Raiders welcome HBCU Classic to Allegiant Stadium

The Raiders’ history of inclusivity will come full circle Saturday when Jackson State plays Grambling State in the HBCU Classic at Allegiant Stadium.

Under Al Davis’ leadership, the Raiders were pioneers in promoting diversity. Going back to their days in the American Football League, more than 80 of their players came from Historically Black Colleges and Universities programs, including Hall of Famers Art Shell and Willie Brown. They were the first team in the modern era to hire an African-American head coach when Davis hired Shell in 1989.

With that history as the backdrop, Mark Davis, who took over as the Raiders’ owner from his late father in 2011, did not hesitate when team president Sandra Douglass-Morgan approached him with the idea of hosting an HBCU Classic.

“It’s going to be great, there’s no question about it,” Davis said. “It’s huge. That’s what the AFL was built upon. So to be able to have this game as a showcase, it’s definitely going to be a fun day.”

Davis and the Raiders continue to carry on the legacy that his father created. Not just with Saturday’s game, but with the Al Davis-Eddie Robinson Leadership Academy, which aims to develop minority coaching and general manager candidates in the NFL.

Grambling State and Jackson State are longtime Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals and have combined to win 44 SWAC championships. Grambling has won a conference-high 25.

Jackson State (5-1, 3-0 SWAC) is on the path to another conference title, but understands the challenge against a Grambling State team that defeated it 41-20 last season.

The opportunity for Jackson State, led by quarterback JaCobian Morgan, to showcase its program was part of the motivation to agree to play in Las Vegas.

“I’m excited for our football team and our fan base to get an opportunity to take the show on the road like this,” coach T.C. Taylor said. “We’ve got a huge alumni base over there on the West Coast. So anytime you can get this kind of exposure for HBCU football, you look forward to it.”

Grambling State (4-3, 1-2) is coming off a 20-16 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Jackson State had a bye last week.

The logistics of what Grambling State coach Mickey Joseph referred to as a “business trip” will include his players getting accustomed to playing in the Pacific time zone.

“We’re skipping two time zones,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure that they listen to what we’re telling them so their bodies will get back in sync come Saturday. It’s going to be more off-the-field things than on-the-field things.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.