UCLA Football: Dante Moore's Perspective on Black Excellence Game and HBCU Faceoff
One of the most important parts of college football is when more prominent football programs invite smaller ones to come play them. Even if the smaller program gets pummeled on the field, the game helps raise awareness for the program and can help with recruiting down the line.
In recent years, the importance of helping out Historically Black Universities has taken a larger step, and we’ve seen an increase in those schools taking on more Power-Five programs. It’s a great way to help bring more opportunities to the universities that they may not normally get.
Over the weekend, the UCLA Bruins hosted the North Carolina Central Eagles for a game, and while the Bruins dominated, it was a special moment for UCLA quarterback Dante Moore. He gave his thoughts on facing the HBCU and what it meant to him as a black man.
“Understanding the history of everything is really important. How Coach Kelly and the UCLA program acknowledge HBCU games is something that we all appreciate. I love how we make sure to let people present on the jumbotron and talk about black history, and that’s something I really appreciate about this program”
Getting the chance to take on a program like UCLA is a chance that the players at North Carolina Central may not always get. So, for them, it was a really cool experience. The head coach of North Carolina Central, Trei Oliver, used the matchup as an opportunity for his players. He also acknowledged that playing in the Rose Bowl would be an awesome experience.
“That was the word, “opportunity,” that Trei Oliver, the NCCU head coach, kept coming back to earlier this week. He called it a “business trip” and spoke of a genuine goal of winning, regardless of the long odds. He acknowledged the opportunities beyond the game, too, including the chance to compete in what’s arguably the most historic stadium in the sport.
Games like these are what help the sport of college football grow. It’s one of the more underrated parts of the game, and it’s been awesome to see the growth in these matchups over the years.
The hope is that this can continue, and with the overall success of the games, it likely will. This is what sports are all about: helping connect others who may not normally get a chance to do so.
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