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In HBCU football, a “classic” matchup has been a premier event for decades. An HBCU homecoming can be even bigger, bringing together alumni to celebrate. Both classics and homecomings can often see rivals play head-to-head and carry historical value. Fans, players, alumni and more all get excited for these games.
In 2025, there are multiple classics and homecomings that feature at least one HBCU team from the FCS level. Below, we’ll provide the scheduling information for these games, plus a few additional headliner HBCU football matchups, including the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and the Celebration Bowl, for instance.
Here is every HBCU homecoming and classic scheduled for 2025:
2025 HBCU homecoming schedule
| Date | Homecoming Host | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 4 | Alabama State | Bethune-Cookman | Montgomery, Ala. |
| South Carolina State | Savannah State | Orangeburg, S.C. | |
| Oct. 11 | Alabama A&M | Mississippi Valley State | Hunstville, Ala. |
| Alcorn State | Lincoln (CA) | Lorman, Miss. | |
| Grambling State | Texas Southern | Grambling, La. | |
| Jackson State | Alabama State | Jackson, Miss. | |
| North Carolina A&T | South Carolina State | Greensboro, N.C. | |
| Oct. 18 | Florida A&M | Alcorn State | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Mississippi Valley State | Lincoln (CA) | Itta Bena, Miss. | |
| Southern | Prairie View A&M | Baton Rouge, La. | |
| Tennessee State | Howard | Nashville, Tenn. | |
| Oct. 25 | Hampton | Monmouth | Hampton, Va. |
| North Carolina Central | Delaware State | Durham, N.C. | |
| Prairie View A&M | North American | Prairie View, Texas |
FCS teams yet to drop their schedule:
SWAC: Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Bethune-Cookman, Texas Southern
MEAC: Delaware State, Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State
Some notable DII homecoming games we’ll be tracking include:
- Oct. 19 | Winston-Salem State
- Nov. 1 | Tuskegee | Opponent: Lane
- Clark Atlanta
- Bowie State
- Morehouse
2025 HBCU classic schedule
| Classic | MAtchup | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEAC/SWAC Challenge | Southern vs. North Carolina Central | Aug. 23 | Atlanta |
| John Merritt Classic | North Carolina A&T @ Tennessee State | Aug. 30 | Nashville, Tenn. |
| Labor Day Classic | Prairie View A&M vs. Texas Southern | Aug. 30 | Houston, Texas |
| Orange Blossom Classic | Florida A&M vs. Howard | Aug. 30 | Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| Louis Crews Classic | Alcorn State @ Alabama A&M | Sept. 6 | Hunstville, Ala. |
| Battle for Greater Baltimore | Towson @ Morgan State | Sept. 6 | Baltimore |
| Pete Richardson Classic | Alabama State @ Southern | Sept. 6 | Baton Rouge, La. |
| The Legacy Series | Alabama A&M @ Tennessee State | Sept. 13 | Nashville, Tenn. |
| W.C. Gorden Classic | Tuskegee @ Jackson State | Sept. 13 | Jackson, Miss. |
| HBCU New York Football Classic | TBD vs. TBD | Sept. 13 | East Rutherford, N.J. |
| Boombox Classic | Jackson State @ Southern | Sept. 27 | Baton Rouge, La. |
| Aggie-Eagle Classic | North Carolina A&T @ North Carolina Central | Sept. 20 | Greensboro, N.C. |
| Battle of the Real HU — Truth and Service Classic |
Hampton vs. Howard | Sept. 20 | Washington, D.C. |
| State Fair Classic | Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M | Sept. 27 | Dallas |
| Circle City Classic | TBD vs. TBD | Sept. 27 | Indianapolis |
| Gulf Coast Challenge | Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State | Oct. 4 | Mobile, Alabama |
| Battle of the Bay | Norfolk State @ Hampton | Oct. 4 | Hampton, Virginia |
| Las Vegas HBCU Classic | Grambling State vs. Jackson State | Oct. 25 | Las Vegas |
| Magic City Classic | Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State | Oct. 25 | Birmingham, Ala. |
| Port City Classic | Alabama State vs. Mississippi Valley State | Nov. 15 | Mobile, Ala. |
| Soul Bowl — Capital City Classic |
Alcorn State @ Jackson State | Nov. 22 | Jackson, Miss. |
| Florida Classic | Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M | Nov. 22 | Orlando, Fla. |
| Turkey Day Classic | Tuskegee @ Alabama State | Nov. 27 | Montgomery, La. |
| Bayou Classic | Grambling State vs. Southern | Nov. 29 | New Orleans |
| SWAC Championship | SWAC East Champ vs. SWAC West Champ | Dec. 6 | TBD |
| Celebration Bowl | MEAC Champ vs. SWAC Champ | TBD | Atlanta |
Here are some notable classics featuring DII schools that we’ll be tracking:
- Red Tails Classic | Tuskegee vs. Winston-Salem State | Aug. 31 | Location: Montgomery, Ala.
- Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic | Morehouse vs. Tuskegee | Oct. 4 | Location: Columbus, Ga.
- Fountain City Classic | Fort Valley State at Albany State | Nov. 8 | Location: Albany, Ga.
- Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic
- Chicago Football Classic
