Montgomery will host the Morehouse–Tuskegee Classic at Crampton Bowl this weekend, Mayor Steven Reed said at a press conference, calling the game a celebration of HBCU culture and thanking city partners and corporate sponsors for bringing the rivalry to the city. "We are honored to host it," Reed said, and he thanked sponsors including Walmart and Alabama Power.

The announcement matters locally because the Morehouse–Tuskegee Classic is a decades‑old HBCU rivalry that brings alumni, marching bands and visitors to host cities and can boost downtown activity. "When Morehouse men and Tuskegee men come together, generation after generation, strength, strategy, and spirit is tested and is always proven about," Reed said. He encouraged residents to attend pregame and postgame events and called the weekend a chance to showcase Montgomery as an "HBCU classic weekend destination."

Officials and coaches described the classic as both competitive and communal. Harold Ellis, athletic director for Morehouse College, said the city and event have been "first class" and that Morehouse leadership appreciates Montgomery's role. "This rivalry goes back a long a long time," Ellis said, and he thanked the city on behalf of Morehouse College leadership.

Morehouse head coach Terrence Matthews said his program is "still building" in his second season and emphasized fundamentals: avoid big plays, get off the field on third down and limit mistakes. "If we do those things, we got a good chance of winning the football game," Matthews said.

Reginald Ruffin, athletic director at Tuskegee University, spoke on behalf of Tuskegee president Mark Brown and thanked the city and mayor for hosting. "This is the longest HBCU football rivalry," Ruffin said, and he highlighted the "brotherhood" and legacy the game represents.

Tuskegee head coach Aaron James, who said the rivalry is embedded in him after participating for years, urged his team to focus and treat the weekend as an exciting but controlled event. "At the end of the day, it's a football game," James said. "We wanna win the game."

Event organizers asked members of the media to direct questions to athletic directors, coaches and players during the session; several players were available for interviews as teams departed the stage. The mayor and speakers also acknowledged local event staff, including Brandon Deed and Nick Carr, and thanked the Central Alabama Sports Commission for facilitating the weekend.

Sponsors named during the press conference included Walmart and Alabama Power. No formal city resolutions, funding votes or contracts were announced at the event; speakers limited remarks to the city's role as host, the cultural and economic aspects of the weekend, and game‑day preparations.

The Morehouse–Tuskegee Classic will include band performances, alumni events and the game at Crampton Bowl. Organizers encouraged residents and visitors to attend weekend activities and support the student athletes.