HBCU football programs playing at FBS schools claimed seven of the 10 best-attended games of the season’s opening full weekend, led by Tennessee State’s trip to No. 3 Georgia, which drew a sold-out 93,033 at Sanford Stadium.
Only three all-HBCU matchups made the top 10: South Carolina State’s win over Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic, Alabama State’s shutout of Lane College, and Jackson State’s win over Edward Waters in the HOPE Labor Day Classic.
Alabama State-Lane, at 18,678, was the highest-attended game played on an HBCU campus.
North Carolina A&T’s game at Georgia State just missed the cut, drawing 16,703, 23 fewer fans than the 10th-place game.
Rankings reflect announced attendance from official box scores.
Top 10 highest-attended HBCU football games for Week 1 (Sept. 3-6)
| Rank | Matchup | Attendance |
| 1 | Tennessee State at Georgia | 93,033 |
| 2 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri | 63,609 |
| 3 | Morgan State at Arizona State | 54,004 |
| 4 | Hampton at Maryland | 43,421 |
| 5 | Bethune-Cookman at UCF | 43,127 |
| 6 | Alcorn State at Southern Miss | 26,246 |
| 7 | South Carolina State vs. Florida A&M | 23,188 |
| 8 | Norfolk State at Old Dominion | 21,944 |
| 9 | Lane at Alabama State | 18,678 |
| 10 | Edward Waters at Jackson State | 16,726 |
