The first-ever meeting between two Celebration Bowl participants drew big TV ratings.
South Carolina State’s 40-38 four-overtime victory over Prairie View on Saturday drew 2.3 million viewers on ABC, marking a 12 percent increase from last year’s broadcast and signaling continued national growth for HBCU football’s premier postseason showcase, according to ESPN figures.
This year’s game, which delivered one of the strongest audiences in the bowl’s 10-year history, was the highest since 2022, when North Carolina Central topped the Deion Sanders-led Jackson State team.
The Celebration Bowl, often dubbed the “Black College Football National Championship,” traditionally serves as the capstone to the HBCU season, pairing the MEAC and SWAC champions in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Last Saturday’s ’25 Cricket Celebration Bowl on ABC delivered double-digit increases 🏈#BowlSeason pic.twitter.com/jGnlu5DOxm
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) December 17, 2025
ABC’s mid-December broadcast window once again provided a national stage for both conferences, and the combination of a recognizable HBCU brand in South Carolina State and Prairie View’s return to the title spotlight helped drive significant year-over-year gains.
Ratings for the Celebration Bowl have now shown increases in three of the last four seasons, reinforcing its place as one of the most-watched non–College Football Playoff bowls on television.
With viewership climbing and attendance remaining strong, the 2025 edition further cemented the Celebration Bowl’s reputation as a cornerstone event in both college football and Black sports culture.
