TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ With kickoff just hours away to the 2023 season opener, all roads lead to Montgomery, as the Tuskegee football program makes the short trip to once again begin their year. For the third straight opener, the Golden Tigers will meet the Wildcats of Fort Valley State in the Boeing Red Tails Classic on primetime television.
 
The third iteration of the Red Tails Classic will kick off Sunday night, September 3, at 6 p.m. in Montgomery, inside of the historic Cramton Bowl. The game will be a nationally televised event, being broadcast on ESPNU.

GAME INFORMATION
Kick: 6:00 pm CST
Location: Montgomery, Ala.
Site: Cramton Bowl

HOW TO WATCH
Watch Live: ESPNU
Play-by-Play: Jason Ross Jr.
Analyst: Charles Arbuckle
 
THE SERIES
Series Record: Tuskegee leads the all-time series 31-22-2
First Meeting: Tuskegee defeated Fort Valley State, 26-0 (1923)
Last Meeting:  Fort Valley State defeated Tuskegee, 21-6 (2022)
 
PREGAME FESTIVITIES

• Fan Fest begins at 3:00 pm (Cramton Bowl – Madison Avenue)
• Gates open at 3:00 pm
• Tuskegee Pep Rally takes place pregame

• ESPN Zone - $100
• Field Suite - $70
• General Admission - $20
• Parking in Lots J & K - $20

Click here to view ticket prices

GAME NOTES

• Tuskegee begins the 2023 football season this weekend, opening with a meeting against conference opponent Fort Valley State on Sunday, Sep. 3, at 6 p.m., in the third Boeing Red Tails Classic, hosted in the historic Cramton Bowl, in Montgomery, Alabama. The game will be televised on ESPNU with Jason Ross Jr. (play-by-play) and Charles Arbuckle (analyst) on the call.
• Tuskegee opens the season against the Wildcats on the Sunday of week one of the college football season for the third straight year in the Boeing Red Tails Classic. Created in 2021, the Classic has been a well accepted nationally televised matchup to start the season and shine a light on the Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) experience and unique traditions. The Golden Tigers are still looking to earn their first win in Red Tails Classic history.
• After being named the next head coach prior to the 2022 season, Aaron James is now entering his first season as Tuskegee's head coach after serving as the offensive coordinator last year and helping the Golden Tigers program turnaround that saw them earn eight wins (8-3, 7-0 SIAC) and reach the SIAC Championship game.
• Tuskegee is returning seven members from the 2022 season, as head coach Reginal Ruffin retired from coaching, while cornerbacks coach Rodney Coleman and defensive line coach Tommy Lewis Jr. (Lane) did not return. Tuskegee is returning both of its lead coaches on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball with head coach Aaron James still running the offense, while Rashad Watson is returning for his second year at the helm of the defensive unit.
• The Golden Tigers have added a trio of coaches to the 2023 football staff along with some updated titles from returning coaches. New additions include Travis Carswell, DeMarco McNeil, and Kenneth Watson.
• Tuskegee has won seven of its last 10 games against conference opponents, after falling to the Wildcats in the 2022 opener, before winning all seven Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) games on the schedule to reach the SIAC Championship Game, held by top seed Benedict College inside Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. 
• During the 2022 season meeting, the Golden Tigers battled close for three quarters before a late score gave the Wildcats the 21-6 win inside the Cramton Bowl on Sunday, Sep. 3 in the second Boeing Red Tails Classic. After winning the opening toss, Tuskegee (0-1) threw and opening drive interception that led to the first score of the game minutes later, with the Wildcats getting into the endzone. The Golden Tigers put together a solid drive in response, however missed a field goal to end the drive before Fort Valley State extended their lead to 14-0 with just over nine minutes to play in the first half.
• Tuskegee responded on their next possession with a five-play 43-yard drive for a score, capped off with a touchdown pass from Ryan Nettles to Jordan Ogletree, but could not convert the extra point, making the score 14-6 and remained that way through the remainder of the half.  Long drives by both teams took up a majority of the third quarter, with Fort Valley receiving the ball first for a 12-play, 54-yard drive that ended in a punt, but maintained over seven minutes of possession. Tuskegee followed that with a six-minute, 45-yard drive on 12 plays that ended with a turnover on downs. After both teams went three-and-out to start the fourth, Fort Valley extended their lead to 21-6 on the next possession with a game-high 87-yard rush from Emanuel Wilson, which would prove to be the final score, giving the Wildcats the win. Tuskegee held Fort Valley State to just 51 total passing yards on the game, yet the Wildcats ran for 328 yards on the ground in the game.
• The Golden Tigers were held to just 209 yards of total offense, while Fort Valley finished with 379. Running back Donte Edwards rushed for a team-high 81 yards on 20 carries, good for just over four yards per attempt. Nettles finished with 131 yards on 15-for-24 passing with one touchdown after coming off the bench, while targeting nine total receivers in the game. Freshman Corey Petty led the way on the outside in his collegiate debut with four catches for 43 yards, followed by Ogletree who caught a pair of passes for 27 yards, including the 17-yard touchdown. Rodricus Magee also recorded four receptions, good for 22 yards, while Antonio Meeks, Jonathan Montrevil, and Latrevien O'Neal all caught passes.
• Antonio Kennon Jr. and Vincent Hill led the way defensively for the Golden Tigers, with Kennon recording eight tackles, including five solos, while Hill also added eight tackles, with six assisted. Fletcher Jordan recorded a pair of tackles for loss, including the only sack for Tuskegee, followed by Jeremy Dees who had 1.5 tackles for loss, along with Davir Hamilton-Jackson and Kennon who both had one.

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