what is swac football

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It was formed in 1920 when athletic officials from six Texas HBCUs met up in Houston, TX, to discuss common goals and interests. The SWAC is considered the premier HBCU conference and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni affiliated with professional sports teams, particularly in football. In football, the conference participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly referred to as Division I-AA. The SWAC is one of three FCS conferences – the others being the Ivy League and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – whose conference champion does not participate in the FCS playoffs, opting instead to play in the Celebration Bowl against the champion of the MEAC. The SWAC offers championship competition for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, and tennis. Womens competition is offered in the sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, tennis.