NEW ORLEANS — There are HBCU football games that don’t receive the “Classic” treatment. Then there are “Classic” games. For example, there is the Florida Classic between Bethune Cookman and Florida A&M in the Citrus Bowl! Then you have the famous Turkey Day Classic between Alabama State and Tuskegee. There’s also the Southern Heritage Classic between Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Tennessee State. If you’re of a certain age, you remember when the Atlanta Classic featured FAMU and Tennessee State at the Georgia Dome. Yes, you went to Lenox Square mall to get your outfits and partied with your friends all weekend long.
But there is one classic football game that stands the test of time and sits on the highest mountain: The Bayou Classic between Grambling State and Southern University.
This game is held at the Caesars Superdome and it featured two teams in transition. Southern University fired their head coach, Eric Dooley and the split was a mutual decision. Assistant coach Terrence Graves stepped in the hot seat on an interim basis. Meanwhile, Hue Jackson, former Cleveland Browns HC became the head coach at Grambling in 2022 after serving as the offensive coordinator with Eddie George at Tennessee State.
This game, you can truly throw all the records out of the window when the Bayou Classic is brought up. Yes, this game brings together family, friends and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University to New Orleans. Thousands more travel to see one of America’s greatest college sports rivalries and celebrate football, family and the traditions surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
NBC Sports began broadcasting the Bayou Classic in 1991. In 2022, both schools agreed to a three-year deal to continue broadcasting the game and stream the festivities on Peacock.
“We’re excited to continue this 30-plus year partnership with the Bayou Classic,” said Gary Quinn, VP, Programming, NBC Sports, in a written statement. “We’re eager to amplify the great legacy of the Bayou Classic and the HBCU mission by showcasing this year’s game on NBC and Peacock, and we’re equally looking forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of this historic rivalry.”
As part of the extension, Southern and Grambling currently participate in professional development programming through NBCU Academy – a journalism training and development program designed to prepare college students and young professionals for careers in the news and media technology industry. Additionally, NBC Sports presented select journalism students from both Southern and Grambling the opportunity to cover the event for NBCSports.com.
As for the game, Southern beat Grambling 27-22 by mounting a defensive stand on the two yard line.
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