FAMU wins Celebration Bowl, Defeats Howard

By Texas Metro News
Sports Team

As is always the case, an HBCU Football Homecoming, and especially a Classic or Championship Game is more than a football game.

It’s a family reunion, fashion shows, concerts, cookouts, Battle of the Bands, best tailgates and parties, and more.

It was no different when the Mideastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion Howard University Bisons and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champion – Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Rattlers came to town focused on becoming the HBCU Champions at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

Attendees weren’t disappointed and there was also a large audience via television, radio, and social media.

“A million people watched that game,” said Coach Willie Simmons, adding that many had never heard of Florida A&M University, but “now they know who FAMU is.”

Sure there was Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard alum, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a FAMU alum; in attendance, but HBCU, PWI, and fans/supporters from across the country flocked to Atlanta for all the pageantry associated with HBCUs.

At the game on Saturday, there were more than 41,000 in attendance, according to officials.

The Rattlers were the favorites.

But the Bisons came ready to play.

To a surprised, actually visibly shocked crowd, there was an explosive first drive to score from Howard; followed by a quarterback sack. Eight minutes into the game, Howard had a 7-0 lead. At halftime, the score was Howard 16 FAMU 10.

This year’s victory for FAMU is its first Celebration Bowl, first HBCU national title since 1998, and first national championship since 1978 when they won the Division 1-AA national championship under Coach Rudy Hubbard’s leadership.

According to the coach, it won’t be the last.

Talking to Boosters, Simmons encouraged them to reserve their hotel rooms in advance, because the Rattlers plan to be repeating as SWAC Champions.