Texas Southern Football Set to Kick Off 2026 Season

The Texas Southern football team kicks off the 2026 season against the North Carolina Central Eagles on Saturday, Aug. 29 inside Aldine ISD’s Thorne Stadium at 6 p.m. 

Led by third-year head coach Cris Dishman, expectations are high around the program as the Tigers enter the season fresh of its first winning season since 2000. The Tigers return a total of 30 letterwinners and 11 starters across its offensive, defensive and special teams units. In addition to the returnees, Texas Southern had three of its offensive returnees in junior tight end Kordell Rodgers, sophomore offensive lineman Jayden Daniels and redshirt junior wideout Roriyon Richardson earn Preseason All-SWAC Honors. 

Due to recent changes by the NCAA, Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams are now allowed to begin its season on Week 0 without a waiver, which is the weekend before Labor Day. The Tigers immediately took advantage of the rule and will play their first Week 0 contest since 2017 on Aug. 29 as they’ll host the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) North Carolina Central Eagles for the first time ever. 

N.C. Central, a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference institution based out of Durham, N.C., was picked second in the league’s preseason poll and features 10 All-MEAC Preseason Selections. The Eagles finished third in last year’s MEAC standings. 

Texas Southern University, which has six home contests this season, will play five contests inside Aldine ISD’s Thorne Stadium and Homecoming inside Reliant Stadium. Tickets (reserved and general admission) are available through the TIXR platform which can accessed via www.TSUSPORTS.com.