Actor J. Alphonse Nicholson (Lil’ Murda, P-Valley) is set to star in Black Spartans as reported by Deadline.

The sports drama feature, set In the mid-1960s when social upheaval paved the way for the new order of college football, follows the first fully integrated college football team that forever changed the face of the sport. 

Nicholson will play Jimmy Raye, the first Black quarterback from the South to win a national championship, as part of the 1966 Michigan State team.

Neal McDonough and Casey Cott will star alongside Nicholson in the movie from writer-director Ben Cory Jones (Insecure.) The project is in pre-production and is scheduled to shoot this fall in Atlanta.  He will also star in the new FX limited series The Sterling Affairs as Chris Paul.