ESPN has unveiled their 2023 HBCU college football TV schedule, which features nearly 90 games set for linear television or streaming this season.
Coverage of Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) on the ESPN networks in 2023 begins in Week Zero with the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff game on Saturday, Aug. 26. The South Carolina State Bulldogs will take on the Jackson State Tigers in that matchup at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., at 7:30pm ET on ABC.
Overall, ESPN and ESPN+ will air 85 HBCU football games this season, which will primarily feature teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
ESPN’s coverage of HBCU football in 2023 will also highlight the school marching band performances at halftime. The season will culminate with ESPN Events’ inaugural Band of the Year National Championship on Friday, Dec. 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. The championship will air live on an ESPN network and it will be simulcast on ESPN3 and ESPN+.
Below is the HBCU college football TV schedule for the 2023 season, as announced by ESPN.
2023 HBCU College Football TV Schedule
* All times Eastern.
Saturday, Aug. 26
SC State vs. Jackson State (in Atlanta) – 7:30pm, ABC
Saturday, Sept. 2
Bowie State at Delaware State – 1pm, ESPN+
Virginia State at Norfolk State – 2pm, ESPN+
Winston Salem State at NC Central – 6pm, ESPN+
Southern at Alabama State – 6pm, ESPN+
Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern – 8pm, ESPN+
Sunday, Sept. 3
Jackson State vs. FAMU (in Miami) – 3pm, ESPN
Fort Valley St. vs. Tuskegee (in Montgomery, AL) – 7pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 9
Morehouse at Howard – 1pm, ESPN+
Benedict at Edward Waters – 4pm, ESPN+
Jackson State at Southern – 7pm*, ESPN+
Saturday, Sept. 16
Florida Memorial at Grambling – 3pm, ESPN+
Hampton at Howard – 3:30pm**, ESPN+
Towson at Morgan State – 6pm, ESPN+
Clark Atlanta at Savannah State – 6pm, ESPN+
Kentucky State at Allen – 6pm, ESPN+
Alabama A&M at Southern – 7pm, ESPN+
Thursday, Sept. 21
UAPB at Alabama A&M – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 23
Morehouse at Edward Waters – 2pm, ESPN+
Bethune-Cookman at Jackson State – 3pm, ESPN+
Clark Atlanta at Miles – 4pm, ESPN+
Albany at Morgan State – 6pm, ESPN+
The Citadel at SC State – 6pm, ESPN+
Alabama State at Florida A&M – 6pm, ESPN+
Saturday, Sept. 30
Miles at Central State – Noon, ESPN+
Virginia-Lynchburg at Delaware State – 1pm, ESPN+
North Carolina A&T at Norfolk State – 2pm, ESPN+
Campbell at NC Central – 4pm, ESPN+
Fort Valley State at Allen – 6pm, ESPN+
Grambling at Prairie View A&M – 7pm, ESPN+
Saturday, Oct. 7
Stony Brook at Morgan State – 1pm, ESPN+
Virginia-Lynchburg at SC State – 2pm, ESPN+
Grambling at Alcorn State – 3:30pm, TBD
Jackson St. vs. Alabama A&M (Mobile, AL) – 4pm, TBD
Florida A&M at Southern – 7pm, TBD
Morehouse at Tuskegee – 7pm, ESPN+
Thursday, Oct. 12
Fort Valley State at Benedict – 7:30pm, ESPN2
Saturday, Oct. 14
Allen at Albany State – 1pm, ESPN+
Tennessee Tech at SC State – 1:30pm, ESPN+
Edward Waters at Tuskegee – 2pm, ESPN+
Alabama State at Jackson State – 3pm, ESPN+
Alabama A&M at Grambling – 3pm, ESPN+
Thursday, Oct. 19
NC Central at Morgan State – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Oct. 21
SC State at Delaware State – Noon, TBD
Norfolk State at Howard – Noon, TBD
Kentucky State at Benedict – 2pm, ESPN+
Tuskegee at Savannah State – 3pm, ESPN+
Jackson State at MVSU – 5pm, ESPN+
Florida A&M at Texas Southern – 8pm, ESPN+
Thursday, Oct. 26
SC State at NC Central – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Oct 28
Howard at Delaware State – Noon, TBD
Lane at Central State – 1pm, ESPN+
Morgan State at Norfolk State – 2pm, TBD
Edward Waters at Allen – 2pm, ESPN+
Kentucky State at Morehouse – 2pm, ESPN+
Jackson State at UAPB – 3pm, ESPN+
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama St. (in Birmingham, AL) – 3:30pm, TBD
Prairie View A&M at Florida A&M – 4pm, TBD
Thursday, Nov. 2
MVSU at Bethune-Cookman – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Nov. 4
Central State at Kentucky State – 1pm, ESPN+
Clark Atlanta at Morehouse – 2pm, ESPN+
Fort Valley State at Albany State – 2pm, ESPN+
Florida A&M at Alabama A&M – 2pm, ESPN+
Southern at Alcorn State – 3pm, ESPN+
Texas Southern at Jackson State – 3pm, ESPN+
Delaware State at Morgan State – 3:30pm, TBD
Howard at SC State – 3:30pm, TBD
Norfolk State at NC Central – 3:30pm, TBD
Tuskegee at Miles – 4pm, ESPN+
Friday, Nov. 10
Grambling at UAPB – 9pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Nov. 11
Norfolk State at Delaware State – Noon, TBD
Morgan State at SC State – Noon, TBD
Alcorn State at Texas Southern – 3pm, ESPN+
Prairie View A&M at Southern – 3pm, ESPN+
NC Central at Howard – 3:30pm, TBD
SIAC Championship – TBD
Saturday, Nov. 18
Morgan State at Howard – 1pm, ESPN+
SC State at Norfolk State – 2pm, ESPN+
Delaware State at NC Central – 2pm, ESPN+
Alabama State at Prairie View A&M – 3pm, ESPN+
Alcorn State at Jackson State – 3pm, ESPN+
Bethune-Cookman vs. FAMU (in Orlando, FL) – 3:30pm, TBD
Thursday, Nov. 23
Tuskegee at Alabama State – 3pm, ESPN+
Saturday, Dec. 2
SWAC Championship – 4pm, ESPN2
Saturday, Dec. 16
Cricket Celebration Bowl (in Atlanta, GA) – Noon, ABC
* Tape-delayed on ESPNU at 10:30pm.
** Tape-delayed on ESPNU at 11pm.
Football Schedules
- College Football Schedule (FBS only)
- FCS Schedule (FCS only)
- College Football TV Schedule (FBS and FCS)