Bayou Classic 2025: Tradition, Teams, and a New Orleans Showdown Preview
The Bayou Classic returns to the Caesars Superdome on Saturday, November 29, 2025, when longtime rivals Grambling State University and Southern University meet for the 52nd edition of one of college football’s richest HBCU traditions. Set against a weekend of Battle of the Bands, parades, fan festivals and Greek events, this matchup is as much a cultural celebration as it is a football game.
A Short History of the Bayou Classic
First staged in New Orleans in 1975, the Bayou Classic has grown from a gridiron rivalry into a multigenerational celebration of HBCU culture and community. The weekend routinely draws tens of thousands of alumni and fans, showcases two of the nation’s most storied marching bands—the Grambling “World Famed” Tiger Marching Band and Southern’s Human Jukebox—and includes a parade, fan festivals, the Battle of the Bands and other signature events that make the weekend feel like a family reunion for the HBCU community. The Classic’s pageantry and page-long traditions have helped it become one of college football’s marquee non-conference spectacles.
Grambling State Tigers — 2025 Snapshot
Grambling State enters Bayou Classic weekend carrying positive momentum on the field in 2025. The official and compiled season summaries show Grambling with a winning record (7–4 overall at the time of this writing) under head coach Mickey Joseph. The Tigers have combined a physical running game and efficient play from key skill players to win the majority of their matchups. There have been bumps in the road this fall — notably an injury scare to quarterback C’zavian Teasett in late October — but team reports indicated he was recovering after the Las Vegas HBCU Classic incident. However, the program also faced disciplinary fallout from a heated November game that resulted in multiple suspensions announced by the SWAC, an issue that could affect availability for postseason matchups and rivalries.
Southern Jaguars — 2025 Snapshot
Southern’s 2025 campaign has been a difficult one on the scoreboard. The Jaguars’ record shows a tough season (1–10 overall, 0–7 in conference per available season summaries), and the program underwent a coaching change in mid-October when Terrence Graves was relieved of duties and Fred McNair was named interim head coach. Despite the struggles, Southern still brings passion and physicality to the Bayou Classic stage—and in past seasons the Jaguars have shown they can elevate play in rivalry environments and at neutral-site classics like this one. Expect Southern to lean on senior leadership, special teams and rivalry emotion in New Orleans.
Game Preview — Matchups & Storylines
Location & Atmosphere: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans — Thanksgiving weekend means the game will be played before a national HBCU audience and a packed house that treats this as more than just a football game.
Key Matchups: Grambling’s offensive balance and playmakers vs. Southern’s defensive pride and band-driven momentum. If Grambling’s quarterback and top targets are available and the Tigers’ rotation is intact, they’ll test Southern’s front seven with a mix of tempo and physicality. Southern will aim to control time of possession, win the trench battles, and make the game a half-court contest—where emotion can swing momentum quickly.
Health & Availability: Grambling’s late-season suspensions and any lingering injuries (e.g., Teasett’s recovery) are possible variables. Southern’s coaching change also factors into game planning and in-game adjustments. Availability and short-notice lineup shifts could be decisive.
Intangibles: The bands, alumni turnout, and rivalry stakes often flip expected outcomes—teams that harness the crowd and rhythm of the weekend can steal the game despite season records.
Who Should Win — Our Take
On paper and by season performance, Grambling State enters this Bayou Classic as the logical favorite. A winning 2025 record, production on offense, and the program’s recent form point toward the Tigers being the stronger team overall. That said, rivalry games—especially one staged amid the pageantry of the Bayou Classic—are notoriously unpredictable. Southern’s coaching change and poor record make them the underdog, but that also removes pressure: an emotional, well-coached Southern squad could make this a close, high-effort contest.
Prediction: Grambling State by a one-possession margin (expect a competitive, high-energy game). If Grambling can avoid further discipline-related absences and its key playmakers are healthy, they should prevail. If suspensions or injuries limit Grambling and Southern harnesses home-weekend energy, the Jaguars could pull off the upset.
What to Watch On Game Day
Quarterback play and turnover margin — turnovers swing rivalry games.
Third-down defense — which team converts/defends critical stops late in halves.
Special teams and field position — rivalry games often hinge on a big return or special teams play.
