Getty Image / Paras Griffin
The Deion Sanders era has officially come to an end for Jackson State.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, it didn’t end in the way many expected.
Coach Prime and Jackson State entered the day favored by 2 touchdowns against North Carolina Central. At no point in the game did they appear deserving of that line.
North Carolina Central let Jackson State know early on that a win in this game wouldn’t come nearly as easily as they had for much of the season. They got 3 points on their first drive of the game and extended the lead to 10-0.
The Tigers fought back and took the lead n the second quarter and headed to the half up 21-17.
The teams battled back and forth in the 2nd half with North Carolina Central ending the 3rd quarter with a 26-21 lead and Jackson State taking the lead back early in the 4th. The Eagles took that lead back late in the quarter and looked like they were heading for the win.
Then Jackson State tied the game as time expired.
In overtime, North Carolina Central got the ball first and punched in a touchdown from a yard out. When Jackson State got the ball back, they gave themselves a chance to do the same. They had a pair of attempts from the 1-yard line, but Shedeur Sanders threw a pair of incomplete passes.
North Carolina Central stops Jackson State on the 1 yard line and wins 41-34 in Overtime! The Eagles are your 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl champions! @NCCU_Football @NCCUAthletics @MEACSports pic.twitter.com/PMS0Zwn7ID
— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl) December 17, 2022
It’s a heartbreaking ending to Sanders’ time with Jackson State after his team rallied to tie it at the end of regulation.
He’ll leave the program with an 0-2 record in the Celebration Bowl and having fallen just short of a perfect season.
Now Deion Sanders will have to wait until his debut with Colorado to get back into the win column.