In HBCU Football, nothing is more exciting than classic football games. The Bayou Classic, Magic City Classic, and Florida Classic have been staples in black culture for decades. There are even more classic games that attract thousands to their host city for a weekend of festivities. They often bring not only football games, but a host of ancillary events that attract fans from all walks of life. Jacksonville, FL, will be the site of the Unity Classic, which debuts on September 13 and features the Virginia Union University Panthers (VUU) and the Edward Waters University Tigers (EWU).
This is an early-season interconference rivalry between the two HBCU Division II conferences, the SIAC and the CIAA. The introductory press conference was held in the Edward Waters gymnasium on April 25, with several key figures in attendance.
The Inaugural Unity Classic press conference was held on April 25, 2025, on the campus of Edward Waters University. The game is set for Sept. 13 and features the Edward Waters Tigers and the Virginia Union Panthers.
The Unity Classic is the brainchild of EWU Trustee the Rev. Dr. RB Holmes Jr. Holmes has also served as a trustee at Florida A&M, another HBCU. His vision to bring the classic to Jacksonville comes from a bigger vision.
“There are great men and women who have told us it’s in our hands to make this a better place and a better country, and most importantly to save and strengthen HBCUs,” Holmes said. “We’re bringing together for the first time in the history of this city, a classic that is speaking directly to the significance of HBCUs. We have two of the finest universities on planet Earth, the Virginia Union University and Edward Waters University. My brothers and sisters, this is going to be magic.”
On the same day that Travis Hunter was appearing in Jacksonville for the first time since being drafted as the No.2 overall pick, the press conference featured the athletic directors and head coaches of both teams as well as Dr. A. Zachary Faison, President and CEO of Edward Waters University.
“Let me just say this, what an awe-inspiring day this is not just for Edward Waters University and Virginia Union University, but for all who understand and really appreciate the beauty, brilliance, and boundless legacy of black higher education excellence,” Faison said. “I am absolutely elated to be here today as we officially announce the inaugural Unity Football Classic.”
Dr. Linda Groomes, chairwoman of the Unity Classic committee, laid out the details of the events surrounding the classic game. Groomes expressed the fact that while it is a football contest at the center of the weekend, it must emphasize the coming together of the HBCUs and the community.
“Even though we will have a friendly competition between two of the nation’s oldest historically black universities namely Virginia Union, which was founded in 1865, and Jacksonville’s own Edward Waters University found in 1866, when the rubber meets the road, we are striving and maintaining unity. We are facing a time of uncertainty at our educational institutions and frankly every aspect of our lives,” Groomes said. “All one must do is to look at the news and notice the threat of federal funding being taken away from large universities like Princeton and Harvard. All our HBCUs, if not already, may soon feel the effect of the loss of funding.”
“One of the other objectives of this classic is to encourage academic excellence by awarding scholarships from the proceeds of this event to deserving at the two universities,” she said. “We believe when one student hurts because he or she cannot pay their tuition all students hurt when one student can’t afford to buy books, it impacts all students.”
The Unity Classic game is set for Saturday. Sept. 13 with a 4:00 PM kickoff at the Glover Community Field and Stadium on the campus of EWU. There is a president’s reception, a kickoff luncheon, a battle of the bands, a pregame tailgate, and a gospel concert all associated with the inaugural unity classic.