New York, It's Time to Reclaim HBCU Football
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
By: Kevin Pryor
Why every Black sports fan in the five boroughs should make the SWAC and MEAC part of their Saturdays this fall.
Ask most sports fans in New York what they're looking forward to this fall, and the answers come quickly:
The Giants.
The Jets.
The Bills.
The College Football Playoff.
The SEC.
The Big Ten.
But beneath the bright lights of billion-dollar television contracts and powerhouse conferences lies one of America's richest sporting traditions — one that deserves far more attention from the very community that helped shape it.
HBCU football.
For Black New Yorkers, this isn't just another football season.
It's an opportunity to reconnect with a legacy.
A Southern Tradition That Found a Home in New York
New York City has long been connected to Historically Black colleges and universities, even if that connection isn't always recognized.
During the Great Migration, hundreds of thousands of Black families left Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina in search of opportunity. Many settled in Harlem, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Mount Vernon, Yonkers and nearby Newark, New Jersey.
They didn't leave their traditions behind.
They brought stories of Saturday football games, legendary marching bands, homecomings and fierce rivalries between schools such as Grambling State and Southern, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman, Jackson State and Alcorn State, and South Carolina State and North Carolina Central.
Those traditions became part of New York's cultural fabric.
Today, the metropolitan area is home to one of the nation's largest HBCU alumni populations. Alumni chapters host scholarship galas, networking events, community service projects and watch parties throughout the year. Every fall, thousands of New Yorkers travel south for classics and homecomings, proving that HBCU pride never leaves home.
More Than Football
The Southwestern Athletic Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference represent far more than football.
Their member institutions educated Black Americans when many colleges refused to do so.
They produced civil rights leaders, judges, physicians, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, journalists, military officers and entertainers whose influence extends far beyond campus.
Every Saturday becomes a celebration of Black excellence.
The football is fast.
The rivalries are fierce.
The bands are world-famous.
The atmosphere is electric.
It's college football wrapped in culture, history, family and pride.
Every Road Leads to Atlanta
Every championship chase eventually points to one city:
Atlanta.
Since 2015, the Celebration Bowl has matched the champions of the SWAC and MEAC in what many proudly consider the Black college football national championship.
For one weekend each December, Atlanta becomes the heartbeat of Black college football.
Alumni reunite.
Families gather.
Members of the Divine Nine proudly represent their organizations.
Marching bands deliver performances worthy of prime time.
NFL scouts search for overlooked talent.
And two conference champions compete for a place in HBCU football history.
For HBCU football, Atlanta carries the same significance that Omaha holds for college baseball.
It is where champions are remembered.
Why New York Should Be Watching
Black New Yorkers have always influenced music, fashion, politics, business and media.
There's no reason they can't become some of the strongest supporters of HBCU football as well.
You don't need an HBCU diploma to appreciate the culture.
You simply need to appreciate what these schools represent.
Watch a game.
Support an alumni chapter.
Attend the HBCU NY Classic.
Wear your favorite school's colors.
Learn the traditions.
Tell the stories.
Because when HBCUs thrive, the entire community benefits.
Now, Let's Talk Football
History matters.
So does this season.
The SWAC once again enters the year as the deepest conference in Black college football.
There are no easy Saturdays.
Every rivalry carries decades of emotion.
Every road game feels like a championship.
Defending conference champion Prairie View A&M deserves respect after navigating one of the toughest schedules in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Jackson State remains one of the premier brands in HBCU athletics, while Southern, Grambling and Florida A&M all have the talent to disrupt the championship race.
Winning the SWAC is never accidental.
It's earned.
Why Alabama State Has My Vote
One team stands above the rest.
Alabama State.
The Hornets have assembled the balance every championship team needs: an experienced coaching staff, a disciplined defense and perhaps the conference's most important player at quarterback.
Andrew Body.
Body doesn't rely on flash.
He's efficient.
He's composed.
He protects the football.
He extends drives.
Most importantly, he wins.
Last season, he completed more than 70% of his passes while throwing 20 touchdowns and just one interception. Add his ability to create plays with his legs, and it's easy to understand why opposing defensive coordinators lose sleep preparing for him.
The best quarterbacks don't always make spectacular plays.
They consistently make the right play.
That's Andrew Body.
Don't Forget Jackson State
If anyone can challenge Alabama State, it's Jackson State.
The Tigers once again boast one of the nation's premier defenses.
Led by preseason Defensive Player of the Year Kam Sallis, Jackson State has the ability to dictate games through physicality and relentless pressure.
If the offense finds consistency early, the Tigers could be playing for another conference championship.
The MEAC Still Runs Through Orangeburg
In the MEAC, South Carolina State remains the standard.
The Bulldogs win with discipline, toughness and fundamentals.
They don't beat themselves.
They control the line of scrimmage.
They understand championship football.
North Carolina Central and a rising Delaware State program should make things interesting, but until someone proves otherwise, the Bulldogs remain the conference favorite.
Why the NFL Should Be Watching
Every NFL draft cycle, teams search for quarterbacks who process information quickly, protect the football and elevate the players around them.
Those qualities aren't exclusive to the Power Four conferences.
HBCUs have produced Hall of Famers, Pro Bowl players and franchise-changing talent for generations.
Andrew Body could become the next name added to that distinguished list.
Scouts should already be paying attention.
If they aren't now, they almost certainly will be by December.
KP's Fearless Forecast
SWAC Champion: Alabama State
MEAC Champion: South Carolina State
Celebration Bowl Champion: Alabama State
Black College Football National Champion: Alabama State
When the confetti falls inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, don't be surprised if one question echoes throughout the college football world:
"Where did Andrew Body come from?"
The answer is simple.
He's been here all along.
The rest of America simply wasn't paying attention.
Maybe this is the year they finally do.
And maybe, just maybe, New York will be watching, too.
