State Fair Classic
Encyclopedia
The State Fair Classic is an annual college football
game between the Grambling State University
Tigers
and the Prairie View A&M University
Panthers. The game's official title is the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic after its sponsor, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines
. This game has also been referred to by several unofficial names, such as the Soul Bowl. The game is played on a neutral site at the Cotton Bowl
in Fair Park
, Dallas, Texas
during the State Fair of Texas
. The game often occurs the weekend before Texas–OU Red River Rivalry
game at the same stadium.
Wildcats and Langston University
Lions. The first game was played on Monday, October 19, 1925 and resulted in a 0–0 tie with neither team scoring before a crowd of 5,000. Both teams met four consecutive years in Dallas before Prairie View replaced Langston in 1929. The contest always took place on “Negro Day” at the State Fair of Texas and would feature the city high school football championship in the afternoon followed by the anticipated college game at night. The concept of “Monday Night Football” could also be attributed to the State Fair Classic as the contest took place on Monday nights well into the 1960s.
Wiley wasn’t the only college to play PV in the State Fair during that era as the Panthers battled Tennessee State in 1958 and Texas Southern in 1959.
After relocating to Dallas in 1961, Bishop College eventually took Wiley’s place in the annual contest in the 43rd annual classic in 1967. From that point, Prairie View maintained a presence in the Cotton Bowl with match-ups against Bishop, East Texas State (A&M Commerce) and Southern others over the years before moving its game against Grambling State to the bowl in the mid-80s.
With the disbanding of the Prairie View A&M football program in 1990, the State Fair Classic featured Grambling State and Elizabeth City State. Even though Prairie View brought football back in 1991 (Grambling played North Carolina A&T), it was not until 1992 that the classic would see the annual PVAMU-GSU showdown once again. Since 1992, this has been the annual match-up held at the State Fair Classic.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game between the Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
Tigers
Grambling State Tigers
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in Division I as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference...
and the Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...
Panthers. The game's official title is the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic after its sponsor, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
. This game has also been referred to by several unofficial names, such as the Soul Bowl. The game is played on a neutral site at the Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
in Fair Park
Fair Park
Dallas Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex located in Dallas, Texas . The complex is registered as a Dallas Landmark, National Historic Landmark and is home to nine museums, six performance facilities, a lagoon, and the largest Ferris wheel in North America...
, Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
during the State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas . The fair season usually begins the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The fair is held at the historic Fair Park where it has been held since 1886. The 2012 State Fair of Texas will run from September 28th...
. The game often occurs the weekend before Texas–OU Red River Rivalry
Red River Rivalry
The Red River Rivalry, commonly known as the OU-Texas Game or Texas-OU Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Oklahoma Sooners football team of the University of Oklahoma and the Texas Longhorns football team of the University of Texas. The series is considered...
game at the same stadium.
History of the State Fair Classic
The annual State Fair Classic, held annually at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, began in 1925 featuring the Wiley CollegeWiley College
Wiley College is a four-year, private, historically black, liberal arts college located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society, it is notable as one of the oldest predominantly...
Wildcats and Langston University
Langston University
Langston University is an institution of higher learning located in Langston, Oklahoma, USA. It is the only historically black college in the state, and the westernmost historically black college in the United States...
Lions. The first game was played on Monday, October 19, 1925 and resulted in a 0–0 tie with neither team scoring before a crowd of 5,000. Both teams met four consecutive years in Dallas before Prairie View replaced Langston in 1929. The contest always took place on “Negro Day” at the State Fair of Texas and would feature the city high school football championship in the afternoon followed by the anticipated college game at night. The concept of “Monday Night Football” could also be attributed to the State Fair Classic as the contest took place on Monday nights well into the 1960s.
Wiley wasn’t the only college to play PV in the State Fair during that era as the Panthers battled Tennessee State in 1958 and Texas Southern in 1959.
After relocating to Dallas in 1961, Bishop College eventually took Wiley’s place in the annual contest in the 43rd annual classic in 1967. From that point, Prairie View maintained a presence in the Cotton Bowl with match-ups against Bishop, East Texas State (A&M Commerce) and Southern others over the years before moving its game against Grambling State to the bowl in the mid-80s.
With the disbanding of the Prairie View A&M football program in 1990, the State Fair Classic featured Grambling State and Elizabeth City State. Even though Prairie View brought football back in 1991 (Grambling played North Carolina A&T), it was not until 1992 that the classic would see the annual PVAMU-GSU showdown once again. Since 1992, this has been the annual match-up held at the State Fair Classic.