In the early days of football, leather helmets were worn – unless a player opted for nothing at all. Sometimes the playing fields had trees on them, among other obstacles. And touchdowns? When some of the first college football games were played, touchdowns were worth five points, not six – and field goals were worth more than three.
Let’s just say that college football evolved from humble beginnings.
By the time the first football games were being played between Historically Black Colleges and Universities, college football had been played for a number of years. HBCU rivalries among schools at the FCS level got their start when Howard University and Morgan State played for the first time in 1899. Later, they evolved into the HBCU Classics we know today, but you may be surprised when it comes to which rivalries have actually been played the most.
So which HBCU rivalries have been contested the most among teams at the FCS level? How far do they go back? Take a look below.
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HAMPTON VS. HOWARD
“The Battle of The Real HU”
GAMES: 98
LEADER: Hampton leads 56-41-1
LONGEST WIN STREAK: Hampton, 14 (1997–2010)
2024 DATE: Sept. 21 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
THE DETAILS: First played in 1908, things have changed a bit in this game since Hampton left the MEAC a few years ago – back in the days when it was known as The Nation’s Football Classic. Hampton has won the last seven matchups, but last year’s game was gut-wrenching, with the Pirates rallying to win the game 35-34 after falling behind by 13 points early in the fourth quarter – beating the eventual MEAC Champion Bison.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T VS NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
“The Aggie-Eagle Classic”
GAMES: 96
LEADER: North Carolina A&T leads 55-36-5
LONGEST WIN STREAK: North Carolina A&T, 12 (1989–2001)
2024 DATE: Sept. 21 at North Carolina Central in Durham, N.C.
THE DETAILS: This former MEAC rivalry even has some debate over what the overall head-to-head record is. It comes down to a recently discovered 1922 game between the football programs. Until then, it was thought it began in 1923. Either way, it’s No. 2 on the list of the most-played HBCU rivalries (among FCS schools). North Carolina A&T moved out of the MEAC a few years ago and is now in the CAA, while North Carolina Central has had an impressive two-year run while staying in the MEAC (19 total wins).
HOWARD VS. MORGAN STATE
“Battle of the Beltway”
GAMES: 89
LEADER: Morgan State leads 46-39-3 (**)
LONGEST WIN STREAK: Morgan State, 15 (1953–1973)
2024 DATE: Nov. 23 at Morgan State in Baltimore
THE DETAILS: Notice the asterisk above with Morgan State as the leader? That’s because Howard’s win in 1987 was vacated due to program violations off the field – thus the difference between the number of games played and the overall record. At any rate, this game dates back to 1899 – one year after Morgan State began playing football, and six years after Howard started on the gridiron. With that head start, the Bison won the early games in lopsided form. Then the rivalry took a 19-year break early on (1903-22). Morgan State has also dominated certain spans of the Battle of the Beltway, winning all but five of the games between 1931 and 1979, a mind-blowing statistic as there was a game played in a majority of those years. Last year’s game was a tight one, with Howard coming out on top 14-7.
ALABAMA A&M VS ALABAMA STATE
“The Magic City Classic”
GAMES: 88
LEADER: Alabama A&M leads 44-41-3
LONGEST WIN STREAK: Alabama State, 8 (1924-1941)
2024 DATE: Oct. 26 at Legion Field, Birmingham
THE DETAILS: The game was first played in 1924 but officially became known as The Magic City Classic when it was first played at Legion Field in Birmingham in 1940, with Alabama State coming north from Montgomery and Alabama A&M coming south from Huntsville. In general, this has been a back-and-forth affair, and the crowds back it up. Last year’s game was played in front of nearly 70,000 fans. The Magic City Classic is at the pinnacle annually when it comes to the top FCS crowds in the nation.
ALCORN STATE VS. JACKSON STATE
“The Soul Bowl”
GAMES: 88
LEADER: Jackson State 48-38-2
LONGEST WIN STREAK: Jackson State, 9 (1955–1963)
2024 DATE: Nov. 23 at Alcorn State in Lorman, Miss.
THE DETAILS: The Soul Bowl — as it is referred to unofficially or officially, depending on who you ask – was first contested in 1927. When you have two institutions that exist only 60 miles apart and battle within the same state and conference, there’s bound to be some friction when they meet. Last year, both teams finished with 7-4 records but Alcorn State came away with a four-point win.
THE NEXT BEST
83 games – Morgan State vs. North Carolina A&T (but haven’t played since 2019)
80 games – Delaware State vs. Howard (no nickname)
79 games – Prairie View A&M vs. Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic
78 games – Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M in The Florida Classic
76 games – Hampton vs. Morgan State (no nickname)
75 games – Grambling State vs. Southern in the Bayou Classic
