SAVANNAH, Ga. —
Savannah State University linebacker
Darrian Bell and defensive tackle
Tony Rountree Jr. continue to add to their post-season accolades.
Darrian Bell and
Tony Rountree Jr. have been invited to play in the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl. The game will take place on Saturday, February 21 at Tulane University's Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The 6-foot-2, 230-lb. Bell led the conference in solo tackles (68) and was second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in total tackles (93). The graduate student from Danville, Kentucky finished the regular season ninth in fumble recoveries (2), 14th in forced fumbles (2) and 15th in tackles for loss (11). He also had 3.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. His best game of the season came in the Tigers overtime win against Allen when he set a new SSU single game record with 23 tackles (19 solo) and was named SIAC Defensive Player of the Week and BOXTOROW National Player of the Week. Bell also earned SIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, following his performance against Benedict where he ended the contest with a game-high 13 tackles (9 solo), two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.
Bell was named to the All-SIAC First Team Defense and was a BOXTOROW All-American Honorable Mention selection.
Rountree was eighth in the conference in sacks (6.5) and was ninth in tackles for loss (12). The senior from Augusta, Georgia ended his final season with 32 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In the Tigers game with Albany State, Rountree (6-3, 330-lbs.) had a season-high seven tackles (4 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He forced and recovered a fumble against Morehouse.
Rountree, who is also a member of the SSU track & field team throwing the shot put, was named to the All-SIAC Second Team Defense.
The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, is a postseason all-star game showcasing the best NFL draft-eligible football players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It will be broadcast live on NFL Network. More than a football game, the week-long celebration of Black culture and history will provide invaluable exposure for HBCU students.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.