Week 9 of the 2026 HBCU football season delivered rivalry drama, surprising results and several dominant performances as conference races continued to take shape.
Alabama A&M captured a 31-28 victory over Alabama State in the Magic City Classic, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff made one of the biggest statements of the weekend with a 63-21 victory over Bethune-Cookman. Southern continued its offensive progress under head coach Marshall Faulk with a convincing road win over Florida A&M.
In the MEAC, South Carolina State and North Carolina Central posted dominant victories, while Delaware State won a close contest against Norfolk State.
Here’s a look at all 22 games from Week 9.
Division I HBCU Football Results
Alabama A&M 31, Alabama State 28
Alabama A&M claimed bragging rights in the Magic City Classic with a three-point victory over rival Alabama State. Quarterback Cornelius Brown IV passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns, while Kolton Nero added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown. Alabama State produced 420 yards of offense but came up short in the rivalry matchup.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 63, Bethune-Cookman 21
Arkansas-Pine Bluff delivered one of the weekend’s most impressive performances, putting up 63 points against Bethune-Cookman. Jaylen Jennings rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns as the Golden Lions continued their strong offensive play. The result was a significant setback for Bethune-Cookman following its victory over Jackson State the previous week.
Southern 42, Florida A&M 14
Southern rolled to a convincing road victory at Bragg Memorial Stadium as Marshall Faulk’s Jaguars continued to show offensive improvement. Trey Holly rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while Khalil Davis added two rushing scores. Southern finished with 423 yards of total offense in the win.
South Carolina State 51, Morgan State 10
South Carolina State dominated Morgan State in a key MEAC matchup. Quarterback Keely Watson passed for 279 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs accumulated 509 yards of offense. South Carolina State’s defense limited Morgan State to just 150 total yards.
North Carolina Central 34, Howard 0
North Carolina Central turned in a complete performance against Howard, shutting out the Bison while producing 472 yards of offense. Joshua Jones passed for 189 yards and two touchdowns, and Mehki Wall added 145 receiving yards. The Eagles held Howard to only 114 yards.
Delaware State 36, Norfolk State 33
Delaware State earned a hard-fought victory over Norfolk State in Philadelphia in one of the MEAC’s closest games of the weekend. Quarterback Marqui Adams passed for 243 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Hornets. Norfolk State quarterback DaJean Golmond threw for 278 yards and two scores in the losing effort.
Alcorn State 52, Mississippi Valley State 17
Alcorn State put together an explosive offensive performance against Mississippi Valley State, totaling 585 yards in a decisive victory. Jaylon Tolbert threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, while Fredrick Robertson contributed two rushing touchdowns. The Braves controlled the matchup with their balanced attack.
North Carolina A&T 13, Elon 10
North Carolina A&T earned a defensive-minded victory over Elon in a closely contested CAA matchup. Kevin White contributed 94 passing yards, a touchdown and 97 rushing yards as the Aggies found enough offense to secure the win. A&T held Elon to 201 total yards.
Towson 44, Hampton 13
Hampton struggled to slow down Towson’s offense in a lopsided CAA matchup. Towson amassed 591 yards of offense, while the Pirates were limited to 282. The loss marked a difficult outing for Hampton against a productive Towson attack.
Lindenwood 27, Tennessee State 0
Tennessee State was shut out on the road as Lindenwood controlled the game on both sides of the football. The Tigers managed just 187 yards of total offense, while Lindenwood quarterback Pops Battle passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns.
Division II HBCU Football Results
Johnson C. Smith 39, Virginia State 33
Johnson C. Smith prevailed in one of the CIAA’s highest-scoring matchups of the weekend. Fabian Duncan rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Damien Mazil threw three touchdown passes. Virginia State quarterback Rahsaan Matthews Jr. produced 476 passing yards and three touchdowns, but the Golden Bulls came away with the win.
Virginia Union 62, Lincoln (PA) 0
Virginia Union delivered a dominant shutout victory over Lincoln, scoring 62 unanswered points. Ramon Brown rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers totaled 462 yards of offense. Virginia Union’s defense held Lincoln to just 112 yards.
Elizabeth City State 5, Winston-Salem State 0
In one of the most unusual scores of the college football weekend, Elizabeth City State defeated Winston-Salem State 5-0. Neither offense reached the end zone, with the Vikings producing 294 total yards while holding Winston-Salem State to 122.
Bluefield State 45, Shaw 42
Bluefield State outlasted Shaw in a high-scoring CIAA contest. Quarterback Rishon Holmes accounted for 172 passing yards and 158 rushing yards, with three touchdowns through the air and three on the ground. The teams combined for 87 points in one of Week 9’s most entertaining offensive matchups.
Fayetteville State 21, Bowie State 17
Fayetteville State earned a narrow victory over Bowie State in CIAA action. Jamir Dismukes passed for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Isaiah Silver rushed for 83 yards and a score. Fayetteville State finished with 359 yards of offense to secure the four-point win.
Central State 35, Edward Waters 28
Central State held off Edward Waters in a competitive SIAC matchup. Quarterback Jackson Wasik passed for 216 yards and three touchdowns, while Isaiah Thompson rushed for 154 yards. Edward Waters totaled 423 yards of offense but could not overcome Central State’s 35-point performance.
Miles 35, Fort Valley State 28
Miles College survived a strong challenge from Fort Valley State in Thursday night SIAC action. Anthony Mix rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown, while the Golden Bears benefited from a kickoff return touchdown and a blocked field goal returned for a score. Fort Valley State produced 573 yards of offense, but Miles secured the seven-point victory.
Benedict 23, Savannah State 0
Benedict turned in a strong defensive performance, shutting out Savannah State in SIAC play. The Tigers held Savannah State to 220 total yards and limited its passing attack throughout the afternoon. Benedict produced 258 yards of offense in the victory.
Allen 26, Morehouse 23
Allen edged Morehouse in a close SIAC matchup. Demetri Simmons rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Brent Upshaw Jr. contributed through the air and on the ground. Morehouse quarterback Miles Scott threw two touchdown passes, but Allen came away with the three-point win.
Tuskegee 27, Lane 14
Tuskegee earned a two-touchdown victory over Lane College behind a productive rushing attack. Ja’Khael Rowser rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Bryson McGrew passed for 165 yards and a score. Tuskegee held Lane to 213 yards of total offense.
Albany State 21, Clark Atlanta 17
Albany State earned a narrow SIAC victory over Clark Atlanta. Quarterback Jeffery Davis threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns, both caught by Cameran Loyd, who finished with 108 receiving yards. Clark Atlanta produced 322 yards of offense but fell four points short.
Livingstone 37, Virginia University of Lynchburg 14
Livingstone rolled past Virginia University of Lynchburg with a balanced offensive performance. Andrew McClain rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns while adding 115 passing yards and another score. Livingstone finished with 373 yards of offense in the victory.
Week 9 Takeaways
The Magic City Classic provided another close chapter in the Alabama A&M–Alabama State rivalry, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s 63-point explosion against Bethune-Cookman added another notable result to an unpredictable SWAC season.
Southern’s victory over Florida A&M continued the Jaguars’ progress under Marshall Faulk, and Alcorn State’s 52-point performance demonstrated the Braves’ offensive potential.
In the MEAC, South Carolina State and North Carolina Central strengthened their positions with convincing victories, while Delaware State added another conference win.
At the Division II level, Johnson C. Smith, Virginia Union, Miles and Albany State highlighted a busy weekend as the CIAA and SIAC seasons moved closer to their conclusions.
With November arriving, the stakes continue to rise across HBCU football as teams compete for conference championships, postseason opportunities and bragging rights.