SWAC Football Championship Game

The SWAC Championship Game, officially the Cricket Wireless SWAC Championship Game, is an American college football game that is held annually on the first Saturday in December by the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Eastern Division against the champion of the Western Division in a game that follows the conclusion of the regular season. From 2015 onward, the winner of the game has represented the SWAC in the Celebration Bowl. Currently, it is the only conference championship game conducted at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. As of the 2019 season, the game is sponsored by Cricket Wireless.^[2]

SWAC Championship Game
Sport	College football
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Current stadium	Bragg Memorial Stadium (2023)
Current location	Tallahassee, Florida (2023)
Played	1999–present
Last contest	December 2, 2023
Current champion	Florida A&M
Most championships	Grambling State (8)
TV partner(s)	ESPN[1]
Official website	SWAC Football
Sponsors
HealthSouth (1999–2002) Jeep (2003) Dodge (2004) Farmers Insurance (2009–2012) Toyota (2013–2018) Cricket Wireless (2019–present)
Host stadiums
Legion Field (1999–2012) NRG Stadium (2013–2017) Jack Spinks Stadium (2018–2019) Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (2021–2022) Bragg Memorial Stadium (2023)
Host locations
Birmingham, Alabama (1999–2012) Houston, Texas (2013–2017) Lorman, Mississippi (2018–2019) Jackson, Mississippi (2021–2022) Tallahassee, Florida (2023)

2022 season matchup
Southern vs. Jackson State
(Jackson State 43-24)
2023 season matchup
Prairie View vs. Florida A&M
(December 2, 2023)

The game was held at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, from 1999 through 2012, and moved to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, for the 2013 through 2017 playings. Since 2018, the game has been played at a campus site, hosted by the participant with the higher ranking, with the exception of the 2021 spring game when the championship moved to its third neutral location at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

Following the 1998 season, the SWAC announced that the league would be split into two divisions with the divisional winners meeting in a championship game.^[3][4] At the time of the announcement, a site for the game had not been selected but the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, the Astrodome in Houston, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile and Legion Field in Birmingham were each mentioned as potential locations for the event.^[3][4] Additionally, expansion of the league to twelve teams was also under consideration with Tennessee State, Florida A&M, Tuskegee and Morris Brown mentioned as possible additions.^[3][4] In February 1999, a championship game was officially approved by the SWAC Council of Presidents.^[5] Officials also stated the winner of the championship game would advance to play in the Heritage Bowl against an opponent from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).^[5]

The following May, SWAC officials announced the league offices would move from New Orleans to Birmingham and that the championship game would be played at Legion Field.^[6][7] Birmingham was selected over New Orleans, Houston, Baton Rouge and Memphis as the city guaranteed both free office space to house the league headquarters and free access to Legion Field to host the game.^[6] The inaugural game was played on December 11, with Southern defeating Jackson State 31–30 before 47,621 fans at Legion Field.^[8] The following week, Southern lost to Hampton in the Heritage Bowl; however, the meeting would be the only one for the SWAC champion following the championship game. In January 2000 the NCAA ruled schools cannot compete in two postseason games, effectively ending participation in the Heritage Bowl by the SWAC champion.^[9] With the SWAC left unable to compete, the Heritage Bowl folded in February 2000.^[10]

In July 2010, commissioner Duer Sharp announced the SWAC was interested in participating in the Legacy Bowl against the MEAC to determine the annual black college football national championship.^[11] Although a decision regarding the contest was postponed to 2011, SWAC participation in the event would potentially end the annual championship game in Birmingham.^[11][12] Ultimately, the SWAC championship game was retained, and in May 2013, SWAC officials announced a move from Legion Field to Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas starting with the December 2013 playing.^[13]

Grambling State Tigers football players raise the trophy after the 2016 championship game

In June 2017, the SWAC announced that it would end its football championship game following that season's contest, and would send its regular season champion to the Celebration Bowl from 2018 onward.^[14] In June 2018, the league reversed course, announcing that a championship game would be played in Birmingham.^[15] In November 2018, the league further advised that the championship game would be played at the “SWAC institution with the highest ranking.”^[16] The December 2018 game was held at Jack Spinks Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi, home field of the Alcorn State Braves; the December 2019 game returned to the same venue.^[17] The championship game for the 2020 season, held in the spring of 2021, was moved to a neutral site, Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Subsequent games have been held at campus sites.

Team selection

When the game was initially proposed, the teams playing in the championship game was to include those with the best record against seven conference opponents from each division.^[18] However in August 1999 league officials changed the rule. For the inaugural contest, participation in the championship game was based on the record against the four divisional opponents only, not all conference teams.^[18][19] This format was dropped by the SWAC following the 1999 championship game in favor of the original proposal based on all league games, not only the divisional opponents.^[20]

Divisions

Since the SWAC split into divisions and began conducting a conference championship game, the divisions have only ever been realigned once. In 2021, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman joined the SWAC and were placed into the Eastern Division, and Alcorn State was moved to the Western Division to maintain an equal number of teams in both divisions.^[21]

Eastern Division Alabama A&M Bulldogs Alabama State Hornets Bethune–Cookman Wildcats Florida A&M Rattlers Jackson State Tigers Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils

Western Division Alcorn State Braves Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions Grambling State Tigers Prairie View A&M Panthers Southern Jaguars Texas Southern Tigers

Results

Season	Eastern Division		Western Division		Site	Attnd.	MVP	TV	Ref.
1999	Jackson State	30	Southern	31	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	47,621	WR Michael Hayes, Southern	BET	[8]
2000	Alabama A&M	6	Grambling State	14		34,687	DB Calvin Spears, Grambling State		[22]
2001	Alabama State	31	Grambling State	38		38,487	RB Kendrick Shanklin, Grambling State		[23][24]
2002	Alabama A&M	19	Grambling State	31		23,727	QB Bruce Eugene, Grambling State		[25]
2003	Alabama State	9	Southern	20		31,617	QB Quincy Richard, Southern	MBC Network	[26][27]
2004	Alabama State	40	Southern	35		22,327	QB Tarvaris Jackson, Alabama State	BET	[28][29]
2005	Alabama A&M	6	Grambling State	45		20,612	QB Bruce Eugene, Grambling State	ESPN Classic	[30][31]
2006	Alabama A&M	22	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	13		30,213	LB Johnny Baldwin, Alabama A&M	ESPNU	[32][33]
2007	Jackson State	42	Grambling State	31		43,206	QB Jimmy Oliver, Jackson State	ESPN Classic	[34]
2008	Jackson State	9	Grambling State	41		25,873	QB Greg Dillion, Grambling State		[35]
2009	Alabama A&M	24	Prairie View A&M	30		20,218	QB K. J. Black, Prairie View A&M		[36]
2010	Alabama State	6	Texas Southern†	11		22,350	LB Dejuan Fulghum, Texas Southern		[37][38]
2011	Alabama A&M	15	Grambling State	16		23,476	LB Cliff Exama, Grambling State	ESPNU	[39]
2012	Jackson State	21	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	24		32,480	WR Willie Young, Arkansas–Pine Bluff		[40]
2013	Jackson State	27	Southern	34	NRG Stadium Houston, TX	38,985	QB Dray Joseph & DB Anthony Balancier, Southern		[41]
2014	Alcorn State	38	Southern	24		38,969	QB John Gibbs Jr. & LB William Thomas II, Alcorn State		[42]
2015	Alcorn State	49	Grambling State	21		40,352	RB Darryan Ragsdale & DB Warren Gatewood, Alcorn State		[43]
2016	Alcorn State	20	Grambling State	27		24,917	RB Martez Carter & LB De'Arius Christmas, Grambling State		[44]
2017	Alcorn State	32	Grambling State	40		24,610	QB Devante Kincade & LB De’Andre Hogues, Grambling State		[45][46]
2018	Alcorn State	37	Southern	28	Jack Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS	20,652	QB Noah Johnson & LB Brelion Hollis, Alcorn State		[47][48]
2019	Alcorn State	39	Southern	24		22,365	WR LeCharles Pringle & DB Juwan Taylor, Alcorn State		[49]
2020‡	Alabama A&M	40	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	33	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	17,248	QB, Aqeel Glass, Alabama A&M	ESPN2	[50]
2021	Jackson State	27	Prairie View A&M	10		50,128	RB Peyton Pickett and LB James Houston, Jackson State		[51]
2022	Jackson State	43	Southern	24		53,754	QB Shedeur Sanders and LB Aubrey Miller Jr., Jackson State		[52]
2023	Florida A&M	35	Prairie View A&M	14	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	14,628	RB Terrell Jennings and DB Javan Morgan, Florida A&M		[53]
Total	11 Wins	667	13 Wins†	659

† Texas Southern vacated its 2010 Championship victory, along with all its 2006 to 2010 wins, to avoid the NCAA imposing an athletics Death Penalty.^[54]
‡ The 2020 season spanned the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021, with the championship game played on May 1, 2021.

Results by team

Updated for December 2022; 23 editions played, 46 total appearances.

Appearances	Wins	Losses	School	Pct	Seasons
10	8	2	Grambling State	.800	2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017
8	3	5	Southern	.375	1999, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022
7	3	4	Jackson State	.429	1999, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2022
7	2	5	Alabama A&M	.286	2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2020
6	4	2	Alcorn State	.667	2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
4	1	3	Alabama State	.250	2001, 2003, 2004, 2010
3	1	2	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	.333	2006, 2012, 2020
3	1	2	Prairie View A&M	.500	2009, 2021, 2023
1	1	0	Florida A&M	1.000	2023
1	0	0	Texas Southern	—	2010†
0	0	0	Bethune–Cookman	—
0	0	0	Mississippi Valley State	—
50	24†	25	Total	—

Championship years appear in bold type.
† Texas Southern vacated its 2010 championship game victory.^[54]

Previous SWAC champions

Prior to splitting into divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determined its champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play.

In 1933 Langston appeared to win the title outright with a 4-0 conference record after the regular season, while Wiley finished 4-1, and Prairie View A&M finished 3-1. Langston was invited to the Prairie View Bowl, which was won by Prairie View. The Panthers subsequently declared themselves SWAC champions even though their claim was based on a postseason game. The SWAC seems to acknowledge both schools' claims to the title in the conference's football media guide,^[55] although some other sources^[56] including Michael Hurd's Black College Football, 1892–1992: One Hundred Years of History, Education, and Pride (1993) also list Wiley as an additional co-champion, apparently since all three schools had 4-1 records against conference opponents if the postseason game is incorporated into the regular season conference standings.

Prairie View vacated^[56] its 1941 championship.^[57] No championship was awarded in 1943 due to World War II.^[56] Grambling State vacated its 1975 championship^[58] due to a violation of SWAC rules for scheduling opponents.^[59]

Year	Champion(s)
1921	Wiley
1922	Paul Quinn
1923	Wiley
1924	Paul Quinn
1925	Bishop
1926	Samuel Huston
1927	Wiley
1928	Wiley
1929	Wiley
1930	Wiley
1931	Prairie View A&M
1932	Wiley
1933	Langston Prairie View A&M
1934	Texas College
1935	Texas College
1936	Langston Texas College
1937	Langston Southern
1938	Langston Southern
1939	Langston
1940	Langston Southern
1941	Prairie View A&M (vacated)
1942	Texas College
1943	(no championship awarded)
1944	Langston Texas College Wiley
1945	Wiley
1946	Southern
1947	Southern
1948	Southern
1949	Langston Southern
1950	Southern
1951	Prairie View A&M
1952	Prairie View A&M
1953	Prairie View A&M
1954	Prairie View A&M
1955	Southern
1956	Texas Southern Wiley
1957	Wiley
1958	Prairie View A&M
1959	Southern
1960	Grambling State Prairie View A&M Southern
1961	Jackson State
1962	Jackson State
1963	Prairie View A&M
1964	Prairie View A&M
1965	Grambling State
1966	Arkansas-Pine Bluff Grambling State Southern Texas Southern
1967	Grambling State
1968	Alcorn State Grambling State Texas Southern
1969	Alcorn State
1970	Alcorn State
1971	Grambling State
1972	Grambling State Jackson State
1973	Grambling State Jackson State
1974	Alcorn State Grambling State
1975	Grambling State (vacated) Jackson State Southern
1976	Alcorn State
1977	Grambling State
1978	Grambling State
1979	Alcorn State Grambling State
1980	Grambling State Jackson State
1981	Jackson State
1982	Jackson State
1983	Grambling State
1984	Alcorn State
1985	Grambling State Jackson State
1986	Jackson State
1987	Jackson State
1988	Jackson State
1989	Grambling State
1990	Jackson State
1991	Alabama State
1992	Alcorn State
1993	Southern
1994	Alcorn State Grambling State
1995	Jackson State
1996	Jackson State
1997	Southern
1998	Southern

References

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5. AP Reporters (February 8, 1999). "Conference presidents approve SWAC championship game". The Associated Press State & Local Wire.
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21. SWAC Announces Division Realignment Starting 2021–22 - Southwestern Athletic Conference
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49. "Southern vs. Alcorn State - Team Statistics - December 7, 2019 - ESPN".
50. "No. 22 Alabama A&M Wins First SWAC Football Championship in 15 Years with 40-33 Win over No. 25 UAPB". May 2021.
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54. Eder, Steve (October 9, 2012). "Texas Southern is penalized by the NCAA". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
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56. "2010 GSU FB Media Guide" (PDF).
57. "The Afro American - Google News Archive Search".
58. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A138F0D9908AC8D5F%40EANX-NB-13B0F7C92BC6DE4C%402442760-13B04A0A446F624B%4038-13B12F961B6A1100%40?p=EANX-NB
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Bibliography

• Southwestern Athletic Conference Football Media Guide. Birmingham, AL: Southwestern Athletic Conference. 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2010.