NBC Sports will continue to provide coverage of the Bayou Classic for the next three years. NBC and Peacock will air the annual contest between Grambling University and Southern University through 2027.
The network’s partnership with the game spans 37 years, and this new extension will kick off with the 52nd edition of the Bayou Classic on November 30, 2025.
“We’re excited to build on our 30-plus year partnership with the Bayou Classic,” said Gary Quinn, VP, Programming & GM, Owned Properties, NBC Sports. “In addition to showcasing the storied Southern-Grambling football rivalry to a national audience, we’re proud to continue to collaborate with the NBCU Academy to provide students with valued professional training and development opportunities.”
NBC Sports first aired the Bayou Classic rivalry game between Southern-Grambling State in 1991. Last month, Southern topped Grambling, 24-14, live on NBC and Peacock. Southern leads all-time in Bayou Classic games, 27-24, and 42-34 in the overall all-time series. Throughout the presentation of the rivalry game, NBC Sports spotlights the Battle of the Bands, the halftime tradition between the Southern and Grambling State marching bands.
Both universities will participate in the NBCU Academy, a journalism training and development program designed to prepare college students and young professionals for careers in the news and media technology, as part of the extension.
“NBC Sports has been bringing the Bayou Classic tradition of Black college football to a national television audience since 1991,” said Dennis J. Shields, President of the Southern University System. “Thanks to NBC Sports for extending this successful and historic partnership that has spanned 33 years and allowed millions of viewers all over the world to be a part of an outstanding HBCU experience. The value of the NBC Sports collaboration extends beyond the live broadcasts – it highlights the talents of our student-athletes, coaches, and marching bands, provides professional development and networking opportunities for SU and GSU students, and provides tremendous added-value media exposure that expands the footprint of our collective brand.”