Celebration Bowl Preview: NCCU Offense vs. Jackson State Defense

A Celebration Bowl preview featuring the NCCU Eagles offense versus the Jackson State Tigers defense.

The 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl will feature the best HBCU football teams in the country as the No. 21 North Carolina Central Eagles (9-2) battle the No. 5 Jackson State Tigers (12-0) for the right to be named the 2022 HBCU Football National Champion.

The two-time defending SWAC champions of Jackson State Tigers are seeking vengeance for falling 31-10 in the 2021 Celebration Bowl hands of the South Carolina State Bulldogs.

This season Deion Sanders' No. 1 defensive unit will have another formidable opponent in Trei Oliver's No. 17 offense of North Carolina Central.

Could the dangerous NCCU Eagles offense give the ferocious JSU Tigers defense problems Saturday? Let's take a look.

QB Davius Richard; Credit: NCCU Athletics

NCCU Eagles Offense

• #1 MEAC Total Offense (442.0 ypg),
• #1 MEAC Scoring Offense (38.4)

The Eagles' spread offense lives and dies behind the dual-threat ability of MEAC Offensive Player of The Year Davius Richard. The Eagles' quarterback was PFF's highest-graded FCS HBCU quarterback in 2022. Richard has a 90.2 offensive grade that highlights his rushing prowess (88.3 rushing grade) and improvements as a passer (16 big-time throws and 80.0 passing grade).

When the junior signal caller doesn't put the ball in harm's way, the Eagles' offense can morph into an unstoppable locomotive over the opposition.

Credit: NCCU Athletics

Richard is not the lone pillar in NCCU's offensive attack that showcases consistent effectiveness. Running back Latrell Collier led the MEAC with 881 rushing yards on 159 rushes averaging 5.5 yards per rush.

Paving the way for his success has been the team's offensive front which is regarded as one of the best units in HBCU football. Three-fifths of the offensive line finished first-team all-conference, led by redshirt senior Robert Mitchell. Their front will be challenged by JSU's physical and powerful defensive line in a trench warfare showdown that may decide the game.

A deciding x-factor in the matchup is the Eagles' receivers against the man coverage ability of the Tigers. Redshirt senior E.J. Hicks and sophomore Devin Smith combined for 1025 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 17.6 and 14.2 yards per reception, respectively. Their ability to get vertical and continue to make big plays against single tight coverage could loosen up the FCS' best defense.

Dec. 3, 2022; Aubrey Miller Jr. leaving the field after the coin toss at the 2022 SWAC Football Championship game versus Southern University.  Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, HBCU Legends

JSU Tigers Defense

• #1 SWAC Total Defense (233.3 ypg)
• #1 SWAC Scoring Defense (11.3ppg)

The Tigers enter the postseason with the best defensive unit in the FCS due mainly to their ferocious front seven. The face of their dominant unit is the 2022 SWAC Defensive Player of The Year, Aubrey Miller Jr.

In his breakout campaign, the linebacker tallied nearly 100 tackles on the season and earned a Reese's Senior Bowl invitation. He was selected as an FCS First-Team All-American by Hero Sports and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year by BoxtoRow Media voters.

While Miller gets the headlines, the Tigers' defensive line play makes JSU's front seven consistently impenetrable.

Dec. 3, 2022; Defensive lineman Devonta Davis leaving the field at the 2022 SWAC Championship game versus Southern University.  Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, HBCU Legends

Sophomore Devonta Davis is the ultimate space-eater. He allows edge defenders Justin Ragin (15.0 TFL) and Nyles Gaddy (11.0 TFL) to live in the opponent's backfield to make plays.

They will meet an NCCU offensive line whose strength is sound blocking very in the interior to open rushing lanes for Richard and Collier.

The Eagles have the highest FCS HBCU PFF rushing grade at 91.7 and haven't run for under 100 yards since Week 1.

Southern University picked on the Tigers' secondary during the 2022 SWAC Championship game. They will need to be sound and bounce back to keep NCCU from displaying a potent aerial attack.

Solid safety play from first-team all-conference sophomore Cam'Ron Silman-Craig would do wonders, as would the return of versatile coverman John Huggins. Since Huggins departed from the lineup due to a Week 9 injury, the backend has been more susceptible to the big plays.

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