HBCUs that have football programs that compete at the Division II level will now be able to face off in Week Zero action starting in the 2024 season. The proposal was brought about and sponsored by Presidents of the Athletic Conference (SIAC) Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), Gulf South Conference (GSC), and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). The proposal passed with an 89-80-1 vote total at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Immediate news of the passage of the proposal was posted to Twitter/X by Allen University athletic director Jasher Cox.

News of the proposal circulated in August preceding the start of the football season, as reported by Corbin McGuire of NCAA.com.

“One membership-sponsored proposal would permit schools to participate in their first football contest one week before the Thursday preceding Sept. 6.,” McGuire wrote on NCAA.com in August. “The proposal will be referred to the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, the Division II Championships Committee, the Division II Legislation Committee, the Division II Football Committee, and the Committee on Women's Athletics.”

The proposal, which can be viewed here, sought to permit that games be played before September 6th, 2024. Due to Division II games being allowed to be scheduled on Week Zero, the programs in Division II can now play an 11-game schedule in the 12 weeks of the season and have one bye week.

The rationale of the proposal is below.

“Currently, an institution may participate in its first permissible regular-season contest in the sport of football on the Thursday preceding September 6. Amending the first permissible contest date to allow institutions to play their first regular-season contest with outside competition one week prior to the Thursday preceding September 6 will provide institutions with the flexibility to schedule and play the maximum allowable 11 contests over a 12-week period, if desired. As a result, institutions will have the ability to schedule an off/bye week during the season, which will benefit student-athlete health and safety. This proposal will also lessen the burden of finding available non-conference opponents and will create added flexibility and financial benefits to include unique opportunities such as sponsored or destination-site contests with opponents outside or within an institution's own conference.”

The passage of the proposal is good news for HBCU administrators, athletic stakeholders and HBCU sports fans. The SIAC and CIAA attempted to get a waiver from the NCAA for a matchup between the 2022 SIAC Champion Benedict College Tigers and 2022 CIAA Champion Fayetteville State Broncos in early May, per reporting by Steven J. Gaither of HBCU Gameday.

Legendary HBCU sports broadcaster Charlie Neal and HBCU Go presented the idea to SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman and CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. Their aim was to obtain broadcasting rights for the game. Neal, who commentates for HBCU Go's football coverage, planned to host the game on Benedict's campus on August 26th this season. Despite Holloman and Williams submitting a proposal to the NCAA for a waiver, it was ultimately denied.

Now, the idea of a SIAC champion vs. CIAA champion or subsequent intraconference Week 0 matchup can happen as soon as August with HBCU Go as the likely media destination for the contest, as they pushed for the matchup to happen and have since secured a 10-year media partnership with both conferences.

The fall football season schedules for the SIAC and CIAA will be released this Spring with the inclusion of both a bye week and possibly a few Week Zero matchups.