BALTIMORE, Md. (October 8, 2026) — When Morgan State University welcomes alumni, students, fans, and friends back to campus for Homecoming 2026, the celebration will not only look toward the present and future of Morgan football, but also honor the remarkable legacy that helped establish the Bears as one of the nation's most respected historically Black college football programs.
At the center of that legacy is Earl "Papa Bear" Banks, the legendary Morgan State head coach whose 14-year tenure from 1960 through 1973 produced championships, undefeated seasons, bowl victories, future professional stars, and one of the most remarkable winning streaks in college football history.

Banks inherited the Morgan State program in 1960 from College Football Hall of Fame coach Edward P. Hurt and quickly established a culture built on discipline, education, toughness, and championship expectations. Over his 14 seasons, Banks guided the Bears to a 96-31-2 record, never suffering a losing season. Morgan captured multiple CIAA championships, a CIAA Northern Division championship and the program's first MEAC championship after joining the conference in 1971.

But the numbers only begin to tell the story.

The Beginning of the "Papa Bear" Era
Banks arrived at Morgan during a period when historically Black colleges and universities were producing some of the nation's finest football talent while operating with considerably fewer resources and opportunities than many predominantly white institutions.

His Morgan teams quickly became a force.

The Bears captured the 1962 CIAA championship, Banks' first conference title as head coach. Over the course of the decade, Morgan continued to establish itself as one of the premier programs in Black college football.

Then came the unforgettable stretch that would define the Banks era.
 
1965–68: The Golden Era
From 1965 through 1967, Banks guided Morgan State to three consecutive undefeated regular seasons. During that remarkable run, the Bears developed into a national football power and established a winning culture that remains one of the defining chapters in Morgan athletics history.

Morgan's dominance extended beyond conference play. From 1962 through 1968, the Bears compiled a 56-5 record, a stretch that included championships and two of the most significant postseason victories in school history.
1965 Orange Blossom Classic
The 1965 season produced one of the signature victories of the Banks era when Morgan defeated Florida A&M, 36-7, in the Orange Blossom Classic.

The Orange Blossom Classic was one of the premier showcase games in Black college football, regularly bringing together two of the nation's strongest HBCU programs.

Morgan's decisive victory over Florida A&M further established the Bears as a national power and gave the program a championship-caliber platform on the national HBCU stage.
1966 Tangerine Bowl: Breaking a Barrier
One year later, Morgan State made history on an even larger stage.

On December 10, 1966, the undefeated Bears faced West Chester State in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Morgan entered the game with an 8-0 record and riding a 17-game winning streak.

The Bears defeated West Chester 14-6, with future Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Lanier earning Most Valuable Player honors.

But the significance of the game extended far beyond the final score.

Morgan became the first HBCU invited to play in the Tangerine Bowl, and the contest marked a major breakthrough in college football history. At the time, Orlando had never hosted an integrated college or high school football game. The decision to invite Morgan helped break down one of the barriers that had restricted participation in the postseason event.

The victory gave Morgan another landmark postseason triumph and further elevated the national profile of Banks and his program.

31 Straight: A Run for the Record Books
Morgan's dominance continued into the following seasons.

Banks' 1965-68 teams won 31 consecutive games, a streak that the National Football Foundation recognizes as the seventh-longest winning streak in college football history.

During the streak, Morgan's football program was not simply winning games—it was developing an identity.

The Bears were disciplined, physical, and relentless, while Banks emphasized that football was only part of a player's development.
Banks believed his players were students first and repeatedly stressed education and preparation for life beyond football.

That philosophy helped produce generations of Bears who excelled both on the field and beyond it.



A Pipeline to the NFL
The Banks era also became synonymous with producing professional football talent.

Morgan sent 41 players to the professional ranks, including a remarkable collection of future NFL stars such as Willie Lanier, Leroy Kelly, John Fuqua, Raymond Chester, Roger Brown and Sherman Plunkett.
Lanier went on to become a standout linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs and a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Kelly became one of the Cleveland Browns' all-time greats and also earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The professional success of Banks' players helped demonstrate the caliber of football being played at Morgan State and throughout HBCU football during the era.

Yet Banks' philosophy went beyond preparing players for professional football.

In discussing his approach, Banks emphasized developing young men who could contribute to society, while encouraging players who did not pursue professional football to maximize their education and prepare for successful careers.

From the CIAA to the MEAC
The Banks era also bridged two important chapters in Morgan State football history.

After decades of success in the CIAA, Morgan became a founding member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, beginning conference play in 1971. Banks led the Bears to a MEAC championship in 1971, adding another conference title to a coaching résumé already filled with championships.

The transition reflected Morgan's changing place within the broader landscape of college athletics and helped establish the foundation for the Bears' long-standing relationship with the MEAC.

Banks remained at the helm through the 1973 season, concluding a coaching career at Morgan that produced an extraordinary winning percentage and an enduring legacy.

Banks' impact on Morgan State extended beyond the football field.
 
Honoring the Legacy
More than six decades after Banks began building his championship program, the standard he set remains woven into Morgan State football's identity.

That legacy will take center stage during Morgan State's 2026 Homecoming celebration on Saturday, Oct. 10, as the Bears honor several legendary players from the Banks era during the Homecoming game.

Among the honorees will be Morgan State Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl champion Mark Washington, and Morgan State legend and former NFL Pro Bowler Raymond Chester—two members of a remarkable generation of Bears who helped define Morgan football and establish the program among the nation's most storied HBCU football traditions.

As the Bears take the field for Homecoming, Morgan will celebrate not simply the history of a great football team, but the people whose accomplishments helped build The National Treasure.

The legacy lives on.



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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.