CLASH AT THE CLASSIC: Albany State takes on Johnson C. Smith in annual showdown

The official helmets and logos of Albany State and Johnson C. Smith Universities are showcased as they get ready for the Clash at the Classic. (Image: Pro Football Hall of Fame) 

PRESS RELEASE

CANTON, Ohio -- The 2026 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend returns to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer. The four-day schedule culminates on Sunday, Sept. 6, when the Albany State Golden Rams meet the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for the "Clash at the Classic" game.

For the second year, the “Clash at the Classic” features the defending football champions from the CIAA and SIAC – two athletic conferences primarily composed of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University will be led on to the field by head coach Maurice Flowers, who enters his fifth season at the helm. The team is coming off a successful 2025 campaign that included a 10-2 record, a 45-21 victory over Virginia Union in the CIAA Championship Game to avenge its only regular-season loss, and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Golden Bulls lost 21-7 to Frostburg State, an eventual quarterfinalist.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Mel Blount (cowboy hat) does the honorary coin toss for the 2025 Black College Hall of Fame game between Virginia Union and Miles College. (Photo: Chuck Cordes/Ohsfbmedia.com)

Led by first-year head coach David Bowser, Albany State will be looking to replicate the success from the 2025 season. The Golden Rams posted a 12-2 record that included three wins against the defending conference champion (and 2025 Clash at the Classic participant) Benedict College. The Golden Rams made it all the way to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals as a No. 1 seed.

Bowser is no stranger to the opponent; he spent the 2025 season with Johnson C. Smith as special assistant to Coach Flowers.

The full schedule for the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend is available by clicking HERE

Tickets, starting at $40, are available by clicking HERE