Degrees first, title next: SC State Bulldogs graduate two days before winning HBCU National Championship

Dylan Boone and Cyrus Ellison concluded their undergraduate experience with two major milestones.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University Bulldogs Dylan Boone closed out his undergraduate experience with two milestones that rarely share the same moment: graduation and a national championship.

The towering tight end took part in commencement exercises Thursday before turning his focus back to football and leaving Orangeburg for Atlanta, where

South Carolina State would compete in and win the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Boone graduated on Thursday, Dec. 11, with a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences.

Earning his degree carried deep personal significance. 

“It’s a blessing. I’m thankful. Not many people get to do this. It’s been a long journey, but I’m just grateful and thankful,” he said.

He credited his family with helping him stay focused through the demands of being a student-athlete.

“If it wasn’t for them, I probably wouldn’t even be here right now,” Boone said.

For his family, the moment marked the culmination of years of sacrifice and perseverance.

“It’s emotional. It’s been a long struggle, so I’m glad, happy and ecstatic,” said Boone’s mother, Mukhina.

Boone said he knew SC State was the place for him after talking with the coaches – and praying.

“In all honesty, when I prayed on it, it was like something told me this was the school for me. So, I just trusted my gut, and here we are,” Boone said.

In the days leading up to graduation and the game, Boone said he learned the value of perseverance while at the university.

“A lot of people don’t know, but I wasn’t even going to come back before the season started. I was actually going to be done with football. I talked to (SC State head football) Coach (Chennis) Berry. I’m grateful that I did because now I’m competing for another national championship and will potentially win my first national championship,” he said.

Celebration bowl delivers drama worthy of a championship

As Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champs for the second year in a row, SC State faced Prairie View A&M, the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion, in a nationally televised matchup on ABC. 

The Bulldogs rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit and defeated Prairie View A&M 40–38 in four overtimes, completing the most dramatic comeback in Celebration Bowl history and securing the HBCU national title.

The victory capped a season defined by discipline on and off the field, where academic achievement and athletic excellence converged at the highest level.

For Boone and fellow Class of 2025 graduate Cyrus Ellison, the moment was fitting: a degree earned, a national championship secured, and standards set for what comes next. 

SC State University has been to the Celebration Bowl two times before, winning its first matchup against Deion Sanders and Jackson State University 31 to10 in 2021. Last year, SC State lost a 2024 matchup against Jackson State with a score of 28-7.

So, Saturday’s victory was especially sweet for Ellison.

The 22-year-old from Pamplico, South Carolina reflected on the camaraderie between him and his teammates and the determination and grit they’ve displayed to get to a bowl game.

“It makes me feel like we really deserve to be here. Me and the team feel like this season has been all about opportunities and just taking advantage of opportunities,” Ellison said.

Joining a brotherhood

Ellison was a senior in high school when SC State snagged its first Celebration Bowl win in 2021. 

“That really made me want to commit because I saw the brotherhood, the way they came together and the way they played. So, I just wanted to be a part of that,” he said.

Ellison earned a degree in exercise science with plans to work in physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. 

“Some of the reflections I have about State is mainly just like the good people. Just having fun. It’s always something to do every day, and just the grind. I enjoy the grind of football practice,” he said. “My plan is to go to grad school and get my master’s. State has prepared me very well for that because it’s been great professors, great advisors. They helped me get through it.”

Boone was grateful to receive his degree ahead of the Celebration Bowl.

“First things first, I’m just very thankful . . . A lot of people never get to make that walk or get this far. I’ve grown, I’ve adapted, I’ve overcome. I’m just grateful for all of the opportunities and learned lessons that came with it,” he said. 

Boone wants to become a sports dietician and plans to go to graduate school. He said SC State has prepared him for the next chapter of his life.

“Really, it’s just the teachers. I was majoring in business management, and I switched over to FSC Multidisciplinary. I’m just so grateful for my teachers and my advisors because I don’t even think I would be walking across the stage without them,” he said. “I’m grateful for the journey.”

A graduate degree, focus, military service and grit

Boone and Ellison were among several Bulldogs who crossed the commencement stage on Thursday. Also among them was Malik Richardson, a defensive lineman who played for the Bulldogs in 2024 after transferring from Western Carolina.

Like Boone and Ellison, Richardson was on the roster when the Bulldogs won the MEAC in 2024 and played in the Celebration Bowl.

He earned a Master of Business Administration from SC State.

“It’s just a testimony of hard work, being disciplined and focused. Glory and honor to God. It’s just the next step for me,” said Richardson, who plans to join the U.S. Air Force.

Richardson said SC State prepared him for life beyond football.

“The Bulldog grit. It’s true. Being a student-athlete, it’s just really taught me the values of hard work, staying focused, teamwork and leadership,” he said.