HBCU Football Kicks Off With Primetime Game & Marching Band Competition | Week Zero

HBCU GO KICKS OFF THE SEASON

First, HBCU GO will begin the new football season with its 2025 HBCU GO Kickoff Show. The broadcast premieres live at 11 AM CT and 12 PM ET on HBCU GO. Hosts Tolly Carr and Nicole Hutchinson will be joined by NFL Network's Steve Wyche.   

He will have special one-on-one interviews with NFL head coach Sean Payton and Alabama A&M's Carson Vinson, who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Coach Payton will share how he developed parts of his successful offensive strategy in the NFL by implementing the legendary coach Archie Cooley Jr.'s offense from his time at Mississippi Valley State. Cooley was the mastermind behind one of the most prolific offenses in collegiate history, featuring quarterback Willie "Satellite" Totten and wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Vinson was the only HBCU football player drafted in this year's NFL Draft. From early reports, he has a strong chance of making the Ravens' 53-man roster for the 2025 NFL season.

NATIONAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS

NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, will again be the site for the annual National Battle of the Bands competition. Fans will be able to secure a great seat when the doors open at 3:00 PM CT, before the bands begin their routines at 4:30 PM CT.   

The marching bands ready to battle include:

Alabama A&M University

Marching Maroon & White

Playing to the East

Albany State University

Marching Rams Show Band

Playing to the East

Florida A&M University

Marching "100"

Playing to the West

Jackson State University

Sonic Boom of the South

Playing to the East

Langston University

Marching Pride Band

​Playing to the West

North Carolina A&T State University

Blue & Gold Marching Machine

Playing to the West

Prairie View A&M University

Marching Storm

Playing to the West

Texas Southern University

Ocean of Soul

​Playing to the East

Tickets are still available online through Ticketmaster!

MEAC & SWAC TO BATTLE TONIGHT!

The first HBCU football game of the new year will take place tonight at the 2025 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kick-Off.

The Jaguars of Southern University will face off against the North Carolina Central University Eagles. The game is set to begin at 6:30 PM CT / 7:30 PM ET at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The broadcast will be handled by ABC with Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Jay "Sky" Walker (color analyst) in the booth for the network.

Throughout the event's history, teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) have consistently performed well against those from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The MEAC currently has an overall record of 11 wins and 7 losses, with one game having been suspended due to weather conditions.

Last season, over 1.3 million average viewers witnessed Florida A&M defeating Norfolk State for the largest audience ever for a MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kick-Off. With more at stake this season, will the numbers be higher?  

We shall see.

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