MEAC/SWAC Challenge

{{Short description|Annual American college football game}}

{{about|the Labor Day weekend game between MEAC and SWAC teams|their postseason contest|Celebration Bowl}}

{{Infobox college football bowl game

| name = MEAC/SWAC Challenge

| full_name = Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge

| former_names = {{ubl

|Ford MEAC/SWAC Challenge (2005–2006){{cite web|title=ESPN Announces 2006 MEAC / SWAC Challenge Game|url=http://www.onnidan.com/05-06/news/feb/espnrt0227.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318083002/http://www.onnidan.com/05-06/news/feb/espnrt0227.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 18, 2006|work=onnidan.com|date=February 27, 2006|access-date=April 24, 2017}}

|MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (2008–2015){{cite web|title=Tickets for the 2008 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney Go on Sale June 1|url=http://www.meacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=20800&ATCLID=1475247|work=meacsports.com|date=2008|access-date=April 24, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Matchups Announced for 2015 MEAC/SWAC Challenge|url=http://www.swac.org/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209958291|work=swac.org|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=April 24, 2017}}

}}

| nickname =

| defunct =

| logo =MEAC SWAC Challenge Logo.png

| image_size =

| caption =

| stadium = Center Parc Stadium

| previous_stadiums = {{ubl

|Legion Field {{small|(2005–2007)}}

|Camping World Stadium {{small|(2008–2013, 2015)}}

|Spectrum Stadium {{small|(2014)}}

|Municipal Stadium {{small|(2016)}}

|A. W. Mumford Stadium {{small|(2017)}}

}}

| location = Atlanta, Georgia

| previous_locations = {{ubl

| Birmingham, Alabama {{small|(2005–2007)}}

| Orlando, Florida {{small|(2008–2015)}}

| Daytona Beach, Florida {{small|(2016)}}

| Baton Rouge, Louisiana {{small|(2017)}}

}}

| years = 2005–present

| previous_tie-ins =

| conference_tie-ins = Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)

| sponsors = {{ubl

|ESPN (2005–present){{cite web|title=MEAC/SWAC Challenge set|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A138F0D9908AC8D5F%40EANX-1523D277A1AB5093%402453280-152291B9CC11F4B2%4066-1523DFE65A9943E0%40?p=AMNEWS|work=Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 3)|date=October 1, 2004}}{{cite web|first=Andreas |last=Butler|date=September 8, 2016|title=Not one for the record books: The unfinished MEAC/SWAC Challenge will have no negative financial implications for the universities, conferences or ESPN|url=http://daytonatimes.com/2016/09/not-one-for-the-record-books/ |work= Daytona Times |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190115083604/http://daytonatimes.com/2016/09/not-one-for-the-record-books/ |archive-date= January 15, 2019 }}

|Ford (2005–2006)

|Walt Disney World Resort (2008–2015)

|Cricket Wireless (2020–present)

}}

}}

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is an annual historically black college (HBCU) football game showcasing a team from each of the two NCAA Division I conferences made up entirely of HBCUs—the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).{{efn|All full members of both conferences are HBCUs, but the MEAC has non-HBCU affiliate members in select non-football sports.}}[http://espnevents.com/meac-swac/ MEAC/SWAC Challenge – ESPN Events.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100819/http://espnevents.com/meac-swac/ |date=2016-06-25 }} ESPN. The series began in 2005{{cite web|title=MEAC/SWAC Challenge: About|url=http://www.meacswacchallenge.com/about-us/|work=meacswacchallenge.com|date=2016|access-date=April 24, 2017}} and initially paired the defending conference champions,{{cite web|title=State Capsules: Hampton vs. Grambling|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A138F0D9908AC8D5F%40EANX-1523C7EA08E6ADE7%402453981-152215292DBF5250%4051-1523D2782323A2D0%40?p=AMNEWS|work=Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 16)|date=September 2, 2006}} although the selection process was broadened in 2007 to include non-champions as well. The series record currently stands at 11 wins for the MEAC to the SWAC's seven (along with a "no contest" game in 2016,{{cite web|author=A'Leaka Brown|date=September 5, 2016|title=MEAC/SWAC Challenge Ruled a 'No Contest'|url=http://thecampuschronicleasu.com/meacswac-challenge-ruled-a-no-contest/|work=thecampuschronicleasu.com|access-date=April 24, 2017}} and a cancellation in 2020). The Challenge is televised nationally on ESPN and is owned by ESPN Events. It was historically associated with the Labor Day weekend, but starting in 2021 has instead taken place a week earlier during college football's Week 0.