By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MOBILE — The countdown is on for one of the Gulf Coast’s biggest HBCU football traditions. The Alabama A&M Bulldogs will face the Jackson State Tigers in the annual Gulf Coast Challenge Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority on Saturday, Oct. 4, but the action stretches far beyond the football field.
This year’s lineup promises a packed weekend of entertainment, including concerts, a downtown parade, and tailgating. Unlike previous years when shows were spread across downtown Mobile, the 2025 performances will be hosted at the Ladd-Peebles Sports and Entertainment Complex.
Game tickets are priced at $36.70 via mobilegulfcoastchallenge.com. Each ticket doubles as an all-access pass to preferred concert seating but does not include parking. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles.
Related Events
- Thursday, Oct. 2: Gospel Xplosion Concert, 6 p.m. – Headlined by gospel star Deitrick Haddon, whose hits include God is Good, Heaven Knows, and Well Done. The night will also showcase the Alabama A&M Choir. Admission is free.
- Friday, Oct. 3: HBCU Fest Concert, 6 p.m. – Featuring “King of Crunk” rapper Lil Scrappy, known for Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, and the iconic Ying Yang Twins. Admission is free.
- Saturday, Oct. 4: Gulf Coast Challenge Parade, 10 a.m. – The parade kicks off on Warren Street near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., proceeds down Broad Street past Bishop State, then winds along Spring Hill Avenue and Washington Avenue, before concluding at Congress Street.
- Saturday, Oct. 4: Tailgate Concert, noon – Dance into game day with Louisiana rapper Cupid, best known for The Cupid Shuffle. Admission is $15 at the gate for patrons without game tickets.