HBCU RIVALRY OPENS 2016 STATE FAIR

DALLAS—The Texas-Oklahoma game is usually the centerpiece of the Texas State Fair, but there’s another game that draws just as many fans and just as much attention to Dallas’ Cotton Bowl Stadium.The State Fair Classic game between Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M is easily one of mostly highly anticipated games of the season. The two Historically Black [Colleges and] Universities have a long standing rivalry between them.

Even during winless seasons the teams draw record crowds to the State Fair of Texas. The contest between the bands is just as intense as the play on the field. In fact, the halftime show for this game is actually longer to allow both bands to perform elaborate and highly entertaining routines.

More often than not, fans show up for the first half and leave after the band performances conclude so that they enjoy the Midway fare and attempt to beat the traffic and attend the myriad of events following the game.

But don’t let that sour you on the game. Historically black colleges rarely get a platform like this, so the game itself — regardless of the records — is a big deal for the members of the Grambling and Prairie View communities.

This State Fair Classic, which has actually been in existence since 1925, but has featured Prairie View A&M and Grambling since 1985, is usually a one-sided affair. Grambling, which has won 14 SWAC championships and 23 Black College titles, has only lost five times to Prairie View —— and these games are rarely close.

Since 2009 Prairie View has four of the last six matchups and looks to keep going strong against the Tigers. In their season opener PV under new Head Coach Willie Simmons started off on the right foot as the Prairie View A&M Panthers rolled up nearly 500 yards of total offense combined with a stingy defensive effort as they reclaimed the Labor Day Classic trophy after a 38-11 win over Texas Southern at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Prairie View A&M finished with 457 yards (290 Rushing, 167 Passing) on 76 offensive plays while allowing 291 yards defensively. Green combined for three touchdowns as he rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries while throwing for 167 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-27 passing. In his first game in two seasons, Brown led PVAMU with 88 yards on nine carries followed by 55 yards and a touchdown from Hebert and 50 yards and a touchdown from Anderson.

Jalan Coleman led the defense with nine tackles and sack while Barton finished with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. After his performance against Texas State Coleman was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week after a 10-tackle performance at Texas State this past Saturday.

Coleman has led PVAMU in tackles for two consecutive games as he finished with nine tackles and a sack last week at Texas Southern. The Daphne, Ala. native currently leads the team with 21 tackles and two tackles for loss and is also tied for second in the SWAC in tackles.

On the other side of the ball the Tigers enter with a 1-2 record.

Tigers QB Johnathan Williams completed 21 of 38 passes for 296 yards as the GMen defeated Alabama State University at ASU Stadium 34-10 Saturday night.

“I think our kids played well,” said head coach Broderick Fobbs, “and we ran the ball well, which is good because it keeps the defense off the field.”

While ASU gave up 34 points, the G-Men’s defense held ASU to only 3 points until less than 3 minutes left in the game when the Hornets scored their only touchdown.

Grambling State played a strong defensive game against ASU, and PV’s Courtney Brown will test the GSU defense. As the Panthers were trailing in the fourth quarter against Alabama A&M, he ran two consecutive fourth-quarter scores to push his team on to a win.