Florida A&M (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) defeated Howard (6-6, 4-1 MEAC), 30-26, to win the 2023 Celebration Bowl. It is the first Celebration Bowl win and the first postseason bowl win in school history for the Rattlers.
The Rattlers trailed 16-10 at halftime after a slow start but scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to storm back for the win. All-American linebacker Isaiah Major sealed the game with an interception on Howard's final drive with less than two minutes remaining. Major was selected as the Defensive MVP after recording six total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception.
It was a dominant defensive performance for the Rattlers as Howard finished the game with only 187 total yards and less than 3.5 yards per play. The Bison capitalized on great field position to take an early 14-0 lead but failed to establish any offensive consistency throughout the game.
Running back Kelvin Dean was named the Offensive MVP after leading the Rattlers with 87 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Quarterback Jeremy Moussa completed 19-of-32 attempts for 289 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and two interceptions. All three of Moussa's touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner to Jah'Marae Sheread with five minutes remaining.
Florida A&M becomes only the second SWAC program to win the Celebration Bowl, joining Grambling State (2016). The Rattlers also extended their winning streak to 11 games, which is the second-longest streak in the nation.
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