There was a time when trying to catch an HBCU football game at home, on television or the internet was next to impossible. That’s not the case now.
Saturday’s will be filled this fall with a plethora of HBCU football that can be watched on your TV, computer, tablet, phone or even your watch from just about anywhere. Couch potatoes beware!
Unprecedented HBCU football on air
There will be, by our count, over 140 HBCU football games either carried live on TV, cable or being streamed over the internet (see list below) in 2022.
That’s over 20 more than last year’s 120 viewable games!
Yes, you’ll need internet or cable service, an app, subscription or two (ESPN+, FloSports, etc.) to get access to all the games. It will be well worth it if you are a true black college football fan.
You will also need multiple devices — TV, tablet, laptop, phone, etc. — to catch them all. The bottom line is, there will be plenty to catch.
The number of viewable games heats up in late September, through October into early November. There will be double-digits games on air each of those weeks. Several HBCU football programs — Jackson State, Hampton, North Carolina A&T and Tennessee State and maybe others — will have all their games available.
A new day
HBCUs are hot properties today. HBCU football is driving up their temperature and value. The opportunities for exposure have been ratcheted up. Everybody is jumping on the HBCU bandwagon.
Everyone from the NBA to the NFL and Major League Baseball, all the major sports and news outlets, and every media platform has begun or furthered initiatives designed to increase their support and interaction with HBCUs.
Everybody wants a piece of the action.
The Pacesetter
HBCUGameday.com has been setting the pace with its day-to-day coverage of everything black college sports since 2012. Just this week, the company signed a deal with McClatchy newspapers to provide increased coverage and content around HBCU sports and culture. McClatchy owns about 30 newspapers around the country, 15 of which serve populations in the HBCU footprint.
In addition to the plethora of HBCU games being carried on its family of networks, ESPN launched The Undefeated several years ago, a portal focused on the intersection of sports, race and culture. Coverage of HBCU sports and news was included. It was re-branded and expanded early this year into Andscape that is dedicated to “embracing and sharing the full range of Black culture and identity.” HBCU coverage remains an integral part of its focus,.
Sports Illustrated entered the HBCU universe last year with its new portal entitled, HBCU Legends.
Expect an announcement any day now that a new entity, run by former BET executives, HBCUGo.tv will also enter the fray with a crop of new games that will hit the airwaves this season. Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group bought HBCUGo.tv last October and recently also purchased the Black News Channel that has become theGrio. Expect expanded HBCU exposure through those channels.
HBCU football live
If you decide to sit home, flip channels, cue up multiple devices etc., to watch the games, you’re going to be missing some real treats.
There’s really nothing like soaking up the atmosphere at a live HBCU football game.
The bands, the tailgating, the smells, the camaraderie, the heartbeat of black culture is all right there. It’s an experience one colleague describes as the ‘African-American national pastime.’ It’s an experience you must have and share with your progeny. It’s a unique part of African-American life!
HBCU football: Historic and growing
HBCU football has been happening now for 130 years. It dates back to the historic day of December 27, 1892 in Salisbury, North Carolina when Livingstone College met Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University). It has come a long way, gotten better over time and has a promising future.
The competition on the field is fierce. The excitement in the stands is palpable.
In HBCU football there are not four quarters. There are five. And a halftime! The teams battle on the field for four quarters. But you don’t leave when the game is over. The bands battle in the stands in the fifth.
And the halftimes, oh the halftimes! Some say the band performances at halftime are as much a draw as the games themselves. One can’t argue with that. There’s no going out for popcorn or to the restroom until the bands have put on their shows. Or if you do, you hurry back. Many would rather miss the start of the third quarter than the halftime performances.
Still, it’s good to know if you can’t get there for all the gridiron action, pageantry and atmosphere, you can take it all in in the comfort of your own home or wherever you might be. You couldn’t do that just a few years ago.
In either case, enjoy the show!
2022 TV AND STREAMING HBCU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
HBCU Football – August
SATURDAY, AUG. 27
7p Howard vs. Alabama State (Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff) Live ESPN
8:15p Florida A&M at North Carolina ACC Network
HBCU Football – September
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
7p Alabama A&M at UAB CBS Sports Network
SATURDAT, SEPT. 3
2p Lincoln (Pa.) at Delaware State ESPN+
4p Tennessee State at Eastern Washington ESPN+
5p Miles @ Alabama State (Labor Day Classic) ESPN+
6p
Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M (Labor Day Classic) ESPN+
Howard at Hampton (Battle of the Real HU) FloSports
Grambling State at Arkansas-State ESPN3
Morgan State at Georgia Southern ESPN3
Southeastern at Savannah State FloSports
7:30p NC Central vs. NC A&T State (Duke’s Mayo Classic) Live ESPN3, 10:30 p.m. ESPNU
SUNDAY, SEPT. 4
3p Jackson State vs. Florida A&M (Orange Blossom Classic) ESPN2
4p Central State vs. Winston-Salem State (Black College Football HOF Classic) HBCUGo
6p Tuskegee vs. Fort Valley State (Red Tails Classic) ESPNU
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
3:30p North Carolina A&T at North Dakota State ESPN+
4p
SC State at Bethune-Cookman ESPN+
Winston-Salem State at North Carolina Central ESPN+
Tuskegee at Hampton FloSports
Savannah State at Edward Waters ESPN+
6:30p Southern at LSU SEC Network
7p
Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Southern Heritage Classic) TBA
Howard at South Florida ESPN+
Alabama A&M at Troy ESPN3
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15
7:30p Savannah State at Benedict ESPNU
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17
12n Sacred Heart at Morgan State ESPN+
1p Grambling State at Jackson State (W.C. Gorden Classic) ESPN3 / Tape Delay ESPNU
2p
Virginia University of Lynchburg at Delaware State ESPN+
Hampton at Norfolk State ESPN+
Allen at Edward Waters ESPN+
3p
Howard vs. Morehouse in E. Rth’frd, NJ (HBCU NYC Football Classic) CNBC
Austin Peay at Alabama A&M YouTube
6p
Incarnate Word at Prairie View A&M ESPN+
North Carolina A&T at Duke ACC Network / ESPN+
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Oklahoma State ESPN+
7p
Tennessee State at Middle Tennessee ESPN+
Alcorn State at McNeese State ESPN+
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
1p
Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State ESPN+
Miles at Central State ESPN+
2p
Merrimack at Delaware State ESPN+
Saint Francis at Norfolk State ESPN+
4p
Va. University of Lynchburg at NC Central ESPN+
Grambling State at Bethune-Cookman ESPN+
6p
Alabama A&M at Florida A&M ESPN+
Hampton at Delaware FloSports
Albany State at Clark Atlanta ESPN+
7p South Carolina State at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
HBCU Football – October
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
12n
Howard at Yale ESPN+
Va. University of Lynchburg at Morgan State ESPN+
2p
Lane at Tennessee State (John Merritt Classic) ESPN+
Livingstone at Bowie State HBCUGo
3p Bethune-Cookman at Alabama A&M YouTube
6p
Robert Morris at Delaware State ESPN+
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Southern ESPN+
Miles at Albany State ESPN+
Kentucky State at Savannah State FloSports
Bryant at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
SATURDAY, OCT. 8
1p
Norfolk State at Morgan State ESPN+
Chowan at Lincoln HBCUGo
2p
Florida A&M at South Carolina State ESPN+
Jackson State at Alabama State ESPN3 / TD ESPNU
Maine at Hampton FloSports
Kentucky State at Lane ESPN+
Grambling State at Alabama A&M YouTube
3p Virginia-Lynchburg at Savannah State FloSports
4p Southern at Prairie View A&M ESPN+
6p
Alcorn State at Mississippi Valley State ESPN+
Bethune-Cookman at Tennessee State ESPN+
7p Morehouse vs. Tuskegee in B’ham (Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic) ESPN+
THURSDAY, OCT. 13
7:30p. Morgan State at NC Central L:ive on ESPNU
SATURDAY, OCT. 15
TBD Harvard at Howard (Truth & Service Classic) Live on ESPN3, later ESPNU
1p
Lincoln (PA) at Elizabeth City State Aspire
Edward Waters at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
Central State at Tuskegee ESPN+
Johnson C. Smith at Saint Augustine’s HBCUGo
1:30p Virginia Lynchburg at South Carolina State ESPN+
2p Delaware State at Norfolk State ESPN+
3p Jackson State at Bethune-Cookman ESPN+
3:30p Hampton at Albany (NY) FloSports
4p Lane at Miles ESPN+
6p Alcorn at Southern ESPN+
7p Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech ESPN+
SATURDAY, OCT. 22
12n North Carolina A&T at Robert Morris ESPN+
1/1:30p MEAC Wildcard #1 (NCCU at SC State or DelState at Howard) ESPN3, later ESPNU
1p
Fayetteville State at Johnson C. Smith Aspire
Chowan at Bowie State HBCUGo
Livingstone at Shaw HBCUGo
2p
Kentucky State at Miles ESPN+
Campbell at Jackson State ESPN+
Texas Southern at Alcorn State ESPN+
Richmond at Hampton FloSports
3p Eastern Illinois at Tennessee State ESPN+
4p Prairie View A&M at Lamar ESPN+
5p Albany State at Savannah State ESPN+
SATURDAY, OCT. 29
12n South Carolina State at Morgan State ESPN+
12n Chowan at Virginia Union HBCUGo
1p Tuskegee at Kentucky State ESPN+
Campbell at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
Southern at Jackson State TBA
Johnson C. Smith at Winston-Salem State Aspire
Hampton at Villanova FloSports
2p
North Carolina Central at Delaware State ESPN+
Howard at Norfolk State ESPN+
Alcorn State at Grambling State ESPN+
Morehouse at Albany State ESPN+
2:30p Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (Magic City Classic) TBA
3p Tennessee State at Murray State ESPN+
HBCU Football- November
THURSDAY, NOV. 3
6:30p Alabama A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State ESPNU
FRIDAY, NOV. 4
2p Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M ESPNU
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
12n Norfolk State at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
1p
Fort Valley State vs. Albany State in Col, GA (Fountain City Classic) ESPN+
Benedict at Allen ESPN+
Kentucky State at Central State ESPN+
Saint Augustine’s at Shaw Aspire
William & Mary at Hampton FloSports
Miles at Tuskegee ESPN+
Morgan State at Stony Brook FloSports
1:30/2p MEAC Wildcard #2 (DelState at SC State or Howard at NC Central) ESPN3/ ESPNU
2p
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling State ESPN+
Clark Atlanta at Morehouse ESPN+
5p Lane at Savannah State FloSports
6p
Jackson State at Texas Southern ESPN+
Southeast Missouri at Tennessee State ESPN+
7:30p Southern at Florida A&M ESPN3 / TD ESPNU
SATURDAY, NOV. 12
12n Charleston Southern at North Carolina A&T ESPN+
1p Elon at Hampton FloSports
1/2p MEAC Wildcard #3 (MSU at DelState or SCSU at HOW or NCCU at NSU) ESPN3/ESPNU
2p Allen at Edward Waters ESPN+
TBA CIAA North Champ vs. CIAA South Champ (CIAA Championship) Aspire
TBA SIAC East Champ vs. SIAC West Champ (SIAC Championship) ESPN3
4p
Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State in Mobile (Gulf Coast Challenge) ESPN+
Mississippi Valley State at Southern ESPN+
5p UT Martin at Tennessee State ESPN+
6p Grambling State at Texas Southern ESPN+
SATURDAY, NOV. 19
12/1:30p MEAC Wildcard #4 (HOW at MSU or NSU at SCSU) Live on ESPN3/ESPNU
1p Hampton at Towson FloSports
1:30p North Carolina A&T at Gardner-Webb ESPN+
2p
Jackson State at Alcorn State ESPN+
Texas Southern at Alabama A&M AT&T Sports Network SW / YouTube
3p Tennessee State at Texas A&M-Commerce ESPN+
TBD Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M (Florida Classic) ESPN3 / TD ESPNU
THURSDAY, NOV. 24
2p Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State (Turkey Day Classic) ESPN+
SATURDAY, NOV. 26
1p Southern vs. Grambling State (Bayou Classic) NBC
HBCU Football – December
SATURDAY, DEC. 3
4p SWAC East Champion vs. SWAC West Champion (SWAC Championship) ESPN2
SATURDAY, DEC. 17
12p MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion (Cricket Celebration Bowl) Live ABC