Central State To Face Kentucky State In 33rd Circle City Classic
Central State University and Kentucky State University will continue their longstanding rivalry at the 33rd Circle City Classic® this Fall. This year's game will take place at 3 pm on Sept. 24 in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
"It is truly an honor to be playing in one of the premier HBCU football classics. This will be our third year playing on this stage and we can't wait for another opportunity to showcase our talent," CSU head coach Cedric Pearl said. "We continue to show our appreciation to the Indiana Black Expo and the city of Indianapolis for allowing Central State to continue to be a part of this great event."
The game on Sept. 24 will be the third straight year the Circle City Classic has played host to the CSU-KSU rivalry, which dates back to 1947. CSU currently owns a 35-20-1 advantage in the all-time series with the only tie coming in 1957.
With CSU joining the SIAC in 2013, the game has also held significant implications in the SIAC West Division standings.
SIAC Commissioner Greg Moore said. "Last year the Circle City Classic was one of the top attended NCAA Division II football games and was a great experience for our student-athletes, fans, SIAC member institutions and the conference."
The Marauders have a long history competing in the Circle City Classic® dating back to 1986. CSU has a 3-3 all-time record in the Classic with wins coming in '86, '87 and '92.
The Circle City Classic® is a joint collaboration between Indiana Black Expo, Inc. and the Indiana Sports Corporation. The net proceeds from the Classic help support youth initiatives for each organization. Additionally, each year the Classic's educational partner, the Indianapolis Black Alumni Council, hosts an educational college fair that exposes over 2,500 youths to colleges and universities throughout the country.
ESPN and the NCAA have announced that fans can watch the Circle City Classic® on ESPN3. It will be the second straight season a Marauder athletic event has been featured on ESPN3.
Central State and Kentucky State are entering the second year of a three year deal with Circle City Classic®. The date for the 2017 contest will be Saturday, Sept. 23.
