Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alabama A&M were scheduled to compete Sunday as part of the St. Louis River City HBCU Football Classic.
Four days before the matchup, the teams moved the game from The Dome at America’s Center. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (UAPB) will now host Alabama A&M at Simmons Bank Field.
Per Kevin Kelley of FBS Schedules, UAPB athletic director Chris Robinson said “unfulfilled contractual obligations by the organizers of the St. Louis Classic” forced the move. That left both schools facing “serious uncertainty about the game’s venue, transportation, housing accommodations and whether other agreed-upon expenses would be covered.”
“We are thankful to our university administration and athletics department staff for quickly pivoting to ensure we are able to host Alabama A&M so that fans can still see this matchup between the football teams and experience our band and the excitement of our cheer squads,” Robinson said. “We were excited about taking our team, band, cheer squads, and fans to St. Louis and hope that we’re able to do so in the near future.”
Following an 0-4 start, Alabama A&M has picked up back-to-back wins over Bethune-Cookman and Grambling State. UAPB is also 2-4, but has instead dropped four straight after winning its first two games.
The game will still take place Sunday with a 4 p.m. ET start time.