Norfolk State coach Michael Vick (right) meets with Delaware State coach DeSean Jackson after their teams played Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images

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Delaware State’s 27-20 win over Norfolk State on Thursday wasn’t just a victory for the Hornets.

It was a win for football played by all historically Black colleges and universities, as well as the fans and the respective school administrations.

Every time the legacy of HBCU football is displayed on a grand stage, it’s a chance to celebrate tradition and heritage. It’s also a chance to expose (or educate … or both) those who aren’t familiar with an important part of college football history.

Thursday’s game was aired by ESPN and played at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. It had an announced crowd of 47,266. Delaware State is coached by former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Norfolk State’s coach is former NFL quarterback Michael Vick. Both were standouts for the Eagles during their pro careers, and both are in their first seasons as college football head coaches.

But Thursday as a whole was more than just a game pitting two teams who happen to have well-known rookie coaches. Vick and Jackson coaching at HBCUs means lending their names to a rich tradition.

Former #Eagles teammates turned head coaches ..

Coach Mike Vick and DeSean Jackson embrace after facing off for the first time

Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets get the 27-20 win over Vicks Norfolk State team pic.twitter.com/OH2b2lfv9k

— Symone (@Symone_Stanley) October 31, 2025

Casual followers of HBCU football wondered if there would be fanfare around HBCU games when Deion Sanders left Jackson State for Colorado in 2022. It can be argued that some of them stopped caring about Jackson State and became Colorado fans.

Thursday’s game was a reminder the culture of HBCU football is still thriving — and has done so for decades. Some football fans just need to be reminded that there’s an appetite for it annually, and thousands will support.

Every time HBCU football is on a national stage, it’s more than an opportunity to discuss current players and coaches. It’s also a time to highlight the importance of the programs, as well as the history that has included filling NFL stadiums for decades and provided opportunities denied at other institutions after the Reconstruction era, ultimately producing some of the best athletes in America.

The resurgence of Delaware State, led by Jackson, is one of the best stories of all of college football this season. The Hornets (6-3) were 2-21 over the last two seasons and hadn’t won six games since 2012.

Consider this: Jackson’s own high school didn’t give him a chance to coach. He was coaching in Long Beach, Calif., at Wilson High School — the rival to his alma mater, traditional powerhouse Long Beach Poly — before taking over at Delaware State. Now, he’s making a lot of naysayers reconsider their opinions. What might have once looked like a publicity stunt is proving to be a boost for the program.

DeSean Jackson was carried off the field by Delaware State players following the Hornets’ win Thursday over Norfolk State at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images)

In discussing Jackson’s success at Delaware State, it also means discussing the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), which includes defending conference champion South Carolina State, which lost to Jackson State in last year’s Celebration Bowl, the de facto HBCU national championship game. The Delaware State-South Carolina State game Nov. 22 looms big as both teams have won three straight and are undefeated in the MEAC.

Thursday was the second HBCU game at an NFL stadium in less than a week that received national attention. Grambling upset Jackson State last Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 29,655 in the Las Vegas HBCU Classic, played at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.

I attended the game in Las Vegas as a fan. There was a buzz in the city, and the atmosphere in Allegiant was festive. It was more than a Southwestern Athletic Conference game. It was a gathering of HBCU supporters from across the country in a venue that exposed a new audience to the unique college football experience.

Games like Thursday’s matchup aren’t needed to validate HBCU football. HBCU alums will proudly tell you that HBCU football has always been a big draw.

The 84th Magic City Classic between Alabama State and Alabama A&M drew an announced crowd of 69,372. The Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern, normally played during Thanksgiving weekend, routinely draws more than 60,000 to the Superdome in New Orleans.

The beauty of being at the game in Las Vegas wasn’t just with the fans of Grambling and Jackson State. It was that all HBCU alums — and non-alums like myself — saw the significance in that game and games like Thursday’s in Philadelphia.

It’s a celebration of the tradition and a chance to share it with a new generation. That’s how all HBCUs win.

Nov 1, 2025

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Jason Jones is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Culture. Previously, he spent 16 years at the Sacramento Bee, covering the Sacramento Kings and Oakland Raiders. He’s a proud Southern California native and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley Follow Jason on Twitter @mr_jasonjones