The Gulf Coast Challenge is back at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Saturday, and once again it features a matchup that has become a fall tradition in Mobile: Jackson State against Alabama A&M.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. It is the fifth straight year the two Southwestern Athletic Conference programs have met in the annual HBCU showcase, and both arrive on four-game winning streaks.
Game at a Glance
- Matchup: Jackson State Tigers (4-0, 1-0 SWAC) vs. Alabama A&M Bulldogs (4-1, 1-0 SWAC)
- When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 4 p.m.
- Where: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile
- Series: Jackson State leads 16-11 and has won the last five meetings
- Gulf Coast Challenge record: Jackson State is 4-0, all against Alabama A&M
Jackson State Has Owned This Event
If the Gulf Coast Challenge had a home team, it would be Jackson State. The Tigers have won all four of their appearances in Mobile, each one against Alabama A&M:
- 2022: Jackson State 27, Alabama A&M 13
- 2023: Jackson State 45, Alabama A&M 30
- 2024: Jackson State 45, Alabama A&M 38
- 2025: Jackson State 57, Alabama A&M 24
The teams also met in Huntsville in 2021, when Jackson State won 61-15. That gives the Tigers five straight wins in a series they now lead 16-11.
Alabama A&M, meanwhile, is the event’s most frequent participant, having played in every Gulf Coast Challenge but one. The Bulldogs lost the first one to Southern, 29-27, in 2018, then beat Central State 63-20 in 2019. The game was not played in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Two Hot Teams
This year’s meeting may be the most evenly matched in some time, at least on paper.
Jackson State is unbeaten under head coach T.C. Taylor. The Tigers are averaging 42 points and 488.3 total yards per game while giving up just 15.5 points and 275 yards.
Alabama A&M, coached by Sam Shade, lost its season opener to Howard but has won four straight since. The Bulldogs are averaging 35.4 points and 481.8 yards per game and allowing 16.2 points and 270.8 yards.
Both teams are 1-0 in SWAC play, so Saturday’s result will carry weight in the conference race as well as bragging rights in Mobile.
Plenty of Local Flavor
Both rosters include players from Mobile and Baldwin counties, especially Alabama A&M’s. Local players listed on the Bulldogs’ roster include:
- WR Jarel Williams (Saraland; previously at West Virginia)
- RB Kolton Nero (Foley)
- WR Dylan Jackson (Vigor)
- DL Arenza Davis (Vigor)
- LB Cayden Williams (Daphne)
- RB E.J. King Jr. (Spanish Fort/Faith Academy)
- LB John Robinson (Mary G. Montgomery; previously at Miles)
- LB Brian Ward (Theodore)
- OL Bruce Crenshaw (Blount)
- WR Aaron Rogers (Mobile Christian)
- DL Antonio Coleman (Saraland; previously at Auburn)
Jackson State’s local contingent includes linebacker Carmello Jones (Mobile; previously at Baylor), quarterback Sammy Dunn (Vigor) and long snapper Chris Levy (Baker).
More Than a Football Game
The Gulf Coast Challenge is built as a three-day celebration of HBCU culture, education and community, organized by the Mobile Sports Authority with partners including the City of Mobile, Mobile County and Brothers Working Together. This is the ninth Gulf Coast Challenge, and organizers count it as the 11th HBCU football game Mobile has hosted since 2016.
Here is the schedule of events:
Thursday, Oct. 1
- College and Career Day, Mobile Convention Center, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Gospel Xplosion concert featuring Fred Hammond, with Titus Cody, Tyler Allen and the Alabama A&M and Jackson State choirs, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2
- Gulf Coast Challenge team luncheon, Calirojae, 1004 Dauphin Island Pkwy., 11:30 a.m.
- HBCU Fest concert featuring Juvenile and Webbie, plus a fashion show, cheerleader showcase and Greek exhibition, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3
- Gulf Coast Challenge parade, beginning on Warren Street in downtown Mobile, 10 a.m.
- Jackson State vs. Alabama A&M, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, 4 p.m.
The College and Career Day gives local students a chance to meet representatives from colleges, universities and employers. Read more about it in our preview of the career fair.
Latest developments: Ninth year underway
The weekend got started Thursday, Oct. 1, when hundreds of local students filled the Mobile Convention Center for the College and Career Fair, moving from booth to booth to talk with colleges, universities and employers about admissions, scholarships and internships. That evening’s gospel concert also drew Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones, whose campaign said he would briefly address the crowd.
Organizers are urging fans, alumni and visitors to plan ahead to take in the full slate of events, which they say showcases the Port City while celebrating HBCU culture, athletics and the communities that support the schools.
“We’re excited to host two powerhouse teams in the city of Mobile,” said Charly Duke, CEO of the Gulf Coast Challenge. “We are proud to welcome the Alabama A&M and Jackson State University teams, their fans and alumni back to the Port City for the ninth year. This event has become an important part of the Gulf Coast, and we look forward to another memorable week of football, entertainment and community.”
Keep an Eye on the Weather
Forecasters have called for heavy rain chances in Mobile on Friday and Saturday, and the soggy outlook has already pushed many high school football games up to Thursday and moved some University of South Alabama homecoming events. Fans planning to attend the outdoor concerts, the parade or the game should check the Gulf Coast Challenge’s official channels for any schedule changes. Saturday is also a busy day across town, with South Alabama hosting Louisiana-Monroe at Hancock Whitney Stadium at 6 p.m.
About the Programs
Jackson State University, in Jackson, Miss., is one of the best-known programs in HBCU football and one of the SWAC’s most successful in recent years. Alabama A&M University, located in Normal, just outside Huntsville, is one of Alabama’s historically Black land-grant universities and a longtime SWAC member. Their regular trips to Mobile have given Gulf Coast fans, alumni and families a chance to see HBCU football close to home.
About Ladd-Peebles Stadium
Ladd-Peebles opened in 1948 and has long been Mobile’s signature football venue. It hosted the Senior Bowl every year from 1951 through 2020 before the all-star game moved to the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium, and it continues to host high school games and HBCU classics. Earlier this season, the stadium hosted the Port City Classic, where Tuskegee edged Fort Valley State.