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The MEAC-SWAC Challenge featuring Florida A&M and Norfolk State is the network TV nightcap of Saturday's Week Zero action on ABC at 7:30 PM ET. Florida A&M has recently received some network TV spotlight with last year's Celebration Bowl victory. For Norfolk State, this ABC appearance is 45 years in the making. There will be no controversy behind the Spartans appearing on ABC this time. However, 45 years ago, this was not when the NCAA's broadcasting rules caused quite a fiasco.
The 1979 Norfolk State-Virginia Union game had much anticipation locally. Both teams came into the game undefeated, with Norfolk State boasting a 5-0-1 record and Virginia Union having an unblemished 6-0 mark. Both teams were in the top ten in the Division II poll. ABC decided to televise this game as part of its regional slate on October 20, 1979, to celebrate the occasion. The appearance was both schools' first appearance on ABC. Division II games on ABC are a rarity today, but before 1985, the NCAA negotiated its TV deal with the network across all divisions. ABC was obligated to air a handful of lower-division games each year. For Division II, the obligation was four games per season. There was just one issue on this particular Saturday.
ABC planned to have Notre Dame-USC as its national showcase game at 12:50 PM ET. Besides the storied history of the rivalry, this was a crucial game in the national championship race, with both schools in the top ten of the AP Poll. Initially, this was not an issue since ABC planned a regional slate of games in the late 4 PM ET time slot.
However, due to a scheduling conflict involving a soccer game at Richmond's City Stadium, which would be hosting the Norfolk State-Virginia Union game, the game could not be moved into the 4 PM ET slate of regional games. Consequently, two ABC stations, WVEC in Norfolk and WXEX in Richmond, had to air Norfolk State-Virginia Union instead of USC-Notre Dame.
To say college football fans in Virginia were not pleased would be an understatement. Both WVEC and WXEX had their phone lines flooded with complaints. In the end, the fans' complaints had justification. Virginia Union rolled to a 41-9 win on the way to a 10-1 regular season finish and a spot in the Division II playoffs. Luckily, the Notre Dame-USC game was not a classic, with USC winning 42-23 in South Bend.
In 2024, fans do not have to worry about the NCAA having to fill quotas for Division II or FCS games. Networks do not have to decide which games to split across regions. While Norfolk State's ABC appearance in 1979 was monumental, it does not compare to the scope their appearance in tomorrow's MEAC-SWAC Challenge will have for the country.
The increased visibility of HBCU football and technological advancements ensure everyone can access important Black College Football games. Additionally, several local stations will air weekly games via HBCU Go's syndication package. Most importantly, a national network TV audience can enjoy two of the biggest games in Black College Football: the MEAC-SWAC Challenge and the Celebration Bowl. The 1979 Norfolk State-Virginia Union game may have been controversial, but it was a step in HBCU Football's journey into the national consciousness.
