Best Overall
185+ channels including , all major sports networks, and local channels. 7-day free trial – watch tonight, cancel anytime. Best if you want one service that “just works”, without piecing together bundles.
From $79.99/mo after free trial
Cricket Celebration Bowl Live Streams: Where & When to Watch NCAA Football Online
Disclosure: Hotdog.com is supported by readers. When you click on our links and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more
Written by Frank Moraes Senior Content Editor
As I look forward to watching the Cricket Celebration Bowl, a premier matchup between two historic black colleges and universities from the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic Conferences. The showdown between Howard and Florida A&M kicks off Saturday, December 16 at 12:00 pm (EST) on ABC, and I’ll be tuning in to catch all the action.
In a hurry? Watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl on any of these streaming services:
Watch Live Tonight
All three services carry . Pick based on your budget:
Lowest Price
Carries from $45.99/mo – roughly half the price of Fubo. Add channel packs if you want more. The lowest-cost route for , if you are happy with a smaller bundle.
Most Channels
90+ channels including – the closest thing to full cable without a contract. 5-day free trial, then from $84.99/mo.
Away from home? If your content is blocked, a VPN helps you keep streaming. Our top pick is ExpressVPN.
It’s a whole new world of live sports. Gone are the days when you had to hold onto your long-term, over-priced cable contracts. Today, you have choices.
If you are looking for the best ways to watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl without cable, we have you covered. There are a handful of services that either offer ABC directly or offer the game through ESPN3 (which shows almost all ABC Sports events).
Cricket Celebration Bowl Schedule
The Cricket Celebration Bowl has two things that distinguish it. The first is that it features historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It is also the only bowl game that features NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams.
As a result, these teams don’t get as much coverage as other teams so the Cricket Celebration Bowl is a special event in college football.
Let’s get the details. Here are the basics you need to watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl this year:
- Date: Saturday, December 16th, 2023 12:00 pm (EST)
- Channel: ABC, ESPN3
- Teams: Howard (26) vs Florida A&M (30)
- Last Year’s Results: Jackson State (34) vs North Carolina Central (41)
Since 2017, the Celebration Bowl has always been held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
How to Watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl Online Without Cable
Since the Cricket Celebration Bowl airs on ABC, you can most likely watch it for free. You just need to get an antenna and set it up. Assuming you live relatively near an ABC affiliate, you’ll be able to watch the game in crystal clear HD.
If you live too far from a transmission tower or just don’t want to bother with an antenna, you can stream ABC with a number of streaming services. Our top two choices are Fubo and Sling TV, but read on below for details.
Streaming services are great alternatives to cable and satellite. They provide all the same channels (although as with different cable and satellite companies, there are differences between services as to exactly what channels are provided). But streaming services offer more flexibility — usually with a lot more features.
The streaming revolution has had an impact, however. Cable prices have come down to match streaming to a large extent. But in order to get these prices, you need to sign up for long (usually two-year) contracts.
Features like cloud DVR and streaming on multiple devices are also standard with streaming services.
Cricket Celebration Bowl on Fubo
Fubo (formerly FuboTV) is known as a sports streaming service but the truth is that its 150+ channel lineup includes tons of stuff that everyone in your household will like. And you get it all for $79.99/month.
Fubo details:
- ABC, CBS, Fox, The CW, ESPN, and ESPN2 included — to watch all the bowl games
- 35+ sports-oriented channels
- 1,000 hours of permanent cloud DVR storage
- Streaming on up to 10 devices at once
- On-demand library included
- $79.99/month
Our Fubo review has more information.
Cricket Celebration Bowl on Sling TV
Sling Orange might seem an odd choice for this list because it doesn’t offer ABC. But it is here because it offers ESPN3 in its Orange plan. And ESPN3 airs all ABC Sports programming live. Sling TV is the only streaming service that includes ESPN3 in its channel lineup.
Check out Sling Oranges’s details:
- Includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3
- 30+ channels including AMC, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, HGTV, TBS, and TNT
- 50 hours of cloud DVR storage
- Strong on-demand library
- $45.99/month
- Sling TV Bowl Game Guide
Note that Sling Blue now offers ABC in select markets. But Sling Orange is the plan you want for watching bowl season. Get more information in our Sling TV review.
Cricket Celebration Bowl on DIRECTV
Get 75+ channels with the Entertainment package for $84.99/month with DIRECTV. This will give you all the channels you need to watch all the bowl games. But for $84.99/month, The Choice plan offers access to the best selection of RSNs in the industry.
All DIRECTV plans include:
- 75+ channels
- ABC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and ESPN2 included
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Unlimited devices streaming at once
- On-demand content included
- $84.99/month
Find out more in our DIRECTV review.
Cricket Celebration Bowl on Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a complete entertainment service. It starts with the Hulu on-demand service. Added to it are the services ESPN+ and Disney+. And then, if that isn’t enough, it comes with 100+ live TV channels. It’s a great service for watching all the bowl games including the Cricket Celebration Bowl.
Start Hulu + Live TV Free Trial ↗︎
Here are the highlights of Hulu Live:
- 100+ channels
- All the bowl channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, The CW, ESPN, and ESPN2
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Streaming on up to 2 devices
- Best on-demand service in the industry
- $82.99/month
Get all the details in our Hulu + Live TV review.
Other Options to Watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl
You can easily watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl with FuboTV, Sling TV, DIRECTV, and Hulu Live. But there are other options:
- Antenna: Since the Cricket Celebration Bowl airs on ABC, you can watch for free with an antenna. One good way to do this is to sign-up with Sling TV, which has special deals that include the hardware you need.
- YouTube TV: Get 100+ channels to watch all the bowl games for $82.99/month.
Devices to Live Stream the Cricket Celebration Bowl
All the streaming services (and antenna software) we’ve highlighted above allow you to watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl on pretty much all the streaming hardware you already own. These include:
- Amazon Fire TV (Firestick)
- Android Mobile
- Android TV-based Smart TVs
- Chromecast
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Roku
- Samsung Smart TVs
- Web Browsers
There are many other supported devices. For complete information see our device reviews:
- DIRECTV
- Fubo
- Hulu + Live TV
- Sling TV
Howard Bison vs Florida A&M Rattlers
The 2023 Cricket Celebration Bowl features teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Howard is in MEAC and Florida A&M is in SWAC. This is the first time either team has been in the bowl.
Howard is part of the MEAC. It is a small conference with just 8 schools — only six of which have football programs. The Bison managed to take second with a 6-5 record (4-1 in-conference) behind the North Carolina Central Eagles.
The Rattlers are generally considered one of if not the best HBCU football team. They had a great season this year with an 11-1 and 8-0 in-conference record. That includes one playoff win against Prairie View A&M for the SWAC Championship. They are number 5 in the FCS Coaches ranking.
Howard and Florida A&M have met six times in the past with each winning three times.
Howard Bison Personnel
Head coach Larry Scott has been with the Bison for 4 years where he has improved the team each season to 2023, its first winning season since 2017. With him are offensive coordinator Lee Hull and defensive coordinator Troy Douglas.
Quarterback Quinton Williams leads the offense with running backs Jarett Hunter and Eden James, wide receivers Kasey Hawthorne and Richie Ilarraza, and tight end Gavin Harris.
The defense features linebackers Terrance Hollon, Christian White, and Darrian Brokenburr; defensive backs Kenny Gallop Jr, Ray Williams, Carson Hinton, Clayton Perrin, and Robert Jones III; and linemen Darrian Brokenburr, Jamel Stewart, Ian White, and Jevin Jackson.
Florida A&M Rattlers
Willie Simmons is in his fifth season as head coach at Florida A&M with a record of 44-13. With him are offensive coordinator Joseph Henry and defensive coordinators Ryan Smit and Brandon Sharp.
The Rattlers’ offense is led by quarterback Jeremy Moussa with running backs Terrell Jennings, Kelvin Dean, and Jaquez Yant, wide receivers Marcus Riley and Jah’Marae Sheread, and tight end Kamari Young.
The defense includes linebackers Isaiah Major, Johnny Chaney Jr, and Allen Smith Jr; defensive backs Kendall Bohler, Eric Smith, and Javan Morgan; and linemen Anthony Dunn Jr, Gentle Hunt, James Ash, and Dre Jones.
Our Choice
After exploring various streaming services to catch the Cricket Celebration Bowl, I found that Fubo and Sling TV offer the best experiences. Fubo provides over 150 channels, including ABC, ensuring I don’t miss any action. Its 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to 10 devices simultaneously make it a versatile choice. On the other hand, Sling TV’s Orange plan, though it doesn’t include ABC, offers ESPN3, which airs all ABC Sports programming live. This plan is more budget-friendly and includes 30+ channels, such as ESPN and ESPN2. While both services have their strengths, Fubo’s comprehensive channel lineup and user-friendly features make it my top pick for watching the game.
FAQ
Who won the Cricket Celebration Bowl last year?
The 2022 Celebration Bowl saw North Carolina Central defeat Jackson State by a score of 41 to 34. The first Celebration Bowl was held in 2015, and it ended with the North Carolina A&T Aggies beating the Alcorn State Braves 41 to 34. Here are the results since the Cricket Celebration Bowl began:
| Date | Winning Team (Score) | Losing Team (Score) |
| Dec 19 2015 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (41) | Alcorn State Braves (34) |
| Dec 17 2016 | North Carolina Central Eagles ( 9) | Grambling State Tigers (10) |
| Dec 16 2017 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (21) | Grambling State Tigers (14) |
| Dec 15 2018 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (24) | Alcorn State Braves (22) |
| Dec 21 2019 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (64) | Alcorn State Braves (44) |
| Dec 18 2021 | South Carolina State Bulldogs (31) | Jackson State Tigers (10) |
| Dec 17 2022 | North Carolina Central Eagles (41) | Jackson State Tigers (34) |
Is the MEAC/SWAC Challenge the same as the Cricket Celebration Bowl?
No, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is not a different name for the Cricket Celebration Bowl. But they are related. It is a game between two HBCUs from the MEAC and SWAC conferences. Traditionally, it was played on Labor Day weekend but has since been moved a week earlier to accommodate the NCAA football season.
How can I stream additional bowl games this year?
Here is how you can watch bowl games in 2023:
- Sat Dec 13 12:00 pm: Cricket Celebration Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 13 9:00 pm: LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 16 9:00 pm: IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 17 5:00 pm: StaffDNA Cure Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 17 8:30 pm: 68 Ventures Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Dec 19 12:00 pm: Myrtle Beach Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Dec 19 3:30 pm: Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Mon Dec 22 2:00 pm: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 23 2:00 pm: Boca Raton Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 23 5:30 pm: New Orleans Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 23 9:00 pm: Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 24 8:00 pm: Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Dec 26 1:00 pm: GameAbove Sports Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Dec 26 4:30 pm: Rate Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Dec 26 8:00 pm: SERVPRO First Responder Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 11:00 am: Go Bowling Military Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 12:00 pm: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 2:15 pm: Wasabi Fenway Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 3:30 pm: Pop-Tarts Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 4:30 pm: Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 5:45 pm: Isleta New Mexico Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 7:30 pm: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Sat Dec 27 9:15 pm: Kinder’s Texas Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Mon Dec 29 2:00 pm: Birmingham Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 30 2:00 pm: Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 30 5:30 pm: Music City Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Tue Dec 30 9:00 pm: Valero Alamo Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 31 12:00 pm: ReliaQuest Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 31 2:00 pm: Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 31 3:00 pm: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 31 3:30 pm: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Wed Dec 31 7:30 pm: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (CFP Quarterfinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Thu Jan 1 12:00 pm: Capital One Orange Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Thu Jan 1 4:00 pm: Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (CFP Quarterfinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Thu Jan 1 8:00 pm: Allstate Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Jan 2 1:00 pm: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Jan 2 3:30 pm: AutoZone Liberty Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Jan 2 8:00 pm: Duke’s Mayo Bowl — Teams/TV TBA
- Thu Jan 8 7:30 pm: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Fri Jan 9 7:30 pm: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal) — Teams/TV TBA
- Mon Jan 19 7:30 pm: College Football Playoff National Championship — Teams/TV TBA
Update history
This page was revised 2 times between December 2022 and February 2023.
Added new section. Updated one section. Formatting. Reworded some things.
Added new section. Added buttons for streaming services. Updated some sub-sections. Updates to a section. Changed some content in main section.
Frank was the Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com and an expert in sports streaming, specializing in out-of-market games and regional sports networks.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
Latest posts by Frank Moraes (see all)
- How to Watch Pac-12 College Teams This Year - 08/06/2024
- States That Have Produced Leading Actors and Actresses - 09/06/2022
- US States With the Fastest Internet - 06/21/2022