The Big 33 Football Classic has changed because of the landscape of high school sports, but 2026 version proves the passion remains

Maryland runing back Kameron Wise hurdles a Pennsylvania defender in overtime Sunday night at Cumberland Valley's Chapman Field during the 69th annual Big 33 Football Classic. Team Maryland won for the second consecutive season, 18-10. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges

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SILVER SPRING TWP - Donald Davis and the Maryland sideline was as passionate as ever Sunday at Chapman Field. Winning the Big 33 Classic is something they all take seriously.

When Davis addressed the Maryland team, which won 18-10 in double overtime, following the game, his speech to the group emphasized he is always available to them should they need help. While the Big 33 can no longer draw the top seniors from each state, those players enroll early in college and aren't available, the people who remain work hard to keep the spirit of the game alive.

The brotherhood of the time they spent together means something.

"What an amazing game," Davis said. "Pennsylvania played well enough to win, this game could have went either way. Our kids showed resilience, toughness and togetherness, that means the world to me."

The Big 33 currently has a streak of having at least one participant in every Super Bowl. That will likely end as the top players don't participate in the game. The days of players like Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Ben Roethlisberger and Tyler Boyd participating are long gone.

What has made Maryland so tough the past two years has been the defenses they've put together. Maryland built a 35-7 lead on Pennsylvania before coasting to a win in 2025. This time around, Maryland limited Pennsylvania to 1.3 yards per carry.

"That defensive staff is second to none," Davis said. 

Aliquippa's Justus Starks, who was named Pennsylvania's MVP, said the Pennsylvania side was equally motivated to keep Maryland off the school board. 

"I feel like we did some bonding throughout the week, we had a great defense," Starks said. "Those are some big-time guys, Maryland's a great team also. I feel like we definitely showed ourselves well."

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected].