Let’s be honest. At an HBCU football game, the crowd is oftentimes more interested in the bands than the football. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Look, I get it. HBCU football bands are spectacular. But somewhere between the drumline and the fifth person yelling about who has the better band, we forget that there are young men on the field trying to win a game. The players are talented. The coaches are doing the best they can. And the games can be genuinely entertaining.
HBCU football deserves more than being treated like the opening act for the halftime show. So this season, why not get the full experience? Here are three games where the football is worth watching, and the bands are worth hearing.
The Bayou Classic: Southern vs. Grambling
November 28, 2026 | New Orleans
Everyone and their mama knows about this game. If you want HBCU football with a little bit of everything, head to New Orleans for the Bayou Classic. Southern and Grambling will meet on Thanksgiving weekend in arguably the biggest rivalry in Black college football.
There is plenty of talent to watch. Southern running back Trey Holly, who rushed for over 800 yards and nine touchdowns last season, is one of the SWAC’s most dangerous offensive weapons. Grambling quarterback Reginald Johnson is another player worth following as he leads the Tigers against their longtime rival.
Then there are the bands. Southern’s Human Jukebox and Grambling’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band are two of the biggest names in HBCU band culture. Their annual Battle of the Bands is an event unto itself.
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State: The Magic City Classic
October 31, 2026 | Birmingham, Alabama
If you want an HBCU football game where the rivalry is serious and the halftime show is worth seeing, head to Birmingham for the Magic City Classic. Alabama A&M and Alabama State will meet in the 85th edition of the biggest HBCU classics in the country.
On the field, Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body is a player to watch after emerging as one of the Hornets’ key offensive threats. Alabama A&M will counter with a roster looking to make its mark in the SWAC. The stakes are real, and the rivalry is heated enough that things might get tense on the sideline.
But ok. You want to know about the bands. I got you.
Alabama A&M’s Marching Maroon & White and Alabama State’s Mighty Marching Hornets bring the kind of energy that makes halftime feel like a championship game. Their battle is almost as competitive as the one on the field.
Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman: The Florida Classic
November 21, 2026 | Orlando, Florida
The Florida Classic might be one of the most underrated games in college football. Every time these two teams play, it’s a legit classic. Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman bring one of the best HBCU rivalries to Orlando, and these games are rarely boring. The last two Classics were thrillers. FAMU won 41-38 in 2024, while Bethune-Cookman edged the Rattlers 38-34 in 2025.
And then there are the bands. FAMU’s Marching 100 and Bethune-Cookman’s Marching Wildcats are nationally respected ensembles that would turn halftime into the main event if the games weren’t so good.
Real ones know about this game. So, IYKYK.
Look, I know most of you go to HBCU games for the bands. You probably know the drum major’s name before the quarterback’s.
But pay attention to the football. The players deserve more than being treated like background noise before halftime.
And the best part? You don’t have to choose. Watch the game. Enjoy the bands. Yell at the refs. That’s the HBCU football experience.
★TR★
