STWF Sports| GRAMBLING, La.| September 4, 2026 — Grambling State returns to Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium on Saturday night looking to build on a dominant season-opening performance when the Tigers host Central State University during Family Weekend.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Sept. 5, with Grambling State encouraging fans to participate in a Red Out. The matchup will be the seventh meeting between the programs, with Central State holding a 6-0 advantage in the all-time series. The teams last met in 1996, when the Marauders earned a 20-7 victory.
Grambling State enters the game at 1-0 after overwhelming Clark Atlanta, 49-7, in its opener. The Tigers piled up 487 yards of total offense, including 223 rushing yards and 264 through the air, while averaging 6.6 yards per play and producing 28 first downs.
That balance could again be central to Grambling State’s game plan.
Grambling State’s Path to Victory
Quarterback R.J. Johnson was highly efficient in his GSU debut, completing 15 of 17 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. Jacobe Robinson also contributed after starting the opener, finishing 7-of-11 for 71 yards and a score. Four Grambling quarterbacks saw action, giving head coach Mickey Joseph multiple options as the competition at the position continues.
The Tigers also received production throughout the offense. Jordan Bride led the receiving corps with seven catches for 72 yards, while Tyson George had seven receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Andre Crews rushed for 50 yards on six carries, and D’Shaun Ford added 41 yards and a score.
Special teams made an immediate statement as well, with Tony Phillips Jr. opening the scoring against Clark Atlanta on an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Defensively, Grambling State was just as sharp.
The Tigers held Clark Atlanta to 224 total yards, including only 94 rushing yards, and limited the Panthers to one conversion on 13 third-down attempts. Jalen Guillard led the unit with five tackles and forced a fumble, while Markeis Sykes recorded a sack.
Central State arrives at 0-1 following a 41-14 loss to Kentucky State, but the Marauders showed they can move the football. Central State generated 389 yards of offense, including 288 passing yards. Quarterback Jackson Wasik threw for 273 yards and one touchdown while also leading the team with 53 rushing yards.
Jae-Lijah Cochran was the biggest receiving threat, finishing with four catches for 125 yards and a touchdown, while Avantae Burt added six receptions for 118 yards.
That passing attack figures to provide Grambling State’s secondary with a more significant test than it faced in Week 1.
The Tigers, however, enter the matchup with momentum and confidence under Joseph, who is beginning his third season as head coach. Grambling State went 7-5 in 2025, securing its first winning season since 2019 and its highest win total since 2017.
Saturday offers Grambling State a chance to move to 2-0, continue building on last year’s progress and earn its first victory in the all-time series against Central State.
With an explosive offense, a defense coming off a dominant showing and a Family Weekend crowd expected to bring added energy, the Tigers will look to keep their fast start rolling under the lights in Grambling.
