A history of every HBCU football classic

May 19, 2024

46 10 minutes read

A history of every HBCU football classic — WC Gorden Classic Jackson State HBCU Football jpg

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 2023 college football season

Celebration Bowl

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 2015
Most recent result: 2023 — Florida A&M def. Howard 30-26

**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
Florida A&M	1-0	1.00
North Carolina Central	1-1	.500
Grambling State	1-1	.500
Howard	0-1	0.00
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: 2023 — Jackson State def. South Carolina State 37-7

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Bethune-Cookman, Southern	3-0	1.00
South Carolina State	3-2	.600
North Carolina A&T	1-0	1.00
Florida A&M, Hampton, North Carolina Central, Prairie View A&M	1-1	.500
Alabama State, Jackson State	1-2	.333
Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Delaware State, Howard, Mississippi Valley State	0-1	0.00
Grambling State	0-2	0.00

Notable games

Bayou Classic

Location: New Orleans, LA
Teams: Southern vs. Grambling State
First game: 1974
Most recent result: 2023 — Southern def. Grambling State 27-22

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Southern	26-24	.530
Grambling State	24-26	.480

Notable games

Florida Classic

Location: Orlando, FL
Teams: Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M
First game: 1978
Most recent result: 2023 — Florida A&M def. Bethune-Cookman 24-7

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Florida A&M	25-19	.568
Bethune-Cookman	19-25	.432

Notable games

Orange Blossom Classic

Location: Miami, FL
Team: Florida A&M
First game: 1933
Most recent result: 2023 — Florida A&M def. Jackson State 28-10

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Florida A&M	27-22-1	.550
Prairie View A&M	4-1	.800
Jackson State	3-2	.600
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

Florida Beach Bowl

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
First game: 2023
Most recent result: 2023 — Fort Valley State def. Johnson C. Smith 23-10

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Fort Valley State	1-0	1.00
Johnson C. Smith	0-1	0.00

Labor Day Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Team: Alabama State
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2023 — Alabama State def Southern 14-10

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Alabama State	5-1	.833
Tuskegee	1-0	1.00
Miles	0-4	0.00
Southern	0-1	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 37-34

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Texas Southern	20-18	.526
Prairie View A&M	18-19	.486
Hampton	0-1	0.00

Aggie-Eagle Classic

Teams: North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T
First game: 1922
Most recent result: 2023 — North Carolina Central def. North Carolina A&T 30-16

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
North Carolina A&T	55–36–5	.599
North Carolina Central	36-55-5	.401

Pete Richardson Classic

Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Team: Southern
First game: 2018
Most recent result: 2023 — Jackson State def. Southern 27-14

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Southern	4-1	.800
Jackson State	1-0	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: 2023 — Tennessee State def. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24-14

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Tennessee State	18-14	.563
Jackson State	12-17	.414
Mississippi Valley State	1-0	1.00
Grambling State	1-0	1.00
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	0-1	0.00

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: 2023 — Norfolk State def. Hampton 31-23

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Norfolk State	28-27-1	.509
Hampton	27-28-1	.491

HBCU New York Football Classic

Location: East Rutherford, NJ
First game: 2022
Most recent result: 2023 — Albany State def. Morehouse 24-14

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Howard, Albany State	1-0	1.00
Morehouse	0-2	0.00

Turkey Day Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Team: Alabama State
First game: 1924
Most recent result: 2023 — Alabama State def. Tuskegee 41-3

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Tuskegee	49-35-3	.581
Alabama State	44-52-3	.460
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: 2023 — Alabama A&M def. Lane 51-13

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Alabama A&M	9-4	.692
Tuskegee	1-4	.200
Austin Peay, Prairie View A&M	1-0	1.00
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	1-1	.500
Central State, Miles, Lane, 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: 2023 — Tennessee State def. Gardner-Webb 27-25

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Tennessee State	3-1	.750
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, Gardner-Webb, 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: 2023 — Grambling State def. Prairie View A&M 35-20

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Prairie View A&M	43-46-4	.484
Grambling State	28-11	.718
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: 2023 — Hampton def. Howard 35-34

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Hampton	2-0	1.00
Harvard	1-0	1.00
Howard	0-3	0.00

BoomBox Classic

Teams: Southern vs. Jackson State
First game: 1929
Most recent result: 2023 — Jackson State def. Southern 27-14

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Southern	35-33	.515
Jackson State	33-35	.485

Magic City Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M
First game: 1940
Most recent result: 2023 — Alabama State def. Alabama A&M 31-16

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Alabama A&M	41-36-4	.531
Alabama State	36-41-4	.469

Soul Bowl — Capital City Classic

Teams: Jackson State vs. Alcorn State
First game: 1927
Most recent result: 2023 — Alcorn State def. Jackson State 28-24

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Jackson State	48-38-2	557
Alcorn State	38-48-2	.443

W.C. Gorden Classic

Team: Jackson State
First game: 2008
Most recent result: 2023 — Jackson State def. Bethune-Cookman 22-16

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Jackson State	10-6	.625
Grambling State	3-1	.750
Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Southern	1-0	1.00
Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, 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: 2023 — Virginia Union def. Morehouse 45-13

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Alabama A&M, Central State, Grambling State, Virginia Union	1-0	1.00
Tennessee State, Winston-Salem State	0-1	0.00
Morehouse	0-2	0.00

Red Tails Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Teams: Fort Valley State vs. Tuskegee
First game: 2021
Most recent result: 2023 — Tuskegee def. Fort Valley State 37-31

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Fort Valley State	2-1	0.67
Tuskegee	1-2	0.33

Fountain City Classic

Location: Columbus, GA
Teams: Fort Valley State vs. Albany State
First game: 1989
Most recent result: 2023 — Albany State def. Fort Valley State 13-7

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Albany State	25-9	.735
Fort Valley State	9-25	.265

Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Morehouse vs. Tuskegee
First game: 1902
Most recent result: 2023 — Tuskegee def. Morehouse 40-28

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Tuskegee	74-30-7	.698
Morehouse	30-74-7	.302

Down East Viking Football Classic

Location: Rocky Mount, NC
Team: Elizabeth City State
First game: 1998
Most recent result: 2023 — Elizabeth City State def. St, Augustine’s 13-0

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Elizabeth City State	10-13	.435
Fayetteville State	7-2	.777
Benedict, Shaw, Winston-Salem State	1-0	1.00
Livingstone, North Carolina Central	1-1	.500
Saint Augustine’s	1-3	.250
Chowan, Morehouse	0-1	0.00

Eddie C. McGirt Classic

Location: Charlotte, NC
Team: Johnson C. Smith
First game: 2013
Most recent result: 2023 — Walsh (OH) def. Johnson C. Smith 14-9

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith	3-3	.500
Lincoln (PA), Walsh (OH)	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: 2023 — Jackson State def. Alabama A&M 45-30

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Jackson State	2-0	1.00
Alabama A&M	2-3	.400
Southern	1-0	1.00
Central State, Tuskegee	0-1	0.00

Circle City Classic

Location: Indianapolis, IN
First game: 1984
Most recent result: 2023 — North Carolina Central def. Mississippi Valley State 45-3

**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
North Carolina Central	2-0	1.00
Mississippi Valley State	2-1	.670
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, 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: 2023 — Johnson C. Smith def. Livingstone 38-17

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith	49-33-3	.594
Livingstone	33-49-3	.406

Raleigh Classic

Teams: Saint Augustine’s vs. Shaw
First game: 2016
Most recent result: 2023 — Shaw def. Saint Augustine’s 21-14

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Shaw	4-3	.571
Saint Augustine’s	3-4	.429

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: 2023 — UNC-Pembroke def. Fayetteville State 19-17

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
UNC-Pembroke	9-1	.900
Fayetteville State	1-9	.100

Willard Bailey Classic

Location: Richmond, VA
Team: Virginia Union
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2023 — Fayetteville State def. Virginia Union 10-7

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Virginia Union	3-3	.500
Carson-Newman, Fayetteville State, 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: 2023 — Virginia Union def. Virginia State 30-20

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Virginia Union	2-0	1.00
Virginia State	0-2	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: 2023 — Benedict def. Shaw 52-0

**All-time win-loss record by team**
Team	Record	Win PCT
Benedict	3-1	.750
Johnson C. Smith	1-0	1.00
Allen (SC), Elizabeth City State, Shaw	0-1	0.00

Chicago Football Classic

Location: Chicago, IL
First game: 1997
Most recent result: 2023 — Central State def. Mississippi Valley State 24-21

**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	2-5	.286
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
Central State	1-4	.200
Alabama State, Kentucky State, Miles, Virginia State	0-1	0.00
Howard	0-4	0.00