Jackson State continued its streak of five years leading the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in home attendance and was again a major factor in the largest attended black college games in 2025 with four of its home dates drawing over 20,000 fans.
According to the FCS, the Tigers attracted an average of 28,733 fans for five home games to lead all FCS programs for the fifth straight season.Southern finished third averaging 22,051 for its five home dates withNorfolk State fifth (21,211) and Alabama State seventh (20,618) giving black colleges four of the top 10.
The numbers for Alabama A&M (11th, 14,111), Florida A&M (12th, 14,093), South Carolina State (15th, 12,702) and North Carolina A&T (18th, 12,282) give HBCUs eight of the top 20 spots.
The largest Jackson turnout was for its Nov. 22 match up with in-state rival Alcorn State, often referred to as the “Soul Bowl,” that drew 44,097 fans. JSU also had the second largest homecoming attendance with the 44,000 it drew for its October 11 date vs. Alabama State.
Only Norfolk State, whose numbers increased substantially under first-year head coach Michael Vick, had better attendance at homecoming for the 47,273 on hand for its Oct. 25 date vs. South Carolina State.
Classic games continued as the highest attended black college contests.The Oct. 25 Magic City Classic the annual battle of Alabama State and Alabama A&M led the attendance numbers for the fourth straight season with 69,372 in attendance. The Nov. 29 Bayou Classic pitting Louisiana rivals Southern and Grambling State was second (63,000) with the Sept.
27 State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas between Grambling and Prairie View A&M drawing 61,139.
There were 21 games that drew over 20,000 fans with an average of 37,485 fans per games for those contests. There were 19 homecoming games that topped 10,000 fans with an average of 21,803 between them.