CFB Bowl Preview 2025: Cricket Celebration Bowl
South Carolina State Bulldogs vs Prairie View Panthers
By Rory Daniels
Bowl season is in full swing, and we will be previewing every bowl game this year. This year’s Celebration Bowl will be contested between South Carolina State Bulldogs and Prairie View A&M Panthers. Let’s take a look at the key matchups.
Where and When
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Date: Saturday 13th December 2025.
Time: 12noon ET, 5pm GMT.
Story So Far...
The Celebration Bowl serves as the National Championship for HBCU schools, with the MEAC champion facing the SWAC champion. For a second year running, the game will feature South Carolina State, who have won the MEAC a record number of times, including back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. Head coach Chennis Berry is 9-3 in both seasons of his tenure, going unbeaten in conference play. The Bulldogs were soundly beaten on both occasions they played FBS talent, losing 38-10 to South Carolina and 63-14 to USF. They are predicted to enter this game as a 4.5-point favourite.
Prairie View A&M went 7-1 in the SWAC conference, a terrific turnaround from a 5-7 season under former head coach Bubba McDowell in 2024. The new man in charge, Tremaine Jackson, soon put his stamp on this team. Despite a surprise early loss to UT Rio Grande Valley and difficulty stopping Rice’s rushing attack, the Panthers secured the SWAC title with an impressive road win over Jackson State. Should they cause the upset, it would be their first Celebration Bowl in the program’s history.
The Quarterbacks
The quarterback battle will be a clash of styles with pocket passer Billy Atkins IV facing off against the more mobile Cam Peters. Atkins has ended the season strongly, having been used interchangeably with the Bulldogs’ other QB, Ryan Stubblefield. Atkins has a big-time throw percentage of 7% and has taken care of the ball, throwing only four touchdowns.
On the other side, Peters has been less consistent, throwing seven interceptions, but he does offer an extra dimension in the run game. He has run for over 400 yards at an average of 4.9 yards per carry, including four touchdowns. In his last outing against Jackson State, he had three fumbles, so ball security will be key to ensuring Prairie View stay in touch in this one. He did make up for that with 294 passing yards and over 100 rushing, earning MVP in the SWAC championship.
Who to Watch
South Carolina State
Mike Lunz, Edge Rusher – Tulane graduate transfer Mike Lunz has found a productive home with the Bulldogs. He leads the team in pressures with 53, including nine sacks. He will be key in breaking down a strong Prairie View offensive line that allowed only one sack in their championship game against Jackson State.
Prairie View A&M
Travor Randle, Safety – Randle was another Panther to make the All-SWAC team, the only member of their defense to do so. He was second on the team with 59 tackles, 30 of them counting as defensive stops per PFF. Splitting his time between the deep safety role and moving down into the box. He’s undersized at 5’10 but makes up for it in effort.
Prediction
South Carolina State head into this one as slight favourites, but it should be a tightly contested match. I’m going to give Prairie View the edge. They have an elite defense and a strong run game that could help dominate time of possession. Their recent victory over Jackson State shows the quality they possess.
South Carolina State 20 – 26 Prairie View A&M
Rory-Joe Daniels
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.