2026 'Clash at the Classic' to feature Johnson C. Smith University and Albany State
Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic game scheduled for Sept. 6 in Canton; tickets on sale now
Johnson C. Smith University, from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, will take on Albany State University, from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, in the 2026 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio, on Sept. 6.
For the second year, the “Clash at the Classic” features the defending football champions from the CIAA and SIAC – two athletic conferences primarily composed of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NFL Network, which will provide coverage of the game, announced the teams during its broadcast of the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame is proud to move into Year 7 of playing the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic game in Canton, Ohio, on Labor Day Weekend,” said Jim Porter, president & CEO of the Hall of Fame. “We are excited that this partnership is bringing two newcomers from the CIAA and SIAC to the region for the weekend. We look forward to sharing the Classic’s experiences with the players, administration and fans of Albany State and Johnson C. Smith universities.”
The Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University will be led on to the field by head coach Maurice Flowers, who enters his fifth season at the helm. The team is coming off a successful 2025 campaign that included a 10-2 record, a 45-21 victory over Virginia Union in the CIAA Championship Game to avenge its only loss in the regular season and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Golden Bulls lost 21-7 to Frostburg State, an eventual quarterfinalist.
Led by first-year head coach David Bowser, Albany State will be looking to replicate the success from the 2025 season. The Golden Rams posted a 12-2 record that included three wins against defending conference champion (and 2025 Clash at the Classic participant) Benedict College. The Golden Rams made it all the way to NCAA Division II quarterfinals as a No. 1 seed.
Bowser is no stranger to the opponent; he spent the 2025 season with Johnson C. Smith as special assistant to Coach Flowers.
Fans can purchase their seats to see the game and energizing band performances featuring the Johnson C. Smith International Institution of Sound and the Albany State University Marching Rams Show Band. Tickets, starting at $40, are available here.
For premium ticket packages and group ticket sales, contact Rob Sine at Rob.Sine@ProFootballHOF.com.
Several community events are scheduled during the seventh annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend taking place Sept. 3-6. They include:
- Classic Kickoff 6K (Part of the Hall of Fame Race Series & In collaboration with Stark County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and Run to You Racing)
- College Fair
- Career Fair (In collaboration with OhioMeansJobs)
- Habitat for Humanity Day of Service
- Clearview Golf Classic at Historic Clearview Golf Club
- Classic Battle of the Bands
- Unveiling of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Plaques
- Official All-White Affair (in collaboration with the Kappa Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity)
- Cecelia Ponder Time of Inspiration
- The Classic Tailgate
- Minority Business Reception
The Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes:
- Nick Collins – Bethune-Cookman University
- Rudy Hubbard – Florida A&M University
- Tyrone Poole – Fort Valley State University
- Eddie Robinson Jr. – Alabama State University
- Jimmy Smith – Jackson State University
- Steve Wyche – Howard University
