UAPB Will Face Southern for Homecoming Game

The Golden Lions travel to Baton Rouge to challenge the Jaguars this Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Football

Expressive editorial sports illustration of two college football players in black-gold and blue-gold jerseys mid-action on a gridiron. — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff faces Southern University this Saturday in Baton Rouge for the Jaguars' annual homecoming game. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will face Southern University this Saturday, October 3, at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge. Southern enters the match hosting its annual homecoming game.

Why it matters

The Golden Lions are looking to recover from defensive struggles to avoid falling further behind in the SWAC West standings. Southern remains undefeated at home this season and aims to bounce back following a recent loss.

UAPB enters the game with a 2-2 record, while Southern holds a 2-3 record. The Golden Lions have historically struggled at A.W. Mumford Stadium, losing five of their last six trips to the venue.

The players

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

The institution is a public historically black university based in Pine Bluff that competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Southern University

This public historically black university is located in Baton Rouge and hosts its home games at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

The details

UAPB utilized a recent bye week to conduct player rehabilitation and team scrimmages after yielding high yardage in losses to Alcorn State and Central State. Coaches have simplified defensive schemes to address the current league-worst standing in the SWAC.

The game is scheduled to take place on October 3, 2026, at 6 p.m. Central.
UAPB is set to host Prairie View on November 14, 2026.

Football
Sept. 19
Christian Johnson Committed to Southern University
Higher Education
Sept. 23
Southern University Restored Baton Rouge Campus Power
Civic
Sept. 28
Southern University Homecoming Parade Celebrated

Season Trajectory

The result of this game will significantly impact the division standings and the current playoff picture within the conference. A victory for either team maintains their relative standing, while a loss complicates the path toward the conference title race.

UAPB must improve upon its defensive performance to avoid adding to the 32-point average losing margin it has sustained at A.W. Mumford Stadium. Southern maintains a 2-0 home record this season, placing pressure on the visiting team to secure a win on the road.

The takeaway

Teams often use bye weeks to implement significant structural changes to their personnel and defensive strategies. Monitoring how well those adjustments translate into game-day execution is key to evaluating a team's potential for improvement mid-season.