2018 Celebration Bowl
{{short description|College football bowl game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{infobox college football game
| name =
| year_game_played = 2018
| title_sponsor = Air Force Reserve
| game_name = Celebration Bowl
| subheader = 4th Celebration Bowl
| image = Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.jpg
| caption = Coach Sam Washington receiving the 2018 Celebration Bowl trophy from Richard W. Scobee
| visitor_name_short = North Carolina A&T
| visitor_nickname = Aggies
| home_nickname = Braves
| home_name_short = Alcorn State
| football_season = 2018
| home_school = Alcorn State University
| visitor_record = 9–2
| home_record = 9–3
| visitor_conference = MEAC
| home_conference = SWAC
| visitor_1q = 7
| home_1q = 3
| visitor_2q = 10
| visitor_3q = 7
| visitor_4q = 0
| home_2q = 3
| home_3q = 10
| home_4q = 6
| visitor_coach = Sam Washington
| home_coach = Fred McNair
| visitor_rank_STATS = 11
| home_rank_STATS = —
| date_game_played = December 15
| stadium = Mercedes-Benz Stadium
| city = Atlanta, Georgia
| MVP = Lamar Raynard (QB, NC A&T) & Richie Kittle (DB, NC A&T)
| odds = North Carolina A&T by 7.5{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/25435852/full-list-spreads-every-2018-19-college-football-bowl-game |title=Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game |last=Fawkes |first=Ben |date=December 3, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |publisher= |access-date=December 10, 2018}}
| referee = Justin Elliot (Conference USA)
| attendance = 31,672 (tickets sold){{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/matchup?gameId=401032053|title = North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State - Team Statistics - December 15, 2018 - ESPN}}
20,069 (head count){{cite news |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/falcons-other-events-draw-smaller-crowds-than-announced/dnvJeILcf0RSNxtU9GniRM/ |title=Falcons, other events at Mercedes-Benz draw smaller crowds than announced| first=Tim|last=Tucker |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=February 25, 2019 |access-date=February 25, 2019}}
| us_network = ABC & Gameday Radio
| us_announcers = Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek, Jay Walker, Molly McGrath, and Roddy Jones (ABC)
Andy Demetra, Randy McMichael, and Lericia Harris (Gameday Radio)
| intl_network = ESPN Deportes
| intl_announcers = Roger Valdivieso and Alex Pambo
}}
The 2018 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 15, 2018, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST. It was the first game of the 2018–19 bowl season,{{Cite web |url=https://www.thecelebrationbowl.com/celebration-bowl-set-december-15-will-open-2018-bowl-season-abc/ |title=Celebration Bowl Set for December 15, Will Open 2018 Bowl Season on ABC |last=Moore |first=Grayson |date=May 2, 2018 |website=thecelebrationbowl.com}} and the only bowl to feature FCS teams. It was the fourth edition of the Celebration Bowl and the final game of the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season for the participating teams. The Air Force Reserve resumed its role as the title sponsor{{cite web|author=Anna Negron|date=October 9, 2018|title=Air Force Reserve Renews Its Title Sponsorship of the Celebration Bowl|url=https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2018/10/air-force-reserve-renews-its-title-sponsorship-of-the-celebration-bowl/|work=espnmediazone.com|access-date=December 4, 2018}} after a one-year absence.{{cite web|author=Mark W. Wright|date=July 19, 2017|title=SWAC bets big on the Celebration Bowl: League drops its own championship to focus on the money and TV exposure of the HBCU title contest|url=https://andscape.com/features/swac-bets-big-on-the-celebration-bowl/|work=Andscape|access-date=December 4, 2018}}
In the game, the North Carolina A&T Aggies, champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, defeated the Alcorn State Braves, champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, 24–22.
Teams
The participants for the game are based upon the final regular season standings which determine the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) football champion, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) football championship game that determines the representative from that conference.
=North Carolina A&T Aggies=
{{See also|2018 North Carolina A&T Aggies football team}}
The North Carolina A&T Aggies (NC A&T) were announced as the MEAC representative on November 17, following the conclusion of games involving itself and Florida A&M (FAMU), the conference front-runners. As outlined in the conference tiebreaker rules, due to defeating NC A&T earlier in the season, a FAMU victory at the Florida Classic would have given the Rattlers the Celebration Bowl bid and at least a share of the MEAC championship regardless of the outcome of NC A&T's game.{{cite web |last1=Sports |first1=HBCU |title=Road to Celebration Bowl: MEAC releases football tiebreaker scenarios |url=https://hbcusports.com/2018/11/13/road-to-celebration-bowl-meac-releases-football-tiebreaker-scenarios/ |website=HBCU Sports |access-date=22 November 2018 |date=14 November 2018}} However, FAMU lost the Florida Classic to arch-rival Bethune-Cookman, 33–19, while NC A&T defeated North Carolina Central, 45–0, giving them the conference championship and Celebration Bowl bid.{{cite web |last1=Sharrock |first1=Rory |title=Late turnover results in heartbreaking loss for FAMU |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/famu/2018/11/17/first-quarter-update-famu-3-b-cu-0/2039037002/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |access-date=22 November 2018 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Wilkerson |first1=Brant |title=A fitting celebration as Aggies learn their Celebration Bowl fate |url=https://www.greensboro.com/sports/ncat/a-fitting-celebration-as-aggies-learn-their-celebration-bowl-fate/article_af0e3d46-5603-5389-8c12-5a5278b0e1cb.html |website=Greensboro News and Record |access-date=22 November 2018 |language=en}}
NC A&T, led by first-year head coach Sam Washington, entered the season ranked number 14 in the AFCA preseason poll, number 13 in the STATS FCS top 25 poll, and number one in the BoxtoRow polls as the defending HBCU National Champions.{{cite web |title=A&T football team ranked 14th in preseason coaches poll |url=https://www.greensboro.com/sports/college/a-t-football-team-ranked-th-in-preseason-coaches-poll/article_85dc58ae-5cdc-567a-9efe-354a16200aec.html |website=Greensboro News and Record |access-date=22 November 2018 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=BOXTOROW Coaches Poll: North Carolina A&T no stranger to the top spot in preseason poll |url=http://boxtorow.com/2018/08/boxtorow-coaches-poll-north-carolina-a-t-no-stranger-to-top-spot-in-preseason-poll/ |website=BOXTOROW |access-date=22 November 2018 |date=7 August 2018 |archive-date=22 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122092335/http://boxtorow.com/2018/08/boxtorow-coaches-poll-north-carolina-a-t-no-stranger-to-top-spot-in-preseason-poll/ |url-status=dead }} The Aggies were also unanimously picked as the favorites to repeat as MEAC champions.{{cite web|url=http://www.meacsports.com/news/2018/7/27/football-north-caro1lina-a-t-state-picked-to-win-2018-meac-championship.aspx?path=football|title=North Carolina A&T State Picked To Win 2018 MEAC Championship|publisher=Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|date=July 27, 2018}} The Aggies finished their 2018 regular season at 9–2 (6–1 in MEAC)—with key victories over Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State and in-state FBS foe East Carolina—and entered the Celebration Bowl ranked number 11 by STATS. This was the third Celebration Bowl appearance for NC A&T, following their victory over the Grambling Tigers in the 2017 Celebration Bowl, 21–14.
=Alcorn State Braves=
{{further|2018 Alcorn State Braves football team}}
Alcorn State defeated Southern in the SWAC Championship Game on December 1 to secure their berth in the Celebration Bowl.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401100833 |title=Alcorn State beats Southern 37-28 in SWAC championship |website=ESPN |date=December 1, 2018 |access-date=December 1, 2018}} Led by third-year head coach Fred McNair, the Braves were ranked third in the BoxtoRow HBCU preseason poll, voted to win the SWAC East division.{{cite web |title=SWAC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE PRESEASON TEAMS RELEASED |url=https://www.swac.org/news/2018/7/11/swac-football-all-conference-preseason-teams-released.aspx |website=www.swac.org |publisher=Southwestern Athletic Conference |access-date=2 December 2018 |language=en}} The Braves enter the bowl with a 9–3 record (6–1 in conference regular season play).
Game summary
=Scoring summary=
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryStart|VisitorName=NCAT|HomeName=ALCN|state=}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=12:38
| Team=NCAT
| DrivePlays=5
| DriveLength=65
| DriveTime=2:22
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Zachary Leslie
| QB=Lamar Raynard
| yards=17
| Kicker=Noel Ruiz
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=7
| Home=0
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=2:52
| Team=ALCN
| DrivePlays=15
| DriveLength=84
| DriveTime=7:12
| Type=FG
| yards=29
| Kicker=Corey McCullough
| Visitor=7
| Home=3
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=8:33
| Team=NCAT
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=8
| DriveTime=1:01
| Type=FG
| yards=36
| Kicker=Noel Ruiz
| Visitor=10
| Home=3
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=0:53
| Team=NCAT
| DrivePlays=6
| DriveLength=70
| DriveTime=2:30
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Elijah Bell
| QB=Lamar Raynard
| yards=27
| Kicker=Noel Ruiz
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=17
| Home=3
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=0:00
| Team=ALCN
| DrivePlays=8
| DriveLength=67
| DriveTime=0:53
| Type=FG
| yards=25
| Kicker=Corey McCullough
| Visitor=17
| Home=6
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=4:29
| Team=ALCN
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=86
| DriveTime=1:08
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Noah Johnson
| yards=30
| Kicker=Corey McCullough
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=17
| Home=13
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=0:51
| Team=ALCN
| DrivePlays=5
| DriveLength=53
| DriveTime=0:55
| Type=FG
| yards=29
| Kicker=Corey McCullough
| Visitor=17
| Home=16
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=0:38
| Team=NCAT
| DrivePlays=
| DriveLength=
| DriveTime=
| Type=Other
| Other=Malik Wilson 79-yard kickoff return for touchdown, Noel Ruiz kick good
| Visitor=24
| Home=16
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=11:55
| Team=ALCN
| DrivePlays=9
| DriveLength=92
| DriveTime=3:36
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Noah Johnson
| yards=59
| 2pt type=pass
| 2pt result=failed
| Visitor=24
| Home=22
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEnd|Visitor=24|Home=22}}
=Statistics=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Aggies
|R1=7 |R2=10|R3=7 |R4=0
|Home=Braves
|H1=3 |H2=3 |H3=10|H4=6
}}
| class="wikitable"
! Statistics !! style="{{NCAA color cell|North Carolina A&T Aggies}}; text-align:center;"|NCAT !!style="{{NCAA color cell|Alcorn State Braves}}"|ALCN | ||
| First downs | 17 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 62–324 | 68–451 |
| Rushes–yards | 31–38 | 39–328 |
| Passing yards | 286 | 123 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 19–31–1 | 12–29–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:02 | 27:58 |
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=3 style="{{NCAA color cell|North Carolina A&T Aggies}}; text-align:center;"|North Carolina A&T | Passing | Lamar Raynard | 18/30, 292 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jah-Maine Martin | 10 car, 31 yds | |
| Receiving | Zachary Leslie | 6 rec, 119 yds, 1 TD | |
| rowspan=3 style="{{NCAA color cell|Alcorn State Braves}}; text-align:center;"|Alcorn State | Passing | Noah Johnson | 11/27, 128 yds, 1 INT |
| Rushing | De'Shawn Waller | 19 car, 167 yds | |
| Receiving | Juan Anthony | 5 rec, 75 yds |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=401032053 Box score] at ESPN
{{2018 bowl game navbox}}
{{Celebration Bowl navbox}}
{{North Carolina A&T Aggies bowl game navbox}}
{{Alcorn State Braves bowl game navbox}}
Category:Alcorn State Braves football bowl games