The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference spotlight returns to a national stage this Friday as South Carolina State and North Carolina Central meet in a pivotal late-season football matchup in Durham, N.C.
The contest, carrying major championship implications, will air live on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. ET from O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

South Carolina State, led by head coach Chennis Berry, enters the matchup at 7-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in conference play. The Bulldogs are coming off a strong 42-12 win over Howard and have compiled a 9-0 MEAC record dating back to the 2023 season, remaining unbeaten in league play under Berry's leadership. A win on Friday would put S.C. State in strong position to compete for its second straight conference championship in next week's finale against Delaware State.

Defensive back Jarod Washington turned in a standout performance in last week's victory, becoming the only FCS player this season to record six passes defended in a game, and doing so for the second time. Washington added two touchdowns, returning a 27-yard interception in the first quarter and taking a blocked field goal 56 yards for a score to close the first half. He also posted five pass breakups and four solo tackles, earning both the Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week and MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

North Carolina Central, under the direction of head coach Trei Oliver, enters Friday's contest on a two-game win streak after edging Norfolk State, 31-28, in their last outing. The Eagles mounted a resilient fourth-quarter push in that game, powered by senior quarterback Walker Harris and a balanced offensive attack. Harris surpassed 2,500 career passing yards in the win, earning MEAC Player of the Week honors. NCCU continues to feature one of the conference's most dynamic offenses heading into this nationally televised matchup. A victory on Friday will keep the Eagles' title hopes alive, setting up the potential for a first-place tie should S.C. State defeat Delaware State and NCCU defeats Morgan State in the regular-season finale.

Friday's showdown marks the fourth and final nationally televised MEAC football matchup on ESPN platforms this season. Previous broadcasts included Norfolk State's season opener against Towson, Delaware State's victory over Norfolk State, and last week's Delaware State vs. Morgan State game in Baltimore.

MEAC fans who watch games through YouTube TV may be impacted by the ongoing service outage. Fans can explore viewing alternatives by visiting KeepMyNetworks.com.