Touchdown for the Florida Blue Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium
- Shane Walton
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
The Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats meet the Florida A&M University Rattlers in the Florida Blue Florida Classic on November 22, 2025.
The nation’s premier HBCU football rivalry returns to Orlando with the Florida Blue Florida Classic between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats happening at Camping World Stadium on Saturday, November 22, bringing an unforgettable weekend of culture, music, and athleticism to the heart of the city.
Each year, more than 50,000 fans fill the stands to cheer on their teams, while thousands more enjoy the vibrant festivities across downtown, including the legendary Battle of the Band performance at Kia Center on Friday, November 21.
The Classic also fuels Orlando’s local economy. Since its inception in 1978, the game has drawn over 2 million attendees, making it the largest HBCU football event in the nation and a cherished tradition for the city.
Whether you’re here for the rivalry, the halftime show, or the community pride, downtown Orlando is the place to be this Florida Classic weekend!
The Florida Classic is more than just a football game and more than an in-state rivalry. It is now the nation’s largest football game between two Historically Black College/University (HBCU) schools, surpassing the Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern in New Orleans as the top attended game in NCAA Division I-AA. Since its inception in 1978, the game has now seen over 2 million spectators attend.
In addition to the star power on the gridiron — with such names as Rashean Mathis, Nick Collins, Eric Weems and Quinn Gray dotting rosters since the move to Orlando — FAMU’s Marching 100 and B-CU’s Marching Wildcats always provide the perfect soundtrack for Classic weekend with their memorable halftime performances, while the pregame FanFest outside the stadium offers a tailgate experience unlike any other.
The Florida Classic, operated by Florida Citrus Sports, the non-profit group behind the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and the Pop-Tarts Bowl, is a longstanding tradition dating back nearly a century. It is more than just the nation’s largest annual HBCU football game — it’s a celebration of sports, family, music, and culture woven into the fabric of Central Florida.
Today, it is one of the most anticipated college football bowl games in the country and boasts an average of 60,000 spectators per game. The highest attendance, 73,358 attendees, was recorded in Orlando in 2003.
Fans who miss the game can also catch it from the comfort of their homes, courtesy of ESPN Networks. ESPN Classic has been televising the action-packed game nationally in the past years as part of their multi-year contract with former B-CU and FAMU conference—Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Despite the teams’ departure for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, it seems the ESPN Network will keep televising the game nationally.
What’s more, the game garners the winning university bragging rights. It also offers the perfect recruitment opportunity for both universities as current students, prospects, and parents interact.
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