Roderick Mack is a product of a historically Black college or university but not the institutions involved in the Magic City Classic.

“My money is,” he said. “My money is a part of A&M and State. My money went to those schools. That’s what connects me to both schools. My children went to those schools. My wife went to those schools.

“I’m an alumnus of both schools because my money went up (Interstate) 65 and it went down 65.”

The rivalry between Alabama State and Alabama A&M universities is long documented. The Hornets and Bulldogs will square off for the 83rd time at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at historic Legion Field in Birmingham.

But does the rivalry mean anything to Birmingham residents who don’t have a rooting interest in the nation’s largest HBCU classic?

Mack owns Mack & Associates P.C., financial, management and tax consultants on the corner of Princeton Parkway and Graymont Avenue, fewer than 10 blocks from Legion Field.

The financial manager won’t attend the game but will be parking cars on property he owns near the stadium. He said the rivalry doesn’t penetrate the psyche of people in the area.

“People ain’t into the rivalry,” Mack said. “They are into the event. It is no longer a football team. It is an event. It’s a time for them to come together, hang out with their family and friends and enjoy themselves and just celebrate being at the event.

“They can care less who wins. They can care less who’s playing. They can care less what the record is,” he continued. “The majority of the people that come to that game come for the family event. It’s like having a reunion, a reunion of the community, a reunion of family, a reunion of friends.”

Dora Sims is a neighborhood leader in Bush Hills. She said she doesn’t align as a fan of Alabama State or Alabama A&M.

“I’m not in their rivalry,” she said. “I’ve got people I know on both sides, some from A&M and some from State. But I don’t usually choose a side. I see them, I like all of them, but I don’t choose a side because all of them, in my opinion, are the same. I have the same respect for all of them.

“I don’t say one school is better than the other,” Sims continued. “I just don’t get into it.”

But while Sims doesn’t take a side, throngs of fans of the two HBCUs deliver the rivalry to the Bush Hills, College Hills and Smithfield neighborhoods as Birmingham’s 100th neighborhood annually mushrooms around the stadium.

“We’re in the midst of it even though we’re not taking a side,” Sims said, “but it’s kind of coming to our door.”

Adrienne Pearson is president of the College Hills Neighborhood. She will attend the game and will tailgate with friends but doesn’t get into the rivalry. “But I just enjoy it,” she said.

“I hunker down (and) don’t go outside the area,” she said, “because there’s so much traffic and blocked off streets. I just enjoy the camaraderie, the good times, people coming together and enjoying themselves. That’s the basic tradition … just having good, clean fun.”

Perren King is executive director of the McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola. He said the community does feel the rivalry, but it’s not a vengeful rivalry.

“It’s such a good-spirited rivalry that it’s not like some of the other opposing helmet games we’ll see in our community,” he said. “When you talk about State and A&M, they’re able to just go back and forth.”

King said the Classic rivalry goes beyond football and branches into graduates, the marching bands and all the performances.

“When you talk about that level of spirit and cooperation between opposing fanbases, it just becomes fellowship,” he said. “That’s the thing that we think is the most amazing thing about the 83rd McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola.”

This story has been updated to clarify that Pearson is president of the College Hills Neighborhood.