2019 Celebration Bowl
{{short description|Postseason college football bowl game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{infobox college football game
| name =
| year_game_played = 2019
| game_name = Celebration Bowl
| subheader = 5th Celebration Bowl
| image = 2019_Celebration_Bowl_logo.png
| visitor_name_short = Alcorn State
| visitor_nickname = Braves
| home_nickname = Aggies
| visitor_school = Alcorn State University
| home_name_short = North Carolina A&T
| football_season = 2019
| home_school = North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
| visitor_record = 9–3
| home_record = 8–3
| visitor_conference = SWAC
| home_conference = MEAC
| visitor_1q = 3
| home_1q = 0
| visitor_2q = 7
| visitor_3q = 21
| visitor_4q = 13
| home_2q = 24
| home_3q = 28
| home_4q = 12
| visitor_coach = Fred McNair
| home_coach = Sam Washington
| home_rank_STATS = 23
| date_game_played = December 21
| stadium = Mercedes-Benz Stadium
| city = Atlanta, Georgia
| MVP = Kylil Carter (QB, NC A&T) & Jacob Roberts (LB, NC A&T){{cite tweet |user=AWainwrightTV |number=1208493386854019072 |title=Highlights: |date=December 21, 2019 |accessdate=December 21, 2019}}
| odds = North Carolina A&T by 3{{cite web |title=Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T - Game Summary - December 21, 2019 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401188315 |website=ESPN.com |accessdate=December 21, 2019 |language=en}}
| referee = Hubert Owens (SEC){{cite web |url=http://www.footballzebras.com/2019/12/2019-20-bowl-officiating-assignments/ |title=2019–20 bowl officiating assignments |website=footballzebras.com |date=December 9, 2019 |accessdate=December 20, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://ourtupelo.com/trailblazing-sec-football-official-hubert-owens-wore-the-referees-white-cap-and-it-fit-him-perfectly/ |title=Trailblazing SEC football ref Hubert Owens wore the referee’s white cap, and it fit him perfectly |first=Rick |last=Cleveland |website=ourtupelo.com |date=October 21, 2020 |accessdate=December 10, 2021}}
| attendance = 32,968
| us_network = ABC
| us_announcers = Mark Jones (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek and Jay Walker (analysts), Roddy Jones and Tiffany Greene (sidline)
| different_next = 2021
}}
The 2019 Celebration Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 21, 2019, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST on ABC.{{cite web |title=2019–20 College Football bowl schedule |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2019/05/23/bowl-schedule-2019-2020-projections-college-football-playoff-new-years/1209828001/ |website=The Tennessean |accessdate=June 7, 2019 |language=en}} It was the 5th edition of the Celebration Bowl, and the only one of the 2019–20 bowl games to feature FCS teams.
Teams
For the second consecutive year, the bowl was played between the Alcorn State Braves and the North Carolina A&T Aggies.
=Alcorn State=
{{main|2019 Alcorn State Braves football team}}
Alcorn State earned their berth in the Celebration Bowl via a win over the Southern Jaguars in the SWAC Championship Game on December 7.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyjournal.net/2019/12/07/fbc-southern-alcorn-st/ |title=Alcorn State stops Southern 39–24, wins SWAC title |agency=AP |website=dailyjournal.net |date=December 7, 2019 |accessdate=December 7, 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The Braves entered the Celebration Bowl with a 9–3 overall record (6–1 in conference). This was their third appearance in the Celebration Bowl, having lost their prior two appearances (2015 and 2018); both losses were to North Carolina A&T.
=North Carolina A&T=
{{main|2019 North Carolina A&T Aggies football team}}
North Carolina A&T, led by second-year head coach Sam Washington, clinched their spot in the Celebration bowl on November 23 with their win over North Carolina Central.{{cite web |title=NCAT destroys NCCU, headed back to Celebration Bowl |url=https://hbcugameday.com/2019/11/23/ncat-destroys-nccu-headed-back-to-celebration-bowl/ |website=HBCU Gameday |accessdate=November 24, 2019 |date=23 November 2019}} The Aggies entered the game with an overall 8–3 record (6–2 in conference). They finished runner-up in the MEAC behind Florida A&M, who were ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions.{{cite news |url=https://news.wfsu.org/post/ncaa-hits-famu-athletics-penalties-over-ineligible-student-athletes |title=NCAA Hits FAMU Athletics With Penalties Over Ineligible Student Athletes |website=wfsu.org |date=May 22, 2019 |accessdate=December 21, 2019}} This was the Aggies' fourth appearance in the Celebration Bowl, having won each of their previous three (2015, 2017, 2018).
{{Clear}}
Game summary
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= background:#001DB8; color:white; border:2px solid #FF2E00; text-align:center;
|state=autocollapse
|bg=#fff
|bg2=#eee
|title=2019 Celebration Bowl
|date=Saturday, December 21, 2019
|time=12:00 p.m. EST
|road=Alcorn State
|R1=3|R2=7|R3=21|R4=13
|home=North Carolina A&T
|H1=0|H2=24|H3=28|H4=12
|stadium= Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta, Georgia
|attendance=32,968
|weather=n/a (retractable roof closed)
|referee=Hubert Owens
|TV=ABC
|TVAnnouncers=Mark Jones (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek and Jay Walker (analysts), Roddy Jones and Tiffany Greene (sideline)
|reference=[https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401188315 ESPN game summary]
|scoring=
;First Quarter
- (3:17) ALCN – Corey McCullough 28 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 23 yards, 3:48; Alcorn State 3–0)
;Second Quarter
- (13:03) NCAT – Kylil Carter 53 yard pass to Elijah Bell, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:06; North Carolina A&T 7–3)
- (10:16) ALCN – Felix Harper 36 yard pass to Chris Blair, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 2:47; Alcorn State 10–7)
- (7:55) NCAT – Kylil Carter 59 yard pass to Zachary Leslie, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 2:21; North Carolina A&T 14–10)
- (5:05) NCAT – Noel Ruiz 26 yard field goal (Drive: 3 plays, −4 yards, 2:03; North Carolina A&T 17–10)
- (0:41) NCAT – Kylil Carter 4 yard pass to Korey Banks, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:54; North Carolina A&T 24–10)
;Third Quarter
- (14:47) NCAT – Jah-Maine Martin 75 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:13; North Carolina A&T 31–10)
- (11:37) ALCN – Felix Harper 6 yard rush, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 3:10; North Carolina A&T 31–17)
- (10:06) NCAT – Kylil Carter 43 yard pass to Ron Hunt, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:31; North Carolina A&T 38–17)
- (9:09) ALCN – De'Shawn Waller 23 yard rush, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:57; North Carolina A&T 38–24)
- (4:56) NCAT – Kylil Carter 20 yard pass to Elijah Bell, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:13; North Carolina A&T 45–24)
- (3:49) ALCN – Felix Harper 35 yard pass to Raidarious Anderson, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:07; North Carolina A&T 45–31)
- (2:50) NCAT – Kylil Carter 73 yard pass to Korey Banks, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 2 plays, 67 yards, 0:59; North Carolina A&T 52–31)
;Fourth Quarter
- (13:14) ALCN – Felix Harper 13 yard pass to Nigel Wood, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:03; North Carolina A&T 52–38)
- (7:00) NCAT – Noel Ruiz 38 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 30 yards, 6:14; North Carolina A&T 55–38)
- (4:36) ALCN – Felix Harper 1 yard rush, kick blocked (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:24; North Carolina A&T 55–44)
- (4:36) NCAT – Amir McNeill blocked PAT return for defensive 2-point conversion (North Carolina A&T 57–44)
- (3:37) NCAT – Jah-Maine Martin 4 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 2 plays, 59 yards, 0:59; North Carolina 64–44)
}}
=Statistics=
{{AmFootballGameStatistics
| Float = left
| Visitor = Alcorn State Braves
| VisitorDisplay = ALCN
| Home = North Carolina A&T Aggies
| HomeDisplay = NCAT
| VisFirsts = 24
| VisPlaysYds = 74–460
| VisRushing = 32–119
| VisPassYds = 341
| VisPassing = 25–42–1
| VisTOP = 29:36
| HomeFirsts = 21
| HomePlaysYds = 64–574
| HomeRushing = 34–210
| HomePassYds = 364
| HomePassing = 18–30–0
| HomeTOP = 30:24
}}
{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers
| Float = right
| Visitor = Alcorn State Braves
| VisitorDisplay = Alcorn State
| Home = North Carolina A&T Aggies
| HomeDisplay = North Carolina A&T
| VisPasser = Felix Harper
| VisPassStats = 25/42, 341 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
| VisRusher = De'Shawn Waller
| VisRushStats = 13 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD
| VisReceiver = Chris Blair
| VisReceivingStats = 7 receptions, 150 yards, 1 TD
| HomePasser = Kylil Carter
| HomePassStats = 18/30, 364 yards, 6 TD
| HomeRusher = Jah-Maine Martin
| HomeRushStats = 16 carries, 110 yards, 2 TD
| HomeReceiver = Korey Banks
| HomeReceivingStats = 6 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/archived.php?id=288089 Game statistics] at statbroadcast.com
{{2019 bowl game navbox}}
{{Celebration Bowl navbox}}
{{North Carolina A&T Aggies bowl game navbox}}
{{Alcorn State Braves bowl game navbox}}
Category:North Carolina A&T Aggies football bowl games