South Carolina State Edges Prairie View 40-38 for Second Celebration Bowl Title

Down 21 points without a first-half score, South Carolina State found its quarterback, found its footing, and found a way. Ryan Stubblefield entered Mercedes-Benz Stadium's biggest stage late in the second quarter as a replacement for starter William Atkins IV, threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, and ultimately delivered the program's second Celebration Bowl title on December 13: a four-overtime, 40-38 survival against Prairie View A&M.

Jordan Smith was Stubblefield's weapon all afternoon, accounting for all three Bulldog touchdowns, two receiving and one rushing, before catching the decisive two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to put South Carolina State ahead for good. Prairie View quarterback Cameron Peters threw incomplete on the Panthers' final snap, and the Bulldogs had their championship.

Getting there required surviving the second overtime, where Prairie View's Cornelius Davis intercepted Stubblefield, handing the Panthers a possession that needed only a field goal to win. Diego Alfaro lined up for a 31-yard attempt. The kick was wide. Both teams then failed to convert two-point tries in a scoreless third overtime before Stubblefield and Smith settled it in the fourth.

"Really proud of these guys for the season that we've had," said Prairie View's Tremaine Jackson. "We had our chances to win. We didn't capitalize on those. I told the young guys in the locker room, '[If you've] got a chance to take control of your own destiny, gotta take control of it.' And so the ball didn't bounce our way for whatever reason. We look forward to getting ready to make another run with this thing."

For head coach Chennis Berry, the victory made him only the second coach of a currently active MEAC program to win the Celebration Bowl, joining North Carolina Central's Trei Oliver. South Carolina State's first title came in 2021 under Buddy Pough. The Bulldogs now own more Celebration Bowl championships than any other active program in the MEAC or SWAC.

The game drew 26,703 fans, more than 10,000 fewer than the 2024 Celebration Bowl's 36,823, making it the second-lowest attendance in the game's 10-year history.

Now entering spring practice as defending champions, Berry is preparing to defend something built on two very different categories of performance. The repeatable elements are real: Stubblefield's composure in high-leverage situations, Smith's ability to score three different ways in a championship setting, and a defense Berry has described entering 2026 as the deepest "we've been at all three levels." Those are traits that travel from December into September.

The volatile elements are equally visible. South Carolina State did not score in the entire first half, surrendered an interception at the worst possible moment, and needed an opponent to miss a short field goal to reach the fourth overtime. Four of those overtimes were necessary to decide a one-score game. Charm does not repeat; execution does.

The 2026 MEAC slate will force the answer quickly. Back-to-back road dates at Morgan State on October 31 and at Howard on November 7 arrive before a home matchup against NC Central on November 14, the program Berry just joined in the Celebration Bowl winners' circle. Those three games in three weeks form the clearest checkpoint: survive them, and the Bulldogs return to Atlanta. Stumble, and the question shifts from how they repeat to how they got caught.

SUMMARY: Ryan Stubblefield entered as a second-quarter sub, threw 234 yards, and SC State erased a 21-point deficit in a four-overtime Celebration Bowl classic.

CONTENT:

Down 21 points without a first-half score, South Carolina State found its quarterback, found its footing, and found a way. Ryan Stubblefield entered Mercedes-Benz Stadium's biggest stage late in the second quarter as a replacement for starter William Atkins IV, threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, and ultimately delivered the program's second Celebration Bowl title on December 13: a four-overtime, 40-38 survival against Prairie View A&M.

Jordan Smith was Stubblefield's weapon all afternoon, accounting for all three Bulldog touchdowns, two receiving and one rushing, before catching the decisive two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to put South Carolina State ahead for good. Prairie View quarterback Cameron Peters threw incomplete on the Panthers' final snap, and the Bulldogs had their championship.

Getting there required surviving the second overtime, where Prairie View's Cornelius Davis intercepted Stubblefield, handing the Panthers a possession that needed only a field goal to win. Diego Alfaro lined up for a 31-yard attempt. The kick was wide. Both teams then failed to convert two-point tries in a scoreless third overtime before Stubblefield and Smith settled it in the fourth.

"Really proud of these guys for the season that we've had," said Prairie View's Tremaine Jackson. "We had our chances to win. We didn't capitalize on those. I told the young guys in the locker room, '[If you've] got a chance to take control of your own destiny, gotta take control of it.' And so the ball didn't bounce our way for whatever reason. We look forward to getting ready to make another run with this thing."

For head coach Chennis Berry, the victory made him only the second coach of a currently active MEAC program to win the Celebration Bowl, joining North Carolina Central's Trei Oliver. South Carolina State's first title came in 2021 under Buddy Pough. The Bulldogs now own more Celebration Bowl championships than any other active program in the MEAC or SWAC.

The game drew 26,703 fans, more than 10,000 fewer than the 2024 Celebration Bowl's 36,823, making it the second-lowest attendance in the event's 10-year history.

Now entering spring practice as defending champions, Berry is preparing to defend something built on two very different categories of performance. The repeatable elements are real: Stubblefield's composure in high-leverage situations, Smith's ability to score three different ways in a championship setting, and a defense Berry has described entering 2026 as the deepest "we've been at all three levels." Those are traits that travel from December into September.

The volatile elements are equally visible. South Carolina State did not score in the entire first half, surrendered an interception at the most critical moment, and needed an opponent to miss a short field goal to reach the fourth overtime. Charm does not repeat; execution does.

The 2026 MEAC slate will force the answer quickly. Back-to-back road dates at Morgan State on October 31 and at Howard on November 7 arrive before a home matchup against NC Central on November 14, the program Berry just joined in the Celebration Bowl winners' circle. Those three games in three weeks form the clearest checkpoint for a repeat bid: survive them, and the Bulldogs return to Atlanta. Stumble, and the question shifts from how they repeat to where the wheels came off.