Norfolk State head coach Dawson Odoms is fired up with excitement as his team gears up for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge against Florida A&M on August 24th at 7:30 PM EST, to be broadcast live on ABC. This year’s matchup promises to be a significant showcase of HBCU football, with Odoms eager to highlight the talent and spirit of his players on a national stage.

During the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff Press Conference, Odoms captured the essence of the moment, stating, “Saturday night, college football on ABC. I mean, we're sitting here as if we do this every day. We're playing Saturday night college football on ABC.” The crowd responded with applause.

This sentiment wasn't lost on Odoms, who understands that opportunities like this don’t come often. He remarked, “Well see if that's the best we can do. Let's play on Tuesday night. This is prime time. Do you know how many schools would never receive this opportunity to play college football on Saturday night?” His enthusiasm reflects the pride he has in representing Norfolk State and the broader HBCU community.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is a marquee event in college football, first launched in 2005. This year's game will mark the 18th edition of the challenge, which has become the most-viewed FCS game of the regular season. Last year, the matchup between South Carolina State and Jackson State drew an impressive 922,000 viewers—a number second only to the Navy vs. Notre Dame game on NBC.

The most-watched edition of the challenge occurred in 2010, featuring Delaware State and Southern University, and attracted 1.016 million viewers. This Saturday's viewership ranks the 2023 game third all-time, following the 2021 North Carolina Central-Alcorn matchup, which drew 1.002 million viewers.

The stakes are high, not just for Odoms and the Spartans, but for the visibility of HBCU football as a whole. The opportunity to play on ABC signifies a platform that can propel the programs involved into the national spotlight.

This year's challenge is particularly intriguing as it features Florida A&M, fresh off a Celebration Bowl victory. With long-time head coach Willie Simmons departing for Duke just weeks after the win, the Rattlers are now under the guidance of James Colzie III. Colzie will be tasked with maintaining the momentum that Florida A&M has built over the past few seasons.

For Odoms and the Spartans, this game represents a critical juncture. Entering his fourth season, Odoms aims to jumpstart the team's performance after a lackluster 2022 campaign that saw them finish with a 2-9 record. The Spartans showed promise in 2021, finishing 6-5, and Odoms is eager to harness that positive energy as they step onto the national stage in Week 0.