MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Two historically Black universities will face off in a rematch during the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium on Labor Day Weekend.
Some members of Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 played songs on Wednesday to celebrate the football match’s return.
The center of the Labor Day Weekend event at the Miami Gardens venue will feature a game between Jackson State and FAMU on Sept. 5.
NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is Jackson State’s head coach.
“I think it’s going to be bigger than a lot of people think it’s going to be,” Sanders said. “I really do. I can feel it. I can feel it when I’m up on stage. I can feel it right now talking to you.”
The Orange Blossom Classic was played from 1933 to 1978. With the classic returning, organizers hope to bring more exposure to HBCUs.
“It’s going to be an all hands on deck approach,” FAMU head coach Willie Simmons said. “We just can’t sit back and rely on guys such as Deion Sanders to bring awareness to HBCUs. It’s about us as coaches. It’s about our alumni. It’s about our fan base. It’s about people that are going out and are seeking corporate sponsorships.”
Sanders has brought on Luther Campbell to provide a concert during a weekend full of festivities surrounding the game.
“We need this, and the world needs to see this great event coming back that celebrates great history, great community, lifting up, especially our Black community, through these historically Black universities participating,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.
“We just want the kids to experience what kids experience in a bowl-type atmosphere, and that’s what this is,” Sanders said.
Hard Rock Stadium will allow full capacity for the Sept. 5 game.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.