The 2023 Celebration Bowl features the 6-5 Howard Bison against the 11-1 Florida A&M Rattlers. Here is the 2023 Celebration Bowl Preview.
Howard won the MEAC to qualify for the Celebration Bowl. Their only loss in MEAC play was to South Carolina State by three points. They defeated one FCS team with a record above .500, which was NC Central. That win gave them the tiebreaker to win the MEAC.
The Bison have a solid scoring offense, which puts up 28.7 points per game, tying them for 41st in the FCS. They rush for 180.9 yards per game (ranked 24th) and pass for 202.8 yards per game (ranked 65th).
Howard has a stable of running backs who have done well. Jarett Hunter leads the way with 602 yards and eight touchdowns. Eden James has been solid as well finishing the regular season with 572 yards and two touchdowns. Ian Williams has chipped in with 373 yards and two touchdowns.
Quinton Williams has led the passing attack for Howard with 2,158 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions on 59.7 percent completion. The Bison have five pass-catchers with over 200 receiving yards on the season. Kasey Hawthorne has been the leading receiver with 35 catches for 504 yards and five touchdowns.
Howard has a solid defense that gives up 23.18 points per game, which ranks 33rd. They are the top pass defense in the FCS, conceding just 129.5 passing yards per game. Against the run, they allow 186.6 yards per game (ranking 101st). Kenny Gallop Jr. leads the team with 58 total tackles and also has three interceptions. Darrian Brokenburr has a team-high 4.5 sacks.
Florida A&M was won the SWAC Championship Game over Prairie View A&M Panthers. The win qualified them for the Celebration Bowl and had them finish the season with an 11-1 record. They won five games over teams that were .500, including twice beating Prairie View A&M.
The Rattlers score 30.1 points per game, which ranks them 28th in the FCS. They rush for 136.2 yards (ranked 73rd) and pass for 233.4 yards per game (ranked 36th).
Jeremy Moussa has led the way at quarterback with 2,604 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 57.7 percent completion. Five pass catchers have at least 200 receiving yards for the Rattlers. Their leading receiver is Marcus Riley, who has 621 yards and five touchdowns.
Three running backs have over 300 rushing yards this season for Florida A&M. Terrell Jennings is the lead running back with 606 yards and eight touchdowns. Kelvin Dean and Jaquez Yant have been the other two backs contributing in a major way, with Dean averaging 5.2 yards per rush and Yant scoring seven touchdowns.
Florida A&M has a good defense, which concedes just 14.27 points per game, which ranks second in the FCS. They allow 87.1 rushing yards (ranked second) and 179.3 passing yards per game (ranked 18th). Linebacker Isaiah Land has led the team in tackles with 89. Gentle Hunt has a team-high 5.5 sacks. Eric Smith has been a standout at defensive back with six passes defended and three interceptions.
The Rattlers have one of the best defenses in the FCS and will limit Howard. Their offense should be able to do enough for Florida A&M to win by a decent margin.
Florida A&M Rattlers 31 Howard Bison 17
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