In 1990, Texas Southern played and defeated the Hampton University Pirates since Prairie View A&M did not field a football team that year.

Billy Nicks, Sr. won five mythical black college national championships (last being in 1968) as head coach at Prairie View A&M.

[2] The classic is accompanied by a fellowship luncheon/press conference hosted by The Touchdown Club of Houston, a golf tournament, pep rallies, tailgating, various social mixers, and a highly anticipated battle of the bands on Friday and Saturday night between Texas Southern's Ocean of Soul and Prairie View's Marching Storm.

The 2005 Labor Day Classic was postponed to Thanksgiving weekend due to many Hurricane Katrina relief efforts happening in Houston.

An estimated 250,000 people from the New Orleans area evacuated to Houston seeking refuge from the major hurricane.