The 2020 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic has been canceled due to the ongoing novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced.
The 2020 matchup was set to feature the Central State Marauders taking on the Howard Bison at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Sunday, Sept. 6.
“The health and safety of the Hall of Famers, players, fans and volunteers who make the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic so special remains our top priority,” said David Baker, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame looks forward to having the Classic back in Canton in 2021 for a fun-filled weekend.”
Next season’s Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic has already been set. The contest will feature the Grambling State Tigers and the Tennessee State Tigers squaring off in Canton on Sunday, Sept. 5.
“We thank Central State University and Howard University for their patience, professionalism and understanding as it relates to the 2020 Classic,” shared James “Shack” Harris, co-founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame. “We look forward to welcoming fans from Grambling and Tennessee State next summer and making the 2021 Classic a great weekend.”
“The 2021 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic promises to be an exciting weekend as the Tigers battle it out on the gridiron,” stated Doug Williams, co-founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame and, like Williams, a standout player at Grambling.
The Black College Hall of Fame Classic is not the first college football game to be canceled in the wake of COVID-19, and it certainly won’t be the last. Among the other canceled contests are the Detroit Football Classic featuring Tennessee State vs. Southern and the Southern Heritage Classic featuring Jackson State vs. Tennessee State.
A few other canceled matchups include Colgate at Western Michigan (Colgate replaced by Stony Brook), Dayton at Southeast Missouri, and Florida A&M at Southern. Florida A&M will now host Jackson State instead.
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