Florida A&M University, perhaps with a little help from LeBron James, is the Celebration Bowl and National Black Colleges football champion.

Prior to the Rattlers’ 30-26 win over Howard University at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 16, a large package arrived at the A&M locker room. It was a pair of black and white Nike LeBron 21 Conchiolin kicks (priced at $200 a pair) for every member of the team.

For the past two years, James has partnered with A&M, through Nike, to supply footwear not only for football, but also men’s and women’s basketball, cheerleading and the Marching 100 Band.

Whether the shoes made the difference in Atlanta will never be known, but it certainly put the contingent from Tallahassee in an upbeat mode.

The game drew a live crowd of 41,108, including Howard alum and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and a national ABC television audience.

Many fans arrived late for the noon kickoff, but in plenty of time for the pulsating halftime battle of the bands between the Marching 100 and Howard’s Showtime.

Much of the halftime show was televised to the delight of the coast-to-coast TV followers.

A&M, finishing 12-1, rallied from an early 14-0 deficit on the strength of three, fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Jeremy Moussa.

Two of the TD tosses went to Kelvin Dean, who was named the offensive MVP, and another to Jah’Marae Sheread, who also had a 48-yard punt return.

Linebacker Isaiah Major, whose late interception clinched the deal, was named defensive MVP.

Moussa, a senior who previously played at Hawaii and Vanderbilt, shook off a slow start that included two costly interceptions (one a pick six) to hit 19 of 32 passes for 289 yards.

Since 2015, the SWAC and MEAC champions have chosen to meet in the Celebration Bowl rather than accepting invitations to the FCS playoffs. The gig in Atlanta draws $1 million for each conference plus more exposure than the playoffs.

This was just the second time a SWAC champ prevailed. The other was in 2016 when Grambling downed North Carolina Central.

A&M will open its 2024 season back in Atlanta (Georgia State Stadium) on Aug. 24 against Norfolk State in the MEAC vs. SWAC Challenge. Howard will open at Rutgers August 31.