In front of a roaring crowd dressed in maroon, white, old gold and black, one of ESPN’s most popular shows expressed a commitment to historically Black colleges and universities in Alabama.
“First Take” host Stephen A. Smith filmed a live show at Birmingham’s Legion Field a day before the state’s two largest HBCUs – Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University – go head-to-head for the 84th annual Magic City Classic.
The historic football game is the second stop in “First Take’s” largest ever HBCU fall tour, which also includes Bethune-Cookman University, Delaware State and Norfolk State. Smith said that attending the country’s largest HBCU classic supports the message behind the tour.
“The show is here because we want to show a national audience what HBCUs are all about,” Smith said. “Y’all have made us so proud because there’s so much talent at HBCUs that needs to be recognized each and every single day.”
ESPN “First Take” host Stephen A. Smith accepts a gift from Alabama State University during a live filming session of the show at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.Jonece Starr Dunigan
Alabama is seen by some as a mecca of HBCU culture and history. The state has 14 Black institutions within its borders – the most of any state.
The Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic dates back to 1902, making it the oldest HBCU classic game in the nation.
ASU educators Mary Fair Burks and Jo Ann Robinson orchestrated the origins of the Montgomery Bus Boycott years before Rosa Parks challenged segregation herself.
Vivian Malone earned her bachelor’s degree from AAMU before she crossed the color line at the University of Alabama despite Gov. George Wallace’s fiery demand for “Segregation now. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever.”
October is filled with events where each of the HBCUs bring out their bands, drum majors and majorettes to welcome students and alumni back to the yard for homecoming affairs.
For generations, the Magic City Classic has become an expression of HBCU pride.
Smith’s first time attending the Classic festivities included ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets and AAMU’s Marching Maroon and White. The bands took jabs at each other by showing off their musical talents.
Members of the historically Black sororities and fraternities, known as the Divine Nine, strolled in front of the stands. Outside the stadium walls, a maze of Black-owned restaurants set up tents to sell ribs, wings and other tailgate eats.
Fans will gather early in the morning Saturday for the Magic City Classic parade, which starts at 8 a.m. The game itself starts at 2:30 p.m.
Smith predicted that ASU will take home their fourth win in a row.
“I love the vibe, but obviously it’s gonna get better as it goes on,” Smith said. “The parties, the game, it’s coming the next day. So, it’s going to get so much more exciting. We had to set the stage and bring attention to this and let everybody know what’s coming down the pipe the next day or two.”
The Magic City Classic is also a testament to both schools’ resilience. Like many HBCUs, ASU and AAMU have endured bomb and terroristic threats, most recently this past month. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke said in a statement the threats were meant to spark fear among Black students and their loved ones.
“The threats made against several Historically Black Colleges and Universities are not only vile—they are a chilling reminder of the relentless racism and extremism that continues to target and terrorize Black communities in this country,” Clarke wrote. “These terroristic threats, designed to intimidate and foment hatred against everyday Americans—in this case, Black institutions of higher learning—cannot go unchallenged and must not be swept aside. Black students and HBCU communities deserve to be protected.”
Despite the threats, the schools are continuing to celebrate their wins. AAMU recently reported its third year of record-breaking enrollment numbers. Earlier this month, ASU announced that it will be the first HBCU to have a YMCA on its campus.
While Smith didn’t mention the bombings, he did want students, parents, family and friends of HBCUs to keep their heads held high.
“I know the times we’re living in,” Smith said. “I know how tough times can be, but we continue to show that nobody can stop us.”
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