Two major HBCU matchups get TV designation, kickoff time

Two major HBCU matchups have received official kickoff times and TV destinations, along with a schedule of televised games for the college football season on ABC and ESPN, as obtained by Matt Fortuna. The kickoff time and TV destination for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and SWAC Championship have been revealed.

Here are all of ABC/ESPN’s announced kick times.

Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss will be in primetime on ABC. pic.twitter.com/rwaeW48HU1

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) May 12, 2026

On Saturday, August 29, the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge, featuring Howard University and Alabama A&M, will kick off at 7:30 PM EST and will be broadcast on ABC. This follows the trend of the past three MEAC/SWAC Challenge games shown to a broadcast TV audience. On December 5, during championship week, the SWAC Championship will be broadcast on ESPN2. The winner of the SWAC Championship eventually moves on to play in the Cricket Celebration Bowl, which will be broadcast on ABC on Saturday, December 12.

The schedule comes as the 2026 season is highly anticipated. This past offseason, several coaching additions across the SWAC and MEAC have HBCU football fans eagerly anticipating the start of the season on August 29. Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk recently became the head coach of Southern University, headlining an impressive class of new HBCU coaches. New Howard University head coach Ted White will make his debut on the sidelines for his alma mater during the MEAC/SWAC Challenge with a national stage on ABC.

Meanwhile, for the SWAC Championship, a coach like Marshall Faulk is certainly looking to replicate what Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson did in his first season at the helm of the Panthers. Jackson led Prairie View A&M to a SWAC Championship victory over the reigning SWAC champion Jackson State Tigers and advanced to the Celebration Bowl, ultimately losing to Chennis Berry and South Carolina State, 40-38.

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