ATLANTA — The Norfolk State and Florida A&M football teams won't be the only ones competing on Saturday at Central Parc Stadium in Atlanta.
As the Spartans and Rattlers head to their locker rooms for halftime, the school's marching bands will take the field. The Spartan Legion representing Norfolk State, and the Marching 100 for FAMU will both bring their A-game to the break in the game.
These two programs are especially competitive, with only one spot separating them in last season's ESPN HBCU band rankings: NSU at number 4 and FAMU at number 5. They are familiar, having competed over the years as two of the best bands in the country.
"We played with them two years ago for national Battle of the Bands, but we haven't really had a matchup at a football game where the bands were both involved since 2003. This is going to be wonderful just to have that matchup, band to band, mano a mano," said Spartan Legion Assistant Band Director Stephanie Saunders.
The showdown between bands goes to a new level based on the circumstances: primetime on ABC during College Football's opening weekend.
Spartan Legion Director William Beathea's groups have played on TV in the past, they've even played the Rose Bowl Parade, but there's still added significance to tonight's performance.
"I will say this is a first for us. Being on Primetime on Opening Day is awesome. People are going to be watching football all day, flipping channels checking out the games, and I know when they see FAMU-NSU they're going to try and catch halftime. So being on Opening Day is what's exciting for me," said Beathea. "It's gonna be a competition on that field, on that gridiron, and definitely on in the stands."
When it comes to this MEAC/SWAC Challenge, halftime is game time!