Recapping the 2022 HBCU football season
👀 The final HBCU power rankings
The 2022 HBCU football season is over and it's time to take a look at the final HBCU football power rankings from The power rankings look at the 2022 HBCU football season at the FCS level from a cumulative perspective, evaluating the entire season from start to finish.
Find out where every team landed and who took the top spot by clicking or tapping here.
North Carolina Central wins the 2022 Celebration Bowl
North Carolina Central defeated Jackson State 41-34 in overtime to win the 2022 Celebration Bowl. The win is North Carolina Central's first Celebration Bowl title. North Carolina Central's win is the MEAC's fifth straight win in the Celebration Bowl; the conference is now 6-1 in the bowl game.
Celebration Bowl Offensive MVP Davius Richard and Defensive MVP Khalil Baker caught up with NCAA Digital's Stan Becton to talk about winning the first Celebration Bowl in North Carolina Central history. See the interview below.
Click or tap here to see how NCCU won from start to finish.
North Carolina Central stops Jackson State on the 1 yard line and wins 41-34 in Overtime! The Eagles are your 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl champions!
— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl)
Below you can find an updated Celebration Bowl history.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | North Carolina Central (MEAC) | 41-34 (OT) | Jackson State (SWAC) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| 2021 | South Carolina State (MEAC) | 31-10 | Jackson State (SWAC) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| 2020 — Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | North Carolina A&T (MEAC) | 64-44 | Alcorn State (SWAC) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| 2018 | North Carolina A&T (MEAC) | 24-22 | Alcorn State (SWAC) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| 2017 | North Carolina A&T (MEAC) | 21-14 | Grambling State (SWAC) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| 2016 | Grambling State (SWAC) | 10-9 | North Carolina Central (MEAC) | Georgia Dome, Atlanta GA |
| 2015 | North Carolina A&T (MEAC) | 41-34 | Alcorn State (SWAC) | Georgia Dome, Atlanta GA |
How HBCU coaches with pro football experience performed in 2022
Earlier in 2022, NCAA Digital's Stan Becton highlighted the FCS HBCU football coaches with professional football experience and their impact. Now, it's time to look at those coaches and how they performed on the field in the 2022 season.
6 HBCU players named AP All-Americans
Six HBCU players earned AP All-American honors, highlighted by North Carolina Central defensive back Khalil Baker landing on the first team. Here are the rest of the HBCU AP All-Americans.
First Team AP All-American
- DB Khalil Baker | North Carolina Central
Second Team AP All-American
- OL Mark Evans II | Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- WR Xavier Smith | Florida A&M
- LB BJ Davis | South Carolina State
- LB Aubrey Miller | Jackson State
Third Team AP All-American
- OL Tyler Brown | Jackson State
Jackson State names T.C. Taylor as new head coach
Jackson State named T.C. Taylor has been named the 22nd head coach. Taylor played quarterback and wide receiver at Jackson State and has been on the football program's staff since 2019.
Great T.C. Taylor Named Head Football Coach
— Jackson State Athletics (@GoJSUTigers)
👀 2022 All-HBCU team
A select group of HBCU football players stood out among their peers, thanks to on-field performances. Here are the top players, by position, from the 2022 HBCU football season. In total, there are 29 players.
Some notable names on the list include:
- QB - Shedeur Sanders | Jackson State
- WR - Xavier Smith | Florida A&M
- OL - Mark Evans | Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- LB - BJ Davis | South Carolina State
Live updates for the 2022 Celebration Bowl
Jackson State is set to battle North Carolina Central in the 2022 Celebration Bowl. We're providing live updates on-site, leading up to and during the game.
🥇 2022 MEAC OPOY & DPOY
The MEAC announced its Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year winners during the 64th annual National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame Press Conference. North Carolina Central swept the awards, with quarterback Davius Richard and defensive back Khalil Baker taking home the honors. It's the first time since 2005 that the MEAC’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year have come from the same school.
🥇 7 HBCU players finish as finalists for national awards
Seven HBCU players from five schools finished as finalists for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards. See where they finished below
Walter Payton Award
- Sixth | Shedeur Sanders, QB, Jackson State (45 points)
- Tied for 20th | Bhayshul Tuten, RB, North Carolina A&T (4 points)
- Tied for 20th | Xavier Smith, WR, Florida A&M (4 points)
- Tied for 23th | Davius Richard, QB, North Carolina Central (2 points)
Buck Buchanan Award
- Tied for eighth | Aubrey Miller Jr., LB, Jackson State (27 points)
- 14th | BJ Davis, LB, South Carolina State: 2-1-0-1-2-18
- Tied for 23th | Khalil Baker, DB, North Carolina Central: 0-0-0-1-2-4
👀 Deion Sanders named head coach at Colorado
Shortly after Jackson State won the SWAC to get into the Celebration Bowl, Tigers coach Deion Sanders was named the 28th head coach of CU Boulder.
AD Rick George has named COACH PRIME to be the 28th full-time head football coach at CU.
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball)
Welcome Coach Prime to Colorado!
📝
Sanders will finish the season at JSU and coach the Tigers in the Celebration Bowl.
"I've chosen to accept the job elsewhere next year," Sanders . "I'm gonna finish what we started, and we're gonna dominate. I'm gonna be here until that end and that conclusion, and then when that conclusion... we'll move on."
Coach Prime campaigned for wide receivers coach T.C. Taylor to succeed him at Jackson State.
"My recommendation goes to T.C." Sanders said. "They know how I feel about T.C. I want T.C., and several of the staff members here will be retained. I would love for it to be someone in-house ... I would not be here if it weren't for this man."
Celebration Bowl set: Jackson State vs. North Carolina Central
The 2022 Celebration Bowl is set as Jackson State will face off against North Carolina Central on Dec. 17. Jackson State is representing the SWAC for the second straight year while North Carolina Central is representing the MEAC for the first time since 2016.
🏆 Jackson State wins the SWAC
Jackson State is the 2022 SWAC Champion after winning back-to-back titles. The Tigers defeated Southern 43-24 in the second matchup between the schools this year. With the win, Jackson State continues its best season is school history, moving to 12-0. The Tigers will represent the SWAC in the 2022 Celebration Bowl.
SHEDEUR SANDERS COULDN'T STOP THROWIN TDS 🎯
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB)
The 2022 SWAC Championship is today
The 2022 SWAC Championship is today at 4 p.m. SWAC East champion Jackson State hosts SWAC West champion Southern. The winner wins the conference title and a Celebration Bowl berth.
Click or tap here for a SWAC Championship preview.
Here's how to watch the 2022 SWAC Championship:
- Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 3
- TV Channel: ESPN2
- Streaming:
- Location: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi
- Live Stats: Click or tap here for live stats during the game
🥇 2022 SWAC postseason honors
The SWAC has announced its postseason honors for the 2022 season. Find them below.
Players/Coach of the Year
- Newcomer of the Year: Jarveon Howard | Alcorn State
- Freshman of the Year: WR Kevin Coleman | Jackson State
- Coach of the Year: Deion Sanders | Jackson State
- Offensive Player of the Year: QB Shedeur Sanders | Jackson State
- Defensive Player of the Year: LB Aubrey Miller Jr. | Jackson STate
First Team All-SWAC
Below you can find the First Team All-SWAC selections.
Other notable All-SWAC selections
Here are some other notable All-SWAC selections.
- 2nd | QB Jeremy Moussa | Florida A&M
- 2nd | RB Kayvon Britten | Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- 2nd | WR Shane Hooks | Jackson State
- 2nd | DL Sundiata Anderson | Grambling State
- 2nd | LB Isaiah Major | Florida A&M
😼 Bethune-Cookman fires coach
Bethune-Cookman has fired head coach Terry Sims. Sims finished with a 38-39 overall record and was named MEAC Coach of the Year in 2015.
Bethune-Cookman the third FCS HBCU to fire its football coach, joining Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Delaware State.