The athletic departments of Historically Black Colleges and Universities have once again benefitted financially, but their football teams certainly paid the price in this season’s matchups against big-time opponents.
For instance, last weekend, Florida A&M walked away with $900,000 after being demolished 76-0 by Ohio State. In fact, the five schools tracked by Diverse for their payout totals lost by an aggregate score of 293-33.
Overall, HBCUs are 1-15 against HBCUs facing Division I Football Bowl Subdivision opponents this season as Bethune-Cookman notched the lone victory, 34-13 against Florida International.
Two similar games will be played this season: Alabama State at Kentucky (Nov. 2); and Alabama A&M at Georgia Tech (Nov. 23).
Here are the 2013 payouts for the schools tracked below and the potential impact on the athletic department’s bottom line (based on 2011 data):
| HBCU | Opponent | Payout | % 2011 Coaching Staff Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida A&M | Ohio State | 900,000 | 21.90% |
| Jackson State | Tulane | 350,000 | 12% |
| S.C. State | Clemson | 275, 000* | 7.30% |
| Savannah State | Miami | 375,000 | 24% |
| Bethune Cookman | Florida State | 475,000 | N/A |
*South Carolina State also recieves a percentage of the gate.
