Memphis, Tenn. – Alcorn heads to the 37th annual Southern Heritage Classic this Saturday as the Braves take on Arkansas Pine-Bluff in Memphis.This matchup will be Alcorn's conference opener.The Braves look to bounce back from a 49-3 loss to Southern Miss last Saturday in Hattiesburg,Miss.
Alcorn faced Arkansas Pine-Bluff last season in Memphis, dropping a heartbreaker as the Golden Lions scored a late touchdown giving them a 24-20 win.The Braves will look to even the series this weekend.
Alcorn vs Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Sep. 12, 2026 | 6 p.m. (CST)
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | Memphis, , Tenn
WPRL 91.7 FM (Radio) | HBCU GO (TV)
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Alcorn 1-1 (0-0 SWAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats
Arkansas Pine-Bluff 1-1 (0-0 SWAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats
Game Day Hashtags
#UAPBvsALC | #BeatUAPB | #FearTheBrave | #AlwaysAlcorn
Story Lines –
• Alcorn is looking to improve to 2-1 for the first time since the 2018 season.
• The Braves are looking to open conference play 1-0.
• Alcorn to take its first win at the Southern Heritage Classic.
• Cameran Rogers and Eric Thomas Jr. have each been named to the 2026 Deacon Jones Player of the Year Watch List. Thomas finished the 2025 campaign with 26 total tackles (14 solo) in 12 games for the Braves, while Rogers helped block for an offense that accumulated 24.25 points per game in 2025…
• Defensive back Tayvion Haney was named to the Aeneas Williams Award 2026 Preseason Watch List. The announcement came on behalf of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame…
• Demetrion Duvall has been named as one of 14 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) student-athletes on the 2026 Preseason Punter of the Year Watch List by the Augusta Sports Council. Duvall served as the Braves punter for 2025, ending the year with a SWAC second-highest 49 kicks for 2,093 yards, averaging 42.7 yards per punt…
• Eric Thomas Jr. and Demetrion Duvall were named to the BOXTOROW HBCU Preseason All-America Team earlier this month…
• Alcorn was picked to finish third in the West Division in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's (SWAC) 2026 preseason predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors and announced during SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama…
• Cameran Rogers was named to the SWAC Preseason First Team for offense, while Eric Thomas Jr. was named to the Preseason First Team Defense, Also, on the Preseason First Team for the Braves in the department of Special Teams was punter Demetrion Duvall…
• For Alcorn, a total of six players were named to the preseason team, with Abe Diallo (OL) tabbed to the Second Team Offense, joined by Kenneth Andrews (DL) and Tayvion Haney (DB) on Second Team Defense…
Series Notes –
• Alcorn leads the last five meetings, 4-1 averaging 31.8 points per game while allowing 20.0 points per game.
• Saturday marks the second meeting between the Braves and the Golden Lions in the Southern Heritage Classic.
The Broadcasts –
The game will be carried live on the Braves Radio Network in the form of WPRL 91.7 FM with Charles Edmond (play-by-play) operating alongside Cedric Tillman (sidelines). The game will also be streamed live on HBCU GO
The Coach –
Head Coach Cedric Thomas is now in his third year at the helm of the Alcorn Football program. The Arkansas-Pine Bluff graduate of 2001 holds a record of 12-14 overall with the Purple and Gold. He has never faced the Bears as a head coach in his career at either UAPB or Alcorn, respectively.
The Weather –
High of 88 at kickoff time .Wind speeds of 5 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
A Win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff Would –
• Give Head Coach Cedric Thomas his 13th overall career win...
• Give the Braves a 1-0 conference record.
• Give Alcorn its first win at the Southern Heritage Classic.
Next Up
Alcorn State will head to Florence,AL to take on North Alabama on September 19th at 6p.m.
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