Part of The Analyst’s FCS series called “By the Numbers,” which analyzes data to help tell the story of FCS college football.
In 2015, the Celebration Bowl was born, with the MEAC and SWAC champions annually going head-to-head in what amounts to be a de facto HBCU national championship game.
The matchups have been exciting and well-attended, and there’s been some big-name talent.
Future NFL running back Tarik Cohen starred for North Carolina A&T, and blocking for him was future NFL draft pick Brandon Parker. In the past two years, Shedeur Sanders did his thing for Jackson State under his father, coach Deion Sanders.
Only six different schools have participated in the Celebration Bowl, but on Saturday, Howard (MEAC) and Florida A&M (SWAC) will make their first appearances in the season-ending bowl as the seventh and eighth teams.
With the MEAC holding a 6-1 overall lead, we look at some of the stellar individual performances in the Celebration Bowl:
Top-Five Passing Yards
1. Kylil Carter (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 364 yards, 6 TDs
2. Shedeur Sanders (2022 Jackson State, vs. North Carolina Central) – 349 yards, 4 TDs
3. Felix Harper (2019 Alcorn State, vs. North Carolina A&T) – 341 yards, 3 TDs
4. Lamar Raynard (2018 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 292 yards, 2 TDs
5. Malcolm Bell (2016 North Carolina Central, vs. Grambling State) – 240 yards, 1 TD
Top-Five Rushing Yards
1. Tarik Cohen (2015 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 295 yards, 3 TDs
2. De’Shawn Waller (2018 Alcorn State, vs. North Carolina A&T) – 167 yards
3. Noah Johnson (2018 Alcorn State, vs. North Carolina A&T) – 120 yards, 2 TDs
4. Jah-Maine Martin (2019 North Carolina A&T, Alcorn State) – 110 yards, 2 TDs
5. Marquell Cartwright (2017 North Carolina A&T, vs. Grambling State) – 110 yards, 1 TD
Top-Five Receiving Yards
1. Chris Blair (2019 Alcorn State, vs. North Carolina A&T) – 150 yards, 5 receptions, 1 TD
2. Kevin Coleman (2022 Jackson State, vs. North Carolina Central) – 137 yards, 7 receptions, 1 TD
3. Korey Banks (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 122 yards, 6 receptions, 2 TDs
4. Zach Leslie (2018 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 119 yards, 6 receptions, 1 TD
5.(tie) Elijah Bell (2017 North Carolina A&T, vs. Grambling State) – 95 yards, 10 receptions
5.(tie) Shaquan Davis (2021 South Carolina State, vs. Jackson State) – 95 yards, 5 receptions, 3 TDs
Longest Runs
1. Tarik Cohen (2015 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 83 yards
2. Jah-Maine Martin (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 75 yards
3. Tarik Cohen (2015 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 74 yards
4. Tarik Cohen (2015 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 73 yards
5. Noah Johnson (2018 Alcorn State, vs. North Carolina A&T) – 59 yards
Longest Pass Plays
1. Kevin Coleman from Shedeur Sanders (2022 Jackson State, vs. North Carolina Central) – 85 yards
2. Korey Banks from Kylil Carter (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 73 yards
3. Zach Leslie from Kylil Carter (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 59 yards
4. Elijah Bell from Kylil Carter (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 53 yards
5. Tarik Cohen from Kwashaun Quick (2015 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 52 yards
Most Tackles
1.(tie) Aubrey Miller (2022 Jackson State, vs. North Carolina Central) – 11
1.(tie) Reggie Hunter (2016 North Carolina Central, vs. Grambling State) – 11
3.(tie) Jeremiah Williams (2022 Jackson State, vs. North Carolina Central) – 10
3.(tie) Brelion Harris (2018 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 10
3.(tie) Khalil Baker (2022 North Carolina Central, vs. Jackson State) – 10
Most Tackles For Loss
Richie Kittle (2018 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 4
Longest Field Goal
Noel Ruiz (2019 North Carolina A&T, vs. Alcorn State) – 38 yards