The popular “Battle of the Bay” football game is history — at least for now.

Longtime rivals Norfolk State University and Hampton University will not play each other during the fall football season, largely as fallout from HU’s decision to leave MEAC, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The NSU Spartans and HU Pirates have played each other every year since 1962. It is among the most anticipated matchups in Virginia and all of HBCU football.

The decision not to play is NSU’s. Instead, the Spartans will play a non-conference game against South Carolina State University.

In a prepared statement, NSU Athletic Director Marty Miller said, “We made a determination to play South Carolina State as a non-conference game this season to fill our 11-game schedule. No determination has been made regarding future games with Hampton University at this time.”

Hampton University clearly has ruffled feathers with its November announcement that it is leaving MEAC to join the Big South Conference. HU, however, will not play a full Big South football schedule until 2019.

The MEAC has imposed a $250,000 fine on HU for exiting the conference without proper notification.

Meanwhile, HU struggles to fill its 2018-19 football schedule that includes only Monmouth and Charleston Southern universities and Presbyterian College from the Big South.

Virginia Union and Shaw universities have been added from the Division II CIAA, along with Virginia University of Lynchburg from the National Collegiate Christian Athletic Association.

In what may have been the final “Battle of the Bay” last Oct. 14, Hampton defeated Norfolk State 16-14 at NSU’s Dick Price Stadium before a crowd of 6,149.

Had nothing changed, this year’s game would have been at HU’s Armstrong Stadium.