Tuskegee Morehouse Classic’s long traditions return to Columbus with parade, historic game

The Tuskegee Morehouse Classic is often about pageantry and tradition for two HBCUs, but when the football series returned to Columbus over the weekend, the event also featured a lopsided outcome.

Tuskegee University beat Morehouse College 42-0 Saturday at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. Tuskegee outgained Morehouse 401-144 in total yards and held Morehouse to just eight first downs. Tuskegee moved to 2-3 this year while Morehouse fell to 1-5.

While the game was one-sided, the weekend’s events featured a parade and tailgating in which both HBCUs and several local schools prominently were represented.

The return of this event for its 85th year was celebrated by local leaders and officials from both schools, with Tuskegee head football coach Aaron James calling it “a long time coming.”

The game had long been held in Columbus before it moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in 2019.

The popular event historically has featured tailgating, which wasn’t free this year unless tailgaters had tickets to the game or a parking pass.

Tuskegee will play Lance College in its next game on Oct. 12. Morehouse will play Albany State on Oct. 19.