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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – (AP) – Fans at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium had a lot to celebrate Saturday night at the first Southern Heritage Classic in two years.
It’s always party time at the HBCU showcase. The two-year gap between games made fans anxious as the game between Tennessee State’s Eddie George and Jackson State’s Deion Sanders made them say why not us.
Buses, motorhomes, tents, large TVs and smokers – many smokers – filled the parking lots closest to the stadium. The fans literally danced and stepped forward in time to kick off. A few tents had disc jockeys as the music blared from the speakers, mingling with the scent of ribs, barbecue and burgers.
It was big, think of the hatchbacks outside of Neyland Stadium in Tennessee; Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide; the shoe in the state of Ohio; or a great ball game.
Jackson State fan Ezra Baker, from Columbus, Mississippi, thinks this is a renaissance for historically black colleges and universities.
“It was a big game the whole time,” said Baker. “It’s never been under 35,000, 45,000. But we have two contestants… Hall of Famers who come from Tennessee (State) and Jackson State University, and they come to do a show. Win, lose or draw. They want to make sure fans appreciate this cultural revolution.
That’s the impact of hiring Sanders, a professional football Hall of Fame player, nearly a year ago in Jackson State, and George in Tennessee State in mid-April.
Baker attended the 32 Southern Heritage Classics and said he felt there was more enthusiasm for the game than in recent years.
“This is why we have a rebirth, a new birth, because the HBCUs have been on the back burner for years and years,” Baker said. “Now we see that a cultural movement can bring out these things that are important to all of us.”
George stood in the middle of the field, arm in arm with his Tigers for the national anthem, while Sanders made a late entry as his Tigers raced onto the field after the singer’s demise.
Kellie Grizzell, 30, and Andrea Jossell of Memphis, Jackson State graduates in 2012, both saw more people chasing before kick-off than in the past. Jossell said it was like on the verge of a new birth.
“It’s bigger,” Jossell said. “It’s a family atmosphere. I feel the rivalry but I also feel that these are just two schools that are excited to be here and to see the story “made.
Jackson State took a 10-7 halftime lead, setting up the other big show of the night: the group battle. Nor disappointed. TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands stepped onto the pitch first and engaged fans using the lights on their phones. The South Sonic Boom came in second.
It is a regular part of the festivities.
DJ Jones from Memphis arrived at noon, six hours before kickoff to take in the stage. With so much spending Friday night outside the Liberty Bowl, Jones said he would arrive the day before next year. Someone who has been attending this game for years, Jones has noticed a lot more Jackson State fans.
He thinks it’s because of the coaches increasing competition between schools.
“There is no limit to what they can do because it has been years since we were completely sold,” Jones said. “But you see everyone at the hatchback here having a good time. Right now you can’t even get a parking space in this area due to the hype.
Kerry Thomas, a 1989 graduate of the State of Tennessee, did not notice a difference in the mood of those who followed the last few years. He loves Jones, he said the increased Jackson State fan base is indicative of what’s going on at HBCUs.
“The folks at Jackson State haven’t generally come forward like this in the past,” Thomas said. “The Jackson State people are at the forefront… They lose, they won’t show up. They’re mediocre, they won’t show up. Even in Jackson, they don’t show up.”
It’s not Thomas being a Tennessee state graduate speaking. He is a high school football coach in Memphis and regularly takes players to HBCU games, particularly Southwestern Athletic Conference games in the South.
“There is a big difference seeing the folks at Jackson State show up tonight,” Thomas said.
This game was called off due to lightning and weather in 2018. A total of 48,347 showed up to watch Jackson State on TSU board in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic wiped out the 2020 edition with the SWAC and the conference of the Ohio Valley choosing to postpone the season until last spring.
Donald Minter, TSU Class of 1991, said it was really good to be back and enjoy it in person.
“It sounds like your favorite food that you haven’t been able to get in a while,” Minter said. “There is no taste like that. You just miss it. “
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Follow Teresa M. Walker on https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker
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