THE COURIER TRAVELS TO CANTON TO CAPTURE…The Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic

CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY CHEERLEADERS—MONET MILLER, BRITTANY SANDERS, BREANNE LOVELACE, ZAHYNIA KELLY, DIAMANI RICE

Penn State University has more than 100,000 crazed fans wearing all-white and waving white pom-poms, cheering their Nittany Lions on to victory…or in more recent years, a loss.

Pitt and West Virginia hook up for their first “Backyard Brawl” in more than a decade, and Heinz…uh, Acrisure Stadium is beyond sold out as the hatred between the two fan bases in the North Shore stadium was palpable.

But there’s just something about a Black college football game that garners its own distinction.

Ever since the first Black college football game in 1892 between Biddle College and Livingstone College, there simply is no tradition like it.

CENTRAL STATE WINS, 41-21, IN CANTON, SEPT. 4. (PHOTO BY MIKE PATTON)

The New Pittsburgh Courier traveled to Canton, Ohio, to cover the third-annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, between Central State University (Ohio) and Winston-Salem State University (North Carolina), Sunday, Sept. 4, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located.

The Marauders of Central State jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on a Twon Hines 7-yard touchdown reception and an Anthony Mack 25-yard interception for a touchdown. The announced crowd of nearly 14,000 was primarily for Central State; its campus just outside of Dayton, Ohio, was only a three-hour drive compared to the 6.5-hour drive for the team from the Carolinas.

Midway through the first quarter, Central State president Dr. Jack Thomas proclaimed during an in-house interview that the stadium needed to prepare for a magical performance from the “Invincible Marching Marauders.” Dr. Thomas was pumped that his university was up two touchdowns early, but the Winston-Salem State University Rams basically told Dr. Thomas to “hold your horse…”

The Rams responded by intercepting a Brandon Kyles pass and Justin Fleming took it to the endzone with two minutes remaining in the first quarter, making it a 14-7 contest.

A TOUCHDOWN FOR WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY! (PHOTO BY MIKE PATTON)

Winston-Salem State then tied the interesting game in the second quarter on a Richard Latimer-to-R.J. Mobley 25-yard hookup. Rams fans who made the trip dressed in Rams red were now the ones making all the noise.

SOME OF THE WINSTON-SALEM STATE RAMS CHEERLEADING SQUAD

But just before the end of the first half, Kaz Dina ran it in from three yards out to give Central State a 21-14 lead at halftime.

SUPER BOWL GREAT DOUG WILLIAMS, THE FIRST BLACK STARTING QUARTERBACK TO WIN A SUPER BOWL, FOR WASHINGTON. 

The second half was a snoozer for Winston-Salem State University, and cause for celebration for Central State University. Kyles threw two second-half touchdowns for the Marauders, and Aaron Kennebrew rushed in a score from two yards out. When the game was over, it was all Central State, winning, 41-21.

But as mentioned, Black College Football is more than just the game. There’s the pageantry, the battle of the bands, the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, and all of the events that take place in the days leading up to the game.

A CENTRAL STATE FOOTBALL PLAYER AND A LITTLE ONE ENJOY THE TEAM’S VICTORY AT THE BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASSIC, SEPT. 4, IN CANTON, OHIO.

Prior to kickoff, seven African Americans were inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame for 2022. They were; Ben Coates (TE, Livingstone College), Donald Driver (WR, Alcorn State University), John “Big Train” Moody (RB, Morris Brown College), Roscoe Nance (Contributor, Tuskegee University), Nate Newton (OL, Florida A&M University), William “Billy” Nicks (Coach, Morris Brown College, and Prairie View A&M University), and Sammy White (WR, Grambling State University). The new inductees joined with previous inductees such as Grambling State University great Doug Williams, as fans cheered the Black College Football icons to no end.

THE PAGEANTRY AT THE BLACK COLLEGE HALL OF FAME CLASSIC (PHOTO BY MIKE PATTON)

Throughout Labor Day Weekend, Canton high school students and their families attended the “Classic College Fair,” which gave students the opportunity to learn about and apply to more than 50 colleges and universities, including 25 HBCUs.

An Open-Mic Poetry Night took place as well, which also featured jazz, food and fellowship. That event was held at the Metropolitan Event Center, in Canton.

LOVING THE STEELERS AND HBCUS—UNIONTOWN NATIVES TIM MENDES, ROBERT HAIRSTON,
SHERLEY HAIRSTON.

On Saturday, Sept. 3, there was the “Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Funfest,” in Downtown Canton. It featured local food and merchandise vendors, food trucks and live entertainment all afternoon. In the evening, there was a “Faith, Family & Football” gospel concert, which featured Grammy award-winning artist Fred Hammond.

QUES AT THE CLASSIC—MYLES WILLIAMS, BRIAN TURNER, RANDY SMITH

And who could forget about the “Battle of the Bands.” Winston-Salem State’s “Red Sea of Sound” against Central State’s “Invincible Marching Marauders.” Each band performed for 15 minutes at halftime, and both bands brought their “A” game.

Never been to a Black College Football game? As coaches tell their players in the locker room for motivation, “The time is now.”

Additional Photos from The Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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