A history of every HBCU football classic

Every year HBCU football teams around the country play in games known as “classics”, showcasing the sport at select venues and even highlighting historic rivalries. Here’s a look at the history of some of HBCU football’s premier classic games.

All stats and records are updated through the 2022 college football season

Celebration Bowl

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 2015
Most recent result: 2022 — North Carolina Central def. Jackson State 41-34 in OT

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
North Carolina A&T 4-0 1.00
South Carolina State 1-0 1.00
North Carolina Central 1-1 .500
Grambling State 1-1 .500
Jackson State 0-2 0.00
Alcorn State 0-3 0.00

Notable games

MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 2005
Most recent result: 2022 — Alabama State def. Howard 23-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Bethune-Cookman, Southern 3-0 1.00
South Carolina State 3-1 .750
North Carolina A&T 1-0 1.00
Florida A&M, Hampton,
North Carolina Central, Prairie View A&M
1-1 .500
Alabama State 1-2 .333
Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff,
Delaware State, Howard, Mississippi Valley State
0-1 0.00
Grambling State, Jackson State 0-2 0.00

Notable games

Bayou Classic

Location: New Orleans, LA
Teams: Southern vs. Grambling State
First game: 1974
Most recent result: 2022 — Southern def. Grambling State 34-17

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 25-24 .510
Grambling State 24-25 .490

Notable games

Florida Classic

Location: Orlando, FL
Teams: Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M
First game: 1978
Most recent result: 2022 — Florida A&M def. Bethune-Cookman 41-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Florida A&M 24-19 .558
Bethune-Cookman 19-24 .442

Notable games

Orange Blossom Classic

Location: Miami, FL
Team: Florida A&M
First game: 1933
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Florida A&M 59-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record   Win PCT
Florida A&M 26-22-1   .548
Prairie View A&M 4-1   .800
Jackson State 3-1   .750
Morgan State 2-0   1.00
Grambling State 2-3   .400
Alcorn State, Jacksonville State, Lincoln (PA)
North Carolina A&T, Virginia Union
1-0   1.00
Wiley 1-1   .500
Central State (OH) 1-1-1   .500
Hampton, Kentucky State, Virginia State 1-2   .333
Alabama A&M, Delaware State, Langston,
North Carolina Central, South Carolina State,
Tennessee State, Texas College, Tuskegee
0-1   0.00
Howard, Maryland-Eastern Shore 0-2   0.00

Notable games

Labor Day Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Team: Alabama State
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2022 — Alabama State def Miles 21-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama State 4-1 .800
Tuskegee 1-0 1.00
Miles 0-4 0.00

Labor Day Classic

Teams: Prairie View A&M vs. Texas Southern
First game: 1985
Most recent result: 2022 — Prairie View A&M def. Texas Southern 40-23

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Texas Southern 20-17 .541
Prairie View A&M 17-19 .472
Hampton 0-1 0.00

Aggie-Eagle Classic

Teams: North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T 
First game:
1922
Most recent result: 2022 — North Carolina Central def. North Carolina A&T 28-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
North Carolina A&T 55–35–5 .605
North Carolina Central 35-55-5 .395

Pete Richardson Classic

Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Team: Southern
First game: 2018
Most recent result: 2022 — Southern def. Florida Memorial 86-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 4-0 1.00
Florida Memorial 0-1 0.00
Miles 0-1 0.00
Edward Waters 0-1 0.00
Langston 0-1 0.00

Southern Heritage Classic

Location: Memphis, TN
Team: Tennessee State
First game: 1990
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Tennessee State 16-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tennessee State 17-14 .548
Jackson State 12-17 .414
Mississippi Valley State 1-0 1.00
Grambling State 1-0 1.00

Jake Gaither Classic

Location: Tallahassee, FL
Team: Florida A&M
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2022 — Florida A&M def. Albany State 23-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Florida A&M 4-0 1.00
Albany State 0-1 0.00
Texas Southern 0-1 0.00
Fort Valley State 0-2 0.00

Battle of the Bay

Teams: Norfolk State vs. Hampton
First game: 1963
Most recent result: 2022 — Hampton def. Norfolk State 17-7

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Norfolk State 27-27-1 .500
Hampton 27-27-1 .500

HBCU New York Football Classic

Location: East Rutherford, NJ
First game: 2022
Most recent result: 2022 — Howard def. Morehouse 31-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Howard 1-0 1.00
Morehouse 0-1 0.00

Turkey Day Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Team: Alabama State
First game: 1924
Most recent result: 2022 — Arkansas-Pine Bluff def. Alabama State 19-14

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 49-34-3 .587
Alabama State 43-52-3 .454
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Prairie View A&M 1-0 1.00
Mississippi Valley State 1-1 .500
Edward Waters, Fayetteville State 0-1 0.00
Johnson C. Smith, Miles, Stillman 0-2 0.00

Louis Crews Classic

Location: Huntsville, AL
Team: Alabama A&M
First game: 2010
Most recent result: 2022 — Austin Peay def. Alabama A&M 28-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M 8-4 .667
Tuskegee 1-4 .200
Austin Peay, Prairie View A&M 1-0 1.00
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-1 .500
Central State, Miles,
South Carolina State, Texas Southern
0-1 0.00
Grambling State 0-2 0.00

Arlington Football Showdown

Location: Arlington, TX
Teams: Southern vs. Texas Southern
First game: 2021
Most recent result: 2022 — Texas Southern def. Southern 24-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Texas Southern 2-0 1.00
Southern 0-2 0.00

John Merritt Classic

Location: Nashville, TN
Team: Tennessee State
First game: 1999
Most recent result: 2022 — Lane def. Tennessee State 28-27 in OT

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tennessee State 2-0 1.00
Alabama A&M 4-2 .667
Eastern Illinois, Lane 1-0 1.00
Bethune-Cookman 1-1 .500
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Edward Waters, Florida A&M,
Kentucky State, Mississippi Valley State,
Prairie View A&M, South Carolina State
0-1 0.00
Southern 0-2 0.00
Alabama State 0-4 0.00

State Fair Classic

Location: Dallas, TX
Teams: Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M
First game: 1925
Most recent result: 2022 — Prairie View A&M def. Grambling State 34-14

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Prairie View A&M 43-45-4 .489
Grambling State 27-11 .711
Wiley 8-22-5 .300
Bishop 9-8 .529
Langston 2-0-2 .750
Tennessee State 2-0 1.00
North Carolina A&T 1-0 1.00
Elizabeth City State 0-1 0.00
Texas Southern 0-3 0.00

Truth & Service Classic

Location: Washington, D.C.
Team: Howard
First game: 2021
Most recent result: 2022 — Harvard def. Howard 41-25

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Hampton 1-0 1.00
Harvard 1-0 1.00
Howard 0-2 0.00

BoomBox Classic

Teams: Southern vs. Jackson State
First game: 1929
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Southern 35-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 35-32 .522
Jackson State 32-35 .478

Magic City Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M
First game: 1940
Most recent result: 2022 — Alabama State def. Alabama A&M 24-17

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M 41-35-4 .538
Alabama State 35-41-4 .463

Soul Bowl — Capital City Classic

Teams: Jackson State vs. Alcorn State
First game: 1927
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Alcorn State 24-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Jackson State 48-37-2 .565
Alcorn State 37-48-2 .435

W.C. Gorden Classic

Team: Jackson State
First game: 2008
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Grambling State 66-24

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Jackson State 9-6 .600
Grambling State 3-1 .750
Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Southern 1-0 1.00
Alabama State, Concordia, Edward Waters,
Florida A&M, Stillman, Texas Southern
0-1 0.00
Delta State 0-2 0.00

Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic

Location: Canton, OH
First game: 2019
Most recent result: 2022 — Central State def. Winston-Salem State 41-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M, Central State, Grambling State 1-0 1.00
Morehouse, Tennessee State, Winston-Salem State 0-1 0.00

Red Tails Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Teams: Fort Valley State vs. Tuskegee
First game: 2021
Most recent result: 2022 — Fort Valley State def. Tuskegee 21-6

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Fort Valley State 2-0 1.00
Tuskegee 0-2 0.00

Fountain City Classic

Location: Columbus, GA
Teams: Fort Valley State vs. Albany State
First game: 1989
Most recent result: 2022 — Fort Valley State def. Albany State 31-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Albany State 24-9 .727
Fort Valley State 9-24 .273

Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Morehouse vs. Tuskegee
First game: 1902
Most recent result: 2022 — Tuskegee def. Morehouse 31014

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 73-30-7 .696
Morehouse 30-73-7 .304

Down East Viking Football Classic

Location: Rocky Mount, NC
Team: Elizabeth City State
First game: 1998
Most recent result: 2022 — Livingstone def. Elizabeth City State 19-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Elizabeth City State 9-13 .409
Fayetteville State 7-2 .777
Benedict, Shaw, Winston-Salem State 1-0 1.00
Livingstone, North Carolina Central 1-1 .500
Saint Augustine’s 1-2 .333
Chowan, Morehouse 0-1 0.00

Eddie C. McGirt Classic

Location: Charlotte, NC
Team: Johnson C. Smith
First game: 2013
Most recent result: 2022 — Lincoln (PA) def. Johnson C. Smith 29-28

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith 3-2 .600
Lincoln (PA) 1-0 1.00
Bowie State 1-1 .500
Elizabeth City State, Kentucky State 0-1 .000

Gulf Coast Challenge

Location: Mobile, AL
Team: Alabama A&M
First game: 2018
Most recent result: 2022 — Jackson State def. Alabama A&M 

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M 2-2 .500
Jackson State, Southern 1-0 1.00
Central State, Tuskegee 0-1 0.00

Circle City Classic

Location: Indianapolis, IN
First game: 1984
Most recent result: 2021 — Kentucky State def. Benedict 34-28

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Kentucky State 6-1 .857
Central State 4-4 .500
Alcorn State 3-0 1.00
Mississippi Valley State 2-0 1.00
Florida A&M 2-2-1 .500
Alabama A&M, North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State 2-2 .500
Tennessee State 2-5 .400
Albany State, , North Carolina Central, Winston-Salem State 1-0 1.00
Tuskegee 1-1 .500
Grambling State 1-2 .333
Howard 1-3 .250
Jackson State 1-3-1 .300
Alabama State, Benedict 0-1 0.00
Bethune-Cookman, Hampton, Southern 0-2 0.00

Commemorative Classic

Teams: Livingstone vs. Johnson C. Smith
First game: 1892
Most recent result: 2022 — Livingston def. Johnson C. Smith 26-20 in OT

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith 48-33-3 .589
Livingstone 33-48-3 .411

Raleigh Classic

Teams: Saint Augustine’s vs. Shaw
First game: 2016
Most recent result: 2022 — Shaw def. Saint Augustine’s 30-27 in 2OT

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Shaw 4-2 .667
Saint Augustine’s 2-4 .333

Heritage Bowl

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 1991
Most recent result: 1999 — Hampton def. Southern 24-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 4-2 .667
Grambling State 1-1 .500
South Carolina State 1-2 .333
Alabama State, Hampton, Howard 1-0 1.00
Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T 0-1 0.00
Florida A&M 0-2 0.00

Pelican Bowl

Location: New Orleans, LA
First game: 1972
Most recent result: 1975 — Southern def. South Carolina State 15-12

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Grambling State 2-0 1.00
Southern 1-0 1.00
North Carolina Central 0-1 0.00
South Carolina State 0-2 0.00

Two Rivers Classic

Teams: Fayetteville State vs. UNC-Pembroke
First game: 2009
Most recent result: 2022 — Fayetteville State def. UNC-Pembroke 15-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
UNC-Pembroke 8-1 .888
Fayetteville State 1-8 .111

Willard Bailey Classic

Location: Richmond, VA
Team: Virginia Union
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2022 — Virginia Union def. Virginia University of Lynchburg 77-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Virginia Union 3-2 .600
Carson-Newman, Winston-Salem State 1-0 1.000
Johnson C. Smith 0-1 0.00
Virginia University of Lynchburg 0-2 0.00

L. Douglas Wilder Classic

Teams: Virginia Union vs. Virginia State
First game: 2022
Most recent result: 2022 — Virginia Union def. Virginia State 33-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Virginia Union 1-0 1.00
Virginia State 0-1 0.00

Palmetto Capital City Classic

Team: Benedict
First game: 2002
Most recent result: 2018 — Benedict def. Fort Valley State 28-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Benedict 8-9 .471
South Carolina State 5-0 1.00
Virginia State, Virginia Union 1-0 1.00
Morehouse 1-1 .500
Livingstone 1-3 .250
Fort Valley State, Johnson C. Smith, Savannah State, West Virginia State 0-1 0.00

Carolinas Classic

Team: Benedict
First game: 2019
Most recent result: 2022 — Benedict def. Elizabeth City State 58-14

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Benedic 2-1 .667
Johnson C. Smith 1-0 1.00
Allen (SC), Elizabeth City State 0-1 0.00

Chicago Football Classic

Location: Chicago, IL
First game: 1997
Most recent result: 2019 — Hampton def. Howard 41-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Morehouse 3-0 1.00
Grambling State, Hampton, Jackson State, 2-0 1.00
Alcorn State, Southern 2-1 .667
Mississippi Valley State 2-4 .333
Albany State, , Morgan State, Texas Southern, West Virginia State 1-0 1.00
Alabama A&M, Clark Atlanta 1-1 .500
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-2 .333
Alabama State, Kentucky State, Miles, Virginia State 0-1 0.00
Central State, Howard 0-4 0.00

5th Quarter Classic

Location: Mobile, AL
First game: 2016
Most recent result: 2017 — Tuskegee def. Jackson State 33-7

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 2-0 1.00
Florida A&M, Jackson State 0-1 0.00

White Water Classic

Location: Phenix City, AL
First game: 2014
Most recent result: 2019 — Tuskegee def. Lane 29-10

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 4-1 .800
Albany State 1-4 .200
Lane 0-1 0.00

AT&T Nation’s Football Classic

Location: Washington, D.C
First game: 2014
Most recent result: 2015 — Hampton def. Howard 37-19

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Howard 4-1 .800
Hampton 1-0 1.00
Morehouse 0-1 0.00

Brick City Classic

Location: Harrison, NJ
First game: 2023 — Grambling State vs. Hampton
Most recent result:
TBD

Port City Classic

Location: Mobile, AL
First game: 2023 — Grambling State vs. Alabama State
Most recent result:
TBD

Coastal City Classic

Location: Brunswick, GA
First game: 2023 — Savannah State vs. Albany State
Most recent result:
TBD

Other notable classics

Here are some other notable classics from throughout HBCU football history that no longer exist:

  • New York Urban League Classic (1968-2012)
  • Gateway Classic (1994-2010)
  • Textile Football Classic
  • Detroit Football Classic

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