Sport Football Trophy Durley-Nicks Trophy | Next meeting September 2, 2017 Meetings total 72 | |
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First meeting October 31, 1947
Texas Southern 13, Prairie View A&M 7 Latest meeting September 3, 2016
Prairie View A&M 29, Texas Southern 25 | ||
The Labor Day Classic is an annual American football "classic" which features Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University, two of Texas' largest historically black universities on Labor Day weekend. It is played at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston or in Prairie View, Texas, depending on the hosting team. The classic is always the first matchup between two SWAC teams of the football season.
The first game between the two schools was in 1946. However, the classic began in 1985. In 1990, Texas Southern played and defeated the Hampton University Pirates since Prairie View A&M did not field a football team that year.
The schools compete for the Durley-Nicks Trophy named after the two most legendary coaches from both schools. Alexander Durley is the winningest head football coach in Texas Southern football history. Billy Nicks, Sr. won five mythical black college national championships (last being in 1968) as head coach at Prairie View A&M.
The classic is accompanied by a fellowship luncheon/press conference hosted by The Touchdown Club of Houston, a golf tournament, pep rallies, tailgating, and a battle of bands (during pre-game, game, and post-game) between Texas Southern's Ocean of Soul and Prairie View's Marching Storm.