Since 2015, the MEAC and SWAC conference champions face off in a postseason football clash known as the Celebration Bowl. The Celebration Bowl celebrates great football and HBCU tradition on a national stage.
RECAP: How Florida A&M won the 2023 Celebration Bowl
Here's a quick guide to the 2023 Celebration Bowl, including the schedule, TV network and how teams are selected:
When is the 2023 Celebration Bowl?
The 2023 Celebration Bowl is on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. It will feature the conference champion from the MEAC and the SWAC. The title game will air at 12 p.m. ET on ABC.
Who is playing in the 2023 Celebration Bowl?
The Celebration Bowl will feature a battle between Howard, the MEAC regular season champion, and Florida A&M, the SWAC regular season champion.
Where is the 2023 Celebration Bowl?
The 2023 Celebration Bowl will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be the sixth time the Celebration Bowl has been played in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the eighth time in Atlanta.
How are Celebration Bowl teams selected?
The winner of the SWAC championship game gets one bid to the Celebration Bowl and the MEAC regular-season champion gets the other. In the event of co-champions in the MEAC, tiebreaker procedures are used to determine who receives the Celebration Bowl berth.
What are the current HBCU football standings?
Click or tap here to view the latest HBCU football standings, which will be updated throughout the season.
When is the Band of the Year National Championship?
The Inaugural Band of the Year National Championship will be held one day before the Celebration Bowl on Friday, December 16, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Bands from the top two Division I HBCUs and the top two Division II HBCUs will compete for the Band of the Year title. One Division I champ and one Division II champ will be crowned ahead of the Celebration Bowl.
Celebration Bowl history
Here's the list of all-time Celebration Bowl champions. The MEAC leads the SWAC in the all-time series 6-1. North Carolina A&T has the most Celebration Bowl victories with four.
| 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 |
| 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 |
🏆: HBCU football championship history
🏈: Recapping the 2024 HBCU football season
📲 B/R:
📚 Football History: Top MEAC/SWAC Challenge moments | Individual stars | | Recapping 2022 | Recapping 2021
Championships: Jackson State wins 2024 Celebration Bowl | Tennessee State, NC Central win tennis title | Football title history | Track champions
🏟 Classics: Every HBCU Football Classic's history | Florida Classic | Bayou Classic | Can't miss atmospheres
🏀 HBCU hoops: Pac-12/SWAC series |1980s Alcorn State | NBA draft picks | Hall of Famers
👀 March Madness: Men's history | Women's history | Two HBCU wins in 2021 | HBCU vs. HBCU | Tournament upsets
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