Turkey Day Classic

Turkey Day Classic
Turkey Day Classic
"Hornet Homecoming"
Stadium Hornet Stadium
Location Montgomery, Alabama
Operated 1924–present
2012 matchup
Tuskegee University vs. Alabama State University (24–19)
2017 matchup
Tuskegee University vs. Alabama State University (September 02, 2017)

The Turkey Day Classic is a college football game, traditionally held annually on Thanksgiving Day.[1] It is played between Alabama State University and Tuskegee University, two historically black universities.[2] The game is usually played in Montgomery, Alabama's Cramton Bowl, but it is scheduled to relocate to Alabama State's new Hornet Stadium in 2012.[3][4] ESPNU holds broadcast rights to the game. The game is one of two black college football classics to be associated with Thanksgiving weekend; the other is the younger, but more widely known, Bayou Classic, held two days later.

The game falls in a category of classics that feature two rival teams playing each year.[5] The activities surrounding the game take place over several weeks in the downtown of Montgomery, and include parades, parties, and such like.[6] Many classics feature activities and events like golfing, pageants, and tailgaiting.[5] Alabama State hosts a parade and combines its homecoming with the Turkey Day Classic.[7]

History

The 1924 game was the first in the series and it is considered the first black college football classic.[8] Tuskegee refused tournament slots for the NCAA Division II National Football Championship because the Division II playoffs conflict with the Turkey Day Classic (instead opting to play in the Pioneer Bowl, one of the few non-playoff bowl games in Division II); the Golden Tigers program has done this even in successful seasons where it has qualified and earned high playoff seeding. [9] Similarly, Alabama State and other Southwestern Athletic Conference members opt out of contention for the NCAA Division I Football Championship; this accommodates the Turkey Day Classic, the SWAC Championship Game and the Bayou Classic in New Orleans.

Beginning in 2013, Tuskegee withdrew from the contest due to playoff considerations beginning that year. Tuskegee's opting into the playoffs forced the cancellation of the Pioneer Bowl, but the Turkey Day Classic continued, with Stillman College serving as the opponent.

In 2014, Alabama State announced it was officially discontinuing the Turkey Day Classic in order to give itself the option of participating in the Division I championship, should it qualify. The college will now hold its homecoming on the penultimate Saturday of November; that is, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Stillman College will remain the Hornets' opponent for 2014.[10]

In August 2015, it was announced that the Alabama State-Tuskegee rivalry will continue in 2017, with these games being held in early September. For the 2015 season, Miles College participated in the November Hornet Homecoming.[11]

Game results

Date Winning team Losing team Location
November 15, 1924 Tuskegee28 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
1925 Tuskegee14 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 6, 1926 Tuskegee14 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
December 3, 1927 Alabama State0 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1928 Alabama State6 Tuskegee6 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1929 Tuskegee20 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1930 Tuskegee32 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 21, 1931 Tuskegee32 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1932 Tuskegee7 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 30, 1933 Tuskegee14 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
November 29, 1934 Alabama State6 Tuskegee2 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1935 Alabama State3 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1936 Tuskegee6 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1937 Tuskegee14 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1938 Alabama State26 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 30, 1939 Tuskegee6 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1940 Alabama State31 Tuskegee12 Montgomery, AL
November 20, 1941 Tuskegee33 Alabama State6 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1942 Tuskegee25 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1943 Tuskegee19 Alabama State13 Montgomery, AL
1944 Tuskegee32 Alabama State12 Montgomery, AL
1945 Tuskegee26 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1946 Tuskegee26 Alabama State14 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1947 Alabama State26 Tuskegee26 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1948 Tuskegee15 Alabama State0 Tuskegee, AL
November 24, 1949 Tuskegee20 Alabama State19 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1950 Tuskegee15 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1951 Tuskegee26 Alabama State13 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1952 Alabama State28 Tuskegee13 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1953 Alabama State6 Tuskegee2 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1954 Alabama State23 Tuskegee2 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1955 Alabama State19 Tuskegee13 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1956 Tuskegee19 Alabama State13 Montgomery, AL
1957 Alabama State13 Tuskegee7 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1958 Tuskegee24 Alabama State20 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1959 Alabama State22 Tuskegee20 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1960 Tuskegee12 Alabama State8 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1961 Tuskegee19 Alabama State8 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1962 Tuskegee42 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1963 Tuskegee3 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1964 Alabama State19 Tuskegee11 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1965 Alabama State20 Tuskegee12 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1966 Alabama State35 Tuskegee14 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1967 Tuskegee21 Alabama State8 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1968 Tuskegee23 Alabama State21 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1969 Tuskegee28 Alabama State14 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1970 Tuskegee34 Alabama State20 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1971 Mississippi Valley State10 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
December 2, 1972 Tuskegee10 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
December 1, 1973 Tuskegee22 Alabama State15 Montgomery, AL
December 7, 1974 Tuskegee28 Alabama State7 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1975 Alabama State37 Tuskegee21 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1976 Alabama State29 Tuskegee14 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1977 Alabama State13 Tuskegee7 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1978 Alabama State15 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1979 Alabama State20 Tuskegee6 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1980 Alabama State14 Tuskegee7 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1981 Tuskegee14 Alabama State3 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1982 Tuskegee14 Alabama State13 Tuskegee, AL
November 24, 1983 Alabama State13 Tuskegee3 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1984 Alabama State31 Tuskegee8 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1985 Alabama State21 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1986 Alabama State21 Clark Atlanta6 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1987 Alabama State21 Johnson C. Smith3 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1988 Alabama State17 Tuskegee0 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 1989 Alabama State26 Tuskegee20 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 1990 Alabama State49 Tuskegee7 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1991 Alabama State62 Johnson C. Smith6 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1992 Alabama State17 Fayetteville State14 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1993 Alabama State31 Tuskegee30 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1994 Alabama State37 Tuskegee35 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 1995 Alabama State58 Tuskegee20 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 1996 Tuskegee21 Alabama State14 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 1997 Tuskegee21 Alabama State16 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 1998 Alabama State27 Tuskegee7 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 1999 Tuskegee37 Alabama State34 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 2000 Tuskegee28 Alabama State27 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 2001 Tuskegee31 Alabama State27 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 2002 Tuskegee25 Alabama State20 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 2003 Alabama State48 Tuskegee28 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 2004 Tuskegee27 Alabama State17 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 2005 Tuskegee28 Alabama State27 Montgomery, AL
November 23, 2006 Tuskegee17 Alabama State10 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 2007 Tuskegee64 Alabama State58 Montgomery, AL
November 27, 2008 Alabama State17 Tuskegee13 Montgomery, AL
November 26, 2009 Tuskegee21 Alabama State0 Montgomery, AL
November 25, 2010 Tuskegee17 Alabama State10 Montgomery, AL
November 24, 2011 Alabama State30 Tuskegee21 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 2012 Tuskegee27 Alabama State25 Montgomery, AL
November 28, 2013 Alabama State41 Stillman28 Montgomery, AL
November 22, 2014 Alabama State30Stillman27 Montgomery, AL
November 21, 2015 Alabama State26Miles College7 Montgomery, AL

See also

References

  1. ↑ Timmermann, Tom (2009-09-26), "Tuskegee Opens Long Road Trip at Gateway Classic", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, retrieved 2009-10-22
  2. ↑ Cunningham, Jonathon (2006-11-16), "Big Classic: Orlando's About to Go off the Chain", Orlando Weekly, retrieved 2009-10-22
  3. ↑ "There's Plenty in the Area to See and Do", Montgomery Advertiser, 2009-10-22, retrieved 2009-10-22
  4. ↑ Willingham, Leo (2008-11-18), "Tuskegee Still No. 1, Big Classic Weekend", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retrieved 2009-10-22
  5. 1 2 Moore, Eric, Black College Football Classic Games, retrieved 2009-11-24
  6. ↑ Nettles, Adrienne (2009-11-23), "Turkey Day Classic Festivities March into Downtown", Montgomery Advertiser, retrieved 2009-11-24
  7. ↑ Watkins, Gabrielle; Moore, Leslie; Stewart, Ashley (2009-11-22), "Thanksgiving Holiday Traditions", The Famuan, retrieved 2009-11-24
  8. ↑ Barnidge, Noell (2006-10-11), "Classics an Integral Part of Black College Football", Savannah Morning News, retrieved 2009-10-22
  9. ↑ Perrin, Mike (2008-11-01), "Pioneer Bowl Suspended for 2008; Nowhere for Tuskegee to Go", The Birmingham News, retrieved 2009-10-22
  10. ↑ Birdsong, Nick (March 4, 2014). Turkey Day Classic won't be held on Thanksgiving. AL.com. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ Alabama State, Tuskegee to renew football rivalry in 2017
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