Commentary: Celebration Bowl grand stage for SWAC-MEAC

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Alcorn State will end the 2015 season in its desired destination — Atlanta.

Back in July at SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Braves senior quarterback John Gibbs Jr., talked about playing in the first Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl that pits the SWAC champion against the MEAC champion.

"Our expectations, we hold them high," Gibbs said last summer. "We have to follow up on those expectation. If we don't, we fall short of our goal. Our motto is 'Road to Atlanta.' Start in Atlanta and end in Atlanta."

Alcorn State (9-3) opened the season with a 63-point loss at Georgia Tech, but won a second straight SWAC title and will return to Atlanta to face North Carolina A&T (9-2) in the inaugural postseason bowl Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome. The Aggies shared the MEAC title with Bethune Cookman and North Carolina Central while Alcorn State smashed Grambling, 49-21, in the SWAC title game.

North Carolina A&T won the bowl tiebreaker based on USA TODAY Sagarin ratings of FBS and FCS schools. A&T is 152nd, B-CU is 174th and N.C. Central is 188th.

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