STWF Sports| GRAMBLING, La.| August 29, 2026 — Grambling State begins its 2026 football season Saturday night at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium, where the Tigers will host Clark Atlanta in a nonconference matchup that opens the third year of the Mickey Joseph era.
Grambling State’s Strong Legacy in College Football
Grambling enters the season looking to build on a 7-5 campaign in 2025, the program’s first winning season since 2019 and its highest win total since 2017. The Tigers finished last year with victories in five of their final seven games, a stretch that included wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jackson State, Alabama A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
Saturday’s opener will mark only the second all-time meeting between Grambling State and Clark Atlanta. The teams last played in the 2017 Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field, where Grambling earned a 31-20 victory.
The Tigers have also built a strong recent record against programs outside the FCS and FBS levels, winning six consecutive games in those matchups. Last season, Grambling opened with a 55-7 victory over Langston.
Clark Atlanta enters 2026 under first-year head coach Terry Sims, who brings familiarity with the Southwestern Athletic Conference after previously leading Bethune-Cookman during the Wildcats’ first two seasons in the league. The Panthers finished 3-7 overall and 2-6 in SIAC play last season.
Clark Atlanta’s roster features several players who earned preseason recognition, including quarterback Xzavier Jackson, defensive lineman Jaiden Cleveland and wide receiver and return specialist Chry’shawn Sellers.
For Grambling, one of the biggest storylines surrounds the quarterback position.
The Tigers enter the season with five quarterbacks on the roster, including returners Ashton Frye and Hayden Benoit. Frye appeared in four games last season and made one start, while Benoit saw action late in the year as a true freshman and threw for 674 yards and six touchdowns.
The most accomplished newcomer is Florida A&M transfer R.J. Johnson, who arrives after throwing for 2,597 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 215 of 331 passes. Johnson also added 139 rushing yards and three scores and enters the season on the Stats Perform HBCU Football National Player of the Year Watchlist.
Southern Miss transfer Jacobe Robinson and true freshman Schuylar Turnbull are also competing for opportunities in the quarterback room.
The offense returns several experienced targets, including Tyson George, who caught 30 passes for 407 yards last season, and Jordan Bride, who added 19 receptions for 186 yards.
Defensively, Grambling brings back one of the more experienced linebacker combinations in the SWAC.
Marcellius Johnson finished second on the team with 51 tackles in 2025 while recording 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one recovery. Jamal Jordan added 47 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.
The Tigers also welcome back a familiar name to the coaching staff. Former Grambling quarterback Bruce Eugene returns as quarterbacks coach after a decorated playing career that included 13,513 passing yards, 140 touchdowns, two SWAC Offensive Player of the Year awards and three HBCU national championships.
Grambling was picked to finish second in the SWAC West preseason projections behind Prairie View A&M, giving the Tigers clear expectations entering Joseph’s third season.
Saturday’s opener begins a schedule that includes five home games, four road contests and two neutral-site matchups. After Clark Atlanta, Grambling hosts Central State before traveling to face TCU on Sept. 12.
For a program coming off a breakthrough winning season, the first test of 2026 offers a chance to establish momentum immediately — this time in front of the home crowd at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
