College Football Playoff Expansion Leads to Rescheduling of Celebration Bowl

In a surprising turn of events, the Cricket Celebration Bowl, which determines the Black College Football National Champion, has been rescheduled to Dec. 14 due to the expansion of the College Football Playoff to a 12-team format. This annual showdown between the MEAC and SWAC champions in Atlanta will now kick off at 12 p.m. ET on that day, sharing the spotlight with the Camellia Bowl at 9 p.m. ET and the iconic Army-Navy game at 3 p.m.

However, not everyone is pleased with this scheduling change. Dan LeBatard Show co-host Stugotz expressed his frustration on Monday, accusing college football of not caring about the military by forcing the Army-Navy game to share a Saturday with other bowl games. Stugotz passionately argued that the troops and the two service academies deserve a weekend dedicated solely to their historic rivalry.

His sentiments were echoed by Billy Gill, a producer on the show, who humorously suggested that the scheduler should be charged with treason for disrespecting the significance of the Army-Navy game. Despite the backlash, Bowl Season director Nick Carparelli defended the decision, citing the need to accommodate the expanded playoff format while still providing fans with an exciting lineup of games.

The Celebration Bowl, which began in 2015 to showcase the top HBCU football teams, will continue to be a highlight of the college football postseason. With the new schedule in place, fans can look forward to a full day of thrilling matchups on Dec. 14, culminating in the crowning of the Black College Football National Champion.