HBCU Classics Football Schedule 2016

Last Updated on October 25, 2016

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.