HBCU Legacy Bowl
College football all-star bowl game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The HBCU Legacy Bowl is an annual post-season American college football all-star game for NFL draft-eligible players from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU),[a] and is the overall concluding game of the college football post-season.
| HBCU Legacy Bowl | |
|---|---|
| Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl | |
| |
| Stadium | Yulman Stadium |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Operated | 2022–present |
| Website | hbculegacybowl.com |
| Sponsors | |
Allstate (2024–present) | |
| 2025 matchup | |
| Gaither vs. Robinson (Robinson 17–14) | |
| 2026 matchup | |
| Gaither vs. Robinson (Gaither 27–23) | |
History
The event was announced by the Black College Football Hall of Fame on March 18, 2021. The game was founded by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, National Football League (NFL), Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Tulane University.[1][2] The inaugural bowl was contested on February 19, 2022, at Yulman Stadium on the campus of Tulane University in New Orleans; it was broadcast on NFL Network.[3]
Starting in February 2023, the bowl also hosts the NFL's HBCU Combine, which was first held at the 2022 Senior Bowl.[4]
In June 2023, organizers announced a multi-year partnership with Allstate, making the company the exclusive title sponsor of the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl.[5]
Game results
The bowl's teams are named after Jake Gaither, coach of the Florida A&M Rattlers from 1945 to 1973, and Eddie Robinson, coach of the Grambling State Tigers from 1941 to 1997.
| Date | Winning Team | Losing Team | Attendance | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2022 | Team Gaither | 22 | Team Robinson | 6 | 5,000 | notes |
| February 25, 2023 | Team Robinson | 10 | Team Gaither | 3 | 25,900 | notes |
| February 24, 2024 | Team Gaither | 10 | Team Robinson | 6 | 25,900 | |
| February 22, 2025 | Team Robinson | 17 | Team Gaither | 14 | 25,900 | |
| February 21, 2026 | Team Gaither | 27 | Team Robinson | 23 | 25,900 | |
MVPs
| Year | Offensive | Defensive | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Pos. | College team | Name | Pos. | College team | ||
| 2022 | Geremy Hickbottom | QB | Tennessee State | Antwan Collier | DB | Florida A&M | [6] |
| 2023 | Xavier Smith | WR | Florida A&M | Jason Dumas | DL | Southern | [7] |
| 2024 | Davius Richard | QB | North Carolina Central | Zareon Hayes | DE | Alabama A&M | [8] |
| 2025 | Daniel Richardson | QB | Florida A&M | Trequan Thomas | DL | Alabama State | |
| 2026 | JaQuan Kelly | RB | Winston-Salem State | Michael Lunz II | DE | South Carolina State | |
See also
- Celebration Bowl – the de facto black college football national championship
Notes
- Most, although not all, HBCU football programs compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) or the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), which are part of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).