Let me set the stage: I’m no band enthusiast, and I’m definitely not qualified to judge a battle of the bands. I’ve been around HBCU band culture long enough to know a good show when I see one, but my focus has always been more on the field than the halftime performance. When I started working for HBCU Gameday, I wasn’t exactly impressed with Morgan State’s band, the Magnificent Marching Machine . To be honest, I thought they had one of the worst bands in the HBCU scene. But I have to give credit where it’s due—over the years, they’ve been on a steady path of improvement, and this was evident during halftime the against Hampton University Marching Force .
Fast forward to this past weekend when I was at the Morgan State vs. Hampton football game. Hampton University’s band, known as The Marching Force , made its entrance into the stadium first, marching in with that unmistakable Hampton regality that can make an alum’s heart swell with pride. They had the precision and traditional flair that you expect from Hampton.