N.C. Central, Prairie View to meet in MEAC-SWAC Challenge

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:18 p.m. ET

(STATS) - The 2018 MEAC-SWAC Challenge will be a matchup of "firsts" when North Carolina Central and Prairie View A&M square off Sept. 2 at Georgia State Stadium in Atlanta.

The HBCU programs will be playing each other for the first time. MEAC member North Carolina Central will appear in the season-opening Challenge for the first time and SWAC member Prairie View will be seeking its first win in the 14-year-old series. Both programs also will have first-year coaches, N.C. Central's Granville Eastman on an interim basis and Prairie View's Eric Dooley.

A news conference is planned for later this winter.

N.C. Central finished 7-4 last season, while Prairie View was 6-5.

MEAC teams hold a 9-3 lead in the Challenge with the 2016 game declared a no-contest because it was ended early by lightning. Prairie View's lone appearance was a 27-10 loss to Florida A&M in 2013.

The game was played at campus sites the last two years, but it's been shifted back to a neutral city. Georgia State Stadium was formerly known as Turner Field.