By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | December 13, 2025

On a crisp December afternoon inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, South Carolina State and Prairie View A&M delivered a game that will live far beyond the final score. What began as a one-sided first half evolved into the longest and most dramatic finish in Celebration Bowl history, culminating in a four-overtime thriller that crowned the Bulldogs as the 2025 HBCU National Champions.

South Carolina State’s 40–38 victory over Prairie View A&M was not simply a football game. It was a statement of resilience, tradition, and the enduring power of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to command the national stage—on the field, in the stands, and across Black culture.

More Than a Bowl Game

Since its inaugural kickoff in 2015, the Celebration Bowl has occupied a unique space in college athletics. It is the de facto HBCU national championship, pitting the champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) against one another in a winner-take-all clash.

But the game’s significance extends well beyond X’s and O’s.

Each December, Atlanta becomes a gathering place for alumni caravans, marching bands, fraternities and sororities, entrepreneurs, families, and generations of fans who understand that HBCU football is inseparable from Black history and community pride. Tailgates turn into reunions. Halftime becomes a concert. The stadium transforms into a cultural archive.

The 2025 edition honored that legacy—and then raised the bar.

A Decade of Tradition

Over its first ten seasons, the Celebration Bowl has charted the evolution of modern HBCU football.

North Carolina A&T dominated the early years, winning four titles between 2015 and 2019. Grambling State and Florida A&M added their names to the roll of champions. North Carolina Central captured a memorable overtime win in 2022. Jackson State’s rise under Deion Sanders brought unprecedented national visibility, culminating in a decisive 2024 victory.

South Carolina State entered that history twice before—an upset of Jackson State in 2021 and now, in 2025, a triumph that may never be matched for drama.

Prairie View’s Long Road to Atlanta

For Prairie View A&M, simply reaching the Celebration Bowl marked a milestone decades in the making.

The Panthers earned their first-ever appearance by winning the 2025 SWAC Championship, edging Jackson State 23–21 on December 6 in Jackson, Mississippi. It was a disciplined, defense-driven performance that capped a 10–3 season and announced Prairie View’s arrival on the national HBCU stage.

Under head coach Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View played with composure throughout the season, winning close games late and building confidence with each passing week. For alumni, the trip to Atlanta represented validation—proof that the program belonged among the elite of Black college football.

South Carolina State’s Surge

South Carolina State arrived with momentum of a different kind.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season 9–3 and closed the year with seven straight wins, securing the MEAC championship and its automatic bid to the Celebration Bowl. Their late-season run was defined by steady defense, improved quarterback play, and a growing belief that the team had yet to play its best football.

Head coach Chennis Berry, already a proven winner at the Division II level, guided the Bulldogs with a steady hand. His teams had a reputation for discipline and poise—traits that would be tested to their limits in Atlanta.

A First Half Gone Wrong

For much of the opening half, Prairie View looked poised to write a storybook ending.

The Panthers jumped out to a commanding lead, exploiting defensive lapses and capitalizing on early momentum. By halftime, Prairie View held a 21-point advantage, and South Carolina State faced long odds against a confident opponent that had controlled the tempo.

Then adversity struck again.

Starting quarterback William Atkins IV was sidelined, forcing South Carolina State to turn to backup Ryan Stubblefield—a move that would redefine the game and the season.

The Comeback Begins

Stubblefield entered with little fanfare but played with composure well beyond his role. He steadied the offense, made smart reads, and slowly chipped away at Prairie View’s lead.

As the Bulldogs mounted their comeback, the atmosphere inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium shifted. What had been a partisan Prairie View crowd grew tense. South Carolina State fans found their voices. Bands traded musical blows. Every possession carried weight.

By the end of regulation, the Bulldogs had erased the deficit and forced overtime—an achievement that alone would have been remarkable.

What followed was unprecedented.

Four Overtimes of Resolve

The 2025 Celebration Bowl became the longest game in the event’s history, stretching into a fourth overtime that tested endurance, execution, and nerves.

Both teams traded scores. Defensive stands were met with clutch conversions. Each overtime period heightened the drama, drawing the crowd deeper into the spectacle.

In the fourth overtime, with everything on the line, South Carolina State elected to go for two. Stubblefield delivered a strike to Tyler Smith, sealing a 40–38 victory that instantly entered HBCU lore.

The comeback—down 21 points at halftime—stands as the largest in Celebration Bowl history.

A Defining Win

The win marked South Carolina State’s second Celebration Bowl title, adding to their 2021 championship and cementing the program’s place among the modern HBCU elite.

For Coach Berry, it was another national championship moment in a career defined by winning at multiple levels. For Stubblefield, it was the performance of a lifetime—234 passing yards and leadership under extraordinary pressure.

For the Bulldogs, it was validation.

The Culture on Full Display

Yet, even as the final score was recorded, the true power of the Celebration Bowl remained visible all around the stadium.

Marching bands delivered halftime performances that rivaled any professional show. Alumni waved school flags with pride. Families posed for photos beneath banners celebrating Black excellence. Vendors, entrepreneurs, and artists turned the concourses into a marketplace of culture.

This is what separates the Celebration Bowl from every other postseason game.

It is not merely an endpoint to a season. It is a living showcase of history, resilience, and joy—an affirmation that HBCUs continue to produce excellence on their own terms.

A Rivalry Renewed

The MEAC-SWAC rivalry remains the heartbeat of the Celebration Bowl. Over the past decade, momentum has swung back and forth, with each conference staking its claim to supremacy.

Prairie View’s appearance reinforced the SWAC’s depth and competitiveness. South Carolina State’s victory reaffirmed the MEAC’s ability to rise on the biggest stage.

Together, they delivered a game worthy of the platform.

Why 2025 Will Be Remembered

The 2025 Celebration Bowl will be remembered not only for its statistics—four overtimes, a 21-point comeback, a championship-winning conversion—but for what it represented.

It was a reminder that HBCU football remains one of the sport’s most compelling theaters. That legacy programs still matter. That new contenders can rise. And that when given the stage, Black college football delivers unforgettable moments.

In Atlanta, beneath a closed roof and surrounded by open hearts, South Carolina State and Prairie View A&M gave the Celebration Bowl its defining chapter.

And the celebration, as always, extended far beyond the final whistle.

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