How the SWAC and City of Birmingham Created Inaugural Classic at Legion Field

By Jaeden Day | Montgomery Advertiser

It’s been a year and half in the making, and on Aug. 29 at Legion Field, Alabama State football will go to battle with Southern on the gridiron in the inaugural Birmingham Classic.

SWAC football has a 10-year schedule, and every two years a team will roll off the schedule. The Hornets and Jaguars knew that roll off was coming and utilized the relationship both have built with Birmingham to push for a Classic at Legion Field that wasn’t the Magic City Classic.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and the Birmingham City Council heard Alabama State and Southern, approving the Week 0 game.

Alabama State athletic director Jason Cable talked about the importance for the two SWAC teams to play a non conference game against a conference opponent, and generate revenue for both universities.

“Often times that doesn’t happen in a non conference game,” Cable said. “You go out and play a guaranteed game, and generate revenue that way. So, I hope this is a model that can be used for the future.”

SWAC commissioner Charles McClelland confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser that the conference entered into an initial two-year contract with the city of Birmingham with the goal of making it a staple in HBCU college football. As of now, Alabama State and Southern are not guaranteed to play in the Classic next season.

“We want to get through this year first, but we do know it will be back next year,” McClelland said. “Who’s going to participate next year, we don’t know.”

McClelland said the ultimate way success will be measured will be fan attendance. The game is already set to be broadcast on the national stage with ESPNU having rights to the game in the 2026 season. If successful after the contract is expired, McClelland said the game will see a rotation of SWAC football teams coming to Birmingham.

That doesn’t mean that Alabama State won’t always be in the back of the mind when it comes to future Birmingham Classics.

“Alabama State is only an hour and a half away from Birmingham, and it has great fan attraction here,” McClelland said. “So they will always be up for consideration.”

McClelland acknowledged the game is speaking for itself in terms of headlines, and he believes that it will generate the excitement both the SWAC and city of Birmingham is looking for.

Woodfin remembered a few years ago watching Alabama State and Southern play in Montgomery, and he knows that if it’s anything close to what he saw at ASU Stadium, the game will deliver.

“That was a game to remember, and I want to say on the city’s behalf, we are proud to host a Classic of this caliber. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Woodfin said.

Jaeden Day covers high school sports, Alabama State football and Auburn recruiting for the Montgomery Advertiser/USA Today. You can find him on X at dayjaeden12, or reach him at JDay@montgome.gannett.com.