FRISCO, Texas — SFA and Lamar have separated themselves from the rest of the Southland Football pack through the 2026 season. SFA's demolition of its schedule and Lamar's construction of an ironclad resume leaves the SLC with two top 10 caliber teams. The FCS Playoff Selection Committee confirmed that truth Thursday in its final top 10 reveal before the FCS Playoff Bracket is revealed on November 22. However, those rankings are bound to change as soon as this weekend when the Lumberjacks and Cardinals clash at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont.
SFA will try to clinch a share of the SLC Football Championship and the Conference's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs while Lamar not only tries to play spoiler, but steal the inside track for the Conference's auto bid and its own share of the crown in the biggest game across the FCS slate in Week 10.
SLC Commissioner's Game of the Week: No. 2 SFA at No. 13/12 Lamar, Nov. 7 - 3 p.m.
The 'Jacks and Cardinals face off in one of the biggest SLC Football matchups in recent memory with high stakes abound for both sides. For SFA, the 'Jacks will try to reclaim their championship throne and auto bid for the second straight season. In doing so, SFA would remain firmly in play to secure a top two seed and home field through the entirety of the FCS Playoffs. Conversely, Lamar can continue moving up the national ladder to potentially earn a top eight seed and a first-round bye after the committee declared the Cardinals its No. 10 team on Thursday. Big Red will get the home field advantage, but they will have to defend it against SFA's dually imposing offense and defense. The 'Jacks defense in particular has thrived of late, holding HCU to six points and totaling eight sacks a week ago.
RV/RV UIW at Southeastern, Nov. 7 - 6 p.m.
As the festivities are wrapping in Beaumont, another key SLC matchup will be kicking off in Hammond. Winners of its last three games, UIW can still play its way into the field of 24 with a strong finish to the season. The toughest test remaining on the Cardinals' schedule looms Saturday when they face Southeastern in Hammond. The Lions are looking to snap a two-game skid after road games at SFA and East Texas A&M but will have to shut off a Cardinals' offense that has averaged 48.3 points per game during the three-game win streak.
McNeese at HCU, Nov. 7 - 4 p.m.
McNeese and HCU have logged .500 starts to the conference season and have an opportunity to finish in the top half of the standings by November's end. The Huskies return home after a tough two-week road stretch against the SLC's top teams. HCU has only played three games this season at Husky stadium but has won by double-figures in all three contests behind a defense that has scored a touchdown in two of these games. The Cowboys have won three of their last four games against SLC opponents but have lost two of their last three against the Huskies.
UTRGV at Northwestern State, Nov. 7 - 1 p.m.
The Demons are still in search of their first win of the season and have three more chances on the season to put one in the win column. They get their next two chances at home, starting with UTRGV on Saturday. The Vaqueros tout the SLC's top pass catcher in Kyran Lee who leads the Conference with 572 yards on 41 receptions with five touchdowns this season. UTRGV will try to use that explosiveness to its advantage against a Demons' defense that has conceded 30 or more points in all but one game in 2026.
East Texas A&M at Nicholls, Nov. 7 - 3 p.m.
The Lions played spoiler to Southeastern last week, grinding out a 10-7 win in a defensive struggle. Riding the momentum of its most significant triumph of the 2026 campaign, East Texas A&M will try to build on that success in Thibodaux Saturday afternoon. Nicholls comes off its own low-scoring outing though weather took its toll in a 16-3 loss to McNeese in Week 9.
Week 10 Schedule