HBCU Classics Football Schedule 2016

Last Updated on October 25, 2016

Southern University fans at the 2015 Bayou Classic Game show their school spirit for the camera in the stands. This annual event is one of the most attended HBCU Classics.
Image from the 2015 Bayou Classic game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA.
Black College football season kicks off in September and during this time fans look forward to the HBCU Classics. What are HBCU Classics? Unlike bowl games, these annual football matchups are often played at neutral sites during the regular season. They are more than a game; they are weekend extravaganza accompanied by the battle of the bands, concerts, parades, and parties. Visit our Top 5 HBCU Football Classics ranked by attendance get an idea of more popular games.

HBCU Classic History

The Classics date back as early as 1924 with the Turkey Day Classic between Tuskegee and Alabama State. This year the Magic City Classic that began in 1940 will celebrate its 75th anniversary. One of the newest classics began in 2011 in Washington, DC as Nation's Football Classic. Initially, the annual matchup pitted Howard and Morehouse; since 2015 the event featured Howard and Hampton Universities.

Labor Day Weekend Games

The first in a series of HBCU Classic will start on Labor Day weekend. Some of these games include the Palmetto Capital City Classic in South Carolina, the John Merrit Classic in Tennessee, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge wich moved from Orlando to Daytona Beach Florida this year. Of course, we have to mention the Labor Day Classic and its classic in-state rivalry between Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M.

HBCU National Championship


Popularly nicknamed the “HBCU National Championship,” The Celebration Bowl enjoyed a successful debut in 2015. Owned and operated by ESPN, the event will return in 2016 and receive nationally televised coverage on the ABC network for the second year in a row. The game is the successor to the Atlanta Football Classic and takes place at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This exciting postseason match-up features the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.

Here is the 2016 HBCU Classics Football Schedule:


Palmetto Capital City Classic

Columbia, SC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Livingstone College vs. Benedict College Sept 3 4 PM

John Merritt Classic

Nashville, TN

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Arkansas–Pine Bluff vs. Tennessee State Sept 3 6 PM

MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Daytona Beach, FL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Alcorn State vs. Bethune-Cookman Sept 4 12 PM

Labor Day Classic

Prairie View, TX

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Prairie View vs. Texas Southern Sept 4 5 PM

West End Classic

Salisbury, NC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Edward Waters vs. Livingstone College Sept 10 3 PM

Chicago Football Classic

Chicago, IL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Clark Atlanta vs. Central State Sept 10 3:30 PM

Southern Heritage Classic

Memphis, TN

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Tennessee State vs. Jackson State Sept 10 6 PM

Two Rivers Classic

Pembroke, NC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Fayetteville State vs. UNC Pembroke Sept 10 7 PM

Nations Football Classic

Washington, DC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Hampton vs. Howard Sept 17 3:30 PM

Down East Viking Football Classic

Rocky Mount, NC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Morehouse vs. Elizabeth City State Sept 17 4 PM

W.C. Gorden Classic

Jackson, MS

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Grambling State vs. Jackson State Sept 17 6 PM

5th Quarter Classic

Mobile, AL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Florida A&M vs. Tuskegee Sept 17 7 PM

Circle City Classic

Indianapolis, IN

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Kentucky State vs. Central State Sept 24 3 PM

Eddie McGirt Classic

Charlotte, NC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Elizabeth City State vs. Johnson C. Smith Sept 24 4 PM

State Fair Classic

Dallas, TX

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling State Oct 1 3 PM

Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic

Columbus, GA

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Tuskegee vs. Morehouse Oct 8 2 PM

Boom Box Classic

Jackson, MS

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Jackson State vs. Southern University Oct 15 6 PM

Magic City Classic

Birmingham, AL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State Oct 29 TBA

Commemorative Classic

Charlotte, NC

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Livingstone vs. Johnson C. Smith Nov 5 1 PM

Fountain City Classic

Columbus, GA

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Albany State vs. Ft. Valley State Nov 5 2 PM

Battle of the Bay

Hampton, VA

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Hampton vs. Norfolk State Nov 19 1 PM

Florida Classic

Orlando, FL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M Nov 19 2:30 PM

Turkey Day Classic

Montgomery, AL

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Alabama State vs. Miles College Nov 21 3 PM

Bayou Classic

New Orleans, LA

MATCHUP DATE TIME
Southern vs. Grambling State Nov 26 4 PM

Celebration Bowl

Atlanta, GA

MATCHUP DATE TIME
MEAC Conf. Champion vs. SWAC Conf. Champion Dec 17 TBA


That completes our 2016 HBCU Classics football schedule. If you have an HBCU Classic you would like to see added to this list or have feedback, message us on our contact form.

We hope to see you this fall at one these HBCU events.

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