Baton Rouge, LA.-  Five home games, including the annual Pete Richardson Classic, highlight the updated 2020 Southern University football schedule, officials released this afternoon. This is the most home games since the 2014 season for the Jaguars, who enter the 2020 season as the defending back-to-back SWAC Western Division Champions. 

Due to issues associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jaguars will open the season on Sept. 19^th at Alabama A&M before playing their home opener on Sept. 26 at A.W. Mumford Stadium against Jackson State University in the annual Pete Richardson Classic.  

Southern Athletic Director Roman Banks said he sought a plan that would consider the well-being of the student-athletes while also being mindful of the potential institutional challenges in the wake of COVID-19.

"First and foremost, we are committed to and 100 percent focused on the safety, health and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and supporters, Banks said. Pushing our start date back to mid-September gives our coaches more time to get student-athletes acclimated and assess and focus on their appropriate physical conditioning after such a long, unprecedented period with no supervised work-outs. A later start will also help accommodate a later-than-usual initial reporting date for football due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the preparations that our campus is making in anticipation of a return to in-person instruction this fall.

"After an off-week on October 3^rd, the Jaguars will open the month of October on the road against Alabama State University on Oct. 10^th , followed by a three game homestand which features games versus Texas Southern University on Oct. 17 in a contest that returns to campus after a two-year stint at the Texas State Fair in Dallas, Texas, Alcorn State on Oct. 24th in a rematch of the 2018 & 2019 SWAC Championship games, and as an update, Florida Memorial University for Homecoming on Oct. 31.

The Jags close out their regular-season schedule with two of three games on the road. SU travels to Prairie View A&M University on Nov. 7, hosts The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Nov. 14, before a bye week on Nov. 21.

Southern will conclude its regular season on Nov. 28 against Grambling State in the annual Bayou Classic. 

2020 Southern University Football Schedule
September 5, 2020—Unavailable
September 12, 2020—Unavailable
September 19, 2020—Alabama A&M University (Away)
September 26, 2020—Jackson State University (Home)*
October 3, 2020—Bye
October 10, 2020—Alabama State University (Away)
October 17, 2020—Texas Southern University (Home)
October 24, 2020—Alcorn State University (Home)
October 31, 2020—Florida Memorial University (Homecoming)**
November 7, 2020—Prairie View A&M (Away)
November 14, 2020—Arkansas Pine Bluff (Home)***
November 21, 2020—Bye
November 28, 2020—Grambling State (TBD)****
 
*Pete Richardson Classic
**Homecoming
***Senior Day/High School Day
****Bayou Classic