Thanksgiving weekend belongs to the Jaguars and the Tigers. Southern University and Grambling State meet in the 53rd Annual Bayou Classic on Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Caesars Superdome, and for Baton Rouge fans of the Human Jukebox, the drive down I-10 is practically a holiday tradition.

A Rivalry Older Than the Dome

The two schools first played each other in 1932, but the matchup took the Bayou Classic name in 1974, when it was played at Tulane Stadium. When state leaders were planning the Superdome in the early 1970s, the Classic was one of three anchor events, alongside the Saints and the Sugar Bowl, that helped justify building it.

The Weekend, Day by Day

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26: The annual Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls through downtown New Orleans at 3 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 27: Beats Before Battle runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Superdome's Gate C plaza level. Then comes the main event for many fans: the Greek Show and Battle of the Bands. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the show starts at 6. Southern's Human Jukebox sits in the south end zone, and Grambling's World Famed Tiger Marching Band takes the north end zone.

Saturday, Nov. 28: The free Bayou Classic Fan Festival runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Champions Square. Also at 9 a.m., the free Special Olympics Unified Rivalry Flag Football Game is played at Pan American Stadium in City Park.

Game Time

Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and kickoff is at 1 p.m. Southern fans fill the west sideline, Sections 129 to 156.

Before You Go

Tickets for the game and the Battle of the Bands are on sale through the official Bayou Classic website. The Superdome's clear bag policy applies to every event there, so pack accordingly. The official hotel block includes more than 15 participating hotels, with rates starting at $129 a night.

Wear your blue and gold, and get there early. The halftime show alone is worth it.

Photo courtesy of Bayou Classic.