The 13th ranked Pirates of Hampton University kickoff the 2006 season against the 23rd ranked Tigers of Grambling State in the Ford MEAC-SWAC Challenge. This matchup features two of the most storied programs in black college football and the co-champions in last season’s Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) Black College Football Poll. Back-to-back champions of the MEAC, the Pirates return 47 lettermen, including seven starters on a defense that finished second in I-AA in points allowed last season at a mere 14 points per game. Hampton also boasts the MEAC’s reigning Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in running back Alonzo Coleman and linebacker Justin Durant.

Grambling State captured the 2005 SWAC championship on the arm of the departed Bruce Eugene who shattered school, conference and NCAA records throughout his career. The Tigers matched Hampton’s 11-1 record in 2005 and they return 45 lettermen and 14 starters from that squad.

Series History: The Ford MEAC-SWAC Challenge will mark the eighth time the Pirates and the Tigers will square off on the gridiron, with Hampton holding a 5-2 advantage in the series. Oddly enough, all seven previous meetings were also played on neutral ground in the New York Urban League Classic at Giants Stadium. Hampton lost the initial meeting 22-3 in 1990, but the Pirates have won the last four contests.

Complete Game Notes (PDF)