Take a quick look down Tuskegee University’s 2010 football schedule on its website, and the word “cancelled” appears in big red, capital letters next to a Sept. 25^th game against Texas Southern in the Angel City Classic at Los Angeles Coliseum.

Before being “X’d” out, it would’ve been the latest in a string of select black college football games played in major cities like Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, and would’ve been an instant diversion for fans in Southern California who are annually inundated with only USC football.

But Los Angeles’ loss might very well be Mobile, Alabama’s gain, because a deal is now imminent to play the game here … at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on that same last Saturday in September.

It could also be just the beginning of a long-standing relationship between Tuskegee and the city for the Golden Tigers to play one home game a year in Mobile.

“We recruit heavily in Mobile. There is some good talent and students down there that could benefit our school and our program,” said first-year Tuskegee Athletic Director Alvin Jackson.

“I’d like to play a game in Mobile every year. The possibilities are very good.”

Jackson has already submitted his proposal to Mobile Mayor Sam Jones and city council, and is simply awaiting a response.

He may not have to wait too long.

“We’ve already mailed (Jackson) the contract and are just waiting for him to sign and return it,” said Ladd-Peebles Stadium Board of Directors Chairman Milton Joyner.

“We’re very pleased at the way this is turning out.”

The way this is turning out might just go a long way toward washing away the bitter taste in Mobile’s mouth left by the Gulf Coast Classic … the former annual game between Alabama State University and Southern U., that had Jones and the city council fighting among themselves about whether to keep pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into a losing proposition.

Jackson’s proposal is simple, and … more importantly … doesn’t call for the city to come up with any money.

Because it is a Tuskegee “home” game the university will pocket gate receipts and pay for the team’s travel here, as well as that of the band, cheerleaders and other school officials. Tuskegee will also pay Texas Southern’s team expenses, leaving Ladd to pocket money from concessions and parking, while “S’kegee” gets the gate receipts.

Translation: There’ll be no promoters with their hands out looking for a piece of the pie.

And in Jackson’s world, it’s the ONLY way to do business.

“I was raised in Mississippi on a farm,” said the native of Como, Miss., a small town about 45 minutes south of Memphis.

“I don’t need to borrow a tractor if I can buy my own.

“The deal (with promoters) in Los Angeles just didn’t work out. I’m friends with the athletic director (Charles McClelland) at Texas Southern, so we got together to work out how we could get this done.”

Another cool sidelight to Tuskegee playing one home game a year in Mobile is that its opponent will change.

Although it competes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), the Golden Tigers annually schedule at least two Southwestern Athletic Conference schools.

This year’s SWAC foes are Texas Southern and Alabama State, but the possibilities are there for future games against marquee schools like Jackson State and Grambling … not to mention even further possibilities of bringing in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference bad boy Florida A&M in the future.

The door is now open for something good to happen with black college games at Ladd and Jackson is proud to be a part of it.

Said Jackson: “In years to come I’ll just look down our schedule, find what I think is an attractive game and say ‘‘Meet me in Mobile.”