CANTON — The annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic — a celebration of historically Black colleges and universities — returns to Canton this weekend.
Virginia Union University and Miles College will meet Aug. 31 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. It marks the first time in the six-year history that the game will feature the defending football champions from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Both teams also are nationally ranked. The Virginia Union Panthers are No. 19 and the Miles Golden Bears are No. 24 in the 2025 American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.
Many activities — including a college fair, golf outing and career fair — are taking place leading up to the game.
“It’s a blessing to the Canton community for us to be able to provide great events … and feature these historically Black colleges,” said Mark Bigsbee, a well-known community advocate.
He noted that the events will include a new Battle of the Bands featuring the marching bands from both schools. The event will take place Aug. 30.
Bigsbee said he hopes the community participates in this weekend’s festivities.
“It gives insight to a lot of cultures, especially the HBCU culture and it recognizes some outstanding athletes that came from these HBCU colleges,” he said. “If we can get a great turnout to the game, then that means we can do this for years and years to come.”
What’s happening Aug. 28 for the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic?
The Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic events kick off on Aug. 28. Here are some community events planned:
∎ Leaders and mentors will put together a “Reading the Playbook” event at Stark and Summit County Schools at 9 a.m.
∎ From 9 a.m. to noon, the fifth annual Classic College Fair will take place at the Bulldog Activity Center, 521 Tuscarawas St. W.
∎ From 4 to 6 p.m., the fourth annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Community Career Fair will take place at the Timken Commons Campus, 521 Tuscarawas St. W.
What’s happening Aug. 29 for the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend?
Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio will host a “Building Blitz” volunteer opportunity for those 18 and older from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 29 at its campus, 1400 Raff Road SW. Volunteers will help build and paint garden sheds.
What’s happening Aug. 30 for Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend?
There are numerous events planned Aug. 30:
When is the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic game?
The football game takes place Aug. 31 with kickoff slated for 4 p.m. but there are many activities planned ahead of the game. Here’s a look at the schedule:
“Sitting at preseason No. 19 gives us a target to keep chasing every single week,” Virginia Union head coach Alvin Parker said in a prepared statement when the preseason rankings were released. “We’re opening the season against another top 25 opponent, so we know the challenge is real and we’ll be ready.”
How much are tickets to the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic game?
Tickets to the game start at $41.50. They can be found on the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.
The Canton Repository sports department can be contacted via email at sports@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend is here. What to know
Reporting by Janson McNair, Canton Repository / The Repository
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