Alabama A&M football routed rival Alabama State 38-14 in the 79th Annual Magic City Classic and claimed the seventh East Division Championship in program history and a spot in the league title game on May 1.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the first time in nearly a decade, No. 25 Alabama A&M (4-0, 3-0 SWAC) football is the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division Champion and has earned a berth in the league title game with a 38-14 rout of rival Alabama State (3-3, 3-2 SWAC) in the 79th Annual Magic City Classic on Saturday, April 17.
The win locks up the seventh overall East Division title for the Bulldogs and their first since 2011. They previously earned that honor in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2009. It also snaps Alcorn State’s run of six straight titles as the Braves move to the West next year. Of those championships, the 2006 title holds a special place in program history as its only overall SWAC Championship and is also fitting for Spring 2021.
That season A&M defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the title game and will face them this year with the opportunity to potentially host the game at Louis Crews Stadium. A win over Mississippi Valley State next weekend would send the teams into tiebreakers to determine where that game would be played while a loss will put it in Pine Bluff. Alabama A&M will close out the regular season on Saturday, April 24 when they head to Mississippi Valley State for a 3 p.m. kickoff. The result of that contest will help decide where the Bulldogs will play for their second ever SWAC Championship on Saturday, May 1 – either in Pine Bluff, Arkansas or the friendly confines of Louis Crews Stadium.