Benedict College's 48-6 rout of Fort Valley State University that was broadcast on ESPN2 drew 98,000 viewers per a ratings report by SportsMediaWatch. The broadcast featured the top two teams in the SIAC from both last year and this year and was originally slated to be aired on ESPNU but was moved up to ESPN2 in August before the season began. It was also the only HBCU game that was broadcast on Thursday and went up against stiff competition from Amazon Prime's Thursday Night Football broadcast of Chiefs vs. Broncos as well as the Houston vs. West Virginia matchup that was aired on FS1.

The viewership number itself is interesting. It is a drop from the North Carolina Central/Morgan State game that was played in the same Thursday timeslot last year on October 13, 2022 but the decrease wasn't significant. The North Carolina Central blowout of Morgan State drew 108,000 views which was a 9% viewership decrease from the Fort Valley Benedict game.

The game also was a decrease from the other nationally televised HBCU games on linear television but still fared well. The 2023 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, the other Division II HBCU football game that was broadcasted on Nielsen-rated NFL Network, drew 168,000 viewers (41% decrease). Morehouse &. Albany State's matchup in the HBCU NY Classic earlier this season was broadcast on CNBC & Peacock. CNBC is not Nielsen-rated and Peacock viewership numbers are private and are only disclosed by NBC.

North Carolina Central and Morgan State are set to face off on Thursday at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN2.