The saga over the location of the Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State game is finally over, as the game will now be played on November 29th at 2 PM. The new game details were confirmed in a joint statement by both athletic departments.
The statement reads:
“The SWAC contest on October 4, 2025, a MVSU home game, will not be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. As Mississippi Valley State is the designated home team, the decision has been made to cancel the game in Atlanta and reschedule to Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 2 p.m.
We regret the impact that this unexpected change will have on our fans, and we will make every effort to provide a quality game-day experience during the rescheduled date of competition. While this outcome is disappointing for our fans and community, our focus remains on upholding the standards and integrity of our athletics programs.
MVSU and FAMU remain committed to excellence on and off the field, and we will continue to provide our student-athletes and supporters with competitive and high-quality experiences.”
The news of the new location of the game comes after speculation that spanned the first few months of the football season. In August, Florida A&M alumnus and HBCU Gameday reporter Vaughn Wilson published an article detailing several areas of concern. Wilson noted that Mississippi Valley State fans who called the ticket office were met with uncertainty. Florida A&M did not yet have concrete details about ticket sales either, and was directed to contact Mississippi Valley State athletics directly about the details, as they are listed as the home team.
“However, when fans began calling the MVSU ticket office, they were met with uncertainty. A representative said details about the event were still ‘forthcoming.' Further questions revealed that the department had no knowledge of the specifics for the proposed Atlanta game,” Wilson said.
It was also noted that the game between the two SWAC East competitors did not appear on the official events calendar for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium website.
“Seeking confirmation from the venue, we contacted Mercedes-Benz Stadium directly. Their published events schedule for late 2025 through 2026 did not list the MVSU vs. FAMU game. The absence of the matchup from one of the nation’s premier football venues raises doubts about whether the event was truly confirmed, even though the Celebration Bowl isn’t listed either.”
But, a week later, the Atlanta clash appeared to be confirmed per a press release issued by 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, Georgia Football Classic LLC, and Discover DeKalb.
“The Georgia Football Classic will be one of metro Atlanta’s most highly-anticipated events, providing opportunities for everyone to enjoy the traditions and excitement surrounding the football game,” 100 Black Men of DeKalb County president Troy Vincent said in the statement. “This event brings our communities together to celebrate and share in the culture, sportsmanship, and richness of metro Atlanta and its rich HBCU culture.”
Now, the Atlanta Classic isn't occurring and the game will finally take place on the Mississippi Valley State campus.
