Two Rebuilds, One Primetime Stage: Howard, Alabama A&M Open 2026 in Atlanta
ATLANTA -- The 2026 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kick-Off puts two teams who are rebuilding. Still, in today's college football world, rebuilds are expected to be immediate rather than three- to four-year projects. When the annual tilt kicks off on ABC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET from Center Parc Stadium, we will expect neither to be a finished product but to be highly competitive and focused, just like their coaches.
Howard opens under a first-year head coach who once wore the uniform himself. Alabama A&M opens under a second-year head coach who finally got a full offseason to build a roster.
"I feel like our strength conditioning staff did a great job with our players getting them ready, not just physically but also mentally, instilling some mental toughness," Shade told reporters at the Alabama A&M press conference on Monday.
Neither program has won this contest. Howard is 0-1 in the Challenge, losing 23-13 to Alabama State in 2022. On the other side, Alabama A&M is also 0-1, beaten 47-13 by North Carolina A&T in 2014.
The MEAC is riding high again after North Carolina Central's 31-14 victory over...
Source: https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/meac-swac-challenge-aamu-howard-2026
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