The Celebration Bowl is a postseason college football bowl game, first played in the 2015 season, contested between the champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)—the two prominent conferences of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in NCAA Division I. It serves as the de facto national championship of black college football. The game is held annually in Atlanta on the third weekend of December, and has been played at the Georgia Dome and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It is currently the only active bowl game to feature teams from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
History The Celebration Bowl is a successor to two previous bowl games between the MEAC and SWAC, the Pelican Bowl and Heritage Bowl. Because the Celebration Bowl takes place during the FCS playoff tournament, neither the SWAC nor the MEAC can send their champion to the tournament. At the time the Celebration Bowl was inaugurated, the SWAC's regular season already extended too late into the year for its champion to enter the FCS playoffs, while the MEAC dropped its automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in order to send its champion to the Celebration Bowl.
The game is organized by ESPN Events, which also runs the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, the annual interconference game between the two conferences held over Labor Day weekend. The Celebration Bowl was sponsored by the Air Force Reserve for three playings: 2015, 2016, and 2018. On December 9, 2020, Cricket Wireless signed on as title sponsor of the game, formally making it the Cricket Celebration Bowl.
In June 2017, the SWAC announced that it would discontinue the SWAC Championship Game following the 2017 playing, resulting in the SWAC regular season champion automatically qualifying for the Celebration Bowl. However, in June 2018, the SWAC reversed course and continues to hold its championship game, with the winner advancing to the Celebration Bowl.
In 2020, the Celebration Bowl was not played, after the MEAC canceled all fall athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the SWAC postponed its football season into the spring of 2021.
Game results Date MEAC team SWAC teamVenueAttendanceSeriesNotes December 19, 2015 41 Alcorn State Braves 34Georgia Dome 35,528 MEAC, 1–0 notes December 17, 2016 North Carolina Central Eagles 9 10 31,096 tied, 1–1 notes December 16, 2017 21 Grambling State Tigers 14Mercedes-Benz Stadium 25,873 MEAC, 2–1 notes December 15, 2018 24 Alcorn State Braves 22 31,672 MEAC, 3–1 notes December 21, 2019 64 Alcorn State Braves 44 32,968 MEAC, 4–1 notes2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — — December 18, 2021 31 Jackson State Tigers 10 48,653 MEAC, 5–1 notes December 17, 2022 41 Jackson State Tigers 34 49,670 MEAC, 6–1 notes December 16, 2023 Howard Bison 26 30 41,108 MEAC, 6–2 notes December 14, 2024 South Carolina State Bulldogs 7 28 36,823 MEAC, 6–3 notes December 13, 2025 40 Prairie View A&M Panthers 38 26,703 MEAC, 7–3 notes
MVPs
Two MVPs are selected for each game; one an offensive player, the other a defensive player. Year Offensive MVP Defensive MVP Player Pos. Team Player Pos. Team 2015 Tarik Cohen RB North Carolina A&T Denzel Jones LB North Carolina A&T 2016 Martez Carter RB Grambling State Jameel Jackson DB Grambling State 2017 Marquell Cartwright RB North Carolina A&T Franklin "Mac" McCain III CB North Carolina A&T 2018 Lamar Raynard QB North Carolina A&T Richie Kittle DB North Carolina A&T 2019 Kylil Carter QB North Carolina A&T Jacob Roberts LB North Carolina A&T 2021 Shaquan Davis WR South Carolina State Cobie Durant DB South Carolina State 2022 Davius Richard QB North Carolina Central Khalil Baker DB North Carolina Central 2023 Kelvin Dean RB Florida A&M Isaiah Major LB Florida A&M 2024 Jacobian Morgan QB Jackson State Jeremiah Williams DL Jackson State 2025 Ryan Subblefield QB South Carolina State Brenyen Scott DB South Carolina State Source:
Most appearances Updated through the December 2025 playing (10 games, 20 total appearances). Wins appear in bold font in the Years column.
RankAppearancesTeamWinsLossesWin pct.Years1 4 2015, 2017, 2018, 20192 3 2021, 2024, 2025 3 2021, 2022, 2024 3 2015, 2018, 20193 2 2016, 2017 2 2016, 20224 1 2023 1 2023 1 2025
Game records
TeamRecord, Team vs. OpponentYearMost points scored (one team) 64, North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State 2019Most points scored (losing team) 44, Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T 2019Most points scored (both teams) 108, North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State 2019Fewest points allowed 7, South Carolina State vs. Jackson State 2024Largest margin of victory 21, shared by:South Carolina State vs. Jackson StateJackson State vs. South Carolina State 20212024Total yards 574, North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State 2019Rushing yards 366, North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State 2015Passing yards 364, North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State 2019First downs 24, shared by:Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&TJackson State vs. North Carolina Central 20192022Fewest yards allowed 178, South Carolina State vs. Jackson State 2024Fewest rushing yards allowed 19, Jackson State vs. South Carolina State 2021Fewest passing yards allowed 106, Howard vs. Florida A&M 2023IndividualRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearAll-purpose yards 348, shared by:Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T)Shedeur Sanders (Jackson State) 20152022Touchdowns (all-purpose) 5, Shedeur Sanders (Jackson State) 2022Rushing yards 295, Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T) 2015Rushing touchdowns 3, Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T) 2015Passing yards 364, Kylil Carter (North Carolina A&T) 2019Passing touchdowns 6, Kylil Carter (North Carolina A&T) 2019Receiving yards 150, Chris Blair (Alcorn State) 2019Receptions 10, Elijah Bell (North Carolina A&T) 2017 Receiving touchdowns 3, Shaquan Davis (South Carolina State) 2021Tackles 17, Aaron Smith (South Carolina State) 2024Sacks 2, James Houston (Jackson State) 2021Interceptions 1, shared by multiple players Long PlaysRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearTouchdown run 83 yds., Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T) 2015Touchdown pass 85 yds., Shedeur Sanders to Kevin Coleman Jr. (Jackson State) 2022Kickoff return 79 yds., Malik Wilson (North Carolina A&T) 2018Punt return 84 yds., Anthony Williams, Jr. (Alcorn State) 2015Interception return 38 yds., Anthony Petty (Jackson State) 2024Fumble return 3 yds, Taurence Wilson (Alcorn State) 2019Punt 74 yds., Dyson Roberts (South Carolina State) 2021Field goal 45 yds., Cody Jones (North Carolina A&T) 2015
Broadcasting Television and radio coverage of the bowl has included play-by-play announcers, color commentators, and sideline reporters.
Television DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentarySideline reporter2015ABCMark NeelyJay WalkerTiffany Greene2016 2017 2018Mark JonesDusty Dvoracek & Jay WalkerMolly McGrath & Roddy Jones 2019Tiffany Greene & Roddy Jones 2021 Robert Griffin III & Jay Walker Quint Kessenich & Tiffany Greene 2022Tiffany GreeneJay Walker Tiffany Blackmon2023Quint Kessenich20242025Harry Lyles Jr. & Quint Kessenich
Radio DateNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentarySideline reporter2015RedVoice, LLCSam CrenshawHugh Douglas2016Lericia Harris2017Gameday RadioRandy McMichael2018Andy Demetra2019Bowlday RadioTravis JonesTenitra Batiste2021Bowl Season RadioD. J. Shockley2022ESPN RadioAnish ShroffMax StarksHarry Lyles Jr.2023Bowl Season RadioTravis JonesMarshall NewhouseOlivia Moody2024ESPN RadioJason Ross Jr.Max StarksJordan Reid2025
See also Pioneer Bowl and Florida Beach Bowl, similar bowl games for NCAA Division II HBCUs. List of college bowl games African Americans in Atlanta MEAC/SWAC Challenge HBCU Legacy Bowl
Notes
References
External links