Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl Announces First Players for 2026

September 18, 2025 (New Orleans, LA) – The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced today the first players named to the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl.

Ckelby Givens, defensive lineman from Southern University, has been selected for Team Robinson. Givens was named the 2025 Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. As a junior, Ckelby started all 13 games during the 2024 season and finished with 73 tackles, an FCS-high 27.5 TFLs, 12 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, and three forced fumbles.

Erick Hunter, linebacker from Morgan State University, has been selected for Team Gaither. After receiving numerous accolades during the 2024 preseason, Hunter missed a large majority of the season due to injury. This year, Hunter was named Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, and is off to a stellar start in his 2025 campaign with 20 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFLs and 1 pass-breakup.

“Announcing Ckelby Givens and Erick Hunter as our first selections to the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl fills us with pride,” said Doug Williams, Super Bowl XXII MVP and Co-Founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame. “They exemplify the high level of talent, character, and spirit of today’s HBCU football players. We know they will represent this game with excellence.”

The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl will take place on Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Partners of the game include Allstate, the National Football League, adidas, Coca-Cola, Coors Light, the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the New Orleans Saints, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Riddell, as well as NFL players Terron Armstead, Aaron Donald, Patrick Mahomes, Bobby Wagner and Jameis Winston.

For more information, please visit www.HBCULegacyBowl.com.

About the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl

The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, is a premier postseason all-star showcase featuring the top NFL draft-eligible players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.Taking place Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium and airing live on NFL Network, the Legacy Bowl goes beyond football — serving as the centerpiece of a week-long celebration of Black history and culture, delivering unparalleled exposure for HBCU students and featuring the nation’s largest HBCU Career Fair.

Follow at www.HBCULegacyBowl.com and on social media via @HBCULegacyBowl.

About the Black College Football Hall of Fame

The Black College Football Hall of Fame, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, located at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio was founded in 2009 by African American pioneers, quarterbacks James Harris and Doug Williams to preserve the history and honor the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. There are 124 Inductees including Mel Blount, James Harris, Willie Lanier, Art Shell and Doug Williams, who serve as Trustees. The Black College Football Hall of Fame has awarded over $450,000 in direct support to HBCUs and HBCU scholarships since inception. Other major initiatives include the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, the Ozzie Newsome GM & Quarterback Summit (in partnership with the NFL), as well as the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic (in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame).