Photo of Celebration Bowl celebration
Courtesy: Ashley Bigbee
ATLANTA — The Florida A&M Rattlers are once again the HBCU National Champions after pulling off a 30-26 victory over the Howard University Bison on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl.
This historic win marks the first time FAMU has won the HBCU national championship since 1998 and it took place on the same day that FAMU won its first ever FCS championship in 1978, which was 45 years ago.
FAMU coach Willie Simmons said this moment means everything.
“We really wanted to honor that ’78 team by winning the national championship and I know coach (Rudy) Hubbard is smiling,” Simmons said.
Howard got off to a very fast start in the first quarter, putting up a 14-0 run on the Rattlers. The Bison running attack was led by Jarett Hunter, who scored on the first drive of the game. With the Rattlers struggling to get something going in the first quarter they came back striking with their rushing attack with running back Terrell Jennings scoring a touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7. The Rattlers would end the first half 16-10.
In the third quarter the defenses on both sides showed up holding off both offenses to a total of no points scored. The fourth quarter came around and the passing attack the Rattlers have relied on all season showed up. Florida A&M quarterback Jeremy Moussa threw three touchdown passes in just the fourth alone, including two crucial touchdowns to rally the Rattlers to wide receiver Kelvin Dean Jr. Dean finished the game with 87 yards and was named the Celebration Bowl Offensive Player of the Game. Wide receiver Jah’Marae Sheread caught the clinching touchdown pass that put FAMU up late in the fourth quarter.
Courtesy: Ashley Bigbee
“It means the world. I put so much work in to get to this position all the folks in Tallahassee that supported me all the way I just want to give a big shout out to them and it feels amazing I’m just so glad to be here,” Dean said.
The “Dark Cloud Defense” was led by linebacker Isaiah Major who has led the Rattlers all season on the defensive side of the ball. He was honored as the Celebration Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. He made the crucial interception late in the fourth quarter that sealed the championship victory for the Rattlers.
Major transferred to FAMU from Independence Community College, and he spoke about how the coaching staff at FAMU has developed him and helped him reach his goal of becoming a national champion.