The 48th Annual Bayou Classic: Events, Notes, and Facts HBCU Legends

Table of Content

• HOTEL BLOCK OPENS FOR THE 49th ANNUAL BAYOU CLASSIC, PRESENTED BY PROCTER & GAMBLE
• Media Credentials for the 49th Annual Bayou Classic, PRESENTED BY PROCTER & GAMBLE - Application process now open
• Bayou Classic to return to Superdome in fall 2021; see the rest of Southern's fall schedule here
• Members of the Full Circle Everest team to be in New Orleans for Bayou Classic

The spring Bayou Classic will be April 17 in Shreveport as part of Southern’s seven-game, SWAC-only spring schedule, which begins Feb. 26 at Alabama State. The game was moved to Independence Stadium in Shreveport because of scheduling difficulties with the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in April. Attendees to all events inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome must adhere to the stadium’s Clear Bag Policy. Please read and ensure that you are in compliance before visiting the Superdome. The Bayou Classic, ranked as the #1 HBCU Classic in the nation, is the iconic collegiate gridiron matchup between Southern University and Grambling State University. The 48thAnnual Bayou Classic, Presented by Procter & Gamble, will be played on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS -The Bayou Classic announced today that both Grambling University Foundation, Inc. and the Southern University System Foundation, Inc., have entered a corporate partnership agreement with Boeing as a Gold Sponsor of the 49th Annual Bayou Classic. Governmental leaders, tourism leaders, Bayou Classic organizers and representative from both Grambling State University and Southern University will make and provide updates on this year’s 49th Annual Bayou Classic scheduled for November 25-26. These heavyweight pieces retain heat evenly making them ideal to braise, sear, pan fry, saute and bake. Whatever occasion, cooking with Bayou Classic cast iron adds a cozy farmhouse feel to the backyard, campsite, or modern kitchen. In 2021, the Roosevelt Rough Riders were victorious in defeating the Garfield Bulldogs, in one the most exciting games in recent history.

HOTEL BLOCK OPENS FOR THE 49th ANNUAL BAYOU CLASSIC, PRESENTED BY PROCTER & GAMBLE

The competition give students the opportunity to present a technology-based business plan and receive mentorship from industry leaders and win funding for their idea. Jackson State dropped 34 points but fell just short against Southern, 40-34, two weekends ago. In their past six contests, the Jaguars have allowed at least 21 points five times, many of those teams the same opponents as Grambling has played. Headlined by cornerback duo Joe McWilliams and Devanir Martin, along with senior linebacker De’Andre Hogues, the G-Men defense has forced a turnover in eight straight games and in nine of 10 games in 2019. Grambling, which has been leading the SWAC in interception for much of the season, now sits second behind Alcorn with 17 picks through 10 games.

GSU running back Kevin Dominique has amassed 197 rush yards over the last two games. Longtime beloved Grambling head coach, the late Eddie Robinson, who led his team to the first five Bayou Classic triumphs, is the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football history with 408 victories. Southern will open its fall 2021 season Sept. 4 at Troy, then open its home schedule Sept. 11 in the Pete Richardson Classic against Miles College. The Southern football program kicks off its delayed 2020 season in a month, but that hasn’t stopped the school from setting up the 2021 fall season.

Media Credentials for the 49th Annual Bayou Classic, PRESENTED BY PROCTER & GAMBLE - Application process now open

Southern University, as the visiting team, will sit on the east side of the Superdome. Florida A&M’s emphatic victory over state rival Bethune-Cookman Saturday in the Florida Classic was important for two reasons. First, the Rattlers (9-2) snapped their nine-game losing streak to B-CU as the Classic returned after a missed season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NEW ORLEANS, La.

Southern Jaguars Football Grambling State kicker Garrett Urban was 5-for-5 on field goals in the win over the Jags including the 25-yard game winner with seven seconds left to play. With the help of their coach, Dr. Sreekumari, the Grambling State team’s pitch won against two teams from Southern University, one team from Southern Law, and one team from Xavier University. Offenses have been able to find room versus Southern’s defense, and most of that space has come through the air.

Bayou Classic to return to Superdome in fall 2021; see the rest of Southern's fall schedule here

What’s impressive about it is in the past six games, GSU has faced explosive offenses like Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and, arguably, the defense’s top performance was limiting Alcorn State to just 16 points in the overtime win. On Game Day, the Grambling Marching Tigers and the Southern Human Jukebox lead the annual Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade from the Superdome to the French Market. The parade showcases floats, marching bands, military units, alumni groups, motorized units and elements of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, New Orleans’ oldest predominantly African-American Mardi Gras parading organization.

The rivalry between the two schools dates back to the 1930s when the two teams began playing each other yearly. Things got more intense when the series was named the Bayou Classic in 1974 and moved permanently to New Orleans. Over the years, both teams have produced an astounding number of players who went on to the NFL and other professional football leagues, some of whom are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame such as Willie Davis who played for the Green Bay Packers and Charlie Joiner of the San Diego Chargers. Students from the Central Creativity Robotics program will showcase the robots they built from reusable parts. This program fosters PreK-12 students' creativity via the development of educational robotics in a dynamic, innovative and immersive atmosphere.

Florida A&M, which is joining the SWAC next season, was among the MEAC schools that opted out of the conference's spring season, forcing the conference to abandon league play for the spring. The G-Men’s rushing attack will need to have its best game this season to afford the team its best chance against Southern’s stifling rush defense. The Jags sport the best rush defense in the conference, holding offenses to 121 rushing yards and have only surrendered 14 scores on the ground. When it has matched up with other top run defenses in the league — Alcorn State, UAPB and Prairie View A&M — Grambling State has averaged 2.9 yards per rush and notched four rushing touchdowns.

The Crescent City All-Stars Band is composed of 175 student musicians from 13 New Orleans area high schools. Band directors from all over the city are involved in the organization and rehearsals. After the homecoming meeting with Prairie View, the Jaguars play at Alcorn State (Oct. 30) to set up the final three rivalry games, with an open date Nov. 20 mixed in.

Several hotels, including the Hyatt Regency adjacent to the Superdome, offer special discount rates to Bayou Classic attendees. You can view a list of these hotels and their rates as well all kinds of weekend details at The electrifying halftime show will feature the Grambling State University’s World Famed Marching Band and Southern University’s Human Jukebox and Dancing Dolls. The Southern Jaguars versus Grambling Tigers halftime report from the 48th Annual Bayou Classic.

The Bayou Classic is the annual extravaganza bringing the fans and alumni of Grambling State University and Southern University to New Orleans each November for a celebration of football, family and the traditions surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The kick-off press conference for the 49th Annual Bayou Classic, presented by Procter & Gamble, featuring the historic rivalry between the Tigers of Grambling State University and the Jaguars of Southern University. Since 1990 the game has been held the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day, at the Caesars Superdome. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, organizers moved the 2005 event from the Superdome to Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, where many of New Orleans' evacuees were living. This national anthem performance is fueling the kickstart of this all-star band after a period of forced dormancy following the pandemic outbreak..

“We worked hard on it; we thought we had a very good schedule in the fall before COVID-19 changed up on us,” Southern athletic director Roman Banks said. The Louisiana Department of Health has partnered with the Bayou Classic, the National Medical Association and Doc Griggs to provide COVID vaccination and testing points throughout the series of events. Participation by all of the top New Orleans area high school bands including LB Landry High School, St. Augustine High School and their Marching 100, Edna Karr High School, McDonough 35, Sophie B Wright High School and Warren Easton High School. As the presenting sponsor of this year’s Battle of the Bands, Microsoft will have a special presentation of its Microsoft Halolens, an ergonomic, untethered self-contained holographic device with enterprise-ready applications to increase user accuracy and output. NEW ORLEANS – The Bayou Classic announced today that both Grambling University Foundation, Inc. and the Southern University System Foundation, Inc., will welcome members of The Full Circle Everest team to the 49th Annual Bayou Classic, presented by Procter & Gamble.