Birmingham hosts the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic for the first time
Morehouse Tuskegee Classic Flyer
Since 1902, the Morehouse Maroon Tigers and the Tuskegee Golden Tigers have fought it out on the gridiron. It’s the oldest football rivalry among historically black colleges, and this Saturday the game is in Birmingham.
Historically, Columbus, Georgia has hosted the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic, but the City of Birmingham was able to snatch it away. This adds to the HBCU Classic culture that already exists in Birmingham with the Magic City Classic, the annual game between Alabama State and Alabama A&M Universities.
LRY Media,Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University’s Marching Crimson Piper Band performing for a halftime show.
Jordan Davis is a Morehouse alum and grew up in Birmingham. He says he’s looking forward to having the game here.
“When I was at Morehouse, I think everyone knew I was from Birmingham. I put on for my city! And so, it really feels like a dream come true to have my alma mater playing in my hometown,” he said.
LRY Media,Morehouse College
Morehouse’s Maroon Tigers football team.
Cornell Wesley, the Director of Innovation and Economic Opportunity for Birmingham and a Morehouse Alum, believes this is a unique opportunity to bring to the city.
“I think obviously from a relationship standpoint, [the mayor] had an audience that both institutions, that other administrations historically haven’t had just by sheer fact of him being an alum,” Wesley said.
Wesley’s Deputy Director, Coreata Houser, who is a Tuskegee alum, believes that the game will bring more opportunity to the city.
“Birmingham being centrally located, I think the amount of traffic that could drive into Birmingham versus Columbus was a great appeal to both schools,” he said. “The airport is here, so alumni can easily come in and out without having to worry about driving.”
LRY Media,Morehouse College
Morehouse College’s House of Funk Marching Band.
This weekend, the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic, along with UAB’s home game and Miles College’s Homecoming are expected to bring $15 million in economic impact to the city.
Jessica Knight also grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Tuskegee. She says she is looking forward to seeing a lot of her college friends.
“This is a lot of our first game since after the pandemic. It’s just going to be good to see everybody, see familiar faces and just enjoy the time spending together,” she said. “I think that’s what we really are looking for because Tuskegee is definitely one big happy family.”
The Morehouse Tuskegee Classic will be played Saturday at Legion Field with kickoff starting at 7 p.m. The game will return to Birmingham next year and in 2023.
Editor’s note: The quote from Jessica Knight in this story makes a reference to “after the pandemic”. We believe she was referring to the period of time when large public gatherings (such as football games) were not permitted or greatly reduced in size — contrasting that time period with current attendance protocols. Her words are not intended to convey medical information or advice. The Covid-19 pandemic is still an ongoing public health emergency in Alabama per Governor Ivey’s order of August 13, 2021.
LRY Media ,Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University’s Golden Tigers football team.
Cannabis works better than opioids for back pain, in two European studies
Millions of Americans use weed to treat chronic pain, but there's little high quality research on whether it works. New findings suggest it can be effective for low back pain, on par with opioids.
As deadline for Trump’s colleges compact looms, schools signal dissent
Of the original nine schools that received the Trump administration's Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, the majority have indicated they are not planning on signing.
Can collagen supplements improve your skin? Here’s what the research shows
With age comes wisdom. And wrinkles. And joint pain. In wellness circles, the buzz is that collagen supplements can help with all these concerns. But are these claims something you should swallow?
Centrist Rodrigo Paz wins Bolivia’s presidential runoff, topping right-wing rival
Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia's presidency with 54% of the vote, ending 20 years of rule by the Movement Toward Socialism party amid economic turmoil.
Trump announces tariffs and an end to U.S. aid to Colombia amid clash over drug trade
The U.S. will slash assistance to Colombia and enact tariffs on its exports because the country's leader, Gustavo Petro, "does nothing to stop" drug production, President Donald Trump said Sunday.
Sam Rivers, bassist and founding member of Limp Bizkit, dies aged 48
"Sam Rivers wasn't just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound," Limp Bizkit said in a social media post Saturday.
