Eagles

We’re Getting DeSean Jackson vs. Michael Vick at Lincoln Financial Field this Season

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jun 5th, 2025 · 4:54 PM EDT

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Calling it “a potential paradigm shift for HBCU football,” Delaware State University Athletic Director Tony Tucker announced today that the Hornets will host their home game this fall against the Norfolk State Spartans at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Super Bowl LII and LIX Champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The game, set for Thursday October 30, 2025, will feature the first head-to-head matchup between former Eagles greats and now rival head coaches DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick. Hornet Head Coach Jackson and Spartan Head Coach Vick were both hired following the 2024 season to revamp the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) football programs.

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Coach Jackson was a key advocate for the game’s move to Philadelphia and noted the importance of the inaugural game between the former teammates.

“I came to Delaware State University to start a new phase of my career with a unique institution that cares about its students and is helping to transform their futures,” said Jackson. “I know Coach Vick feels the same way at Norfolk State.

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The game will feature two of the best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the country. HBCUs represent just three percent of colleges and universities nationwide but graduate 40% of Black engineers, half of Black teachers, 70% of Black doctors and dentists, and 80% of Black judges.

Yeah why not? This is pretty cool. A MEAC banger at the Linc. There is no downside to this unless you wanna build an argument that DSU is losing home field advantage by not playing at their 7,000-seat, glorified high school stadium in Dover. With this game moving to Philly, they now play five home games, six road games, and one neutral-site game. And thankfully, they do not have to play Hawai’i on the road this season.

The upside is obvious. Tons of eyeballs on these programs. An opportunity for the players to square off in front of a huge crowd in a pro stadium. The spotlight on two historically black colleges that need a football boost. Jackson and Vick’s hirings both clearly followed the success of Deion Sanders and Eddie George at Jackson State and Tennessee State, the name recognition strengthening recruiting while springboarding both coaches to Division 1 FBS jobs. Guys like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders went on to the NFL. Members of that 9-4 TSU team were coming and going from schools like San Diego State, Marshall, Tennessee, and Memphis.

Looking ahead to the schedule, the game is on a Thursday, so College Gameday is out of the question. Would have been rad, but I’m sure they have to go to Ohio State for the 15th-straight season anyway. There’s a Sun Belt game between Marshall and Coastal Carolina and an AAC game between Tulane and UTSA, but no power conference games scheduled. This could be the most compelling game on TV that night.