North Carolina Central’s football team will be a regular on nationally televised ESPN broadcasts this season.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) unveiled its TV schedule on Tuesday, and the Eagles will be showcased on either ESPN or ESPNU five times in 2024, with the chance to be on ESPNU at least once more. Most other games will be streamed on ESPN+, and if the Eagles make the Celebration in December, that contest will be shown nationally on ABC.
NCCU, coming off a 9-3 season and an appearance in the FCS playoffs, will kick off the 2024 campaign on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1. The Eagles will face Alabama State in the Orange Blossom Classic. That contest will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens (home of the NFL’s Dolphins).
The annual Aggie-Eagle rivalry showdown between Central and North Carolina A&T will be played under the lights at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium (7 p.m.) on Sept. 21. ESPNU will broadcast that contest.
The following Saturday, Sept. 28, North Carolina Central will travel to Indianapolis to play once again in the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the NFL’s Colts). Norfolk State awaits in a 3 p.m. game on ESPNU.
The MEAC moved two of Central’s conference games off of Saturdays. A conference showdown at South Carolina State will now be Thursday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Two weeks later, NCCU will host Howard on Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. in yet another ESPNU contest.
NC Central’s Oct. 26 game against Morgan State is slated for either ESPNU or ESPN+, depending on how the conference race is shaping up at that point. That is designated a “MEAC Wildcard Weekend,” with three key league games on deck.
In all, MEAC teams will make 45 appearances in televised or streamed games this season — seven on ESPNU, which has a national reach. ESPN+ is a paid service that costs $9.99/month.
—> READ MORE: MEAC release on 2024 football television schedule
North Carolina Central Updated Football Schedule
MEAC Televisions Schedule
(courtesy meacsports.com)
Saturday, Aug. 24
Florida A&M vs. Norfolk State, ABC, 7:30 p.m.
Delaware at Hawaii, CBS, TBD
Thursday, Aug. 29
Howard at Rutgers, Big Ten Network, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 31
Morgan State at Hampton, FloFootball, 6:00 p.m.
Norfolk State at East Carolina, ESPN+, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 1
NCCU vs. Alabama State, ESPN, 3:00 p.m.
September 7
Mercyhurst at Howard, ESPN+, TBD
South Carolina State at The Citadel, ESPN+, 12:00 p.m.
Virginia State at Norfolk State, ESPN+, 2:00 p.m.
Elon at North Carolina Central, ESPN+, 6:00 p.m.
September 14
Hampton at Norfolk State, ESPN+, 2:00 p.m.
Wagner at Delaware State, ESPN+, 3:00 p.m.
Morehouse Coll. vs Howard, CNBC, 3:00 p.m.
Morgan State at Ohio Univ., ESPN+, 3:30 p.m.
North Carolina Central at UNC Chapel Hill, ESPN+/ACC Network, 6:00 p.m.
South Carolina State at Georgia Southern, ESPN+, 6:00 p.m.
September 21
Hampton at Howard, ESPN+, TBD
Virginia Univ. of Lynchburg at Morgan State, ESPN+, TBD
Richmond at Delaware State, ESPN+, 6:00 p.m.
North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central, ESPNU, 7:00 p.m.
September 28
North Carolina Central at Norfolk State *, ESPNU, 3:00 p.m.
North Carolina A&T at South Carolina State, ESPN+, 6:00 p.m.
October 5
Saint Francis at Delaware State, ESPN+, 1:00 p.m.
Lincoln Univ. (Pa.) at Morgan State, ESPN+, 1:00 p.m.
October 12
Sacred Heart at Howard, ESPN+, TBD
Merrimack at Morgan State, ESPN+, TBD
Towson at Norfolk State, ESPN+, 2:00 p.m.
Virginia Univ. of Lynchburg at North Carolina Central, ESPN+, 2:00 p.m.
October 19
Tennessee State at Howard, ESPN+, TBD
Fort Valley at South Carolina State, ESPN+, 2:00 p.m.
October 26 (ESPNU wild-card matchup to be announced)
Delaware State at South Carolina State *, ESPN Platforms, 1:30 p.m.
Howard at Norfolk State *, ESPN Platforms, 2:00 p.m.
Morgan State at North Carolina Central *, ESPN Platforms, 3:00 p.m.
October 31
North Carolina Central at South Carolina State *, ESPNU, 7:00 p.m.
November 2
Delaware State at Howard *, ESPN+, TBD
Norfolk State at Morgan State *, ESPN+, TBD
November 9 (ESPNU wild-card matchup to be announced)
Morgan State at Delaware State *, ESPN Platforms, 1:00 p.m.
South Carolina State at Howard *, ESPN Platforms, 3:30 p.m.
November 15
Howard at North Carolina Central *, ESPNU, 8:00 p.m.
November 16 (ESPNU wild-card matchup to be announced)
Delaware State at Norfolk State *, ESPN Platforms, 2:00 p.m.
South Carolina State at Morgan State *, ESPN Platforms, TBD
November 23
Howard at Morgan State *, ESPN+, TBD
North Carolina Central at Delaware State *, ESPN+, 1:00 p.m.
Norfolk State at South Carolina State *, ESPN+, 1:30 p.m.
December 14
Celebration Bowl (MEAC Champion vs SWAC Champion), ABC, 12:00 p.m.
