Anyone planning to travel to Atlanta for the Celebration Bowl will need to arrive a week earlier than expected.

Originally slated for Dec. 21, the game billed as the “Black National Championship” will be Dec. 14 instead.

Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be at noon, with ABC television providing live coverage. Television ratings are the key to the switch. The expanded 12-team NCAA playoffs will start Dec. 21 with three games at noon, 4 and 8 p.m. That same day the NFL will showcase two marquee matchups – Kansas City vs. Houston and Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh.

The only ratings competition on Dec. 14 will be the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., not exactly a must-see event.

This will be the ninth Celebration Bowl pitting the champions of the MEAC and SWAC. The MEAC leads the series 6-2, although Florida A&M won last year, defeating MEAC champ Howard. Norfolk State is a MEAC member, but the Spartans have never qualified for the event.