South Carolina State defeated Prairie View A&M 40-38 in four overtimes Saturday to claim the 10th Celebration Bowl title and the HBCU Division I football national championship. The dramatic finish came after the Bulldogs overcame a 21-point halftime deficit, the largest rally in the bowl’s history.

The MEAC champion Bulldogs (10-3) were down 21-0 at the break as the SWAC champion Panthers (10-4) controlled the opening half. Prairie View A&M quarterback Cameron Peters was instrumental in the early surge, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for a third to build the three-score lead. Peters finished the game with 412 yards passing, four touchdowns, and one rushing score. Wide receiver Andre Dennis added 131 receiving yards and a touchdown for the Panthers.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter after South Carolina State Head Coach Chennis Berry’s team made halftime adjustments. The Bulldogs scored 21 unanswered points, three of which came after the Prairie View A&M offense committed a critical turnover, shortening the field for the Bulldogs.

South Carolina State’s comeback was led by backup quarterback Ryan Stubblefield, who entered the game late in the second quarter for injured starter William Atkins IV. Stubblefield finished the contest with 234 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score, earning him the Most Valuable Offensive Player award.

The contest remained tight through the fourth quarter. Prairie View A&M regained the lead 35-28 with under 10 minutes left on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Peters to Cameron Bonner. Stubblefield answered on the next drive, guiding the Bulldogs 62 yards and connecting with Jordan Smith for a game-tying touchdown pass with 1:54 remaining in regulation. Smith was the Bulldogs’ leading receiver with nine catches for 152 yards and two scores, along with a rushing touchdown.

In the first overtime, both teams exchanged field goals. The drama escalated in the second overtime when Panthers safety Cornelius Davis intercepted a Stubblefield pass, giving Prairie View a chance to win. However, kicker Diego Alfaro missed a 31-yard field goal attempt wide right, extending the game. The third overtime saw both teams fail on mandatory two-point conversion attempts.

The game concluded in the fourth overtime, which also required two-point conversion attempts. Stubblefield connected with Smith on the two-point attempt, and the on-field ruling of a successful conversion was upheld following a video review. The play gave South Carolina State a 40-38 lead. The Panthers' final attempt to match the conversion failed when Peters threw an incomplete pass, sealing the Bulldogs' victory and their second Celebration Bowl title in five years.