As first reported by HBCU Gameday on August 12, the uncertainty surrounding the Georgia Football Classic has finally ended. The much-anticipated matchup between Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Mississippi Valley State University will no longer take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Organizers officially scrapped the Atlanta game on September 29. Now, the contest has a new date and a new location.
Early signs of trouble
The Georgia Football Classic aimed to revive the energy of the Atlanta Football Classic (AFC), a major HBCU Classic from 1989 to 2014. The 100 Black Men of Atlanta staged the AFC at the old Georgia Dome, drawing huge crowds and making it a staple of the HBCU football calendar. FAMU’s strong Atlanta fan base, paired with opponents like Southern University and Tennessee State, turned the game into a fall spectacle.
The 2003 FAMU–TSU matchup drew 70,185 fans. In 2002 and 2004, the event drew 67,000 fans annually, with attendance figures rivaling some bowl games.
In August, John Grant, ESPN Director of Special Events and former AFC organizer, explained to HBCU Gameday that the landscape has changed. Grant, who now leads the MEAC–SWAC Challenge and Celebration Bowl, called reviving a large-scale Atlanta HBCU classic “monumental, if not impossible.” He pointed to marketing and logistical challenges that didn’t exist during the AFC’s peak.
Announcement and silence
Momentum built when FAMU Athletic Director Angela Suggs announced during the alumni association meeting that the 2025 game would move from Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. MVSU Athletics followed with a statement:
“Mississippi Valley State University Athletics is proud to announce that our 2025 football clash with FAMU, originally scheduled to be played at Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, will now take place at Atlanta’s iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 4, 2025.”
After that announcement, communication stalled. With less than 60 days before kickoff, there were no advertisements, no tickets on sale through Ticketmaster, FAMU, or MVSU, and no public event details.
When HBCU Gameday pressed for answers, one promoter demanded a retraction. The reporting team held its ground, pointing out that the event was “in limbo” without ticket availability. We also pledged to follow up when official details surfaced.
Déjà vu in Tampa
Meanwhile, a similar situation unfolded in Tampa. The proposed Tampa Football Classic, featuring Bethune–Cookman and Southern, was slated for October 20. B-CU Athletic Director Reggie Theus eventually withdrew the program after organizers missed key deadlines. He stressed that he wouldn’t compromise the fan or student-athlete experience without proper infrastructure.
New plan: back to MVSU
The game now has a new plan. It will return to Mississippi Valley State’s home field, with kickoff scheduled for Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The later date provides both programs with a clear path forward after weeks of uncertainty.
FAMU issues joint statement
FAMU and MVSU released a joint statement to clarify the new arrangement:
“The SWAC contest on October 4, 2025, a MVSU home game, will not be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. As Mississippi Valley State is the designated home team, the decision has been made to cancel the game in Atlanta and reschedule to Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi, on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 2 p.m.
We regret the impact that this unexpected change will have on our fans, and we will make every effort to provide a quality game-day experience during the rescheduled date of competition. … MVSU and FAMU remain committed to excellence on and off the field … Information regarding tickets will be forthcoming on each school’s respective athletics websites.”
The statement frames the move as a redirection, not a cancellation. It reaffirms both universities’ commitment to delivering a legitimate HBCU matchup and promises further ticket information soon.
The Big Picture
This pivot highlights a larger reality: grand venue ambitions create excitement, but sustainability matters more. The Georgia Classic’s collapse at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a cautionary tale. The marketing resources and logistical capacity needed to support an HBCU classic of that scale are harder to pull off today than they were in the early 2000s.
Still, the game lives on—back on familiar ground and firmer footing. The matchup will now be played on November 29 at 2 p.m. in Itta Bena, Mississippi, giving fans a new date to circle on their calendars.