Cricket Celebration Bowl: Florida A&M vs Howard
By Rory Daniels
Welcome to Bowl Season! 84 teams, 42 matchups, 35 different cities; if you thought the College Football postseason was restricted to the four teams in the playoffs, think again. In this game preview, we turn our attention to the Cricket Celebration Bowl:
Where and When
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Date: 16th December 2023
Time: 12:00pm (ET)
Story so far…
The Celebration Bowl is the de-facto National Championship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The winners of the MEAC and the SWAC faceoff in Atlanta, this time it’s between Howard and Florida A&M.
Howard, led by head coach Larry Scott, has won back-to-back MEAC conference titles. In 2022, it was a shared championship, but some competition tweaks meant they beat out NC Central this year, by virtue of a head-to-head victory. The Bison were impressive in conference games, going 4-1. Overall, they were 6-5, the highlight being when they staged a fourth-quarter comeback against Northwestern, coming up short against the Big-10 outfit by only three.
For Florida A&M, it was their first SWAC title since moving from the MEAC in 2021. Under Willie Simmons, they had a dominant 11-1 season, going unbeaten in conference play. Simmons has primed his team for this game, and the Rattlers are unbeaten in 19 at home. The Rattlers are on a 10-match streak, and it’s clear why they have been an early 5-point favourite.
The Quarterbacks…
Howard’s Quinton Williams is an impressive 6’5, 205lbs quarterback who has enjoyed a successful year. In his fifth year, he surpassed the 2,000 passing yard mark for the second season in his career. While his completion percentage was below 60%, he ended the year with an impressive TD:INT ratio of 16-4. A local to the Washington D.C. area, bringing the Celebration Bowl home would mean a lot to Williams in his final outing.
It’s been a winding road for Florida A&M signal-caller Jeremy Moussa. Originally a 3-star recruit to Hawaii back in 2018, he took the JUCO route, followed by a brief stop in the SEC before finding a home with the Rattlers. He threw for 2,612 passing yards and 19 touchdowns in 2023. Earning himself offensive player of the year in the SWAC.
Prospects to watch…
Howard
Jarrett Hunter, Running Back – Hunter is the lead back for Howard, with 620 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the year. He will pair with sophomore Eden James for a rushing attack that averages 180 yards per game.
Kenny Gallop Jr, Safety – Experienced safety Kenny Gallop Jr. is the leading tackler for the Bison in 2023. He has racked up 51 and also leads the team with three interceptions. He takes most snaps in the box and has legitimate NFL Draft prospects.
Florida A&M
Terrell Jennings, Running Back – Much like Howard, Florida A&M will lean heavily on their run game. Terrell Jennings was the star in the conference championship game, where he averaged 6.6 yards per carry, going over 100 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Isaiah Major, Linebacker – Looking to slow down the Bison’s rushing attack will be Rattlers linebacker Isaiah Major. The SWAC’s defensive player of the year pretty much landed every type of defensive statistic possible, including a pick-six, 94 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Prediction
This game should be a highlight of the opening weekend. There is plenty on the line in what is a National Championship for these two teams. Florida A&M are riding high, and it’s difficult to see Howard overcoming their winning run.
Howard 17-28 Florida A&M
