HBCU football: SWAC releases full ESPN 2021 broadcast schedule

There is a lot of excitement for HBCU football and the SWAC’s 2021 season seeing as this will be the first season for former MEAC members Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman in the conference.

In preparation for the SWAC football season, the conference has released its schedule of games that will be featured on ESPN and its affiliated networks.

The schedule features 39 total games including 25 conference regular-season games, 12 non-conference regular-season games, the SWAC championship game, and the Celebration Bowl.

Each team will be appearing at least once with Jackson State scheduled to have the most games featured on ESPN with eight of their 10 games taking place on the network.

Kicking off the SWAC’s slate of ESPN games will be the MEAC/SWAC challenge between the Alcorn State Braves and the North Carolina Central on Aug. 28 on ESPN.

The first game in the conference to be featured in the ESPN schedule will be on Sept. 4 when the Prarie View A&M Panthers face the Texas Southern Tigers.

The next day will see the second conference game on the ESPN schedule when the Jackson State Tigers go up against the Florida A&M Rattlers in the returning Orange Blossom Classic on ESPN2 in what will be FAMU’s first SWAC conference game.

Reigning SWAC champion Alabama A&M Bulldogs will play their first of six games scheduled to be aired by ESPN and its networks on Sept. 16 when they face the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on ESPNU.

Included on the schedule are a pair of games between SWAC teams against Power Five teams on Sept. 11. The Alabama State Hornets go against the SEC’s Auburn Tigers while the Texas Southern Tigers will face the Big 12’s Baylor Bears.

The SWAC title game will air on ESPNU on Dec. 4 with the winner advancing to the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 18 airing on ABC to cap off the season.