HBCU football to be hosted by Bank of America, Nissan stadiums in 2021

Two major NFL stadiums will host three HBCU football schools soon. First, the Tennessee State Tigers will play all four of its home games at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. First-year head football coach Eddie Georgie is familiar with the stadium; it is home to the Titans, where George spent his entire Hall of Fame career.

North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central will play two of their Aggie-Eagle Classic games at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the Panthers. Those two games are part of the Duke’s Mayo Classic; the proceeds from that game benefit the Charlotte Sports Foundation.

Playing at Nissan is nothing new for the TSU Tigers; they’ve played home games there since 1999. The Tigers’ on-campus home, Hale Stadium, was built in 1953. Tennessee State returned to Hale Stadium in 2012 after TSU completed a million-dollar renovation project for the school’s 100th anniversary.

Since then, the Tigers have alternated between Hale and Nissan. TSU played all of their home games at Hale because of COVID. This season, the Tigers move it due to significant renovations at Hale.

For the Aggies and Eagles, their 2022 game in Charlotte is just the fourth time the game has been played in Charlotte in 97 years. The last time NCAT and NCCU played the Aggie-Eagle Classic in Charlotte was 2008 at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

A rivalry that dates back to their days as part of the CIAA, the teams played at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh (home of the North Carolina State Wolfpack) from 1993-2006. Except for 2008, the Classic has been a home-and-home series between the two schools.

North Carolina A&T lead the series 52-34-5, winning the last three games over the Eagles.