Football | 1/29/2026 12:00:00 PM

BALTIMORE, Md. (January 29, 2026) – Morgan State University announced its 2026 football schedule on Thursday, featuring five home games and a marquee season-opening road matchup. The Bears will open the season at Arizona State before returning to Hughes Stadium for two non-conference contests. Morgan State's 2026 home slate includes visits from Robert Morris, Howard, South Carolina State, and Norfolk State, giving the Bears a balanced mix of non-conference action and key Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdowns in Baltimore next fall.

The non-conference slate is highlighted by Morgan State's first matchup with North Carolina A&T since 2019. The Aggies, now members of the Coastal Athletic Association, will host the Bears on August 29, marking Morgan State's first trip to Greensboro, N.C., in eight years. The Bears last visited Aggieland on September 22, 2018, earning a 16–13 victory.

The Bears will take to the skies on September 5 for a marquee road trip, squaring off with Arizona State for the first time in program history. The Big 12 Sun Devils will host Morgan State in their home opener at newly renovated Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

Morgan State returns to Hughes Stadium for its home opener on September 12, welcoming Virginia University of Lynchburg to Baltimore. The Dragons will make their sixth trip to Charm City since 2015, while the Bears look to build on last season's dominant 44–6 homecoming victory.

Following a bye week, the Bears hit the road for back-to-back games, beginning with a clash against Towson in the Battle for Greater Baltimore. The Tigers have claimed 12 of the last 13 meetings since 2005, including the past eight, but Morgan State will be looking to turn the tide and break into the win column against its crosstown rival.

Next, the Bears head north on October 3 for a bounce-back opportunity against Villanova. The matchup marks just the second meeting between the programs, with the Wildcats earning a homecoming win in the series opener on October 25, 2014, at Villanova Stadium.

Morgan State will welcome Robert Morris on October 10th, as the Bears aim to capture their third consecutive homecoming victory. This game will also mark the first meeting between the two programs since September 7, 2013, adding extra excitement to the matchup.

The Bears then close out non-conference play on the road, traveling to Nashville for an October 17 showdown against Tennessee State. The matchup marks the first meeting between the programs in nearly two decades, with the teams last squaring off on October 24, 1987, when the Tigers collected a victory to take a 4–0 series lead.

Conference play opens with a pair of home games, as Morgan State hosts Howard on October 24, followed by defending MEAC champion South Carolina State on October 31.
The Bears head to Dover to face Delaware State on November 7 before returning home for Senior Day on November 14 against Norfolk State.

Morgan State will close the regular season on the road, traveling to North Carolina Central on November 21.

The Bears will be vying for their first conference championship since 2014, aiming for the opportunity to represent the MEAC in the 2027 Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winner of the game will claim the postseason championship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), making it one of the most coveted titles in HBCU football.

2026 Morgan State Football Schedule
Aug. 29 ? at North Carolina A&T
Sept. 5 ? at Arizona State
Sept. 12 ? vs. Virginia-Lynchburg
Sept. 19 ? at Towson
OPEN
Oct. 3 ? at Villanova
Oct. 10 ? vs. Robert Morris (Homecoming)
Oct. 17 ? at Tennessee State
Oct. 24 ? vs. Howard*
Oct. 31 ? vs. South Carolina State*
Nov. 7 ? at Delaware State*
Nov. 14 ? vs. Norfolk State*
Nov. 21 ? at North Carolina Central*

* MEAC games


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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.