Morgan State Earns National Stage Against Alabama State in 2027 MEAC/SWAC Challenge
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
Morgan State football will open the 2027 season on one of the biggest stages in HBCU football.
The Bears have been selected to represent the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against Alabama State in the 2027 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 28, 2027, at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. The Week Zero matchup will give Morgan State a major national showcase before the rest of the college football season gets underway.
The game originally was scheduled to feature South Carolina State against Alabama State, but Morgan State will instead take the MEAC spot opposite the Hornets. Television information, kickoff time and ticket details have not yet been announced.
For Morgan State, the opportunity represents more than another nonconference game. It puts a Baltimore program with one of the richest histories in HBCU football into a nationally recognized event built specifically around showcasing the MEAC and SWAC.
Bears Headed to Atlanta
Morgan State head coach Damon Wilson called the opportunity a chance for the Bears to represent both the university and conference on a premier opening-weekend stage.
The matchup will also continue Morgan State’s effort to expand its national profile under Wilson through marquee nonconference games and high-visibility appearances.
Center Parc Stadium has become the primary home of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The event began in 2005 at Legion Field in Birmingham before moving to Orlando and later being played at campus sites. Since 2018, the Challenge has been held in Atlanta at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium.
The MEAC currently owns a 12-7 advantage in completed editions of the Challenge.
Morgan State does not appear among the previous participants listed in the event’s official historical results, making the 2027 matchup a new stage for the Bears within the series.
Alabama State Knows This Event
Alabama State will bring experience in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
The Hornets appeared in the inaugural game in 2005, falling 27-14 to South Carolina State at Legion Field. That game featured future NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns for Alabama State.
Alabama State returned to the Challenge in 2022 and defeated Howard 23-13 at Center Parc Stadium. More than 21,000 fans attended a game that was repeatedly delayed by lightning before eventually being called with 2:12 remaining.
That history gives Morgan State an opponent familiar with both the event and the atmosphere surrounding a nationally showcased HBCU opener.
MEAC/SWAC Challenge Has Become a Major HBCU Showcase
Since launching in 2005, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge has developed into one of the signature annual events on the HBCU football calendar.
Recent editions have featured some of the biggest names in Black college football. North Carolina Central defeated Southern 31-14 in the 2025 game, while Florida A&M edged Norfolk State 24-23 in 2024. Jackson State defeated South Carolina State 37-7 in 2023 before a crowd of 24,238, the largest attendance for the event since its move to Atlanta.
The Challenge also provides the two conferences with another major platform alongside the Celebration Bowl.
ESPN Events recently reached new multi-year agreements with the MEAC and SWAC that will keep both the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Cricket Celebration Bowl operating through the 2030-31 season.
That continued commitment means Morgan State’s 2027 appearance will come during a period in which HBCU football continues receiving significant national television exposure.
Morgan State Building Toward Bigger Opportunities
The announcement also arrives as Morgan State prepares for what could be an important 2026 season.
The Bears were picked to finish fourth in the MEAC preseason poll behind South Carolina State, North Carolina Central and Delaware State. Morgan State received 25 points in voting conducted by conference head coaches and sports information directors.
Nine Bears received preseason All-MEAC recognition across the conference teams.
Three were named to the preseason first team: tight end Alex Simmons, linebacker Arturo Mattocks and defensive back Aki Harvey.
Running back Keith Jenkins Jr., wide receiver Justin Perry, defensive linemen Justin Dutton and Kristopher Boyd, punter Shane Messenger and return specialist Malique Leatherbury were also among Morgan State’s preseason honorees.
Morgan State will begin the 2026 season on Aug. 29 at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.
What happens during that season will help shape just how much anticipation surrounds the Bears when they eventually arrive in Atlanta a year later.
A Chance to Showcase Baltimore and Morgan State
There is also a broader significance to Morgan State receiving this opportunity.
The Bears have long been part of the history of Black college football, but major nationally televised showcases give the program an opportunity to introduce itself to a much larger modern audience.
Morgan State will not simply be representing its football team in Atlanta. The Bears will carry the MEAC banner while also representing Baltimore and one of Maryland’s most historic college athletic programs.
A strong showing against Alabama State could become an important moment for Wilson’s program, particularly if Morgan State can continue building momentum throughout 2026.
The Challenge is designed to put HBCU football in the spotlight before the traditional college football calendar begins. In 2027, that spotlight will belong in part to Morgan State.
MSB Take
This is an excellent opportunity for Morgan State.
Games like this matter beyond the final score. National exposure helps with recruiting, program visibility, alumni engagement and the overall perception of a football program.
Morgan State has the history. What the Bears have been working toward is restoring the program to a point where that history is matched by consistent modern success.
Playing Alabama State in Atlanta gives Morgan State another opportunity to show that progress to a national audience.
There is still an entire 2026 season to play before anyone can realistically evaluate what the 2027 Bears will look like, but getting selected for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is already a significant recognition for the program.
2027 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff
Morgan State vs. Alabama State
Saturday, Aug. 28, 2027
Center Parc Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
Kickoff time and television information: To be announced
