The 2022 HBCU FCS season has officially ended with North Carolina Central outlasting Jackson State 41-34 in overtime, earning the Eagles their first-ever Celebration Bowl victory.
The underdog Eagles, led by the game’s Offensive MVP quarterback Davius Richard (274 total yards and 3 total touchdowns) and Defensive MVP cornerback Khalil Baker (10 total tackles), would earn 10 wins in a season for the first time as an FCS program.
“[Our players] had a chip on their shoulder,” said NC Central head coach Trei Oliver. “The disrespect has been real since we’ve been [in Atlanta],” continued Oliver, observing how a lot of the attention, by media and the fans, focused on the Deion Sanders-led Tigers.
For the second year in a row, I predicted that Jackson State would win the game. A prognostication that could have come true if not for the dropped pass in the end zone by tight end Hayden Hagler.
Here are my takeaways on how NC Central was able to shock the world in what is being widely considered the best Celebration Bowl ever.
The demise of the MEAC has been greatly exaggerated … for now
When North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, and Bethune Cookman left the MEAC in 2020, skeptics would question the strength of the remaining members within the conference. Even though the MEAC has a combined 27-35 record against non-FBS opponents over the past two seasons, they are 5-4 against the SWAC, including a 2-0 record in the Celebration Bowl during that span, improving the conference’s overall record in the matchup to 6-1.
NCCU’s record when they score first
Entering the Celebration Bowl, NCCU was 8-1 when scoring first this season.
11:37 into the first quarter, the Eagles would cap off their first drive of the game – seven plays for 60 yards – with an Adrian Olivo 32-yard field goal, taking an early 3-0 lead. A little more than four minutes later, NCCU would score a touchdown on a four-yard run from Richard, putting JSU into the largest deficit they would face all season.
The Eagles Dominate Top-Ranked Tigers Defense
In my preview, I said that “NCCU will face its stiffest test of the season in the nation’s best defense”. Well, it didn’t appear to be that way on Saturday. While allowing the most points to an opponent since their loss to Alabama A&M during the Spring 2021 season (52), JSU would allow a season-worst 484 total and 276 rushing yards, while yielding 23 first downs and allowing NCCU to score on all six appearances into the red zone.
Coach Prime vs. OOC Opponents
26-6. That was Deion Sanders’ overall record as head coach at JSU.
As dominant as the Tigers were during Sanders’ tenure — 21-3 against SWAC opponents including two conference championships – they were 5-3 against out-of-conference opponents, with wins over teams with a combined record of 20-27 (Tennessee State twice, Campbell, DII Edward Waters, and Delta State). The three losses were to FBS Louisiana-Monroe (4-8), South Carolina State (6-5), and North Carolina Central (9-2).
Shedeur Sanders might be as good as advertised
Even in a loss, Shedeur would have another superior outing. Completing 30 passes to at least nine receivers in a game for the 11th time this year, Sanders would go 30-for-40, 349 pass yards, and score five total TDs.
