Annual MEAC-SWAC Cricket Challenge Returns to Atlanta

College football season is just around the corner. “The smell of football is in the air,” said John Grant, Executive Director of the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge. To kick off the season, Atlanta will once again be the host city for the 7th consecutive year. This year’s game will feature Florida A&M University (FAMU) representing the SWAC, and for the first time ever, Norfolk State University (NSU) representing the MEAC. Norfolk State head football coach Dawson Odums said, “We’re coming to Atlanta to bring something you’ve never seen before…we’re looking forward to putting Norfolk State on a platform where we can showcase the greatness of our academic institution and our program.”

On Wednesday, July 17, a press conference was held to discuss this year’s game. Moderator Jay Walker, a Howard University Bison Hall of Famer and longtime ESPN college football analyst, introduced head coaches Odums and James Colzie III to the stage. Walker set the tone for the game by declaring, “The rivalry is real, let’s go!”

In his opening remarks, Colzie said: “To be back where we left off, to have the chance to start where we left off and obviously to have the chance to start again here, we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

FAMU and NSU are addressing some issues as they prepare for the upcoming season. FAMU is adjusting to new leadership, including a new head coach who has yet to decide on his coaching direction. Meanwhile, NSU is coming off a 3-8 season and is focused on making the necessary corrections to set a positive tone for upcoming games. NSU’s Odums reflected on the challenges of last season, noting, “To be a good football team, you have to go through certain things,” he said. “Losing is one of those things. I’m really looking forward to 2024 because this locker room is built on something great and I’m proud of where we are.”

As for FAMU, Colzie, the new head coach, emphasizes his approach for the upcoming season. “We can’t have any surprises. We’re going to play whoever we play week in and week out,” he said. “We know we have to play our best because we’re going to play their best.”

Both coaches stressed the importance of staying present throughout the season. Colzie noted, “We don’t want to rush into things too much; let’s take it day by day.” Odums, meanwhile, echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “1-0 every week… tomorrow’s got enough problems, so let’s just dominate today.”

Emphasizing the importance of the experience beyond football, Walker reflected on his playing days, noting, “There were six games on TV and we’re hoping to get one.” Noting the rarity of such opportunities, Odums added, “We sit here like we do this every day … these guys are playing football on Saturday night live on ABC.” He went on to emphasize the larger responsibility: “We’re not just representing Norfolk State and FAMU, but everyone who looks like us. We know it’s a huge responsibility. We’re extremely grateful for this opportunity to show not only how far we’ve come, but how far we still have to go.”

Discussing the importance of getting wins, Colzie said: “You can’t make it 2-0 if you don’t make it 1-0.”

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