BIRMINGHAM, AL — A new era of Southern University football begins Saturday when Marshall Faulk makes his head-coaching debut as the Jaguars face Alabama State at historic Legion Field.
Coach Faulk will make his Southern debut Saturday when the Jaguars face Alabama State in the inaugural Birmingham Football Classic at Legion Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central, with ESPNU televising the match-up nationally.
The season opener matches a Southern program looking for a turnaround against an Alabama State team coming off one of the SWAC's strongest seasons. Southern finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in conference play in 2025, closing the season with a 28-27 victory over Grambling in the Bayou Classic. Alabama State went 10-2 and 7-1 in SWAC play and tied for first in the East Division.
Coach Faulk, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and former San Diego State star, was named the 22nd head coach in Southern football history in December after spending the 2025 season as running backs coach at Colorado. His debut comes opposite one of the SWAC's most established coaches. Eddie Robinson Jr. enters his fifth season leading Alabama State with a 30-16 overall record and a 21-11 mark in conference play.
That contrast gives the opener an intriguing sideline storyline: the league's newest head coach beginning his tenure against a veteran coach whose Hornets have produced four consecutive winning seasons.
Southern has proven playmakers to build around. Running back Trey Holly returns after rushing for 904 yards and nine touchdowns on 169 carries in 2025, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. Safety Herman Brister III is another key returner after recording 84 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and nine pass breakups last season. Both earned preseason All-SWAC recognition.
Those veterans could be especially important as Faulk establishes his system. Holly gives Southern an experienced option in the running game, while Brister provides leadership on a defense that will be challenged by an Alabama State program that averaged more than 42 points per game last season.
Saturday also carries significance beyond the two teams. The match-up is the inaugural Birmingham Football Classic, with the Mayor's Cup going to the winner. Legion Field — the historic Birmingham stadium often called the "Old Gray Lady" — provides the backdrop for the new event and Faulk's first game on the Southern sideline.
For Alabama State, the goal is to build on a 10-win season and again contend in the SWAC East. For Southern, the opener is the first opportunity to show what has changed under Faulk following a two-win campaign.
The Jaguars will have to protect the football, establish their running game, and prevent explosive plays against a Hornets team that beat them by 23 points a year ago. Alabama State, meanwhile, will try to spoil Faulk's debut while becoming the first team to raise the Mayor's Cup.
For Faulk, Saturday represents something entirely new. After a Hall of Fame playing career and his move into coaching, he will be responsible for every decision from the Southern sideline for the first time. At 2 p.m. Saturday at historic Legion Field, the inaugural Birmingham Football Classic begins.
Game Capsule
Matchup: Southern Jaguars vs. Alabama State Hornets
Event: Inaugural Birmingham Football Classic
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Kickoff: 2 p.m. Central
Site: Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama
Television: ESPNU
2025 records: Southern 2-10 (1-7 SWAC); Alabama State 10-2 (7-1 SWAC)
Head coaches: Southern — Marshall Faulk, first season (0-0); Alabama State — Eddie Robinson Jr., fifth season (30-16 overall entering 2026)
Last meeting: Alabama State defeated Southern 30-7 on Sept. 6, 2025, in Baton Rouge.
Southern players to watch: RB Trey Holly; S Herman Brister III
