A Milestone Meeting in the City of Brotherly Love
The 2025 edition of the MEAC showdown will take place on October 31 at the iconic Lincoln Financial Field, the same venue that hosted last year’s historic clash between the Hornets and the Spartans.
This time, the matchup will pit Delaware State’s head coach DeSean Jackson against Norfolk State’s Michael Vick, both former Philadelphia Eagles standouts who bring a personal rivalry and a shared connection to the franchise into the collegiate arena.
Historic Rivalry Returns
Their teams enter the game with momentum: Delaware State finished the previous season 8‑4 overall and 4‑1 in MEAC play, its strongest performance since 2007, while Norfolk State, in its second year under Vick, looks to build on early progress.
The game is the centerpiece of One Philly HBCU Week, a city‑wide initiative that partners the Philadelphia Eagles, the municipal government and local universities to honor the contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Beyond the main contest, the week will feature a Division II showdown between Virginia Union and Lincoln University, plus a slate of events that spotlight HBCU culture, scholarship, and community outreach.
Attendance last year reached roughly 47,000, and the contest will again be televised nationally, underscoring the growing visibility of HBCU football on a professional‑stadium stage.