North Carolina Central saw victory erased as time elapsed at the end of regulation in the Celebration Bowl Saturday.
The Eagles remained calm, driving for a touchdown in overtime to ruin the end of the Deion Sanders era at Jackson State, 41-34.
Cricket Celebration Bowl champs 🏆
The Eagles earn their FIRST 10-win season since joining the FCS 😤 pic.twitter.com/ToLXrd2XnP
— ESPN (@espn) December 17, 2022
The Tigers, who came in undefeated, had forced overtime on the final play of regulation when Shedeur Sanders threw a TD pass to Travis Hunter. They went for the PAT to send the game to the extra session rather than try to win it with a 2-point conversion.
In the extra period, Davius Richard scored on a 1-yard run and the Eagles kicked the PAT.
The Tigers’ drive ended with a pair of incompletions, one that saw sophomore tight end Hayden Hagler drop a potential TD pass in the end zone. The second pass from Shedeur Sanders was errant and North Carolina Central was the HBCU champs.
North Carolina Central stops Jackson State on the 1 yard line and wins 41-34 in Overtime! The Eagles are your 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl champions! @NCCU_Football @NCCUAthletics @MEACSports pic.twitter.com/PMS0Zwn7ID
— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl) December 17, 2022
The Tigers named T.C. Taylor to replace Deion Sanders as head coach. Deion Sanders is taking over as head coach at the University of Colorado and bringing many Jackson State players with him to Boulder.
