Cris Dishman and former Houston Oilers teammate Bubba McDowell will meet on the field this Saturday as their teams face off in the 39th Labor Day Classic. The matchup between McDowell’s Prairie View A&M Panthers and Dishman’s Texas Southern Tigers is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+
This marks the first time the two have coached against each other since their playing days. Dishman, a Kentucky native, was chosen by the Oilers from Purdue University with the 125th pick in the fifth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He had a decade-long NFL career, including five seasons with McDowell. The Oilers had consecutive winning seasons from 1989 to 1993. Dishman was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1991 and 1997 and received All-Pro honors in 1991 when he was among the NFL interception leaders.
Dishman later played for Washington, Kansas City, and Minnesota before retiring in 2000. The two friends spoke with HBCU Legends on Sports Illustrated during a press conference for the Classic.
“I'm not trying to belittle the game, of course, but it is only one game,” Dishman said. “If we can win this game, it will propel our program, not only in recruiting but also for the guys in general.” Dishman is in his first year as head coach for the Tigers after a 3-8 season, including a 2-6 conference record. He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the XFL's Las Vegas Vipers and the United States Football League's New Jersey Generals.
“All I know is we have two good teams playing Saturday night at six o'clock,” McDowell said. “The best team that executes for four quarters of football is going to win.” McDowell has been with Prairie View A&M for 11 years, serving as defensive backs coach for three years, then four years as an assistant coach before becoming head coach in 2022. Last year, the Panthers finished 6-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play but fell to Florida A&M 35-14 in the SWAC championship game.
McDowell, a Georgia native raised in Florida, played for the University of Miami, where he was part of the undefeated 1987 national championship team. The Oilers selected him 77th overall in the third round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played six years in the NFL, ending his career with the Carolina Panthers in their inaugural 1995 season. During his time with the Oilers, McDowell earned first-team All-Rookie honors, NFL All-Pro recognition, and received the Ed Block Courage award from the organization.