Map
Locations of Alabama A&M and Alabama State

The Magic City Classic is an annual American football "classic" that features Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University, the two largest historically black universities in the state. It is played at Legion Field in Birmingham, which is nicknamed the "Magic City". The classic has become one of the highest attended Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) games in the nation and the largest event in Birmingham, with a nearly $25 million economic impact on the area. The stadium attendance averages over 60,000 annually.

The first game between the two schools was played in 1924. It has been an uninterrupted, annual tradition since 1945 and has been played at Legion Field since 1940.

The classic is the largest HBCU event in the nation attracting nearly 200,000 participants. The Alabama A&M Bulldogs narrowly lead the series with a record of 44–43–3 all-time (as of 2025).

Other activities

Many festivities are held in conjunction with the game, including a pep rally, comedy show, scholarship breakfast, concert/festival, soirees, tailgating, block parties, alumni gatherings, 2-hour parade, and a popular "Battle of the Bands" between AAMU's Marching Maroon and White Band and ASU's Mighty Marching Hornets. Festivities begin the week of Saturday's game.

In recent years, the classic has attracted numerous African-American celebrities, public figures, and elected officials to Birmingham.

History

Alabama A&M victoriesAlabama State victoriesTie gamesForfeit
No.DateWinnerScore
No.DateWinnerScore1Unknown 1924Alabama State30–02Unknown 1925Alabama State7–03Unknown 1929Alabama State32–04Unknown 1930Alabama State46–65Unknown 1931Alabama State56–06Unknown 1932Alabama State18–07Unknown 1940Alabama State24–68Unknown 1941Alabama State21–139Unknown 1942Alabama A&M20–610Unknown 1945Alabama State20–711Unknown 1946Alabama State15–1412Unknown 1947Alabama State12–613Unknown 1948Alabama A&M14–814Unknown 1949Tie13–1315Unknown 1950Alabama State16–1216Unknown 1951Alabama A&M27–617Unknown 1952Alabama A&M38–1318Unknown 1953Alabama A&M13–719Unknown 1954Alabama State23–720Unknown 1955Alabama A&M13–621Unknown 1956Tie0–022Unknown 1957Alabama State13–723Unknown 1958Alabama State20–824Unknown 1959Alabama State22–025Unknown 1960Alabama A&M22–2026Unknown 1961Alabama A&M32–1227Unknown 1962Alabama A&M54–628Unknown 1963Alabama A&M32–1429Unknown 1964Alabama A&M30–030Unknown 1965Alabama A&M34–031Unknown 1966Alabama A&M36–1932Unknown 1967Alabama State13–733Unknown 1968Alabama State27–2134Unknown 1969Alabama State26–635Unknown 1970Alabama A&M26–1836Unknown 1971Alabama State12–637Unknown 1972Alabama A&M8–738Unknown 1973Alabama A&M10–739Unknown 1974Alabama A&M14–740Unknown 1975Alabama A&M29–2241Unknown 1976Alabama A&M17–1542Unknown 1977Alabama State14–743Unknown 1978Alabama A&M22–744Unknown 1979Alabama State17–1445Unknown 1980Alabama State20–1746Unknown 1981Alabama A&M13–3No.DateWinnerScore47October 30, 1982Tie13–1348October 29, 1983Alabama A&M27–1449October 27, 1984Alabama A&M28–1250November 2, 1985Alabama A&M7–651November 1, 1986Alabama A&M20–1052October 31, 1987Alabama State17–1453October 29, 1988Alabama State7–054October 28, 1989Alabama A&M17–1055October 27, 1990Alabama State24–2056November 2, 1991Alabama State59–1357October 31, 1992Alabama State14–1158October 30, 1993Alabama State7–059October 29, 1994Alabama State26–060October 28, 1995Alabama State37–2061October 26, 1996Alabama A&M20–362October 25, 1997Alabama State20–1363October 31, 1998Alabama State34–2864October 30, 1999Alabama A&M15–1065October 28, 2000Alabama A&M34–2766October 27, 2001Alabama State†35–067October 26, 2002Alabama A&M23–2068October 25, 2003Alabama A&M20–1769October 30, 2004Alabama State24–2070October 29, 2005Alabama A&M31–2871October 28, 2006Alabama A&M21–1372October 27, 2007Alabama A&M13–973October 24, 2008Alabama A&M17–1674October 31, 2009Alabama A&M21–775October 30, 2010Alabama State31–1076October 29, 2011Alabama A&M20–1977October 27, 2012Alabama State31–1378October 26, 2013Alabama State31–779October 25, 2014Alabama A&M37–3680October 31, 2015Alabama State35–2081October 29, 2016Alabama A&M42–4182October 28, 2017Alabama State21–1683October 27, 2018Alabama A&M27–1084October 26, 2019Alabama A&M43–413OT85April 17, 2021Alabama A&M38–1486October 30, 2021Alabama A&M42–2887October 29, 2022Alabama State24–1788October 28, 2023Alabama State31–1689October 26, 2024Alabama State27–1990October 25, 2025Alabama State56–13Series: Alabama A&M leads 44–43–3† Alabama State later forfeited the 2001 game as part of an NCAA penalty for violations committed.
1Unknown 1924Alabama State30–0
2Unknown 1925Alabama State7–0
3Unknown 1929Alabama State32–0
4Unknown 1930Alabama State46–6
5Unknown 1931Alabama State56–0
6Unknown 1932Alabama State18–0
7Unknown 1940Alabama State24–6
8Unknown 1941Alabama State21–13
9Unknown 1942Alabama A&M20–6
10Unknown 1945Alabama State20–7
11Unknown 1946Alabama State15–14
12Unknown 1947Alabama State12–6
13Unknown 1948Alabama A&M14–8
14Unknown 1949Tie13–13
15Unknown 1950Alabama State16–12
16Unknown 1951Alabama A&M27–6
17Unknown 1952Alabama A&M38–13
18Unknown 1953Alabama A&M13–7
19Unknown 1954Alabama State23–7
20Unknown 1955Alabama A&M13–6
21Unknown 1956Tie0–0
22Unknown 1957Alabama State13–7
23Unknown 1958Alabama State20–8
24Unknown 1959Alabama State22–0
25Unknown 1960Alabama A&M22–20
26Unknown 1961Alabama A&M32–12
27Unknown 1962Alabama A&M54–6
28Unknown 1963Alabama A&M32–14
29Unknown 1964Alabama A&M30–0
30Unknown 1965Alabama A&M34–0
31Unknown 1966Alabama A&M36–19
32Unknown 1967Alabama State13–7
33Unknown 1968Alabama State27–21
34Unknown 1969Alabama State26–6
35Unknown 1970Alabama A&M26–18
36Unknown 1971Alabama State12–6
37Unknown 1972Alabama A&M8–7
38Unknown 1973Alabama A&M10–7
39Unknown 1974Alabama A&M14–7
40Unknown 1975Alabama A&M29–22
41Unknown 1976Alabama A&M17–15
42Unknown 1977Alabama State14–7
43Unknown 1978Alabama A&M22–7
44Unknown 1979Alabama State17–14
45Unknown 1980Alabama State20–17
46Unknown 1981Alabama A&M13–3
No.DateWinnerScore
47October 30, 1982Tie13–13
48October 29, 1983Alabama A&M27–14
49October 27, 1984Alabama A&M28–12
50November 2, 1985Alabama A&M7–6
51November 1, 1986Alabama A&M20–10
52October 31, 1987Alabama State17–14
53October 29, 1988Alabama State7–0
54October 28, 1989Alabama A&M17–10
55October 27, 1990Alabama State24–20
56November 2, 1991Alabama State59–13
57October 31, 1992Alabama State14–11
58October 30, 1993Alabama State7–0
59October 29, 1994Alabama State26–0
60October 28, 1995Alabama State37–20
61October 26, 1996Alabama A&M20–3
62October 25, 1997Alabama State20–13
63October 31, 1998Alabama State34–28
64October 30, 1999Alabama A&M15–10
65October 28, 2000Alabama A&M34–27
66October 27, 2001Alabama State†35–0
67October 26, 2002Alabama A&M23–20
68October 25, 2003Alabama A&M20–17
69October 30, 2004Alabama State24–20
70October 29, 2005Alabama A&M31–28
71October 28, 2006Alabama A&M21–13
72October 27, 2007Alabama A&M13–9
73October 24, 2008Alabama A&M17–16
74October 31, 2009Alabama A&M21–7
75October 30, 2010Alabama State31–10
76October 29, 2011Alabama A&M20–19
77October 27, 2012Alabama State31–13
78October 26, 2013Alabama State31–7
79October 25, 2014Alabama A&M37–36
80October 31, 2015Alabama State35–20
81October 29, 2016Alabama A&M42–41
82October 28, 2017Alabama State21–16
83October 27, 2018Alabama A&M27–10
84October 26, 2019Alabama A&M43–413OT
85April 17, 2021Alabama A&M38–14
86October 30, 2021Alabama A&M42–28
87October 29, 2022Alabama State24–17
88October 28, 2023Alabama State31–16
89October 26, 2024Alabama State27–19
90October 25, 2025Alabama State56–13
Series: Alabama A&M leads 44–43–3
† Alabama State later forfeited the 2001 game as part of an NCAA penalty for violations committed.

See also

External links