South Carolina State Outlasts Prairie View 40–38 in a Celebration Bowl Classic
ATLANTA, Ga. — The 2025 Celebration Bowl delivered everything college football fans hope for on the sport’s biggest HBCU stage. Drama, resilience, faith, and a championship moment forged under pressure. When the dust finally settled inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, South Carolina State stood tall, edging Prairie View A&M 40–38 in overtime to claim the MEAC’s ultimate prize.
For head coach Chennis Berry, the victory marked his first Division I championship at South Carolina State. It also cemented a historic stretch for the Bulldogs, who won back to back MEAC championships and represented the conference in the Celebration Bowl for the second consecutive season. This time, they finished the job.
Prairie View Strikes First and Often
Prairie View A&M controlled the early flow of the game behind quarterback Cameron Peters, who orchestrated three first half touchdown drives. The Panthers struck first on a 16 yard touchdown pass to Ethan John, then followed with a 27 yard Peters rushing score and a 14 yard touchdown connection to Jyziaiah Rockwell. By halftime, Prairie View held a 21–0 lead and appeared firmly in control.
The Panthers continued to apply pressure into the third quarter, extending their advantage to 28–21 after Andre Dennis hauled in a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peters. Prairie View was efficient, explosive, and confident, forcing South Carolina State to dig deep just to stay within striking distance.
The Turning Point
The entire complexion of the game changed when South Carolina State’s starting quarterback was forced to leave with an injury. Enter Ryan Stubblefield.
Thrown into the fire on the biggest stage of his career, Stubblefield did not flinch.
Instead, he leaned on chemistry.
After halftime, Stubblefield repeatedly found wide receiver Jordan Smith, his closest on field partner. Together, the duo sparked the Bulldogs’ comeback and shifted momentum with precision and poise.
They call themselves Orange Juice.
Jordan Smith opened the scoring surge with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, then followed with two touchdown receptions of 19 and 10 yards. Stubblefield added a one yard touchdown run of his own as South Carolina State poured in 21 points in the third quarter, erasing Prairie View’s lead and swinging the emotional balance of the game.
“J2 has always been a playmaker,” Stubblefield said. “That’s always been him since high school. Since I met him last year, the connection, we call ourselves Orange Juice, and so we were activated today. He won on his routes and I put the ball where he could make a play. It’s great seeing our teammates go out there and compete on a high level and show our talent to the world.”
Back and Forth to the Final Whistle
Prairie View refused to fold.
The Panthers reclaimed the lead early in the fourth quarter on a one yard Ryan Stubblefield run for South Carolina State, then answered again when Jordan Smith caught his second touchdown of the game to tie things at 35–35 with under two minutes remaining.
In overtime, Prairie View struck first with a 29 yard field goal by Diego Alfaro. South Carolina State answered with a longer 40 yard kick from Nico Cavanillas, pushing the game to a second overtime.
There, the Bulldogs sealed it.
Cavanillas drilled the decisive field goal, while the South Carolina State defense stood firm to preserve the 40–38 victory.
Defense, Faith, and the Final Word
While the offense delivered fireworks, the Bulldogs’ defense delivered the championship moment. Defensive MVP Brenyen Scott anchored a unit that rose when it mattered most, forcing key stops late and grounding Prairie View’s final overtime possession.
“For me it’s unreal, just for the simple fact I’m a champion,” Scott said. “My journey has been different. We pray about it a lot. Even before the game we prayed about discernment and decision making throughout the game, and ultimately God allowed us to come out victorious.”
A Championship Earned
South Carolina State’s win was not simply about a comeback. It was about belief, preparation, and trust when plans change.
Coach Chennis Berry has now led the Bulldogs to consecutive MEAC titles and guided the program to its first Celebration Bowl victory under his leadership. In doing so, he affirmed South Carolina State’s place atop HBCU football and delivered a defining moment for a program built on resilience.
On a night when everything was tested, Orange Juice was activated, faith was rewarded, and a championship was earned the hard way.
South Carolina State 40. Prairie View A&M 38.
A Celebration Bowl classic.
