In this new age of college football we've lost so many important rivalries. Oklahoma/Oklahoma State won't meet this year and for the foreseeable future after meeting annually since 1914. Texas and Texas A&M will meet for the 1st time since 2011 this year. Gone are the annual meetings between Oklahoma/Nebraska, Marshall and West Virginia share the state but won't share the football field anytime soon. At the end of the day, rivalries are what make College Football great. Especially HBCU football.
Two weeks ago Winston-Salem State and North Carolina A&T renewed one of the oldest rivalries in the state of North Carolina after a 14-year hiatus. The two 1st met in The Battle of I-40 in 1944 but haven't played since 2010. The Aggies pulled out a 27-20 win in OT over the Rams before a sellout crowd in Greensboro. This renewal brought back memories of classic games in the past, and trash talk between families and friends. Now we wait until these two meet again which is likely not to happen anytime soon.
This weekend in Durham the Aggie-Eagle Classic goes down in for the 96th renewal of this storied rivalry. The Eagles and Aggies have hated each other since first meeting in 1922. The Aggies leading the all-time series 54-36-5 but the Eagles are looking to win it's 3rd game in a row in the series over the Aggies. O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium will be sold out and their wont be a seat in the house as these two play in an absolutely electric atmosphere on Saturday Night. These two love to hate each other and this rivalry is not just one of the most intense rivalries in HBCU Football but in all of college football.
Up in our Nation's Capitol, Howard and Hampton are meeting in The Battle of the Real HU for the 99th renewal of this classic rivalry. Hampton has won the last 7 meeting in this series and lead the overall series 56–41–1. These two schools first met in 1908 and their rivalry has been full throttle ever since. This game has been played all in several venues from the Polo Grounds in New York City, old Giants Stadiumin East Rutherford, New Jersey, RFK Stadium in Washington D.C, and this year at Audi Field in Washington D.C. The Pirates are coming into the contest 2-1 after a blowout win over their other rival Norfolk State in the Battle of The Bay.
Down in SWAC Country Jackson State will visit Grambling for the 1st time since the 2020 SWAC Spring Season. This will the will be the 70th meeting since 1956 with Grambling leading the series 42-27 but Jackson State has won the last 2 meetings. Grambling is expecting a larger than usual crowd as the Tigers from Jackson State come to town. Jackson State and Grambling have had some epic battles throughout the course of the history of this rivalry. Jackson State is the favorite on Saturday but the Tigers have only tasted victory in Grambling 10 times. Grambling typically dominates this rivalry at home and even went 20 years between losses in Jackson.
Rivalries are what makes us fall in love with HBCU football. It's the game that EVERYONE gets excited for. The results of rivalry games are talked about for decades and players become legendary based on how they perform in these special game. We all hope to see HBCU grow and adapt to the new age of what college football is to today. But many will tell you that we're not willing to experience this growth if it means losing our rivalry games!
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