2021 SWAC Football Championship Game (May)

For the 2021 SWAC Championship game that was played during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season, see 2021 SWAC Championship Game (December).

College football game

2021 SWAC Football Championship Game

Conference Championship

Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions	Alabama A&M Bulldogs
(4–0)	(3–0)
33	40
Head coach: Doc Gamble	Head coach: Connell Maynor

	1	2	3	4	Total
Arkansas–Pine Bluff	14	12	0	7	33
Alabama A&M	10	8	14	8	40

Date

May 1, 2021

Season

2020

Stadium

Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium

Location

Jackson, Mississippi

Referee

Marty Adams

Attendance

17,248

United States TV coverage

Network

ESPN2

Announcers

Tiffany Greene (play by play), Jay Walker (color)

SWAC Football Championship Game
< 2019	2021 (Dec.) >

2020 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
East Division
No. 24 Alabama A&M x$	3	–	0	5	–	0
Alabama State	3	–	2	3	–	3
Jackson State	3	–	2	4	–	3
Mississippi Valley State	1	–	3	1	–	3
West Division
Arkansas–Pine Bluff x	4	–	0	4	–	1
Southern	4	–	1	5	–	1
Prairie View A&M*	2	–	1	2	–	1
Texas Southern	1	–	2	1	–	2
Grambling State	0	–	4	0	–	4
Championship: Alabama A&M 40, Arkansas–Pine Bluff 33
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Note: The SWAC played a spring conference-only schedule (February–May 2021) due to COVID-19 pandemic. Alcorn State opted out of the spring season; all of their scheduled games were counted as forfeit wins for their opponents. * – Ineligible for FCS postseason play due to NCAA sanctions. Rankings from STATS Poll

The Spring 2021 SWAC Championship Game was a college football game played on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi. It was the 22nd SWAC Championship Game and determined the 2020 champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Sponsored by wireless service provider Cricket, the game was officially known as the Spring 2021 Cricket SWAC Football Championship.

While prior editions of the SWAC Championship Game had been played in December, this edition was delayed into May due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season.

Teams

Alabama A&M Bulldogs

Main article: 2020 Alabama A&M Bulldogs football team

Alabama A&M entered the championship game 3-0. Alabama A&M had won the championship game once prior in 2006.

Arkansas–Pine Bluff

Main article: 2020 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team

Arkansas–Pine Bluff entered the championship game 4-0. Arkansas-Pine Bluff had won the championship game once prior in 2012.

Game summary

Spring 2021 SWAC Championship Game

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
UAPB	14	12	0	7	33
Alabama A&M	10	8	14	8	40

at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS

Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021
Game time: 3 p.m. EST
Game weather: Partly Cloudy • Temperature: 79 °F (26 °C) • Wind: SE 8 mph
Game attendance: 17,248
Referee: Marty Adams
TV: ESPN2

Game information
First quarter (13:29) AAMU – Spencer Corey 29-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 1:31; AAMU 3–0) (10:24) UAPB – Mattias Clark 4-yard rush (Zach Piwniczka kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:05; UAPB 7–3) (7:38) AAMU – Zabrian Moore 30-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:46; AAMU 10–7) (7:26) UAPB – Tyrin Ralph 81-yard kickoff returned (Zach Piwniczka kick) (Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12; UAPB 14–10) Second quarter (11:07) AAMU – Gary Quarles 3-yard rush (Spencer Corey PAT blocked) (Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 3:41; AAMU 16–14) (7:04) UAPB – DeJuan Miller 5-yard pass from Taylor Holston (Zach Piwniczka PAT blocked) (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:03; UAPB 20–16) (7:04) AAMU – Ja'Marian Green Defensive PAT conversion (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:03; UAPB 20–18) (5:17) UAPB – Kolby Watts 33-yard fumble returned (Drive: 3 plays, 3 yards, 1:47; UAPB 26–18) Third quarter (8:00) AAMU – Anthony Howard 7-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 4:55; UAPB 26–25) (1:24) AAMU – Gary Quarles 3-yard rush (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:15; AAMU 32–26) Fourth quarter (7:16) AAMU – Zabrian Moore 13-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Aqeel Glass two-point conversion pass to Terrell Gardner) (Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 2:40; AAMU 40–26) (2:30) UAPB - Josh Wilkes 11-yard pass from Skylar Perry (Zach Piwniczka kick) (AAMU 40–33)

Game information

First quarter

(13:29) AAMU – Spencer Corey 29-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 1:31; AAMU 3–0)
(10:24) UAPB – Mattias Clark 4-yard rush (Zach Piwniczka kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:05; UAPB 7–3)
(7:38) AAMU – Zabrian Moore 30-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:46; AAMU 10–7)
(7:26) UAPB – Tyrin Ralph 81-yard kickoff returned (Zach Piwniczka kick) (Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12; UAPB 14–10)

Second quarter

(11:07) AAMU – Gary Quarles 3-yard rush (Spencer Corey PAT blocked) (Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 3:41; AAMU 16–14)
(7:04) UAPB – DeJuan Miller 5-yard pass from Taylor Holston (Zach Piwniczka PAT blocked) (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:03; UAPB 20–16)
(7:04) AAMU – Ja'Marian Green Defensive PAT conversion (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:03; UAPB 20–18)
(5:17) UAPB – Kolby Watts 33-yard fumble returned (Drive: 3 plays, 3 yards, 1:47; UAPB 26–18)

Third quarter

(8:00) AAMU – Anthony Howard 7-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 4:55; UAPB 26–25)
(1:24) AAMU – Gary Quarles 3-yard rush (Spencer Corey kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:15; AAMU 32–26)

Fourth quarter

(7:16) AAMU – Zabrian Moore 13-yard pass from Aqeel Glass (Aqeel Glass two-point conversion pass to Terrell Gardner) (Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 2:40; AAMU 40–26)
(2:30) UAPB - Josh Wilkes 11-yard pass from Skylar Perry (Zach Piwniczka kick) (AAMU 40–33)

References

"SWAC relocates football championship game to Jackson". www.hbcusports.com. April 21, 2021.
"No. 22 Alabama A&M Wins First SWAC Football Championship In 15 Years With 40-33 Win Over No. 25 UAPB". swac.org. May 2021.
"Party Like Its 2006! No. 22 Alabama A&M Wins First SWAC Football Championship In 15 Years With 40-33 Win Over No. 25 UAPB". aamusports.com. May 2021.
"#GoldenLionLookback 2012: UAPB Wins SWAC Championship In OT Thriller". uapblionsroar.com. July 29, 2023.
"Box Score". swac.org.

v t e 2020 NCAA football conference championship games
Division I FBS	ACC American Big 12 Big Ten Conference USA MAC Mountain West Pac-12 SEC Sun Belt
Division I FCS	NEC Patriot SWAC

v t e SWAC Football Championship Game
Years	1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 (May) 2021 (Dec) 2022 2023 2024
Venues	Legion Field (1999–2012) NRG Stadium (2013–2017) Casem-Spinks Stadium (2018–2019) Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (2020–2022, 2024) Bragg Memorial Stadium (2023)

v t e Alabama A&M Bulldogs football
Venues	Milton Frank Stadium (1962–1995) Louis Crews Stadium (1996–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Magic City Classic (Alabama State)
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football
Venues	Athletic Field (1923–1949) Pumphrey Stadium (1950–1999) Simmons Bank Field (2000–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Delta Classic
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926–1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

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