This is a list of black college football classics which take place between historically black colleges and universities which compete in college football in the United States. Unlike bowl games, classics take place during college football's regular season; however, they are often accompanied by battles of the bands, parades, or other accompanying activities and are often played at neutral sites. Most HBCUs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level or below in college football, but because of the commitments of some universities (especially SWAC schools), hence they forgo the opportunity to play in a national playoff system.
| Classic Name | Location | Year Established | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggie-Eagle Classic | Raleigh, NC | 1994 | annual game between North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T University | ||
| Alabama Heritage Classic | Tuscaloosa, AL | ||||
| Atlanta Football Classic | Atlanta, GA | 1989 | annual game between Florida A&M University and Tennessee State University | ||
| Atlanta Labor Day Classic | Atlanta, GA | 2006 | annual game featuring Clark Atlanta University | ||
| Battle of the Bay | Hampton Roads, VA | 1962 | annual game between two schools in different portions of the Hampton Roads area—Hampton University on the "Peninsula" and Norfolk State University on the "Southside". Unlike many HBCU classics, this game alternates between the two schools' home fields. | ||
| Battle of the Firsts | Philadelphia, PA. | 2009 | game between Cheyney University and Lincoln University, held the first week of the season on a neutral site in Philadelphia. | ||
| Bayou Classic | New Orleans, LA | 1974 | annual game between Southern University and Grambling State University held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Louisiana Superdome and televised on NBC. | ||
| Biker's Classic | Nashville, TN | 2006 | annual game featuring Tennessee State University | ||
| Boombox Classic | Jackson, MS and Baton Rouge, LA | circa. 1990 | annual game between Jackson State University and Southern University. the name is a reference to the school's marching bands | ||
| Capital City Classic | Jackson, MS | 1993 | annual game between Alcorn State University and Jackson State University held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. | ||
| Capital City Football Classic | Sacramento, CA | 2008 | Annual game in September played in Northern California. | ||
| Chicago Football Classic | Chicago, IL | 1997 | Annual game in September played at Soldiers Field in Chicago, IL. | ||
| Circle City Classic | Indianapolis, IN | 1983 | annual game takes place the first weekend in October | ||
| The Classic | Charlotte, NC | ||||
| Community Youth Bowl | Richmond, VA | 2002 | annual game featuring Virginia Union University | ||
| CSRA Football Classic | Augusta, GA | 1992 | |||
| Dallas Lone Star Classic | Dallas, TX | 2008 | Annual game featuring University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Texas Southern University played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas | ||
| Dayton Classic | Dayton, OH | 2005 | annual game featuring Central State University | ||
| Delta Classic | Little Rock, AR | 2006 | annual game featuring the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | ||
| Detroit Football Classic | Detroit, MI | 2002 | game was not played in 2007 | ||
| Down East Classic | Rocky Mount, NC | 1998 | annual game featuring Elizabeth City State University | ||
| Druid City Classic | Tuscaloosa, AL | 2002 | annual game featuring Stillman College | ||
| Fish Bowl | Norfolk, VA | 1948 | annual game featuring Norfolk State University | ||
| Florida Classic | Orlando, FL | 1979 | annual game between Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University, televised on ESPNU | ||
| Ford Detroit Football Classic | Detroit, MI | 2002 | |||
| Fountain City Classic | Columbus, GA | 1989 | annual game between Albany State University and Fort Valley State University | ||
| Gateway Classic | Jacksonville, FL | 1953 | annual game featuring Bethune-Cookman University | ||
| Gateway Classic | St. Louis, MO | 1993 | |||
| Gold Bowl | Richmond, VA | 1976 | Annual game originally featuring regular season champions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference & Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Subsequent games now feature Virginia Union University | ||
| Gulf Coast Classic | Mobile, AL | 1974 | annual game between Alabama State University and Southern University | ||
| HBCU Classic | Greenville, SC | 2005 | |||
| Kentucky Heritage Classic | Lexington, KY | 2002 | annual game between Kentucky State University and Central State University | ||
| Joe Turner Classic | Savannah, GA | 1993 | annual game featuring the Tigers of Savannah State University | ||
| John Merritt Classic | Nashville, TN | 1999 | annual game featuring Tennessee State University | ||
| Labor Day Classic (Texas) | Houston, TX | 1984 | annual game featuring Texas Southern University and Prairie View A & M University | ||
| Labor Day Classic (Virginia) | Norfolk, VA | 1991 | annual game between Virginia State University and Norfolk State University | ||
| Labor Day Classic | Durham, NC | annual game featuring North Carolina Central University | |||
| Labor Day Golden Classic | Birmingham, AL | 2007 | annual game featuring Miles College | ||
| MEAC/SWAC Challenge | Orlando, FL | 2005 | televised nationally on ESPN2 | ||
| Magic City Classic | Birmingham, AL | 1940 | annual game between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University | ||
| Masonic Bowl | Fayetteville, NC | ||||
| Miami Classic | Miami, FL | ||||
| Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic | Columbus, GA | 1935 | annual game between Morehouse College and Tuskegee University | ||
| Motor City Classic | Detroit, MI | ||||
| Music City Classic | Macon, Georgia | ||||
| Nation's Football Classic | Washington, DC | 2011 | Annual game between Howard University and Morehouse College | ||
| Orange Blossom Classic | Miami, FL | 1933 | Annual postseason game featuring Florida A&M | ||
| Palmetto Capital City Classic | Columbia, SC | 2001 | annual game featuring Benedict College | ||
| Port City Classic | Shreveport, LA | 2010 | |||
| Prince George's Classic | Bowie, MD | 2004 | The first PG Classic was played by Howard University and Alcorn State University. The second was played by Morgan State University and North Carolina A&T. Subsequent games (2006, 2007 and 2008) featured Bowie State University as the home team. | ||
| Rivalry Classic | Charlotte, NC | annual game between North Carolina A&T State University and South Carolina State University | |||
| Silver Dollar Classic | Los Angeles, CA | 2002 | |||
| Southern Heritage Classic | Memphis, TN | 1990 | annual game between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University | ||
| State Fair Classic | Dallas, TX | annual game between Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University, held during the State Fair of Texas | |||
| Steel City Classic | Birmingham, AL | 2000 | annual game between Stillman College and Miles College | ||
| Turkey Day Classic | Montgomery, AL | 1924 | annual game between Tuskegee University and Alabama State University held on Thanksgiving Day | ||
| Wade Wilson Classic | Cheyney,PA/Philadelphia,PA | circa 1970's | annual game featuring Cheyney University | ||
| Western Virginia Classic | Salem, VA | 2000 | |||
| Willie E. Gary Classic | Jacksonville, FL | 2001 | annual game between Edward Waters College and Shaw University | ||
| Whitney M. Young Classic also known as the New York Urban League Classic | East Rutherford, NJ | 1970 | annual game held at the New Meadowlands Stadium |