Thirty seven years in, and the Southern Heritage Classic still turns a stadium into a family reunion ๐ The matchup does look different than it did for most of that run. Tennessee State and Jackson State carried this game from 1990 into the 2020s, and anybody who has been coming that long notices. Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Alcorn State have it now, in a rematch of last year's four point finish.
The stadium looks different too. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium came out of its renovation in late August, so this is the first Classic under the new videoboards and the rebuilt west side.
What did not change is the part Memphis actually shows up for. Fred Jones Jr. built this weekend from Memphis in 1990, which is why it has never felt like a visiting event borrowing the city for a Saturday. The parade still rolls through Orange Mound before most of the city has finished breakfast. There are still more people in the Tiger Lane lots than there are seats in some college stadiums! The bands still stay on the field after the whistle ๐บ Same staple, new names on the jerseys.
Arkansas at Pine Bluff, one half of this year's matchup.
The ScheduleThe Practical Part
The Whole Weekend
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 8:30 a.m. | Classic College and Career Fair | Memphis Sports & Events Center, 995 Early Maxwell |
| Fri noon | Coaches Luncheon presented by FedEx | Renasant Convention Center |
| Sat 8 a.m. | Classic Tailgate | Tiger Lane and the stadium lots |
| Sat 8 a.m. | Penny Hardaway Golf Classic | Tunica National |
| Sat 9 a.m. | Classic Parade | Park Avenue, Haynes to Airways |
| Sat 10 a.m. | Classic Battle of the Bands | Whitehaven High School Stadium |
| Sat 11 a.m. | Fashion Show and Brunch | The Great Hall, 1900 S Germantown |
| Sat 6 p.m. | Kickoff. UAPB vs Alcorn State | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium |
| Sat, postgame | Classic 5th Quarter | Both bands, back on the field |
Getting There And Getting Around
The Practical Part
- ●Kickoff, 6 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, 335 S Hollywood St
- ●Tickets, through Ticketmaster, and no price grid is published on the official site
- ●Parking and the tailgate, Tiger Lane and the surrounding lots, open from 8 a.m.
- ●The parade, park on the side streets off Park Avenue and walk in
- ●Doing both, the parade at 9 and the bands at 10 in Whitehaven sit about twenty minutes apart, so one of them gets cut short
- ●Watching from home, HBCUGO.tv and the HBCUGO app carry the game
- ●Questions, the Classic office answers at 901-398-6655
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, 335 S Hollywood St, after its renovation.
First Classic? Start at the parade on Park Avenue, spend the middle of the day on Tiger Lane, and stay for the 5th Quarter. Nobody who leaves at the two minute warning has actually been.
Full schedule and contact details at southernheritageclassic.com.
