Legion Field will be a house divided at 3 p.m. Saturday. That’s when the Hornets of Alabama State square off against the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M in the 75th McDonald’s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola.

On the east side of the stadium on Birmingham’s Graymont Avenue, fans will be clad in black and gold, cheering for the team from Montgomery. On the west side, maroon and white will dominate the scene as patrons voice their support for the squad from Normal’s hill in Huntsville.

Legion Field isn’t the only thing that’s divided when it comes to the Magic City Classic. (contributed)

But some in attendance come from homes with split allegiances, where one spouse hails from the school to the north and the other from the school to the south.

Earlie and Cora Coley of Birmingham’s Crestwood South neighborhood have been married for 48 years after each attended the old Laurel High School in Alexander City. He headed to Alabama A&M on a baseball scholarship upon graduation in 1955 and she went to Alabama State in 1959.

It has been a rare occasion that they have not attended the Classic since she graduated in 1965. But they have always been on the ASU side, and he always sits with her.

“Now, that was his choice,” Cora Coley said. “I couldn’t find it in my heart to (sit on the Bulldogs side). It might have been rude but I just didn’t do it. I’m a loyal fan of Alabama State.”

Dr. Sandral Hullett is the former CEO and medical director of Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. She is a product of Alabama A&M; her husband of 30 years, Charles Robertson, went to Alabama State.

While a family event may keep them from attending this year’s game, she said it has been fun deciding on which side of the stadium they would sit.

Charles and Sandra Robertson, shown in this 2006 photo, aren’t quite this close on Magic City Classic day. (contributed)

“We would sit on one side and then go sit on the other side,” she said. “A lot of people do that, older people.”

Robertson said he and his wife don’t have any difficulties pulling for either team.

“We’re beyond that,” he said. “We have no animosity toward each other, or toward the schools. We’re glad when Alabama A&M gets somebody to go professional and we’re proud when Alabama State gets somebody to go professional. I’m very proud of the products of A&M as well as the products of Alabama State.”

Town Creek’s Clyde Goode Jr. and his wife, Vernell, may be known best across the state as the parents of former Alabama football standouts Chris Goode, Kerry Goode, Pierre Goode and the late Clyde Goode III.

Goode Jr. was two years into his time as a student at Alabama State when the couple got married. She didn’t complete high school until after their younger children were in elementary school.

She got her degree from Alabama A&M, at least partly, because it is closer to their home in Lawrence County. Married for 53 years, the couple will miss this year’s Classic.

“I hate that, too,” he said. “I’ve been going just about every year. The last game, we sat on Alabama A&M’s side. We probably would have been on State’s side this year.  It all depends on how the feeling hits us. We try to alternate it every year and sit on one side or the other.”

Clyde Goode Jr. and Vernell Goode don’t let their differing sides of the Magic City Classic come between them. (contributed)

Sixteen miles east of Town Creek, Ronnie and Lucy Cohen live in Fish Pond, a community in the town of Hillsboro. They’ve been married 35 years.

While Ronnie Cohen attended A&M for only two years, his devotion to the Bulldogs is deep. Lucy Cohen earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Alabama State.

“It’s just a friendly rivalry, mainly,” he said. “We used to go to the game and sit on A&M’s side one year and sit on Alabama State’s side the next year. Now we just kind of just sit together. My family sits on A&M’s side. All of them are big A&M fans.”

While Lucy Cohen sits on the Bulldogs side, her allegiance to the Hornets is clear.

“Everyone at the tailgate has on Alabama A&M paraphernalia except me,” she said. “I really root for (the Bulldogs) all year long … but it’s Alabama State on Magic City Classic weekend.”

Like Clyde Goode Jr., Lucy Cohen earned advanced degrees from Alabama A&M. She also earned a doctorate from the University of Alabama.

“I never lose the Magic City Classic,” she said.