The final stretch of the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference football regular season has arrived, and programs are fighting for the opportunity to play for the conference championship.

With every team featuring at least one conference loss and one conference win, here are The Advocate’s SWAC Week 10 football power rankings.

1. Alabama A&M

Record: 7-2, 4-1

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: 31-28 win vs. Alabama State (Magic City Classic)

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday at Prairie View

Extra points: Alabama A&M is in the driver’s seat to win the SWAC East division, but Prairie View may be the toughest opponent in the way of that goal. Last season, the Bulldogs lost 48-5 against the Panthers. After winning the Magic City Classic, Alabama A&M still has both the No. 2 offense and defense in the SWAC.

2. Jackson State

Record: 6-2, 3-2

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Bye

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday vs. Mississippi Valley State

Extra points: A game behind Alabama A&M in the SWAC East, Jackson State is focused on winning out the rest of the regular season to give itself a chance to play in the conference championship. The Tigers host Mississippi Valley State before facing Alabama State and Soul Bowl rival, Alcorn State, on the road. History is on JSU’s side, as the Tigers have won 11 straight games against MVSU.

3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Record: 5-3, 3-2

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: 63-21 win vs. Bethune-Cookman

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday at Grambling

Extra points: The Golden Lions have won back-to-back games since head coach Alonzo Hampton confronted a reporter who suggested the team couldn’t win the SWAC West division. The program is currently in a three-way tie with Prairie View and Alcorn State for the division title. The remaining three games are also against SWAC West opponents: Grambling, Prairie View and Texas Southern.

4. Bethune-Cookman

Record: 5-4, 3-2

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: 63-21 loss at Arkansas-Pine Bluff

This week: 3 p.m., Saturday at Southern

Extra points: Like Jackson State, Bethune-Cookman is just one game back in the SWAC East standings. The Wildcats have Southern, Grambling and Florida A&M left on the schedule. Freshman running back Rashon Brown is the third-leading rusher in the SWAC, and he could be set for a big day against Southern, a program that has the second-worst run defense in the conference.

5. Prairie View

Record: 4-5, 3-2

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Bye

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday vs. Alabama A&M

Extra points: Prairie View is at the top of a three-way tie for the SWAC West division title thanks to the Oct. 17 win over Alcorn State. The Panthers come off a bye week to face Alabama A&M. Despite blowing out the Bulldogs last season, the Alabama A&M team outpaces Prairie View A&M in every team offensive and defensive statistical category in 2026.

6. Alcorn State

Record: 5-4, 3-2

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: 52-17 win at Mississippi Valley State

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday vs. Florida A&M

Extra points: Quarterback Jaylon Tolbert continues to solidify his argument to be the conference player of the year after completing 23 of 29 passes for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Delta Devils this past weekend. The No. 1 passer in the FCS now faces Florida A&M, a program that gives up an average of 199 passing yards and 34.8 points per game.

7. Texas Southern

Record: 3-5, 2-3

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: 23-20 win vs. Grambling

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday vs. Alabama State

Extra points: Athean Renfro Jr. led the Tigers to an upset win over Grambling with a career-high 233 rushing yards on 21 carries. The performance earned him SWAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, and he surpassed his 2025 season rushing mark of 835 yards. He’s currently the conference’s second-leading rusher. Next up for Renfro is the No. 6 run defense in the SWAC, Alabama State.

8. Grambling

Record: 4-4, 2-3

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: 23-20 loss at Texas Southern

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Extra points: Once the No. 1 team in The Advocate’s power rankings, the Tigers now find themselves near the bottom of the SWAC West facing one of the hottest teams in the conference this weekend. The Arkansas-Pine Bluff matchup is a must-win, and history is on the Tigers’ side after winning the last four contests against UAPB.

9. Alabama State

Record: 4-4, 2-3

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: 31-28 loss vs. Alabama A&M (Magic City Classic)

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday at Texas Southern

Extra points: No SWAC program misses its starting quarterback more than Alabama State misses Andrew Body. He dressed out for the first time since Sept. 12 in the Magic City Classic, but still had a cast on his non-throwing wrist. Body reportedly is “50-50” to return this week against Texas Southern, coach Eddie Robinson Jr. told reporters on Wednesday.

10. Southern

Record: 4-5, 2-3

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: 42-14 win at Florida A&M

This week: 2 p.m. Saturday vs. Bethune-Cookman

Extra points: Junior cornerback Michael Williams II was the star of the Jaguars’ blowout win over Florida A&M. Williams returned two interceptions for 115 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown return. The performance earned him SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Southern has the fourth-best pass defense in the conference and faces the worst passing offence in the SWAC this week against Bethune-Cookman.

11. Mississippi Valley State

Record: 3-6, 2-3

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: 52-17 loss vs. Alcorn

This week: 2 p.m., Saturday at Jackson State

Extra points: After a hot start in October, dual-threat quarterback Josh Brown has appeared to cool off in the Delta Devils’ last two losses. In those games, Brown has completed a combined 29 of 61 passes for 369 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Things don’t get any easier for Brown this week, as MVSU faces Jackson State, the No. 5 pass defense in the SWAC.

12. Florida A&M

Record: 2-7, 1-4

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: 42-14 loss vs. Southern

This week: 3 p.m., Saturday at Alcorn State

Extra points: The Rattlers are in last place in the SWAC East after getting blown out by Southern. Freshman quarterback Armond Parker remains the third-leading passer in the SWAC, but after throwing two interceptions against the Jaguars, he goes up against an Alcorn State team that only allowed 173 passing yards against Mississippi Valley State last week.