Magic City Classic
Annual American football game in Alabama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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, which is 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, with a nearly $25 million economic impact on the area. The stadium attendance averages over 60,000 annually.[1][2]
Alabama State 30, Alabama A&M 0
Alabama State 56, Alabama A&M 13
| First meeting | October 31, 1924 Alabama State 30, Alabama A&M 0 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | October 25, 2025 Alabama State 56, Alabama A&M 13 |
| Next meeting | October 31, 2026 |
| Stadiums | Legion Field |
| Trophy | Magic City Classic Trophy |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 90 |
| All-time series | Alabama A&M leads, 44–43–3 |
| Largest victory | Alabama State, 56–0 (1931) |
| Current win streak | Alabama State, 4 (2022–present) |
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.[3] The Alabama A&M Bulldogs narrowly lead the series with a record of 44–43–3 all-time (as of 2025).
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
| Alabama A&M victories | Alabama State victories | Tie games | Forfeit |
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