Special games pairing HBCUs have existed since at least 1915 when Wiley University played Homer College in a LouisianaState Fair-sponsored game[2] (most recently called the "Red River State Fair Classic") in Shreveport, Louisiana. The earliest known use of the term "classic" to informally describe a black college football game occurred in 1919 on Thanksgiving Day, for a game between Howard and Lincoln (PA).[3] The earliest documented use of "classic" as part of an annual black college football game's formal name dates to the Thanksgiving, 1921 "Colored Foot Ball Classic," played in Philadelphia between Howard and Lincoln (PA).[4]
Though Grambling State's Eddie Robinson did not invent classic games, he is widely regarded as having perfected them as revenue-generating social events, and a chapter of his autobiography details his efforts at doing so.[5] He was particularly proud of the success of the Bayou Classic, starting from its very first game with 76,000 patrons in attendance.[6] It also developed a national television audience on NBC.[7] As a result of Robinson's efforts, and its proximity to Grambling, Shreveport had established itself as the epicenter of black football classics, hosting at least five in the past (Red River State Fair Classic, Sugar Cup Classic,[8] Red River Classic,[9] Shreveport Football Classic,[10] and Port City Classic[11]). At present, however, Durham, North Carolina is a host to three annual classics and a fourth informal classic that is held there during even-numbered years; it also formerly used to host one called the Midway Classic[12] and another called the Labor Day Classic[13] (not to be confused with the existing classic of the same name based in Houston).
Game formats
Football classics come in three different kinds of formats. They can pair the same two rivals year after year, or they can feature a single host school with rotating opponents—most famously done during Florida A&M's association with the Orange Blossom Classic. Other classics, particularly those based in the northern and western U.S. where there are fewer HBCUs, simply invite two different schools every season.
Classics that do double as annual rivalry games sometimes consider the first game played under a classic-format as separate from the actual first game of the series, due to the pronounced differences in ambience surrounding the games. For example, Grambling and Southern first clashed in 1932 but today rarely acknowledge their games played prior to the formal creation of the Bayou Classic of New Orleans in 1974; indeed, the series even seems to have intensified since it has become more of a media spectacle—Southern initially won a solid 60% of the games in the series through 1973, but after it was reconfigured as a classic the following year, the series has been largely locked dead even (currently split at 24–24–0, through the 2021 season). One of the more noteworthy annual games that later converted into a classic was the Southern–Tennessee State series. Known as the Buck–Boar Classic starting with the 1958 contest, the losing school was required to hunt wild game that was to serve as the main course of the winning school's meal at their annual sports banquet—if SU lost, it was to hunt for deer in Louisiana's swamps and deliver the venison to TSU's banquet; if TSU lost, it was to hunt for wild boars in the Tennesseemountains and deliver the ham to SU's banquet.[14] A Louisiana-based Turkey Day Classic between Dillard and Xavier played for "the 'Bone of Contention'—literally, the hind-femur of a bull, mounted on a plaque" during the 1940s and 1950s.[15]
Among games that feature a permanent host with a rotating opponent, the Prairie View Bowl (first held in 1928) normally pitted Prairie View A&M against a school deemed to have had a worthy enough year to play in the season-ending game.[16] Florida A&M's similar Orange Blossom Classic began in 1933 as a black equivalent to the segregatedOrange Bowl (which was founded the year before as the Festival of Palms Bowl and was originally automatically hosted each season by the University of Miami). By the same token the Sugar Cup Classic—which was hosted yearly by Grambling, initially in New Orleans—offered an alternative to the segregated Sugar Bowl.
The third kind of classic—those featuring two different opponents each season—often occur outside of the southern U.S., where there are fewer HBCUs. These games have long appealed to those who were part of the Great Migration and were nostalgic to see teams from their home states.
The future of classic-style football games
As participants of the Great Migration have begun to age, it remains to be seen if their descendants (and others from completely different demographic groups) can sustain games that focus on teams from regions of the country that they are less familiar with. Indeed, several classics that were held in the North[17] and West[18] have ceased since 2000.
In addition, the schools themselves have also been forced to weigh the benefits of maintaining their historical ties with classics or to accept the changes of modern game scheduling. Improvements to all modes of transportation and the end of segregation have greatly increased the scheduling options of HBCUs. Also, HBCUs are increasingly scheduling "guarantee games"—roadtrips against National Collegiate Athletic AssociationDivision I Football Bowl Subdivision schools that can guarantee high payouts but are also very difficult to win[19] (all HBCUs compete in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision level or below in football). Because of the commitments of some universities—especially Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) schools—to season-finale classic games, they may forgo the opportunity to participate in the FCS playoffs. The Bayou Classic and Alabama-based Turkey Day Classic, for example, are closely associated with Thanksgiving weekend—which directly conflicts with the playoffs' opening round. Labor Day weekend, with its season-opening games, is now the biggest weekend for classics—including the John A. Merritt Classic, the Texas-based Labor Day Classic, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, and the Palmetto Capital City Classic.[20]
Recent black college football classics (those active since 2000)
Listed below are black college football classics played since 2000. Classics listed in boldface remained active through the 2017 or 2018 seasons. In the cases where classics have shared the same exact name—there have been multiple "Capital City," "Labor Day," "Port City,"[21] "River City," "State Fair," and "Turkey Day" classics completely unrelated to each other, for example—the state of origin is also listed to differentiate between them. In the cases where classics have informal names, only those not outright opposed by both schools—such as the "Murk City Classic"—are listed.
Annual game between North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central. The series, which began in 1924, rotated between Durham and Greensboro, North Carolina until 1992,[26] although for part of that time (starting in 1949) the series was played in a classic format and known as the Carolina Classic.[27] It was moved to Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina and returned to a classic-style format between 1994 and 2005. After its association with Raleigh was discontinued, the series ceased before later being revived as an on-campus event in 2007. It is still informally called the Aggie–Eagle Classic by fans but not officially by the participating schools.[25][28][29] In 2016, the game was televised on ESPN3.[30]
Annual classic between Morgan State and—unusually—a predominantly white institution, Towson. Because Towson plays in a major FCS conference, and Morgan State plays in the MEAC, a conference that does not participate in the NCAA Tournament, it is typically one sided.
Formerly an annual game between Cheyney and Lincoln (PA), held the first week of the season. The "first" referred to the schools being among the first HBCUs; Cheyney was the first four-year institution established for African Americans, and Lincoln was the third. It originally featured Cheyney as its only permanent team and was part of the Wade Wilson Classic series until 2008 before spinning off to include Lincoln the following year.[34] The event was canceled after the 2017 season with Cheyney disbanding its football program.[35]
Game between Hampton and Howard. The series was played in Washington, DC in a classic format until 2016 and known as the Nation's Football Classic[36] (see below). The event was canceled after the 2017 season with Hampton joining the Big South Conference.
Formerly an annual game that, since 2002, had featured Jackson State and Southern. It originally featured Southern and—unusually—an NCAA Division I-A school, Tulane. The event was canceled after the 2004 season.[38] JSU and SU now compete in the BoomBox Classic (see below).
Annual game between Jackson State and Southern. The series, which began in 1929,[41] was played in New Orleans in a classic format in 2002 and 2004 and known as the Big Easy Classic[38] (see above). After its permanent association with New Orleans was discontinued, the series began to rotate between Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi and Southern's A. W. Mumford Stadium in 2005.[41] It was later informally dubbed a name by fans that was never officially adopted by the participating schools; the fans derived its moniker from a combination of the names of the marching bands of the two schools—JSU's Sonic Boom of the South and SU's Human Jukebox.
Formerly an annual game between Alcorn State and Jackson State. The series, which began in 1927, rotated between Jackson and Lorman, Mississippi until 1992,[42] although for part of that time the series was played in a classic format and known as the Dixie Classic.[43] It was moved to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson in a classic-style format between 1993 and 2011. After its permanent association with Jackson was discontinued, the series began to rotate between there and Alcorn's Jack Spinks Stadium in 2012.[44] In a document published on the Alcorn website, President M. Christopher Brown II and interim athletic director Dwayne White informally dubbed the game the Soul Bowl,[45] apparently because the game would no longer be played annually in the capital city as the previously existing name suggested—and, also, because classics held in Columbia, South Carolina and Sacramento, California have been using similar names. However, the classic's new name was never officially adopted by JSU and has already been in use with other football-related events in the Deep South for some time now.[46][47] Likewise, it could prove difficult to revert to the old Dixie Classic name, since it has also been used by other events more recently.[48][49][50]
Annual game between Johnson C. Smith and Livingstone College. The series, which began in 1892, featured the first black college football game, and for part of that time (as early as 1927[52]) the series was played in a classic format and known as the Turkey Day Classic[53][54] (not to be confused with the existing classic of the same name—see below). It returned to a classic-style format in 1976 as the Bicentennial Football Classic and was recognized by PresidentGerald Ford.[55] It returned to a classic-style format in the 1990s as part of the Statesville Classic.[12]
Annual game featuring Johnson C. Smith in its home opener that, through 2002, was played in Memorial Stadium before being discontinued for nine years.[61]
Game between Clark Atlanta and Fort Valley State. The series was formerly played in a classic format starting in 1961 and known as the Textile Football Classic.[69]
Annual game between Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern. The series, which began in 1946, is played on Labor Day weekend and was played in a classic format in 1947 and between 1952–54 and 1956-57 as part of the Prairie View Bowl.[72]
Formerly an annual game that most recently had featured Hampton and Howard. The event was canceled after the 2016 season.[80] Hampton and Howard now compete in the Battle of the Real HU (see above).
Formerly an annual game, formerly known as the Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Football Classic, and held at MetLife Stadium. The event was canceled after the 2015 season.[17]
Formerly an annual game between Florida A&M and Florida International. The game was formerly known as the FAMU/FIU Orange Blossom Classic and was canceled after the 1978 season but was revived in the 1990s.[21][12] It originally featured Florida A&M against another HBCU school, but the recently revived version included—unusually—a predominantly white institution, FIU. The event was again canceled after the 2005 season but revived again in 2021.
Formerly an annual game that, since 2010, had featured Grambling State, and was held on Labor Day weekend. It originally featured Southern and was part of the revived Louisiana State Fair Classic series in 2001,[84] before spinning off to become an early September game of its own the following year.[11] The event was canceled after the 2012 season. This game is not to be confused with the old Port City Classic game between Elizabeth City State and Fayetteville State.[21]
The first PG Classic was played by Alcorn State and Howard. The second was played by Morgan State and North Carolina A&T. Subsequent games (2006, 2007, and 2008) featured Bowie State as the home team.
Annual game, formerly played in Shreveport, Louisiana, that features Grambling State and a SWAC opponent. The 1999 and 2002 games were part of the revived Louisiana State Fair Classic series. The event was cancelled after the 2003 season,[85] but the revived version began in 2017.[86]
Annual game that, since 2015, has featured Grambling State and a SWAC opponent, and is held during the State Fair of Louisiana. The game was formerly known as the Louisiana State Fair Game, the Louisiana State Fair Classic, the Port City Classic—State Fair Game, and, more recently, the Shreveport Classic and originally featured Southern. The event was canceled after the 2016 season due to Grambling's desire to play an additional game in Eddie Robinson Stadium after the completion of its multi-million dollar renovation.[86]
Annual game, formerly played in Las Vegas.[90] The game was replaced by the Las Vegas Classic in 2003 (see above),[74] so it was suspended and then moved to Carson, California in 2004.[91]
Biennial game between Alcorn State and Jackson State. The series, which began in 1927, rotated between Jackson and Lorman, Mississippi until 1992, although for part of that time the series was played in a classic format and known as the Dixie Classic. It was moved to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson in a classic-style format between 1993 and 2011. After its permanent association with Jackson was discontinued, the series began to rotate between there and Alcorn's Jack Spinks Stadium in 2012. However, the classic's new name was never officially adopted by JSU and odd-numbered year games in Jackson are not played under any moniker.
Annual game, formerly known as the Al Lipscomb State Fair Classic, that, since 1993, has been between Grambling State and Prairie View A&M and is held during the State Fair of Texas. The series, which began in 1946,[93] was also played in a classic format between 1959 and 1961 as part of the Louisiana State Fair Classic series.
Annual game between Southern and Texas Southern during the third weekend of the State Fair of Texas.[94] The series, which began in 1947,[95] was later informally dubbed the Murk City Classic by fans between 2011 and 2017[96] but was never officially adopted by the participating schools.
Formerly an annual game between Clark Atlanta and Fort Valley State. The series was also played in a classic format in 2013 and known as the Iris Classic (see above).[69]
Annual game between Alabama State and Tuskegee and held on Thanksgiving Day. This game is sometimes referred to as the first black college football classic with 1924 considered its inaugural year,[63] but it likely did not adopt the Turkey Day Classic name initially as it was not played on Thanksgiving Day until 1932. This game is not to be confused with the old Turkey Day Classic game between Johnson C. Smith and Livingstone College (see the Commemorative Classic above).
Formerly an annual game that was also formerly played in Philadelphia,[102] and featured Cheyney. It returned to a classic-style format in 2009 as part of the Battle of the Firsts—Wade Wilson Classic as an annual game between Cheyney and Lincoln (PA).[34]
