Alcorn, Grambling meet in final SWAC championship game

HOUSTON, Texas – The final SWAC championship game has received the best possible matchup – a rubber game between Alcorn State and Grambling State.

Alcorn beat Grambling State in the 2015 title game before the Tigers returned the favor last year.

They’ll face off again Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston, with East Division champion Alcorn (7-4) seeking to win the championship game for the third time in four years and West Division winner Grambling (10-1) trying to add to its record seven titles.

There’s a bittersweet feeling surrounding the showdown. The 10-team SWAC has the only conference championship game in the FCS, but it will discontinue the 19th annual event, which began in 1999, after Saturday’s matchup. Beginning next year, the conference’s Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl bid will go to the regular-season champion.

Saturday’s Alcorn-Grambling winner will still decide who represents the SWAC against MEAC champion North Carolina A&T in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta.

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