Every season, HBCU and other FCS schools will schedule games against a Power 5 conference opponents in football matchups known as “Money Games.” The smaller schools get paid a guaranteed lump sum of money, typically in the six-figure range. Despite the cash influx, the games themselves are not very competitive. Though the matchups can result in historic upsets, the Power 5 or FBS team usually dominates with a double-digit victory on the scoreboard.
For example, last season, Florida A&M nearly went undefeated on their run to an HBCU National Championship. Their sole loss, however, came against the University of South Florida, an FBS school that plays in the American Athletic Conference. South Florida qualified for a bowl game and shut out Syracuse 45-0. Florida A&M really didn't have a reason to play South Florida outside of the money.
With that said, the payouts for the upcoming HBCU Money Games are out on Herosports.com. Florida A&M tops the list with a $700,000 bag in exchange for playing the University of Miami. It is by far the biggest payout for an HBCU on this list. Alabama A&M comes in next at $525,000 for playing Auburn, a team that nearly defeated 2023 SEC Champion Alabama.
Morgan State will get $325,000 for playing Ohio University, followed by Jackson State at the University of Louisiana Monroe and Norfolk State at East Carolina. Both JSU and NSU will receive payouts of $350,000. The lowest payouts on the list are from Bethune-Cookman at Western Michigan and North Carolina A&T at Wake Forest. Those schools will get $325,000 for playing their FBS matchups.
South Carolina State and Alabama State also have Money Games in 2024. They will be paid $337,500 and $330,000, respectively, for playing at Georgia Southern and at the University of Alabama Birmingham.
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