Southern head coach Marshall Faulk has responded to UAPB head coach Alonzo Hampton’s comments surrounding Pine Bluff being selected as the Jaguars’ homecoming opponent.
And Hampton’s point wasn’t simply about using homecoming as motivation.
It was about what being selected as someone else’s homecoming opponent says about how that program views UAPB.
Hampton pointed to UAPB repeatedly being picked near the bottom of the SWAC preseason projections and the Golden Lions’ history of appearing on opponents’ homecoming schedules.
“When you sign up people for homecoming, I think you probably got a good feeling that you’re probably gonna win the game.”
Hampton continued:
“I think we picked dead last every year I’ve been here. So I think they probably thought, ‘We’ll just sign up UAPB for homecoming.’”
The context is significant: UAPB has played 13 SWAC road games under Hampton, with seven of those games being someone else’s homecoming, according to the Pine Bluff Commercial. UAPB’s next road game after Southern — at Florida A&M on Oct. 24 — is also scheduled as the Rattlers’ homecoming matchup.
FAULK RESPONDS
Faulk pushed back on the idea that Southern’s homecoming designation represents an easy-game mentality.
“If you need this to get up and get your team up, so be it. I’m up every game.”
Faulk emphasized that Southern’s preparation doesn’t change because the game happens to be homecoming.
“We’re going to be up whether we’re homecoming or not.”
He also said the scheduling decision belongs to the athletic departments and not the coaches.
“This game has to be played. It just happened to be on homecoming.”
Faulk further explained that he would never identify a team as the opponent he wanted for homecoming, saying he believes those kinds of decisions should not be viewed as disrespect toward an opponent.
WHAT WE KNOW
| Details | |
| Matchup | UAPB at Southern |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 6 p.m. CT |
| Location | A.W. Mumford Stadium — Baton Rouge |
| Occasion | Southern Homecoming |
| Southern HC | Marshall Faulk |
| UAPB HC | Alonzo Hampton |
| SWAC records entering game | Both 0-1 |
| UAPB overall | 2-2 |
| Southern overall | 2-3 |
| Streaming | SWAC TV |
Southern’s official schedule lists UAPB as the Jaguars’ Oct. 3 homecoming opponent.
THE REAL STORY
This isn’t really about whether UAPB needs motivation.
It’s about perception.
Hampton’s position
Hampton is pointing to a pattern: UAPB has frequently been selected as an opponent for other schools’ homecoming games.
His argument is that when a school chooses a homecoming opponent, there’s an assumption that the home team believes it has a favorable chance to win — and UAPB’s preseason perception may contribute to those selections.
Faulk’s position
Faulk is separating the homecoming celebration from the football game.
Southern has to play UAPB regardless of the occasion, and he says his team will prepare with the same intensity whether the game is homecoming or not.
He also explicitly said Southern is approaching the matchup “with all the respect possible.”
AND THERE’S HISTORY
This matchup isn’t happening in a vacuum.
UAPB defeated Southern 40-21 in 2025, according to the Pine Bluff Commercial.
So while Southern is hosting homecoming, UAPB enters knowing it has already beaten the Jaguars in the previous meeting.
That makes Hampton’s comments — and Faulk’s response — an intriguing subplot heading into Saturday.
WHO’S RIGHT?
Not who has the better trash talk.
The better question:
What does being selected as another school’s homecoming opponent actually mean?
Hampton’s perspective:
It can indicate that the home team feels confident about winning the matchup.
Faulk’s perspective:
Homecoming is simply the occasion. The game itself deserves the same preparation and respect as every other game.
BOTH:
The selection can create a perception of disrespect, but the only thing that ultimately settles the issue is what happens on the field.
FAN POLL
What does being picked for another school’s homecoming say to you?
They expect to win
It doesn’t mean anything
It’s disrespectful until proven otherwise
The game decides everything
👇🏾 SOUND OFF, SWAC FANS.
