It’s time for a battle of HBCUs of the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic Conferences with the Cricket Celebration Bowl. The game is on Saturday, December 16 (EST) and will be broadcast live on ABC. This year’s matchup will feature Howard vs Florida A&M.
In a hurry? Watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl on any of these streaming services:
- Fubo: The best streaming service for international sports also provides 150+ well-selected channels. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
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- Sling TV: This low-cost service allows you to select just the channel lineup you want. Save 50% on Sling TV now.
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Table Of Contents
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). Read on to learn all your options.
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
- 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.
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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/mo.
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/mo
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
- $40.00/mo
- 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 STREAM
Get 75+ channels with the Entertainment package for $79.99/mo with DIRECTV STREAM. This will give you all the channels you need to watch all the bowl games. But for $108.99/mo, The Choice plan offers access to the best selection of RSNs in the industry.
All DIRECTV STREAM plans include:
- 75+ channels
- ABC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and ESPN2 included
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Unlimited devices streaming at once
- On-demand content included
- $79.99/mo
Find out more in our DIRECTV STREAM review.
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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.
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
- $76.99/mo
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 STREAM, 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.
- Vidgo: Over 110 channels including all you need to watch the whole football season for $69.99/mo. (Vidgo review)
- YouTube TV: Get 100+ channels to watch all the bowl games for $72.99/mo.
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:
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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.
Wrapping Up
You can watch the Cricket Celebration Bowl for free with an antenna. But to watch all the bowl games, you will need to stream. Our top picks are Fubo and Sling TV.
Get more information in our College Football Bowl Games guide.
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 16 : Myrtle Beach Bowl — Georgia Southern vs Ohio (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 16 : Cricket Celebration Bowl — Florida A&M vs Howard (ABC)
- Sat Dec 16 : New Orleans Bowl — Jacksonville State vs Louisiana (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 16 : Cure Bowl — Miami (Ohio) vs Appalachian State (ABC)
- Sat Dec 16 : New Mexico Bowl — Fresno State vs New Mexico State (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 16 : LA Bowl — UCLA vs Boise State (ABC)
- Sat Dec 16 : Independence Bowl — Texas Tech vs Cal (ESPN)
- Mon Dec 18 : Famous Toastery Bowl — Western Kentucky vs Old Dominion (ESPN)
- Tue Dec 19 : Frisco Bowl — Marshall vs UTSA (ESPN)
- Thu Dec 21 : Boca Raton Bowl — USF vs Syracuse (ESPN)
- Fri Dec 22 : Gasparilla Bowl — Georgia Tech vs UCF (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 23 : Birmingham Bowl — Troy vs Duke (ABC)
- Sat Dec 23 : Camellia Bowl — Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 23 : Armed Forces Bowl — Air Force vs James Madison (ABC)
- Sat Dec 23 : Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Georgia State vs Utah State (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 23 : 68 Ventures Bowl — Eastern Michigan vs South Alabama (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 23 : Las Vegas Bowl — Northwestern vs Utah (ABC)
- Sat Dec 23 : Hawaii Bowl — San Jose State vs Coastal Carolina (ESPN)
- Tue Dec 26 : Quick Lane Bowl — Bowling Green vs Minnesota (ESPN)
- Tue Dec 26 : First Responder Bowl — Texas State vs Rice (ESPN)
- Tue Dec 26 : Guaranteed Rate Bowl — Kansas vs UNLV (ESPN)
- Wed Dec 27 : Military Bowl — Tulane vs Virginia Tech (ESPN)
- Wed Dec 27 : Duke’s Mayo Bowl — North Carolina vs West Virginia (ESPN)
- Wed Dec 27 : Holiday Bowl — Louisville vs Southern Cal (ESPN)
- Wed Dec 27 : Texas Bowl — Oklahoma State vs Texas A&M (ESPN)
- Thu Dec 28 : Fenway Bowl — SMU vs Boston College (ESPN)
- Thu Dec 28 : Pinstripe Bowl — Rutgers vs Miami (FL) (ESPN)
- Thu Dec 28 : Pop-Tarts Bowl — NC State vs Kansas State (ESPN)
- Thu Dec 28 : Alamo Bowl — Oklahoma vs Arizona (ESPN)
- Fri Dec 29 : Gator Bowl — Clemson vs Kentucky (ESPN)
- Fri Dec 29 : Sun Bowl — Notre Dame vs Oregon State (CBS)
- Fri Dec 29 : Liberty Bowl — Memphis vs Iowa State (ESPN)
- Fri Dec 29 : Cotton Bowl — Ohio State vs Missouri (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 30 : Peach Bowl — Penn State vs Ole Miss (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 30 : Music City Bowl — Auburn vs Maryland (ABC)
- Sat Dec 30 : Orange Bowl — Florida State vs Georgia (ESPN)
- Sat Dec 30 : Arizona Bowl — Wyoming vs Toledo (Barstool Sports)
- Mon Jan 1 : ReliaQuest Bowl — LSU vs Wisconsin (ESPN2)
- Mon Jan 1 : Citrus Bowl — Iowa vs Tennessee (ABC)
- Mon Jan 1 : Fiesta Bowl (Sling TV) — Oregon vs Liberty (ESPN)
- Mon Jan 1 : Rose Bowl (Sling TV) — Michigan vs Alabama (ESPN)
- Mon Jan 1 : Sugar Bowl (Sling TV) — Washington vs Texas (ESPN)
- Mon Jan 8 : National Championship (Sling TV) — Michigan/Alabama vs Washington/Texas (Fox)
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Image created from 2021 SWAC Football Championship Game Jackson State University (JSU) vs Prairie View Aa&M University by 2C2K Photography under CC BY 2.0.
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