The State Fair Classic is an annual college football game between the the Grambling State University Tigers and the Prairie View A&M University Panthers. The game's official title is the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic after its sponsor, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. The game is played on a neutral site at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas during the State Fair of Texas. The game often occurs the weekend before Texas-OU Red River Rivalry game at the same stadium.

History of the State Fair Classic

The annual State Fair Classic, held annually at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, began in 1925 featuring the Wiley Wildcats and Langston Lions. Both teams met four consecutive years in Dallas before Prairie View replaced Langston in 1929. The contest always took place on “Negro Day” at the State Fair of Texas and would feature the city high school football championship in the afternoon followed by the anticipated college game at night. The concept of “Monday Night Football” could also be attributed to the State Fair Classic as the contest took place on Monday nights well into the 1960s.

Wiley wasn’t the only college to play PV in the State Fair during that era as the Panthers battled Tennessee State in 1958 and Texas Southern in 1959.

After relocating to Dallas in 1961, Bishop College eventually took Wiley’s place in the annual contest in the 43rd annual classic in 1967. From that point, Prairie View maintained a presence in the Cotton Bowl with match-ups against Bishop, East Texas State (A&M Commerce) and Southern others over the years before moving its game against Grambling State to the bowl in the mid-80s.

With the disbanding of the Prairie View A&M football program in 1990, the State Fair Classic featured Grambling State and Elizabeth City State. Even though Prairie View brought football back in 1991 (Grambling played North Carolina A&T), it was not until 1992 that the classic would see the annual PVAMU-GSU showdown once again. Since 1992, this has been the annual match-up held at the State Fair Classic.

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