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.[3] The Alabama A&M Bulldogs lead the series with a record of 44–42–3 all-time (as of 2024).
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 victories
Alabama State victories
Tie games
Forfeit
No.
Date
Winner
Score
1
1924
Alabama State
30–0
2
1925
Alabama State
7–0
3
1929
Alabama State
32–0
4
1930
Alabama State
46–6
5
1931
Alabama State
56–0
6
1932
Alabama State
18–0
7
1940
Alabama State
24–6
8
1941
Alabama State
21–13
9
1942
Alabama A&M
20–6
10
1945
Alabama State
20–7
11
1946
Alabama State
15–14
12
1947
Alabama State
12–6
13
1948
Alabama A&M
14–8
14
1949
Tie
13–13
15
1950
Alabama State
16–12
16
1951
Alabama A&M
27–6
17
1952
Alabama A&M
38–13
18
1953
Alabama A&M
13–7
19
1954
Alabama State
23–7
20
1955
Alabama A&M
13–6
21
1956
Tie
0–0
22
1957
Alabama State
13–7
23
1958
Alabama State
20–8
24
1959
Alabama State
22–0
25
1960
Alabama A&M
22–20
26
1961
Alabama A&M
32–12
27
1962
Alabama A&M
54–6
28
1963
Alabama A&M
32–14
29
1964
Alabama A&M
30–0
30
1965
Alabama A&M
34–0
31
1966
Alabama A&M
36–19
32
1967
Alabama State
13–7
33
1968
Alabama State
27–21
34
1969
Alabama State
26–6
35
1970
Alabama A&M
26–18
36
1971
Alabama State
12–6
37
1972
Alabama A&M
8–7
38
1973
Alabama A&M
10–7
39
1974
Alabama A&M
14–7
40
1975
Alabama A&M
29–22
41
1976
Alabama A&M
17–15
42
1977
Alabama State
14–7
43
1978
Alabama A&M
22–7
44
1979
Alabama State
17–14
45
1980
Alabama State
20–17
46
1981
Alabama A&M
13–3
No.
Date
Winner
Score
47
1982
Tie
13–13
48
1983
Alabama A&M
27–14
49
1984
Alabama A&M
28–12
50
1985
Alabama A&M
7–6
51
1986
Alabama A&M
20–10
52
1987
Alabama State
17–14
53
1988
Alabama State
7–0
54
1989
Alabama A&M
17–10
55
1990
Alabama State
24–20
56
1991
Alabama State
59–13
57
1992
Alabama State
14–11
58
1993
Alabama State
7–0
59
1994
Alabama State
26–0
60
1995
Alabama State
37–20
61
1996
Alabama A&M
20–3
62
1997
Alabama State
20–13
63
1998
Alabama State
34–28
64
1999
Alabama A&M
15–10
65
2000
Alabama A&M
34–27
66
2001
Alabama State†
35–0
67
2002
Alabama A&M
23–20
68
2003
Alabama A&M
20–17
69
2004
Alabama State
24–20
70
2005
Alabama A&M
31–28
71
2006
Alabama A&M
21–13
72
2007
Alabama A&M
13–9
73
2008
Alabama A&M
17–16
74
2009
Alabama A&M
21–7
75
2010
Alabama State
31–10
76
2011
Alabama A&M
20–19
77
2012
Alabama State
31–13
78
2013
Alabama State
31–7
79
2014
Alabama A&M
37–36
80
2015
Alabama State
35–20
81
2016
Alabama A&M
42–41
82
2017
Alabama State
21–16
83
2018
Alabama A&M
27–10
84
2019
Alabama A&M
43–413OT
85
2020
Alabama A&M
38–14
86
2021
Alabama A&M
42–28
87
2022
Alabama State
24–17
88
2023
Alabama State
31–16
89
2024
Alabama State
27–19
Series: Alabama A&M leads 44–42–3
† Alabama State later forfeited the 2001 game as part of an NCAA penalty for violations committed.[4]