Jackson State and Grambling State, — two of the biggest brands in HBCU football — will soon be meeting in Las Vegas.
The two teams are set to meet on Oct. 25 at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders according to a report by HBCU Sports.
Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, announced a $350k sponsorship of the game.
“Fifty-five players from the Raiders have come from HBCUs. There are all kinds of alumni in our community,” Hill said via the Las Vegas Sun.“Anybody putting on an event that wants to bring a spotlight to them, when they choose Las Vegas, it is going to elevate that game.”
The two programs are amongst the most storied in HBCU and FCS football. Both have four Pro Football Hall of Famers and have produced hundreds of NFL Draft picks.
However, the two programs are in different places heading into 2025. Grambling State failed to record a winning record for the fifth consecutive season in its first year under head coach Mickey Joseph.
Jackson State, meanwhile, is coming off an impressive 12-2 season under head coach TC Taylor. The program won its third SWAC title in four seasons and claimed the HBCU national title after winning the Celebration Bowl. However, Grambling State did hand Jackson State one of its losses in a non-conference matchup.