The MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff continues to prove that HBCU football can command a national audience.
Howard’s 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M in the Week 0 matchup drew an average of 1.2 million viewers. It peaked at 1.7 million during the nationally televised game on ABC, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel measurement.
The strong numbers made the 2026 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff presented by Toyota the second-most-watched edition of the event since 2024. The average audience was also up 10% from last year, another sign that interest in HBCU football continues to grow beyond its traditional fan base.
Howard quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins helped lead the Bison to the victory and was named the game’s MVP.
The matchup also held its own among ESPN’s top-performing college football broadcasts during opening weekend.
View this post on Instagram
TCU’s matchup against North Carolina topped ESPN’s Week 0 slate, averaging 4.9 million viewers and peaking at 5.8 million. NC State’s game against Virginia averaged 3.2 million viewers and reached a peak audience of 4 million.
While the MEAC/SWAC Challenge did not match those numbers, its performance was significant given the growing competition for viewers during college football’s opening weekend.
