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Stan Becton | krikya18.com | December 14, 2025

A history of every HBCU football classic

The moments after SC State won the 2025 Celebration Bowl

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 2025 college football season

Celebration Bowl

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 2015
Most recent result: 2025 — South Carolina State def.Prairie View A&M 40-38 (4 OT)

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
North Carolina A&T 4-0 1.00
Florida A&M 1-0 1.00
South Carolina State 2-1 .667
North Carolina Central 1-1 .500
Grambling State 1-1 .500
Jackson State 1-2 .333
Howard 0-1 0.00
Prairie View A&M 0-1 0.00
Alcorn State 0-3 0.00

Notable games

MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Location: Atlanta, GA
First game: 2005
Most recent result: 2025 — North Carolina Central def. Southern 31-14

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Bethune-Cookman 3-0 1.00
Southern 3-1 .750
South Carolina State 3-2 .600
Florida A&M, North Carolina Central 2-1 .667
North Carolina A&T 1-0 1.00
Hampton, 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,
Norfolk 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: 2024 — Southern def. Grambling State 28-27

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 28-24 .538
Grambling State 24-28 .462

Notable games

Florida Classic

Location: Orlando, FL
Teams: Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M
First game: 1978
Most recent result: 2024 — Bethune-Cookman def. Florida A&M 38-34

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Florida A&M 26-20 .565
Bethune-Cookman 20-26 .434

Notable games

Orange Blossom Classic

Location: Miami, FL
Team: Florida A&M
First game: 1933
Most recent result: 2025 — Howard def. Florida A&M 10-9

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record   Win PCT
Florida A&M 27-23-1   .539
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
North Carolina Central, Wiley, Howard 1-1   .500
Central State (OH) 1-1-1   .500
Hampton, Kentucky State, Virginia State 1-2   .333
Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Delaware State,
Langston, South Carolina State,
Tennessee State, Texas College, Tuskegee		 0-1   0.00
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: 2025 — Prairie View A&M def. Texas Southern 22-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Texas Southern 21-19 .525
Prairie View A&M 19-20 .487
Hampton 0-1 0.00

Aggie-Eagle Classic

Teams: North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T 
First game: 1922
Most recent result: 2025 — North Carolina Central def. North Carolina A&T 62-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
North Carolina A&T 55–38–5 .588
North Carolina Central 38-55-5 .413

Pete Richardson Classic

Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Team: Southern
First game: 2018
Most recent result: 2025 — Alabama State def. Southern 30-7

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 5-2 .714
Jackson State, Alabama 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
Savannah State 0-1 0.00

Southern Heritage Classic

Location: Memphis, TN
Team: Tennessee State
First game: 1990
Most recent result: 2025 — Arkansas-Pine Bluff def. Alcorn State 24-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tennessee State 19-14 .576
Jackson State 12-17 .414
Mississippi Valley State 1-0 1.00
Grambling State 1-0 1.00
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-1 .500
Alcorn State 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: 2025 — Hampton def. Norfolk State 41-34

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Norfolk State 28-29-1 .509
Hampton 29-28-1 .491

HBCU New York Football Classic

Location: East Rutherford, NJ
First game: 2022
Most recent result: 2025 — Howard def. Morehouse 38-10

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Howard 3-0 1.00
Albany State 1-0 1.00
Morehouse 0-4 0.00

Turkey Day Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Team: Alabama State
First game: 1924
Most recent result: 2025 — Alabama State def. Tuskegee 58-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 49-37-3 .567
Alabama State 46-52-3 .470
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: 2025 — Alabama A&M def. Alcorn State 41-31

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M 11-4 .733
Tuskegee 1-4 .200
Austin Peay, Prairie View A&M 1-0 1.00
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-1 .500
Alcorn State, Central State, Kentucky 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: 2025 — Tennessee State def. North Carolina A&T 24-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tennessee State 6-1 .857
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, North Carolina A&T
Prairie View A&M, South Carolina State		 0-1 0.00
Mississippi Valley State, 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: 2025 — Prairie View A&M def. Grambling State 38-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Prairie View A&M 45-46-4 .495
Grambling State 28-13 .683
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: 2025 — Howard def. Hampton 34-7

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Hampton 3-1 .750
Harvard 1-0 1.00
Howard 1-4 .250

BoomBox Classic

Teams: Southern vs. Jackson State
First game: 1929
Most recent result: 2025 — Jackson State def. Southern 38-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Southern 35-36 .593
Jackson State 36-35 .507

Magic City Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M
First game: 1940
Most recent result: 2025 — Alabama State def. Alabama A&M 56-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama A&M 41-38-4 .518
Alabama State 38-41-4 .482

Soul Bowl — Capital City Classic

Teams: Jackson State vs. Alcorn State
First game: 1927
Most recent result: 2025 — Jackson State def. Alcorn State 27-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Jackson State 50-38-2 .567
Alcorn State 38-50-2 .433

W.C. Gorden Classic

Team: Jackson State
First game: 2008
Most recent result: 2025 — Jackson State def. Tuskegee 30-0

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Jackson State 11-6 .647
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, Tuskegee		 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: 2025 — Virginia Union 45, Miles 3

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

Red Tails Classic

Location: Montgomery, AL
Teams: Tuskegee
First game: 2021
Most recent result: 2025 — Tuskegee 20, Winston-Salem State 17

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith 1-0 1.00
Fort Valley State 2-1 .670
Tuskegee 2-3 .400
Winston-Salem State 0-1 0.00

Fountain City Classic

Location: Columbus, GA
Teams: Fort Valley State vs. Albany State
First game: 1989
Most recent result: 2025 — Albany State def. Fort Valley State 48-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Albany State 27-9 .750
Fort Valley State 9-27 .250

Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic

Location: Birmingham, AL
Teams: Morehouse vs. Tuskegee
First game: 1902
Most recent result: 2025 — Morehouse def. Tuskegee 27-20

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Tuskegee 75-31-7 .695
Morehouse 31-75-7 .305

Down East Viking Football Classic

Location: Rocky Mount, NC
Team: Elizabeth City State
First game: 1998
Most recent result: 2025 — Fayetteville State def. Elizabeth City State 51-8

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Elizabeth City State 10-15 .400
Fayetteville State 9-2 .750
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: 2025 — Johnson C. Smith def. Valdosta 28-16

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith 5-3 .625
Walsh (OH) 1-0 1.00
Bowie State, Lincoln (PA) 1-1 .500
Elizabeth City State, Kentucky State, Valdosta State 0-1 .000

Gulf Coast Challenge

Location: Mobile, AL
Team: Alabama A&M
First game: 2018
Most recent result: 2025 — Jackson State def. Alabama A&M 57-24

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Jackson State 4-0 1.00
Southern 1-0 1.00
Alabama A&M 2-5 .250
Central State, Tuskegee 0-1 0.00

Circle City Classic

Location: Indianapolis, IN
First game: 1984
Most recent result: 2025 — Morgan State def. Miles 24-17

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Kentucky State 6-1 .857
Central State 4-4 .500
Alcorn State, North Carolina Central 3-0 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, Morgan 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, Miles, Norfolk State 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: 2025 —  Johnson C. Smith def. Livingstone 26-21

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Johnson C. Smith 50-34-3 .592
Livingstone 34-50-3 .408

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: 2025 — UNC-Pembroke def. Fayetteville State 31-24

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
UNC-Pembroke 9-2 .818
Fayetteville State 2-9 .182

Willard Bailey Classic

Location: Richmond, VA
Team: Virginia Union
First game: 2017
Most recent result: 2025 — Virginia Union def. Johnson C. Smith 28-10

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Virginia Union 5-3 .625
Carson-Newman, Fayetteville State,
Winston-Salem State		 1-0 1.000
Shaw 0-1 0.00
Johnson C. Smith, Virginia University of Lynchburg 0-2 0.00

L. Douglas Wilder Classic

Teams: Virginia Union vs. Virginia State
First game: 2022
Most recent result: 2025 — Virginia Union def. Virginia State 14-3

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Virginia Union 3-0 1.00
Virginia State 0-3 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: 2025 — Benedict def. Allen 38-28

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Benedict 4-1 .800
Johnson C. Smith 1-0 1.00
Elizabeth City State, Shaw 0-1 0.00
Allen (SC) 0-2 0.00

Chicago Football Classic

Location: Chicago, IL
First game: 1997
Most recent result: 2024 — Morehouse def. Kentucky State 31-28

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Morehouse 4-0 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, Miles, Virginia State 0-1 0.00
Kentucky State 0-2 0.00
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
Most recent result: 2023 — Hampton def. Grambling State 35-31

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

Port City Classic

Location: Mobile, AL
First game: 2023
Most recent result: 2025 — Alabama State def. Mississippi Valley State 21-17

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Alabama State 3-0 1.00
Alcorn State, Grambling State, Mississippi Valley State 0-1 0.00

Coastal City Classic

Location: Brunswick, GA
First game: 2023
Most recent result: 2023 — Albany State def. Savannah State 15-12

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

Frederick Douglas Classic

Location: Rochester, NY
First game: 2024
Most recent result: 2025 — Central State def. Lane 42-13

All-time win-loss record by team
Team Record Win PCT
Albany State 1-0 1.00
Central State 1-1 .500
Lane 0-1 0.00

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
.

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.

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