Alcorn State Football: Celebration Bowl preview vs. North Carolina A&T

Before the FBS postseason kicks off, a celebration of HBCU football features MEAC champ NC A&T against SWAC champion Alcorn State in the Celebration Bowl.

More: Picks and predictions for every college football bowl game with confidence points

Bowl games are usually the provenance of the Football Bowl Subdivision, as the name would logically imply. But while most of the FCS teams still playing at this time of year are involved in playoff runs, there is one bowl that precedes the bowl season outside of the NCAA Division I playoff structure.

The Celebration Bowl, played annually since 2015, brings together the champions of the MEAC and the SWAC. These two conferences house historically black colleges and universities, turning the Celebration Bowl into a de facto HBCU national championship.

This year, North Carolina A&T once again won the MEAC and will play in the Celebration Bowl for the third time in four years.. The 9-2 Aggies field one of the top five defenses at the FCS level, giving away an average of 254 yards and 13.5 points per game. North Carolina A&T has also been one of the best teams in the country at getting blocks on both kick and punt attempts, with six blocked kicks and five blocked punts.

Alcorn State, the SWAC champion, also fields one of the best FCS defenses in the country. The Braves lead the nation in sacks and tackles for loss as a team, with Trey Whittington, Sterling Shippy, and Trae Ferrell all averaging a half-sack or more per game. And on offense, three different Alcorn State backs are in the top 100 in rushing yards per game, led by ninth-ranked De’Shawn Waller.

One of these two teams will leave Atlanta as the HBCU national champion. The other will fail to reach 10 wins on the year. Here’s how you can watch the Celebration Bowl between SWAC champion Alcorn State and MEAC champion North Carolina A&T:

Date: Saturday, Dec. 15
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

For Alcorn State, cutting back on the penalties will be critical. The Braves average nine penalties and 83 lost yards per outing. Though they managed to weather the lack of discipline against most teams, North Carolina A&T won’t be so kind. Alcorn State will also need to do a better job of flipping field position on special teams after struggling on both returns and in coverage. Converting third downs against the top-ranked third down defense in the nation is also a must.

North Carolina A&T, meanwhile, will also need to watch the number of penalties they incur. Whichever team takes fewer flags will be set up to steal the victory. The Aggies will also need an offensive line that has been strong all season to slow down Alcorn State’s top-ranked pass rushing unit. If the line can’t stop the Braves from getting into the backfield, it will be a long day for Aggies fans.

Prediction

With no betting line for the Celebration Bowl due to the matchup of FCS squads, this all comes down to which team can walk away with victory in the HBCU showdown. Alcorn State will build up an early lead, but it will never get higher than 10 points as the Aggies chip back away. North Carolina A&T will stiffen up in the second half, maintaining their perfect Celebration Bowl record as they come back for their third HBCU national title in the past four years.

Final Score: North Carolina A&T 34, Alcorn State 31