MEAC/SWAC Challenge
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| MEAC/SWAC Challenge | |
|---|---|
| MEAC/SWAC Challenge | |
| Stadium | Florida Citrus Bowl (2008–2013, 2015–) |
| Location |  Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Previous stadiums | Legion Field (2005–2007) Camping World Stadium (2008-2013, 2015) Bright House Networks Stadium (2014) |
| Previous locations |  Birmingham, Alabama Orlando, Florida |
| Operated | 2005–present |
| Conference tie-ins | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) |
The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is an annual Historically Black College Football game showcasing a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).[1] The series began in 2005, and for its first three years it was held in Birmingham, Alabama at Legion Field. From 2008-2013, as well as 2015, it was held in Orlando, Florida at the Florida Citrus Bowl, now called Camping World Stadium. In 2014, the game was played at Bright House Networks Stadium as the Citrus Bowl underwent renovations. In April 2016, it was announced that the game would move to campus sites for 2016 and 2017. On September 4, 2016, Bethune-Cookman will host Alcorn State in Daytona Beach, Florida. On September 3, 2017, Southern will host South Carolina State in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[2] Currently the MEAC leads the series with nine wins to the SWAC's two. The game is televised nationally on ESPN and is owned by ESPN Events.
History
South Carolina State beat Alabama State in the first MEAC/SWAC Challenge in 2005. In 2007, the event attracted its largest crowd, over 30,000, as Southern beat Florida A&M, earning the SWAC's first victory in the series. In 2008 the event moved to Orlando after a partnership with Walt Disney World was announced. Disney would sponsor the event for eight years until 2015. In 2016, the game will be played on a campus site for the first time as Alcorn State visits Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, FL.
Nine future NFL draft picks have played in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. They are Tarvaris Jackson (Alabama State), Justin Durant (Hampton), Michael Coe (Alabama State), Kendall Langford (Hampton), Phillip Adams (South Carolina State), Johnny Culbreath (South Carolina State), Curtis Holcomb (Florida A&M), Javon Hargrave (South Carolina State) and Temarrick Hemingway (South Carolina State).[3]
Game notes
| Year | MEAC Team | Score | SWAC Team | Attendance | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | South Carolina State | 27–14 | Alabama State | 18,452 | Birmingham |
| 2006 | Hampton | 27–26 | Grambling State | 19,175 | Birmingham |
| 2007 | Florida A&M | 27–33 | Southern | 30,106 | Birmingham |
| 2008 | Hampton | 17–13 | Jackson State | 10,723 | Orlando |
| 2009 | South Carolina State | 34–31 | Grambling State | 21,367 | Orlando |
| 2010 | Delaware State | 27–37 | Southern | 16,327 | Orlando |
| 2011 | Bethune-Cookman | 63–14 | Prairie View A&M | 17,337 | Orlando |
| 2012 | Bethune-Cookman | 38–28 | Alabama State | 17,410 | Orlando |
| 2013 | Florida A&M | 27–10[4] | Mississippi Valley | 24,376[5] | Orlando |
| 2014 | North Carolina A&T | 47–13 | Alabama A&M | 8,210[6] | Orlando |
| 2015 | South Carolina State | 35–7 | Arkansas–Pine Bluff | 7,257 | Orlando |
| 2016 | Bethune-Cookman | Alcorn State | Daytona Beach | ||
| 2017 | South Carolina State | Southern | Baton Rouge |
References
- ↑ MEAC/SWAC Challenge – ESPN Events. ESPN.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://espnevents.com/meac-swac/faq/
- ↑ http://www.hbcugameday.com/2013/09/hbcu-attendance-numbers-meacswac-paces.html
- ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-meac-swac-challenge-0901-20140831-story.html
