HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
No Result
View All Result
Home Football

‘You can’t pay for that’: HBCU football programs relish national exposure

While heightened awareness is not new to HBCU football, the current attention is something programs have looked to capitalize on.

Kendrick Marshall by Kendrick Marshall
November 2, 2022
0
Fans appear at ESPN's College GameDay on Saturday at Jackson State. Justin Ford/HBCU Sports

Fans appear at ESPN's College GameDay on Saturday at Jackson State. Justin Ford/HBCU Sports

1.1k
VIEWS

On an overcast day in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, Deion Sanders slowly strolls through a stream of adoring supporters on a tricked-out motorized scooter that features “PRIME” on the seat, headed toward the ESPN College GameDay set.

It was almost unthinkable prior to Sanders’ arrival that college football’s most popular road show would ever be stationed outside Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium to conduct its Saturday orchestra.

But there he was —in a JSU hoodie layered with a dark sport coat, wearing sunglasses and a large bedazzled chain fashioned in the image of the Tigers’ home stadium around his neck —the live-action symbol of the mainstream media’s interest in HBCU football culture.

“This is unbelievable,” said Sanders on stage, flanked by Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Kirk Herbstreit. “This is what we dreamed of.”

Deion1
Jackson State coach Deion Sanders has led the charge in exposure for the university.@gojsutigers/Twitter.

The scene on Saturday was another in a recent string of appearances by HBCUs on the national stage.

Two Sundays ago, Sanders was front and center in a 60 Minutes segment. That was prior to the school and the football operation being given a Good Morning America billboard ahead of its homecoming festivities.

However, it was not just Jackson State reaping the benefits of exposure.

During its homecoming celebrations, Good Morning America went live from Florida A&M last Friday.

‘You can’t pay for that’

North Carolina Central coach Trei Oliver is familiar with this position. Last season, his Eagles were featured on College GameDay leading into their MEAC/SWAC Challenge game against Alcorn State in Atlanta.

“It’s outstanding,” Oliver told an HBCU Sports reporter Monday during the MEAC coaches’ media call about once again witnessing other HBCU programs gain similar notoriety. But when you are on a national platform like Good Morning America or College GameDay, you can’t pay for that.

“We had the opportunity to be on College GameDay and Good Morning America last year, and it did so much for our brand. So whenever you can get that type of exposure, it just helps not just your campus but all of the HBCU community.”

COLLEGE GAME DAY1
ESPN College GameDay made an appearance at the 2021 MEAC/SWAC Challenge. @bhofheimer_espn/Twitter

Rod Milstead, the current coach at Delaware State, played 56 games in the NFL as an offensive guard over eight seasons, including one year as a member of the XXIX Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers with Sanders.

Milstead, whose locker was stationed next to the Pro Football Hall of Famer during that 1994 season, explained that Sanders’ influence has contributed to HBCUs being vaulted into the national spotlight once again.

“His platform has brought a lot of attention to HBCUs. HBCUs have been here even before Rod Milstead got here, “he said. When things were separate, it was kind of the main thing in the black household to go to an HBCU school. Because of Deion, HBCUs have been getting more headlines in the mainstream and all these other platforms.

“And other people have been attaching their wagons to him and his platform to be a part of it because they see that all the cameras have turned around and they’re on him.”

On Tuesday, ESPN noted that last Saturday’s College GameDay episode drew an average of 1.8 million. In the final hour of the show, more than 2.3 million watched.

‘All eyes’ are on HBCU football

While heightened awareness is not new to HBCU football, it is something coaches have felt and looked to capitalize on.

For example, Alabama A&M, which recently played in front of 67,000 fans in Birmingham against Alabama State at the Magic City Classic, is scheduled to play at Mississippi Valley State in a nationally televised game on ESPNU “with all eyes” on them Thursday, said Bulldogs head coach Connell Maynor.

“And I talked with my players about Jackson (State) being on Good Morning America and GameDay being in Jackson and the FAMU situation,” he said. “We talked about all of those situations and that (the) spotlight is on HBCUs now. They are on us and we want to make A&M and the SWAC look good. “

Welcome to #FAMUHomecoming2022TheExperiencence ⁦@IkeEjiochi⁩ and ⁦@GMA⁩. ⁦@LRobinsonFAMU⁩ ⁦@FAMUNationalAA⁩ pic.twitter.com/CmjHrCf6wr

— Florida A&M University (@FAMU_1887) October 29, 2022

Keeping up appearances, or trying to, is something HBCUs have had to do just to acquire consistent visibility. But these days, sparked by Sanders’ flamboyance and America grappling with race, there are two streaming networks specifically dedicated to live black college sports coverage. Legacy national sports media have committed space to all things HBCU. Podcasters, YouTubers, and those who dabble in Twitter Spaces have jumped on the bandwagon, too.

It is a signal of a shift indeed. Whether it’s truly altruism or a case of media parachuting for self-interest, remains to be seen. But for now, HBCU football programs are basking in the glow of the attention that Sanders has helped forge.

“And right now his platform is helping HBCUs,” said Milstead of Sanders. “There are a lot of people at HBCUs that have attached their wagon to him, and hopefully he’ll continue to pull us along as well.”

Tags: Delaware StateFlorida A&MJackson StateNorth Carolina Central
Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.

Related Posts

HBCU football veterans have message for ex-NFL players turned coaches

by HBCU Sports
July 17, 2025
0
HBCU football veterans have message for ex-NFL players turned coaches

As HBCU football programs attract coaches with celebrity status, discussion is still stirring about what it means. During the MEAC/SWAC Challenge press conference, coaches participating in the game...

Read moreDetails

Southern football in 2025 will be built on foundation and lunch pail guys

by Chris Stevens
July 17, 2025
0
Terrance Graves. Southern

Terrence Graves knows a thing or two about football and architecture. The two are closely related, as Southern's head football coach explained during Wednesday's SWAC Football Media Day....

Read moreDetails

Grambling State coach says ‘bank accounts’ are running college football

by HBCU Sports
July 17, 2025
0
Grambling State coach says ‘bank accounts’ are running college football

In a candid conversation about the shifting landscape of college football, one HBCU coach didn’t mince words about the impact of NIL deals. “The game has changed so...

Read moreDetails

HBCU football coach resigns day after conference media day appearance

by Jarrett Hoffman
July 16, 2025
0
HBCU football coach resigns day after conference media day appearance

With a month remaining before the start of the 2025 HBCU football season, Edward Waters head coach  Toriano Morgan resigned. According to a report from Football Scoop, Morgan...

Read moreDetails

Here’s how T.C. Taylor and Jackson State plan to defend its HBCU national title

by HBCU Sports
July 16, 2025
0
T.C. Taylor, Jackson State

After the thrilling heights of last season’s national championship run, Jackson State finds itself awash in expectation to repeat in 2025. Coach T.C. Taylor, whose leadership helped galvanize...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
Meet the Delaware State lineman who is also an Emmy award-winning producer

Meet the Delaware State lineman who is also an Emmy award-winning producer

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe

RSS HBCU Sports Forums

  • SWAC Announces "SWAC TV"
  • Teddy Bridgewater suspended for giving impermissable benefits to his players
  • TPs Pre-Season Rankings
  • NCAA Hirings, Firings And Retirings 2024-2025 Part 2
  • Can we 12 PV fans + 5 probationary PV fans have some WIC, Welfare, Stamps, Section 8, something for the sTu game ticket?
  • Texas Southern, y'all hard-headed and don't listen.
  • If you're subscribing to the "SWAC TV" sTu vs PVAMU football game, can you sign in please?
  • Song Requests Thread for the 2025 Band Season
  • Listings of FCS Schools Opting In and Opting Out of the House settlement
  • The 24th thread about Trump

  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COMMENT POLICY
  • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
 CONTACT US

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

X