HBCU GO president Curtis Symonds was elated when the SWAC offices offered the network to switch its broadcast to Southern at Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Oct. 10.
The threat of Hurricane Isaias moved the HBCU GO’s original Florida A&M at Alabama State Homecoming broadcast from the Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2:00 PM slot. Because of the switch, SWAC TV will handle the broadcast that has been reset for a Friday, Oct. 9 at 11:00 AM kickoff from Montgomery, Alabama.
Current reports of inclement weather along the storm’s path led Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland and SWAC headquarters to move the game up a day.
Curtis Symonds told HBCU Legends that the SWAC called to ask whether HBCU GO would be interested in broadcasting the Southern at Prairie View A&M game. His team accepted the challenge with less than a 24-hour turnaround to set up the broadcast.
Tremaine Jackson standing over his team in a postgame prayer after defeating Grambling State in the 2026 State Fair Classic. | PVAMU Football
Why HBCU GO Could Not Go to Montgomery
Symonds said a Friday broadcast in Montgomery was not workable. He said his crew “couldn’t get there” in time for the new date, and the forecast made the move difficult.
“One of my Weather Channelpeople were telling me it’s gonna be a hell of a rain out there on Friday night in Alabama,” Symonds said. The Weather Channel is also a subsidiary of Allen Media Group owned by Byron Allen.
Alabama State also moved the rest of its homecoming events, scheduled Friday through Sunday. The school has not published new times.
“So that’s how I got moved to the Saturday game being in Prairie View,” Symonds said.
Southern at Prairie View A&M was originally listed for a 2:00 PM CT kickoff on SWAC TV, but now kicks off at 3:00 PM CT on HBCU GO.
Sept. 12, 2026; Southern University Jaguars head football coach Marshall Faulk looking at his team in pregame warmups before facing the University of Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas. | Kyle T. Mosley, HBCU Legends on SI
A Double Bump for Prairie View
The switch gives Prairie View A&M back-to-back weekends on HBCU GO. The network already had the Panthers’ homecoming game scheduled for the following Saturday against Alcorn State on Oct. 17.
“Prairie View gets two hits on our network,” Symonds said. “Because we got it this weekend now and also homecoming the following weekend.”
Symonds said the university welcomed the added exposure.
“The school is excited,” he said. “They get a double bump.”
What Is at Stake on Saturday
The game is a SWAC West contest with division seeding on the line. The SWAC Championship Game is played at the higher seed’s campus.
Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC champion, opened conference play with wins over Texas Southern and Grambling State after a difficult nonconference schedule. Mississippi Valley State then rallied from a 24-point deficit to hand the Panthers their first SWAC loss. That loss came outside the division, so Prairie View remains in position to return to the title game.
Southern has beaten its Division II and NAIA opponents but has not won a SWAC game. The Jaguars lost their homecoming game to Arkansas-Pine Bluff and enter 0-2 in conference play, with one division loss. A win over the defending champions would be the signature result of Marshall Faulk’s first season as head coach.
How to Watch Southern at Prairie View A&M
HBCU GO will have a broadcast team led by James Hadnot on play-by-play, with Black College Hall of Famer Steve Wyche providing color analysis and Nia Symone as the sideline reporter.