Wilberforce Football Could Be a Fit For the Chicago Football Classic

After eight decades of dormancy, Wilberforce University will field a football program again. Last week, the school announced plans to return to the gridiron next season for the first time since 1947. Wilberforce was once one of the preeminent programs in Black College Football.

Along with winning the 1931 Black College Football National Championship, the Bulldogs went 57-9-14 under Harry C. Graves from 1924-1933. While Black College Football at large will welcome the return of a powerhouse of yore, an HBCU classic could benefit from the Bulldogs’ return.

Wilberforce is a natural fit for the Chicago Football Classic. The school would be one of the closer HBCUs with a football team to Chicago, at 316 miles. More importantly, the program has an intertwined history in the Windy City.

From 1929 to 1942, the Bulldogs faced Tuskegee eleven times at Soldier Field in games that routinely had national championship implications. The two schools played another game at Mills Stadium, a one-time home of the Chicago Bears. In 1931, Wilberforce beat the Golden Tigers, snapping their 35-game undefeated streak on the way to the national championship.

Wilberforce would bring the Chicago Football Classic back to its roots. Hardly any HBCU program, outside of Mississippi Valley State, has as robust a history as the Bulldogs. The Chicago Football Classic can pit Wilberforce against Central State or Kentucky State in an attractive regional matchup. Having Chicago State play Wilberforce is also a logical option.

Unfortunately, Wilberforce’s tiny student body presents a concern. The University has just 824 undergraduate students and a small alumni base. Additionally, there are very few, if any, Wilberforce fans alive the last time the school fielded football. It could be difficult for the Chicago Football Classic to get the school’s fans to care enough to drive five hours to Chicago.

Nonetheless, the Chicago Football Classic should take advantage of the fascination and excitement of Wilberforce’s long-awaited return to college football. The program has a history in the city that few HBCUs can match. After low attendance in 2023 and 2024, along with potentially falsified attendance numbers in 2026, the Chicago Football Classic should be willing to give Wilberforce a shot.

Football Archaeology’s story on Wilberforce and Mark Pollak’s book The Playing Grounds of College Football: A Comprehensive Directory, 1869 to Today were indispensable resources in this article’s writing.