Alabama State unveiled its 2002 football schedule this week, no real surprises but an opportunity for some quality wins.
The Hornets will have six home games this fall to go along with the annual Magic City Classic. The season opens with ASU against Howard in this year’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta. That’s a Week Zero game that will put the Hornets in action on August 27.
Miles College is back on Labor Day Weekend for another edition of the Labor Day Classic.
A big road game follows as Alabama State plays its money game on the road at UCLA. The details of that game were reported last year. It will be the inaugural meeting between UCLA and Alabama State.
SWAC play begins on September 24 with Prairie View A&M and runs for the next two months concluding with the Turkey Day Classic.
Homecoming will raise eyebrows
The most notable item on the schedule is that the Jackson State game will be on homecoming for Alabama State. The Hornets until recently had celebrated homecoming during the Turkey Day Classic weekend. Homecoming this year will be on October 8.
Deion Sanders and Jackson State took exception to being scheduled for Alabama A&M’s homecoming last year, and exacted their pound of flesh on the scoreboard. AAMU didn’t like the 61-15 score, but had to be more than thrilled with the near-record crowd that showed up. I’m quite sure Alabama State is expecting more of the same in its stands. JSU was coming to Montgomery either way, might as well make a party out of it.
| 2022 Schedule | |
| August 27 | vs. Howard (Atlanta) |
| September 3 | Miles (Labor Day Classic) |
| September 10 | at UCLA |
| September 24 | Prairie View A&M* |
| October 1 | at Texas Southern* |
| October 8 | Jackson State* (Homecoming) |
| October 15 | Mississippi Valley State* |
| October 29 | vs. Alabama A&M* (Magic City Classic) |
| November 5 | at Bethune-Cookman* |
| November 12 | Florida A&M* |
| November 24 | UAPB* (Turkey Day Classic) |
The Magic City Classic is always the last Saturday in October, that falls on Oct. 29 this year. Mississippi Valley State visits on Oct. 15, with Florida A&M in Montgomery on November 12.
The Turkey Day Classic will not feature Tuskegee this year. UAPB will close out the regular season at Alabama State instead.