College football bowl games have changed in my lifetime.
While some still hold their luster, many bowls are left on the backburner as the College Football Playoff tournament begins.
Postseason games, which are designed to celebrate achievement of teams that reach the six-win plateau and showcase a host community and its civic spirit, now seem to be burdensome. The games have become victims of player and coach indifference and the transfer portal. A record 10 teams turned down bowl invitations. It’s a sad commentary on the state of college football.
There is at least one bowl game where every participant — players, coaches, band members, staff, and fans — truly wants to be.
College football should fall to its knees in praise of the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, which crowns an HBCU “National Champion.”
This year’s game was a four-overtime classic which saw the MEAC champion South Carolina State Bulldogs come back from a 21-0 halftime deficit to upend the SWAC champion Prairie View Panthers 40-38.
No CFP contest or bowl game will top this one’s excitement and passion displayed by the respective teams.
There was a Cinderella story in SC State quarterback Ryan Stubblefield, who was named Celebration Bowl MVP. He only entered the game after starting QB William Atkins IV was injured. He finished 15-of-29 for 234 yards, a pair of passing touchdowns and one on the ground.
“I’m still dreaming this,” Stubblefield said after his game-saving performance. “This is what I play the game for. This is why I came to South Carolina State.”
There was a controversial officiating decision that had a major impact on the sensational contest. During the fourth OT, when teams must attempt a two-point conversion, the Bulldogs’ Tyler Smith converted on a pass from Stubblefield. While video replays did not clearly show the football reaching the goal line, the call was upheld on review.
Prairie View failed on its final two-point attempt which ended the game.
There was a receiving performance that certainly caught the eyes of NFL scouts. SC State receiver Jordan Smith snagged nine passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown rushing.
Prairie View did not leave Mercedes-Benz Stadium without displaying its talent to the almost 27,000 in attendance and a national TV audience on ABC.
Quarterback Cameron Peters completed 24 of 36 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns, among the best performances in Celebration Bowl history. Prairie View tallied an amazing 436 passing yards to go with 51 on the ground.
Panther receiver Andre Dennis caught seven passes for 181 yards — 18.7 yards per catch — and a touchdown, and teammate Cameron Bonner turned two receptions into 91 yards receiving and a touchdown.
The Panthers had a chance to win in double overtime following a Cornelius Davis interception. However, kicker Diego Alfaro missed a 38-yard field goal.
The game, which officially kicked off the bowl season, saw just two turnovers, one from each team.
HBCU football stood tall in the Celebration Bowl, and every player and coach should take pride in providing a reminder of what a bowl game is supposed to be.
The Reid Roundup
More fans attended the Celebration Bowl (26,970) than the L.A. Bucked Up Bowl (23,239) in Stan Kroenke’s SoFi Stadium that featured Boise State and Washington…Patrick Mahomes writhing in agony with a devastating knee injury late in Kansas City’s 16-13 loss to the L.A. Chargers made me sick. His inspirational X post later that evening cheered me up…Micah Parsons’ non-contact knee injury in the Green Bay Packers’ game at Denver also was a punch to my gut…The Sherrone Moore saga at the University of Michigan is embarrassing to Black America, and you can save the ‘mental health’ copout… Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza delivered a moving acceptance speech that praised his mother, Elsa, who lives with Multiple Sclerosis. “You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light, you’re my ‘why,’ you’re my biggest supporter. You taught me that toughness doesn’t need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong.”…Compare that to the post-Heisman social media post by finalist Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt QB. “F*** all the voters.” Pavia later apologized, calling his post “disrespectful.”