host VSU on Sept. 19.
VSU will return home on Sept. 26 as it hosts Winston-Salem State University. The two programs, both with 12 CIAA titles each, have split the last two seasons. Both teams came away with one-point victories on the road.
From there VSU will travel to former CIAA North foe Lincoln on Oct. 3.
Homecoming for VSU will be Oct. 11 against Livingstone. That is another game that would traditionally be played earlier in the season due to the divisional format. October closes out with two other former CIAA South schools as VSU travels to Shaw and JCSU on October 17 and 31 respectively, with a bye in between.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the rivalry game with Virginia Union. One of the longest-standing HBCU football games will continue to serve as the season finale as VUU travels to Ettrick.
No other D2 HBCU football programs have released their schedules yet, but it’s clear that the CIAA shakeup is real.