Waking up on Saturday morning to watch the drumlines of Alcorn State’s Sounds of Dynamite and North Carolina A&T’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine on SportsCenter put a smile on the face of many proud Historically Black College and University alums and black people across America.

What the Celebration Bowl this past weekend in Atlanta did was provide for a conventional gameday experience for Aggies and Alcornites alike. While their team’s successes often get put on the backburner for more marketable teams like those in the College Football Playoff, it also gave America a chance to experience a new style of celebrating college football.

The “Battle of the Bands” is the true highlight of HBCU football games and serves as an advantage for the home team. In addition to playing fight songs, the selection of contemporary songs allows everyone in attendance to share the same emotion music provides.

For some, halftime is generally a period to venture to the concession stand, wait in long lines to use the restroom or smoke a cigarette, but A&T changed that perception for some band members early in the season.

The Aggies and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill combined for a “Katy Perry” field show featuring the schools marching with their traditional styles but also as a blended unit. They performed a simple dance routine and it was wonderful to watch them come together. At the end of the show, which can be found on YouTube, UNC’s band members were surprised to see its stadium filled with spectators to watch the performance. A band member can be heard saying “our stadium is never this filled during halftime.”

The four-minute segment on SportsCenter opened up a new world to aspiring musicians to look at, and a closer-knit college community.

As someone whose first choice was to attend an HBCU, I was pleased to see the customs and traditions that make those schools so unique brought to mainstream television. As a graduate of a major university, who is no stranger to having ESPN surround my campus, I was also pleased to see a College Gameday-esque experience to be had for the Aggies and the Braves.

Thank you Air Force Reserve, ESPN Events and all others responsible for shining light on the HBCU culture.

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Alex Swatson is a sports writer. He can be reached at alex.swatson@vicksburgpost.com