HBO Sports' production "BREAKING THE HUDDLE" is set to debut Dec. 16.

The documentary chronicles the integration of college football in the South, focusing on the Civil Rights movement of the ‘60s and its profound effect on the racial status quo of college athletics.

The documentary will debut Tuesday, DEC. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), the eve of college bowl season, exclusively on HBO.

Emphasizing football programs in the Southeastern, Southwest and Atlantic Coast Conferences, BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL will chronicle the heyday of football programs at historically black colleges and universities, and explore the effect of the Civil Rights movement on college football. The story culminates with the Sept. 1970 game, played in Birmingham, between the University of Southern California, featuring star African-American running back Sam “Bam” Cunningham, and the University of Alabama team of legendary Crimson Tide head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, a 1986 College Football Hall of Fame indcutee.

Among those interviewed are college football trailblazers Thom Gossom, Darryl Hill, Jerry LeVias, Willie Lanier, John Mitchell, Bubba Smith, Wilbur Hackett, Jr., Jimmy Jones and Sam Cunningham; journalists Jeff Prugh, Howell Raines, Ed Krzemienski and Keith Dunnavant; and George Wallace, Jr.

“The Trojans’ win over Alabama in 1970 epitomized the integration of college football in the South,” said Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports in a release announcing the project back in July of 2008. “But our film goes deeper into the culture, the mindset and the emergence of black athletes on the gridiron across the South. This film will tell the personal stories of some of those who helped achieve equality on the field and accelerated the growth of major college football.”

HBO Sports’ documentary division has produced 56 documentaries since 1991, and captured seven Peabody Awards and 27 Sports Emmy® Awards.

The executive producers of BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Joe Lavine produces.

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 18 (12:15 a.m.), 20 (11:00 a.m.), 21 (12:45 a.m.), 22 (3:00 p.m.), 24 (11:45 p.m.), 25 (11:30 a.m., 3:00 a.m.), 28 (8:30 a.m.) and 30 (8:00 a.m., 10:00 p.m.), and Jan. 4 (10:00 a.m.), 8 (1:00 p.m.) and 12 (7:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Dec. 17 (5:00 p.m.), 23 (8:00 p.m.), 27 (3:00 p.m.), 29 (3:00 p.m.) and 31 (12:30 p.m.)

HBO On Demand availability: Dec. 17-Jan. 12

NFF