Magic City Classic
{{Short description|Annual American football game in Alabama}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
| wide = yes
| name = Magic City Classic
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| team1 = Alabama A&M Bulldogs
| team1logo = Alabama A&M Bulldogs logo.svg
| team2 = Alabama State Hornets
| team2logo = Alabama State ASU Wordmark.png
| sport =
| firstmeeting = October 31, 1924
Alabama State 30, Alabama A&M 0
| mostrecent = October 26, 2024
Alabama State 27, Alabama A&M 19
| nextmeeting = October 25, 2025
| total = 89
| series = Alabama A&M leads, 44–42–3
| largestvictory = Alabama State, 56–0 (1931)
| longeststreak =
| longestunbeatenstreak =
| currentstreak = Alabama State, 3 (2022–present)
| currentunbeatenstreak =
| trophy = Magic City Classic Trophy
| trophy series =
| stadiums = Legion Field
}}
{{OSM Location map
| coord = {{coord|33.525|-86.571}}
| nolabels = 1
| zoom = 6
| width = 295
| height = 250
| caption = Locations of Alabama A&M and Alabama State
| mark1 = Brown pog.svg
| label1 = Alabama A&M
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|34.730|-86.571}}
| label-pos1 = left
| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = Yellow pog.svg
| label2 = Alabama State
| mark-coord2 = {{coord|32.361|-86.279}}
| label-pos2 = right
| label-color2 = black
| mark3 = Black pog.svg
| label3 = Legion Field
| mark-coord3 = {{coord|33.525|-86.813}}
| label-pos3 = top
| label-color3 = black
}}
The Magic City Classic is an annual American football "classic" that features Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University, the two largest historically black universities in the state. It is played at Legion Field in Birmingham (nicknamed the "Magic City"). The classic has become one of the highest attended Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) games in the nation and the largest event in Birmingham carrying a nearly $25 million economic impact. The stadium attendance averages over 60,000 annually.{{Cite web|url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/12/magic_city_classic_ranks_tops.html|title = Magic City Classic ranks tops in attendance among HBCU football games in 2013|date = 10 December 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://hbculifestyle.com/top-5-hbcu-classics-2014/|title = 2014 Top 5 HBCU Football Classics Ranked by Attendance|date = December 2014}}
The first game between the two schools was played in 1924. It has been an uninterrupted, annual tradition since 1945 and has been played at Legion Field since 1940.
The classic is the largest HBCU event in the nation attracting nearly 200,000 participants.{{Cite web|url=http://abc3340.com/news/local/magic-city-classic-2016-birmingham-pd-readies-for-hectic-weekend-at-legion-field|title = Magic City Classic 2016: Birmingham PD readies for hectic weekend at Legion Field|date = 26 October 2016}} The Alabama A&M Bulldogs lead the series with a record of 44–42–3 all-time (as of 2024).
Other activities
Many festivities are held in conjunction with the game, including a pep rally, comedy show, scholarship breakfast, concert/festival, soirees, tailgating, block parties, alumni gatherings, 2-hour parade, and a popular "Battle of the Bands" between AAMU’s Marching Maroon and White Band and ASU's Mighty Marching Hornets. Festivities begin the week of Saturday's game.
In recent years, the classic has attracted numerous African-American celebrities, public figures, and elected officials to Birmingham.
History
{{sports rivalry series table
| team1 = Alabama A&M | team2 = Alabama State
| team1style = background:maroon; color:white;
| team2style = background:gold; color:black;
| format = compact | series_summary = yes | cols = 2
| legend_forfeit_text = Forfeit
| no_location = yes
| win66 = Alabama A&M
| note = {{small|† Alabama State later forfeited the 2001 game as
part of an NCAA penalty for violations committed.}}{{cite web| url=http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20081213/?pg=16| title=Inside Dish, Saturday, December 13, 2008| publisher=Sporting News Today| accessdate=2009-09-21}}
| 1924 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 30
| 1925 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 7
| 1929 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 32
| 1930 | Alabama A&M | 6 | Alabama State | 46
| 1931 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 56
| 1932 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 18
| 1940 | Alabama A&M | 6 | Alabama State | 24
| 1941 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 21
| 1942 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 6
| 1945 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 20
| 1946 | Alabama A&M | 14 | Alabama State | 15
| 1947 | Alabama A&M | 6 | Alabama State | 12
| 1948 | Alabama A&M | 14 | Alabama State | 8
| 1949 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 13
| 1950 | Alabama A&M | 12 | Alabama State | 16
| 1951 | Alabama A&M | 27 | Alabama State | 6
| 1952 | Alabama A&M | 38 | Alabama State | 13
| 1953 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 7
| 1954 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 23
| 1955 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 6
| 1956 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 0
| 1957 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 13
| 1958 | Alabama A&M | 8 | Alabama State | 20
| 1959 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 22
| 1960 | Alabama A&M | 22 | Alabama State | 20
| 1961 | Alabama A&M | 32 | Alabama State | 12
| 1962 | Alabama A&M | 54 | Alabama State | 6
| 1963 | Alabama A&M | 32 | Alabama State | 14
| 1964 | Alabama A&M | 30 | Alabama State | 0
| 1965 | Alabama A&M | 34 | Alabama State | 0
| 1966 | Alabama A&M | 36 | Alabama State | 19
| 1967 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 13
| 1968 | Alabama A&M | 21 | Alabama State | 27
| 1969 | Alabama A&M | 6 | Alabama State | 26
| 1970 | Alabama A&M | 26 | Alabama State | 18
| 1971 | Alabama A&M | 6 | Alabama State | 12
| 1972 | Alabama A&M | 8 | Alabama State | 7
| 1973 | Alabama A&M | 10 | Alabama State | 7
| 1974 | Alabama A&M | 14 | Alabama State | 7
| 1975 | Alabama A&M | 29 | Alabama State | 22
| 1976 | Alabama A&M | 17 | Alabama State | 15
| 1977 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 14
| 1978 | Alabama A&M | 22 | Alabama State | 7
| 1979 | Alabama A&M | 14 | Alabama State | 17
| 1980 | Alabama A&M | 17 | Alabama State | 20
| 1981 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 3
| 1982 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 13
| 1983 | Alabama A&M | 27 | Alabama State | 14
| 1984 | Alabama A&M | 28 | Alabama State | 12
| 1985 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 6
| 1986 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 10
| 1987 | Alabama A&M | 14 | Alabama State | 17
| 1988 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 7
| 1989 | Alabama A&M | 17 | Alabama State | 10
| 1990 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 24
| 1991 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 59
| 1992 | Alabama A&M | 11 | Alabama State | 14
| 1993 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 7
| 1994 | Alabama A&M | 0 | Alabama State | 26
| 1995 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 37
| 1996 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 3
| 1997 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 20
| 1998 | Alabama A&M | 28 | Alabama State | 34
| 1999 | Alabama A&M | 15 | Alabama State | 10
| 2000 | Alabama A&M | 34 | Alabama State | 27
| 2001 | Alabama A&M† | 0 | Alabama State† | 35
| 2002 | Alabama A&M | 23 | Alabama State | 20
| 2003 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 17
| 2004 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 24
| 2005 | Alabama A&M | 31 | Alabama State | 28
| 2006 | Alabama A&M | 21 | Alabama State | 13
| 2007 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 9
| 2008 | Alabama A&M | 17 | Alabama State | 16
| 2009 | Alabama A&M | 21 | Alabama State | 7
| 2010 | Alabama A&M | 10 | Alabama State | 31
| 2011 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 19
| 2012 | Alabama A&M | 13 | Alabama State | 31
| 2013 | Alabama A&M | 7 | Alabama State | 31
| 2014 | Alabama A&M | 37 | Alabama State | 36
| 2015 | Alabama A&M | 20 | Alabama State | 35
| 2016 | Alabama A&M | 42 | Alabama State | 41
| 2017 | Alabama A&M | 16 | Alabama State | 21
| 2018 | Alabama A&M | 27 | Alabama State | 10
| 2019 | Alabama A&M | 43 | Alabama State | 413OT
| 2020 | Alabama A&M | 38 | Alabama State | 14
| 2021 | Alabama A&M | 42 | Alabama State | 28
| 2022 | Alabama A&M | 17 | Alabama State | 24
| 2023 | Alabama A&M | 16 | Alabama State | 31
| 2024 | Alabama A&M | 19 | Alabama State | 27}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.themagiccityclassic.com Official website]
{{Alabama A&M Bulldogs football navbox}}
{{Alabama State Hornets football navbox}}
{{Southwestern Athletic Conference football rivalry navbox}}
Category:Alabama A&M Bulldogs football
Category:Alabama State Hornets football
Category:American football competitions in Birmingham, Alabama