The 2025 MEAC/SWAC Challenge is bringing HBCU football back under the bright lights of primetime cable, as ABC gets set to nationally broadcast the season opener. This year’s clash between the MEAC and SWAC won’t just kick off the HBCU football season. It’ll do so on one of the biggest stages in sports television.
What began in 2005 as a celebration of tradition and competition between the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference has evolved into an important cultural showcase. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has historically aired on ESPN networks. But recent years have seen it elevated to ABC’s main stage, bringing HBCU football into millions of households nationwide.
Last year’s 2024 matchup between Florida A&M and Norfolk State drew a record-setting 1.3 million viewers. Making it the most-watched MEAC/SWAC Challenge ever. Add to that a sold-out crowd of 22,000-plus at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. And it’s clear this game has momentum—and the muscle to hold its own in primetime.
MEAC/SWAC History
Over the years, the Challenge has delivered more than just spectacle—it’s produced unforgettable matchups. In 2010, Southern University stunned Delaware State in a 37-27 shootout. In 2015, South Carolina State ground out a gritty 35-7 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. MEAC schools dominated early on, winning 10 of the first 14 games. But the SWAC has surged in recent years, making the 2025 edition feel like a rubber match with serious bragging rights on the line.
But this isn’t just about numbers—it’s about narrative. For decades, HBCU programs were underrepresented in major sports media coverage. Now, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is not only televised—it’s showcased. ABC’s commitment to airing the game in primetime gives HBCU athletes the kind of exposure that helps with recruitment, boosts funding, and reshapes national perception.
And it’s not just the game that shines. The band battles, halftime shows, and unmistakable HBCU energy all translate on a big screen with the kind of flair that makes you stop scrolling and start watching.
So when the 2025 MEAC/SWAC Challenge kicks off on Saturday, August 23, on ABC at 7:30 pm EST, it won’t just mark the start of the season—it’ll announce that HBCU football is here. It’s loud, it’s proud, and now, it’s primetime.