Saturday’s epic Celebration Bowl between South Carolina State and Prairie View A&M drew great television numbers.
The ABC game, which kicked off at noon ET, averaged 2.3 million viewers and peaked at 3.0 million viewers. It marks the Celebration Bowl’s largest viewership since 2022.
SC State won 40-38 in four overtimes, overcoming a 28-0 halftime deficit.
“Audience growth like this reflects what we see every year in the stands and across the culture—Black College football continues to earn national attention,” said John Grant, Executive Director of the Cricket Celebration Bowl. “We’re proud to showcase the bands, the traditions, the student-athletes, and the championship stakes on a national stage.”
Celebration Bowl TV Viewership
2025:
South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M (ABC) — 2.3 million
2024:
Jackson State vs. SC State (ABC) — 2.1 million
2023:
FAMU vs. Howard (ABC) — 1.51 million
2022:
NC Central vs. Jackson State (ABC) — 2.42 million
2021:
SC State vs. Jackson State (ABC) — 2.59 million
2019:
Alcorn State vs. NC A&T (ABC) — 1.8 million
2018:
NC A&T vs. Alcorn State (ABC) — 2.3 million
2017:
North Carolina A&T vs. Grambling State (ABC) — 2.36 million
2016:
North Carolina Central vs. Grambling State (ABC) — 2.71 million
2015:
North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State (ABC) — 2.56 million
