Grambling State, North Carolina Central meet in Celebration Bowl (Dec 17, 2016)

North Carolina Central is looking to take another step in what has been a banner season, but tradition-rich Grambling State is standing in the way.

The teams meet Saturday in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

This is the first postseason appearance in the Division I era for N.C. Central, which was the outright champion in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference after sharing the title the previous two seasons.

"We have a chance to make some history," N.C. Central coach Jerry Mack said. "We have a chance to go out there and play one more game and everybody knows this will be the last game of 2016."

The Eagles (9-2), who are from Durham, N.C., have won nine consecutive games since opening the season with a loss to cross-city opponent Duke and then falling the following week at Western Michigan, which remains undefeated.

The credentials are impressive for Grambling (11-1) as well after winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Only a 10-point loss at Arizona prevented an unblemished record for the Tigers.

These Football Championship Subdivision teams give up the chance to participate in the FCS playoffs to play in the Celebration Bowl.

"We're pleased with being able to represent the SWAC for the Celebration Bowl," said Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs, who has directed his first SWAC title team. "We have the ability to win in different ways, scoring in different ways and stopping people different ways. That's the definition of a champion."

N.C. Central didn't have to share the MEAC title because it defeated arch-rival North Carolina A&T to end the regular season Nov. 19.

"It's what we work for, what we strive for every year," Mack said. "We finally got outright champs. Words cannot express how proud everybody is."

Mack said that playing in the Celebration Bowl gives the university a chance to enhance its brand on a bigger stage. He said the Eagles were motivated by seeing N.C. A&T generally receive more attention.

"We felt like we had been disrespected a lot during the course of the year," he said. "(Now we have another) chance to showcase our talents. ... We still have work for our final destiny and that's to be No. 1 (among historically black colleges and universities)."

Grambling is a 25-time champion of the SWAC, defeating two-time defending champion Alcorn State in this year's conference championship game Dec. 3 in Houston.

With Saturday's Celebration Bowl in the Georgia Dome, it will mark the third game in a row in an NFL venue for the Tigers. They played in the Superdome in New Orleans in beating Southern in the annual Bayou Classic and then played the SWAC title game at NRG Stadium in Houston.

In the SWAC title game, the Tigers overcame a sluggish start.

"We've won many different ways," Fobbs said. "We've been very dominant early. We've been in close battles and to win at the end. Then there have been times when we've been down and had to come back."

Mack said the SWAC tends to be more pass-oriented that the MEAC, and he is aware that Grambling has the personnel to back that up. Grambling quarterback Devante Kincade has thrown for more than 2,800 yards.

The Tigers also have big-play capability from running back and return specialist Martez Carter, who was the Most Valuable Player in the SWAC championship game with 348 all-purpose yards.

With nearly a month between games for the Eagles, there has been ample opportunity to consider tweaks that might be beneficial.

"Just fine tune our systems that are already in place," Mack said. "Any wrinkles that we want to put in. We've had plenty of time to look at the game plan and see what needs to be fixed."