After previously teasing a return to Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff announced late Saturday the Natural State Kickoff Classic will open the Golden Lions’ 11-game 2026 football schedule.
UAPB will face Morehouse College on Aug. 29 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, kicking off a schedule which includes four games at Simmons Bank Field in Pine Bluff, two classics, and an SEC road trip.
It will mark UAPB’s return to hosting games in the state capital for the first time since playing two SWAC contests there in 2017. The Golden Lions also faced the University of Arkansas in 2021 and 2024 at War Memorial in matches considered Razorback home games.
This will be the first meeting between the Golden Lions and Morehouse since Morehouse defeated UAPB 34-30 in Pine Bluff to open the 2018 season. The Maroon Tigers will be one of two Division II opponents for UAPB this year, with Central State coming to Pine Bluff on Sept. 19 for the home opener.
Morehouse and Central State represent a return to facing Division II opposition in nonconference action rather than non-NCAA foes for the first time since 2023.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The 2026 season will be the first since 2022 UAPB does not open against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, but the Golden Lions won’t have to wait long for this year’s edition of that matchup. The University of Missouri will host UAPB for its season opener on Sept. 3 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. It will be the third time in four seasons UAPB’s FBS game is on a Thursday.
UAPB will open SWAC play for the second straight year in Memphis at the Southern Heritage Classic against Alcorn State at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Sept. 12 a week before the home opener against Central State.
The regular SWAC slate will follow, beginning with a road trip to Southern before the homecoming game on Oct. 17 against Alabama State. UAPB will travel to Florida A&M, host Bethune-Cookman, travel to Grambling State, then host Prairie View A&M before finishing the season at Texas Southern.
Of note, the UAPB and Texas Southern matchup will be played in Houston for the second straight season. A UAPB spokesperson told The Pine Bluff Commercial this was done to prevent UAPB from having to travel to Houston in two consecutive weeks in 2027, with the Golden Lions instead hosting one of the Houston schools each season going forward.
The 2026 season will be the fourth under head Coach Alonzo Hampton, pending the completion of an expected contract extension for the coach, which has yet to be announced. Hampton’s initial contract ran through last season.