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Wyoming: 2023 Arizona Bowl Champions
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — John Hoyland kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired and Wyoming sent coach Craig Bohl into retirement a winner with a 16-15 win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl on Saturday.
Bohl is retiring after 42 years of coaching — the last 10 in Laramie — and defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel will take over next season.
Toledo (11-3) shut down Wyoming's offense most of the afternoon before the Cowboys started to find an offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.
Playing in a third straight bowl game for the first time, the Cowboys (9-4) trailed 15-6 after giving up a safety and a field goal in the third quarter.
Evan Svoboda scored on a 1-yard touchdown sneak after Andrew Peasley was injured in the fourth quarter to pull Wyoming within two.
Peasley returned to throw a 26-yard pass after the Cowboys forced a punt, but went down again without being hit. Svoboda then moved the Cowboys quickly down the field — with the help of an unnecessary roughness penalty on Ronald Delancy III — and Hoyland split the uprights to finish off Wyoming's best season since going 10-2 in 1996.
Both teams were able to move the ball in the first half. Neither was able to reach the end zone until Jacquez Stuart raced through a big hole and dodged a tackle along the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown that put the Rockets up 10-6.
Before that, Hoyland kicked two field goals, including a 52-yarder that hit the crossbar and trundled over. Toledo's Luke Pawlak also hit one from 33 yards out.
THE TAKEAWAYS
Toledo: The Rockets appeared to be in control before unraveling in the fourth quarter to lose for the second time during a three-year bowl streak.
Wyoming: The Cowboys nearly fell flat in their return trip to Tucson after losing 30-27 in overtime to Ohio last year. Wyoming pulled it out by using three quarterbacks in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Toledo: The Rockets lost two of their best players when RB Peny Boone and QB Dequan Finn opted to transfer. QB Tucker Gleason is a sophomore and most of his receivers still have eligibility left.
Wyoming: RB Harrison Waylee is a junior, so he could return, but Peasley is out of eligibility. Most of the Cowboys' defense should be back.
Georgia: 2023 Orange Bowl Champions
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Georgia football dropped a boulder on the remnants of Florida State’s team in Hard Rock Stadium Saturday.
The Seminoles did not at all resemble the bunch that went 13-0 and were left out of the College Football Playoff. Its roster was decimated by players that pulled out of playing after being crushed to not be able to play for a national title.
Georgia took advantage in a 63-3 shellacking of the No. 5 Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.
Coming off an SEC championship game loss to Alabama that knocked it out of the playoff, the Bulldogs rolled to a 42-3 halftime lead behind 383 yards of total offense and finished the season 13-1.
Here are three things we learned about the Bulldogs after its second win in this bowl game in the last three seasons:
Georgia footballs shows no mercy in the Orange Bowl
Georgia’s offense played without two projected NFL first-round draft picks in tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle Amarius Mims.
The Bulldogs still had way too much firepower for a Florida State missing eight defensive starters to opt outs and injuries. That included three new names that came to light on gameday: defensive linemen Joshua Farmer and Braden Fiske and linebacker Tatum Bethune. The Seminoles had 14 starters out in all.
Georgia set a program record for most points in half in a bowl game with 42 and the 39-point first halftime lead was its largest ever in a bowl.
Kendall Milton rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 9 carries, all in a first half as Georgia rolled up 180 rushing yards on 16 carries. Milton went left then cut back and went right and into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown run and later added a 5-yard score. Daijun Edwards 15-yard touchdown run made it 21-7.
Georgia scored touchdowns on nine straight possessions after turning it over on downs on the first time it had the ball. That includes with Gunner Stockton at quarterback for the last three of those.
Carson Beck was 13 of 19 for 203 yards and touchdowns of 12 yards to Arian Smith on a screen and 2 to Dominic Lovett. Beck was lifted at halftime.
Dillon Bell laid out to make a diving catch for 35 yards and then made another spectacular catch for 40 yards later in the half.
Georgia football defense clamps down on Seminoles
Jordan Travis, Florida State’s star quarterback who was lost for the season and missed the final two games before the Orange Bowl, went to the locker room using crutches and in a walking boot with the Seminoles managing just a field goal in the first half.
Brock Glenn, the true freshman third stringer, was 7 of 22 for 122 yards and an interception. He got the start when backup Tate Rodemaker opted out before Christmas.
Georgia was missing starting inside linebacker Smael Mondon who was held out due to nagging injuries.
Cornerback Daniel Harris, who posted on social media he was going in transfer portal but hasn’t, got in the game on the second defensive series.
He was in coverage on a well-placed deep ball to Kentron Poitier for a 55-yard gain early in the second quarter. That was two yards shy of the longest pass play given up by Georgia this season.
Mykel Willaims and CJ Allen combined for a 1-yard loss on a Glenn run and the Seminoles settled for a short field goal.
Allen, a freshman linebacker, had a team-high 6 tackles. Williams forced a fumble and recovered late in the second quarter.
Playmaker Ladd McConkey scores on 'touchdown run'
Running back Kenny McIntosh threw a touchdown pass in the 2021 Orange Bowl and Ladd McConkey looked like he would throw on a throw behind the line of scrimmage.
Instead the wide receiver weaved his way from in front of the Florida State sideline all the way on the other side down the Georgia sideline for what went as a 27-yard touchdown run. He broke a tackle at the 20-yard line.
McConkey put his arms across his chest and broke out a big smile in the end zone.
Coach Kirby Smart was smiling broadly on the sideline as well.
It was the fourth rushing touchdown of McConkey’s career.
The redshirt junior had two touches in the game. His other was a 22-yard catch.
Maryland: 2023 Music City Bowl Champions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Auburn football came into the Music City Bowl with momentum.
The Tigers are a little more than a week removed from signing 18 scholarship recruits in the Class of 2024, a haul that currently ranks No. 7 in the country and is good for a team score from 247Sports of 282.19, the second-best mark in program history in the modern recruiting era.
But that off-field energy didn't translate to on-field production, as the Tigers fell behind early against Maryland (8-5) in Nissan Stadium on Saturday and could never recover from the 21-point hole they put themselves in, losing 31-13, to end coach Hugh Freeze's first year on the Plains with three straight losses.
Auburn (6-7) has finished with a record under .500 for three consecutive seasons, which is the first time that's happened since it went a combined 11-20-2 from 1975-77.
By the numbers: A horrific 1Q for Auburn football
By the end of the first frame, the Terrapins were on pace for more than 1,000 yards of offense.
Maryland totaled 226 yards in the first quarter to Auburn's 42, and coach Mike Locksley's team averaged 11.9 yards per play on 19 snaps. Quarterback Payton Thorne completed just two of his seven throws during the game's first 15 minutes, and Auburn's third-leading rusher was punter Oscar Chapman, who picked up 10 yards and a first down and a fake.
New-look secondary struggles
Much of Maryland's early flurry of production came through the air, as both of its QBs — starter Billy Edwards Jr. and reserve Cam Edge — were a combined 9-for-16 at halftime for 201 yards and two touchdowns. The Terrapins hit Auburn with six completions of fifteen or more yards in the first couple of quarters, including a 61-yard screen on the opening possession to set them up for their first score.
Edwards and Edge, playing in place of the opted-out Taulia Tagovailoa, sliced up an Auburn secondary that was severely shorthanded, as starting cornerbacks DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett both opted out of the game. Jaylin Simpson, who Freeze said Dec. 16 was nursing a hamstring injury, didn't play, either.
Rivaldo Fairweather caps impressive season
Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather finished with five catches for 45 yards, giving him a season total of 48 catches and 394 yards. The former is a new single-season record for an Auburn TE, and the latter places him 19 yards short of John Samuel Shenker's record (413).
Ole Miss: 2023 Peach Bowl Champions
The Ole Miss Rebels are Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl champions, and they have secured 11 wins in a single season for the first time in school history after taking down the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday.
During the trophy presentation after the game, it would be easy to reflect on a historic season and breathe a sigh of relief following an emotional game. That happened, sure, but Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has other things in mind, and he made sure to let those in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium know it.
"This is pretty cool, and we're just getting started," Kiffin said. "This was a big-time game on a big-time stage against a great opponent and great program. It took everybody today. I thought our players played amazing. Our coaches did a great job, and, by far, our fans showed up today."
With so much talent off of this year's roster returning for 2024 (and adding one of the top transfer portal classes in the country), it's hard not to be optimistic about the future in Oxford. This season was wildly successful for the Rebels, but if anything, it should serve as a springboard into next year.
While the Southeastern Conference is expanding to 16 teams in 2024 with the addition of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners, the College Football Playoff is also set to expand to 12 teams, a field that would have included Ole Miss this year, had this format already been in place.
Kiffin and his staff called a masterful game on Saturday, and they knew they had to pull out some stops to take down a stout Penn State team led by a formidable defense. The head coach, however, didn't take the credit. Instead, he gave it to his assistants and players.
"That's not me," Kiffin said. "That's our coaching staff putting together a great game plan, making some clutch calls, but it always comes down to the players. We trust our players. We're very aggressive how we call games in all areas, and our players showed up today, and our players made the plays.
"To do something that's never been done before, to get to 11 wins in such a great program with so many great players who have come before us and played here, for this group to come together for one common theme of being great, I'm just honored and blessed to coach these guys."
This year marked history for Ole Miss, but if Lane Kiffin has anything to say about it, the history will continue in 2024 and beyond, and this Peach Bowl win could be the catalyst that starts it all.
Missouri: 2023 Cotton Bowl Champions
There was plenty to say after the 88th Cotton Bowl Classic.
Missouri football just staged a fourth quarter for the ages. The Tigers, down 3-0, put up 14 of the biggest points in MU history to down Ohio State 14-3.
It was exactly what Missouri set out to do when it started this historic season about one year ago after the Gasparilla Bowl.
"We talk about developing an elite edge, and the G and EDGE stands for grit, a stubborn refusal to quit, and that's what our team displayed tonight to score 14 in the fourth quarter when you're down 3-0," Drinkwitz said. "Just really, really proud of those guys.
Here's what Drinkwitz said after winning the 2023 Cotton Bowl.
What Mizzou was about this year
Going up against Ohio State didn't mean going up against the No. 7 team in the nation. It also meant going up against established history of college football excellence.
Eight national championships, five College Football Playoff appearances since 2014 and 964 total wins.
Missouri doesn't have that kind of resume. It did not care.
"Last night, our chaplain, gave a message about the difference between a blue blood Brotherhood and a wilderness brotherhood," Drinkwitz said. "A wilderness brotherhood forged through adversity and fight and scratching and clawing for everything you get, and it just totally encompassed everything that we're about."
Drinkwitz, with his back against the wall this season, put forth one of the best seasons in Missouri football history.
Just don't think he'll take much of the credit, though.
"I'll be honest, it really doesn't have much to do with me," Drinkwitz said. "It's really about our players and our team and the legacy of the 2023 brotherhood."
'It's really not ever going to be about me'
Drinkwitz's face is now the face of Missouri athletics.
He is the coach who won Missouri a Cotton Bowl. He is the coach who has Missouri in the conversation to be a playoff team next year when the CFP expands to 12 teams.
But, he is also the man who wants fans to know the players are the ones who deserve the most credit after Friday's win.
"We have a sign in our locker room that goes around that says, 'when the weakest choose to run, we stand shoulder to shoulder and move forward together,'" Drinkwitz said. "That's what our brotherhood did."
Drinkwitz made all the right decisions this season. It led to 11 wins and a win in the Cotton Bowl.
He's willing to pass off all that credit in a heartbeat.
"It's really not ever going to be about me," Drinkwitz said. "It's going to be about our team and our coaching staff and our university."
On the game-winning fourth quarter
Missouri had some fourth-quarter inspiration from the NFL level.
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, after a last-minute win over the Philadelphia Eagles led by Missouri alum Drew Lock, mentioned that games are won in that final frame. Drinkwitz took that to heart.
"We saw Coach Carroll say the other day, and actually talked to the team about it, you can't win it the first, you can't win it in the second, you can't win in the third, but you can sure win it in the fourth quarter," Drinkwitz said. "This team, they did that. They displayed that."
MU scored 14 points and forced a game-sealing turnover in the fourth quarter. It played the best quarter of the season when it mattered most.
"Appreciative to Coach Carroll for demonstrating that, and then Drew Lock giving us the inspiration to go out there," Drinkwitz said. "We didn't have to quite do it on the last drive of the game, but it was sure a lot of fun."
On Mizzou's mentality going forward
Missouri went into the 2023 season with one single mantra.
It was plastered everywhere, repeated plenty of times and sounded like a broken record to some. To some, maybe, but not to Missouri. Now, the team gets to change that mantra.
"It's why stop now," Drinkwitz said. "That's the mentality is."
Missouri climbed its way from the depths. This team was mired in hell as a squad picked to finish sixth in the SEC behind Vanderbilt. The Tigers had everything to prove.
Eleven wins and a Cotton Bowl title later, they proved it all and more.
"We've worked really hard to get this opportunity and we're not gonna sit here and change," Drinkwitz said. "So, why stop now?"
Memphis: 2023 Liberty Bowl Champions
Memphis football had not won a game as an underdog all season, but the Tigers dispatched Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl 36-26 on Friday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Memphis (10-3) jumped out to a 19-0 first quarter lead and held on during some precarious moments in the fourth quarter to get to a rare double-digit win season.
Quarterback Seth Henigan was excellent again, breaking the all-time passing record for Memphis football in the third quarter. He finished 24-of-34 for 364 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown to pace the Tigers.
Iowa State (7-6) fought back after the rough start and had some momentum near the end of the first half. But Memphis did just enough to stay out of striking distance.
The Cyclones entered as 10.5 point favorites but struggled through most of the game, and the Tigers earned the win in their home stadium in front of an announced 48,789 fans mostly split between Memphis and Iowa State.
Memphis football came out swinging
The Tigers would've been hard-pressed to put together a much better start. Henigan hit Demeer Blankumsee for a 70-yard touchdown on the opening drive, and then the Tigers defense came up with a fourth-down stop to get the ball right back. Henigan rushed for a touchdown and then found former Iowa State receiver Joe Scates for a 51-yard touchdown, and the Tigers were flying. Slow starts have been an issue, but almost everything went well out of the gate.
Seth Henigan etched his place in Memphis history
Henigan finished his third season as Memphis' starting quarterback by setting the Tigers' record for career passing yards. He found Scates for a 17-yard gain late in the third quarter to pass Brady White as the leading passer in Memphis football history. Henigan has 10,773 career yards and announced before the game he'll return for next season and will be well-positioned to break basically all of the Tigers' career passing records.
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht had success
Memphis had been worried about stopping freshman RB Abu Sama III, who rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns in Iowa State's last game against Kansas State. The Tigers defense shut Sama down early, but could not contain receiver Jayden Higgins, who had five catches for 140 yards in the first half.
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns and improved as the game went on, but Memphis always had enough of a lead to keep the Cyclones in check.
The Tigers defense impressed
Memphis had spent most of the season engaging in shootouts and generally struggling to stop its opponents. Defensive coordinator Matt Barnes left for Mississippi State before this game, so linebackers coach Jordon Hankins was serving as interim defensive coordinator.
Iowa State couldn't get its running game going, and the Tigers were able to get pressure on Becht throughout the afternoon.
Memphis has momentum heading into next season
The Tigers will no doubt be among the favorites and possibly the favorite heading into next season's AAC title race. Of the three teams that finished ahead of them, Tulane lost its coach, UTSA lost its quarterback and SMU is headed to the ACC. The stakes will be higher with the expanded playoff, and Memphis will have real expectations at the beginning of next season. Friday's win gives Silverfield and his staff something concrete to build off as they prepare for a critical 2024 campaign.
Notre Dame: 2023 Sun Bowl Champions
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Steve Angeli passed for 232 yards and three touchdowns, guiding No. 15 Notre Dame to a 40-8 victory over No. 21 Oregon State in the Sun Bowl on Friday.
Angeli went 15 for 19 and tossed TD passes of 8 yards to Jayden Thomas, 13 yards to Jordan Faison and 13 yards to Jeremiyah Love. The sophomore was making his first start for the Irish (10-3) in place of Sam Hartman, one of many players who opted out of the game.
Jadarian Price of Notre Dame rushed for 106 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown.
Notre Dame had seven players – all starters – opt out of the game. That included Hartman and standout running back Audric Estime.
Oregon State (8-5), which finished the season on a three-game losing streak, had three starters opt out and four others enter the transfer portal — including starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and backup Aidan Chiles.
Jimmy Valsin III had the lone score for Oregon State, catching a 33-yard pass from Ben Gulbranson. Offensive lineman Tyler Voltin ran in the 2-point conversion from the wildcat formation. Gulbranson 16 for 27 for 180 yards and an interception.
Clemson: 2023 Gator Bowl Champions
You’ll likely hear a lot about Clemson running back Phil Mafah tonight, and for a good reason: Mafah is a stud and was the key to a Clemson 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky.
In the Gator Bowl win, Mafah was dominant on the ground, even with his limited workload. Taking just 11 carries on the game, Mafah gained 71 yards and scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 3-yard touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.
It was not only an excellent performance for Mafah but also historic. Mafah’s four touchdowns in this win broke two records: the Gator Bowl touchdown record and Clemson’s bowl game record. Mafah’s performance in this Gator Bowl will go down as an all-time great bowl game performance in the program’s history.
Clemson star running back Will Shipley was injured in Clemson’s 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky, with head coach Dabo Swinney sharing an update on Shipley’s health during his press conference following the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, Shipley was injured on a big kick return as he landed awkwardly out of bounds. Shipley was down for a while before being helped up and over to the bench. Here is what Swinney had to say about the injury.
“We’ll do an MRI. It’ll either be tomorrow or the next day,” Swinney said. “We’ll wait and see. But initial reports seem to be encouraging, but you never know until you do the MRI.”
Hopefully, it looked worse than it is for Shipley, who still has a decision to make on his future with the program.
Arizona: 2023 Alamo Bowl Champions
Oklahoma was by several measures the superior team at the Alamo Bowl. Except for one critical category.
The 12th-ranked Sooners turned the ball over six times Thursday night, allowing 14th-ranked Arizona to rally from an 11-point third quarter deficit for a 38-24 win.
A tip drill on a third-quarter Jackson Arnold pass turned into a fumble recovery for Arizona safety Gunner Maldonado, who returned the ball 87 yards for touchdown that shifted the course of the game. Originally ruled an interception, officials changed the call to a catch and fumble by wide receiver Jalil Farooq forced by a Dalton Johnson hit.
Whatever it was, it was the fourth forced turnover of the day for Arizona and the third involving Maldonado, who recorded two fumble recoveries and an interception.
It also allowed the Wildcats to add another football to the turnover sword. Which is a real thing. Arizona used it to stab footballs with Oklahoma logos for each of its forced turnovers. It eventually ran out of room for more footballs.
Oklahoma held a 24-13 lead while driving inside the Arizona at the time of the turnover. Instead of extending a double-digit lead, the Sooners allowed the Wildcats to close within 24-21 after a two-point conversion.
Two plays later, Arnold threw his third interception of the night, this one to defensive back Martell Irby. This turnover set up Arizona to tie the game at 24-24 with a field goal. After a forced Oklahoma punt, Arizona's offense drove 95 yards on eight plays capped by a 57-yard go-ahead touchdown from Noah Fifita to Jacob Cowing.
Oklahoma's next drive ended with — you guessed it — another turnover. Isaiah Ward sacked Arnold, forcing Oklahoma's sixth turnover of the day.
This inspired yet another appearance by the turnover sword.
The Wildcats converted the turnover into another touchdown for a 38-24 lead with 2:56 remaining, and the game was all but over.
Arizona overcomes otherwise big offensive night by Oklahoma
Oklahoma held a 562-to-383 edge in total offense. It outrushed Arizona 201 yards to 29. But Arizona claimed a 6-to-1 edge in forced turnovers, an advantage that was too much for Oklahoma to overcome.
Arnold completed 26 of 45 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns. He accounted for two-thirds of Oklahoma's turnovers with three interceptions and a lost fumble. Farooq fumbled twice.
Arizona was efficient when it had the ball. Quarterback Noah Fifita completed 24 of 38 passes for 354 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Tetairoa McMillan caught 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Cowing tallied seven receptions for 152 yards and a score. The Wildcats averaged 9.3 yards per play.
Arizona caps its season with a seven-game winning streak to finish 10-3. Oklahoma fell to 10-3 with the loss.
Kansas State: 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl Champions
Avery Johnson found Jayce Brown for an 11-yard touchdown to cap the clinching drive in the fourth quarter as No. 25 Kansas State defeated No. 18 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday in Orlando.
The Wildcats took the ball with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter and kept it for 7:24 on the decisive march, which lasted 15 plays and covered 72 yards.
Kansas State (9-4) only had one quarterback on the roster Thursday, limiting the Wildcats’ use of Johnson in the running game. He still finished with 71 yards on seven carries to go with 14-of-31 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
North Carolina State (9-4) was seeking its second 10-win season in program history (2002). Brennan Armstrong was 14 of 28 for 168 yards and one interception. He led the Wolfpack with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground but ran for only 7 yards in the second half.
After trailing 21-10 at halftime, NC State dominated the third quarter, outgaining the Wildcats 166-44. Brayden Narveson hit a 49-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. Narveson missed a chance to cut into the lead further when he missed a 52-yard attempt on the Wolfpack’s next possession.
NC State used a fake punt to cut the deficit. Trent Pinnix took the snap and went 60 yards for the score. The two-point conversion attempt failed when Armstrong was sacked before he could find a receiver, leaving Kansas State up 21-19 with 1:50 left in the third quarter.
Seth Porter appeared to put the Wildcats up by two scores with a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown, but a penalty nullified the score. The Wildcats had another touchdown wiped out by a penalty, but Johnson ran for a first down on third-and-10 to keep the drive alive. Eight plays later, Johnson and Brown connected for the crucial touchdown.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Jacob Parrish intercepted an Armstrong pass to all but seal the victory. The Wildcats were able to run out the final 2:33.
–Field Level Media
Boston College: 2023 Fenway Bowl Champions
It was not the bowl game SMU envisioned when it handled Tulane 26-14 in New Orleans for the 2023 AAC Championship, securing its first conference title since 1984.
But furthermore, it was not the finish SMU envisioned when the bowl matchups were set. In one of the more lopsided matchups of the postseason, the 11-2 Mustangs — in the midst of a dominant 9-game win streak — were definitive favorites over a 6-6 Boston College team that defeated one .500 or better team all season.
Yet, that’s why they play the game. Boston College not only defended its nearby stomping grounds in Boston at the second annual Fenway Bowl — it upended SMU by multiple scores, exiting with a 23-14 victory for its first bowl win since 2016.
SMU is accustomed to fast starts, registering an FBS-best 13.4 points per game in the first quarter. The inability to generate a spark in the early going doomed the Mustangs for the remainder of the game. SMU moved the ball well on its first possession until Boston College defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku made a textbook strip while tackling SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings. The Mustangs’ offense stalled on its ensuing possessions and faced a first quarter shutout for the first time since November 2022.
Rhett Lashlee’s team rolled into the Fenway Bowl with nearly its entire cast of major contributors, but one major piece was missing. All-AAC quarterback Preston Stone suffered a broken fibula in the regular season finale, thrusting Jennings into the lineup. While Jennings led SMU to a conference title in his first start, the offense — ranked sixth in points per game — didn’t produce its typical output without Stone in the lineup, falling 157 yards below its season average.
SMU delivered two first half touchdowns, including one in the final 10 seconds of the half to produce a 14-10 halftime lead. The Mustangs typically thrived in second halves this season — refusing to trail for a single second in a third or fourth quarter since their Week 4 matchup at TCU. But SMU was completely shut out in the second half. The turning point occurred on a third quarter drive when clinging onto a 14-10 advantage. Jennings launched a beautiful deep ball to an open Key’Shawn Smith in the end zone, but the receiver was unable to corral the pigskin. The drive ended in a field goal attempt, and Boston College blocked it.
The Eagles capitalized on the special teams momentum swing, responding with a touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter. After an ambitious SMU 4th and 3 attempt from its own 42-yard line, Boston College took over and extended the lead to 23-14 on a 14-yard scramble by electrifying mobile quarterback Thomas Castellanos.
Castellanos, the offensive MVP of the game, made life difficult for SMU’s usually immovable defense. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season with a 156-yard outburst, scoring two touchdowns in the memorable performance. SMU’s defense, which was second in the FBS in sacks, only totaled one against the elusive quarterback, allowing Boston College to have manageable third down distances throughout the afternoon.
Running back Kye Robichaux added 89 yards and a touchdown, and the Eagles totaled 262 yards as a unit, boasting an average of 6.4 yards per carry. SMU only surrendered 3.2 yards per attempt in its first 13 games, exhibiting the nation’s 18th-best run defense, and the inability to sustain that excellence cost the Mustangs in a high-stakes game.
Offensively, SMU couldn’t produce the same success in the ground game against a Boston College defense which ranked 124th in stopping the run — allowing 5.4 yards per carry. The Mustangs never broke away for a run exceeding 14 yards and the passing offense finished 24-of-48.
SMU completes its 2023 campaign with an 11-3 standing which is still the Mustangs’ highest win percentage since the infamous “death penalty” punishment in 1987. The fate of the AAC champions’ season belongs in the hands of AP voters, as they hope to remain in the final AP Poll for the first time since finishing No. 8 in 1984. Now that the Fenway Bowl is over, it’s time to remove the AAC signage from SMU’s uniforms, stadium, and facilities as the Mustangs prepare their highly-anticipated transition to the ACC in 2024.
Prior to the Fenway Bowl, Boston College was 1-27 against its last 28 ranked opponents in the AP Poll. But by outlasting No. 17 SMU, the Eagles recorded their second ranked victory since 2014 — capping the 2023 season with the program’s most important win in over a decade to finish 7-6. Year five of the Jeff Hafley era launches next fall with more momentum than ever, and his Boston College team gets a rematch with SMU in Dallas next fall... as geographically-distant conference opponents in the ACC.
Rutgers: 2023 Pinstripe Bowl Champions
It wasn't just the fact that Rutgers football beat old rival Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday, that signified a breakthrough moment -- although it didn't hurt.
The Rutgers football 31-24 win over Miami on Thursday was such a big moment because it cliched a winning season for the Scarlet Knights for the first time since 2014. That was also the last time that they had won a bowl game.
However, this win was still bigger than that. It was a signature win for Schiano -- at least of this era and one was needed. For years, Rutgers football fans have wanted a win over a team like Michigan, Penn State, or Ohio State. And while Miami isn't MIAMI right now -- the Scarlet Knights will take it.
So will Greg Schiano.
Part of the reason Rutgers fans had to love the win, was the way the Scarlet Knights went about it.
Running back Kyle Monangai, who already announced that he's coming back for next season, dominated against Miami in New York, carrying the ball 26 times for 163 yards. Rutgers had three rushing touchdowns total, as well as a blocked punt for a TD in typical Schiano fashion.
Even though bowl games "don't matter" it's clear that the Pinstripe Bowl mattered to Rutgers football. And if it didn't matter to Miami, maybe it should have.
Maybe that's why Miami can't get back because even though it hasn't earned the right to be dismissive of the Pinstripe Bowl -- it was and that's all about coaching. It probably says more about culture and in year two of Mario Cristobal, it's not a good sign.
Yet, as Schiano showed -- it can take time to build it. What's exciting is there could be a chance to keep things rolling as Monangai will be back along with Gavin Wimsatt, if he's able to hold off a potential transfer for the starting job.
At any rate, if there was any concern about Greg Schiano being the right head coach for Rutgers football, that should be put to rest after the 2023 season and the signature win over Miami.
Oklahoma State: 2023 Texas Bowl Champions
Oklahoma State won the Texas Bowl behind some big performances from its receivers.
OSU beat Texas A&M 31-23, thanks to Rashod Owens and Brennan Presley. Owens finished with 164 yards and two touchdowns, while Presley added 152 yards on 16 receptions to set OSU’s bowl game record.
With 5:07 left, Texas A&M kicker Randy Bond nailed a 51-yard field goal off the crossbar to cut OSU’s lead to eight. However, OSU did not give the ball back until there were only 17 seconds left, and Kendal Daniels picked off Texas A&M’s last-second Hail Mary.
With Texas A&M looking to get within one score to begin the fourth quarter, Nick Martin recovered a fumble forced by Xavier Benson to set OSU up at its 1-yard line. Leon Johnson III came up with a huge third-down catch to get out of their end zone. However, that drive would end abruptly with Bowman throwing his second interception.
Rashod Owens’ big night was highlighted in OSU’s only scoring drive of the third quarter. Including an 18-yard grab in the end zone, Owens had 48 yards on that drive.
Despite Owens’ big gains, Texas A&M kept fighting. Marcel Reed’s 20-yard scamper along the right sideline into the end zone made it 31-20 midway through the third quarter.
On the first drive of the second half, Alan Bowman threw an interception to give the Aggies some much-needed momentum. Amari Daniels finished off the Aggies’ first touchdown drive a few plays later with a 2-yard score to get back within 11.
Although he is in the transfer portal, OSU quarterback Gunnar Gundy came in and ran for a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Before that, Brennan Presley’s 34-yard pass to Owens put OSU’s offense in position to score.
After three catches by Presley on their last drive of the half, the Cowboys went for fourth down for the first time and found Presley again to keep the drive going. Bowman then found Braden Cassity for a 17-yard gain before Ollie Gordon punched it in a play later to take a 24-6 halftime lead.
In what may have been his final college game, Bowman went for 402 yards passing and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, OSU’s star running back went for 118 yards in his first game since announcing his return for the 2024 season.
USC: 2023 Holiday Bowl Champions
SAN DIEGO - The Louisville football program will not be heading into the offseason with momentum on their side
Capping off their first season under head coach Jeff Brohm with a showdown against USC, the Cardinals could not take advantage of a short-handed Trojans squad, falling 42-28 Wednesday at Petco Park.
No. 15 Louisville (10-4, 7-1 ACC) concludes their 2023 campaign on a three-game losing streak, also dropping their regular season finale vs. Kentucky and the ACC Championship Game against Florida State. Conversely, USC (8-5, 5-4 Pac-12) snaps a four-game losing streak to end year two under head coach Lincoln Riley.
As is the case with most bowls in this day and age of college football, it was a matchup in which both teams were shorthanded in various capacities due to opt-outs. At kickoff, there were a combined 32 transfer portal entries and NFL Draft declarations between Louisville and USC, including 21 from the Trojans.
Even with the majority of the opt-outs and transfer portal entries coming from USC, Louisville did anything but take advantage of it. Facing a Trojans defense that had averaged 34.9 points and 438.8 yards allowed per game during the regular season, the Cardinals could only muster 361 total yards of offense.
This came in spite of a fantastic effort from running back Isaac Guerendo, who was the starter after Jawhar Jordan declared for the NFL Draft. He ran for a career-high 161 yards, and matched his career high in rushing touchdowns with three. Louisville as a while ran for 220 yards.
While quarterback Jack Plummer finished the game throwing 21-for-25, receivers struggled to gain separation, resulting in Plummer only throwing for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Guerendo actually finished the game as the leading receiver, catching five passes for 42 yards.
Early in the game, momentum favored the Cardinals. Louisville's defense forced a three-and-out right out of the gates, then their offense produced a methodical drive on their first time out that ended with a two-yard score from Guerendo. USC then missed a 38-yard field goal on their next drive.
A critical early momentum shift came on the first play after the missed field goal. Plummer was strip-sacked to set up the Trojans inside the red zone, then three plays later, Moss found Washington for a game-tying 17-yard score.
This was the first of four straight scoring drives from USC to end the half, including a stretch of 21 uninterrupted points after Louisville struck first. Moss then connected with Washington again from 29 yards out, then with Kyron Hudson for a nine-yard score.
After two punts from the Cardinals following the Plummer fumble, they were finally able to get back in the end zone, with backup quarterback Evan Conley running out of the wildcat for a nine-yard score.
But despite USC having just 1:56 until halftime, that was enough time for Moss to throw his fourth touchdown of the first half, this time from 31 yards out to Lane to put Louisville down 28-14 at the half.
While Louisville's offense found more of a rhythm in the second half, their defense - and specifically their secondary - continued to get abused. After each team came up empty on their first drives of the half, the Cardinals and Trojans took turns finding the end zone, with touchdowns being scored on four consecutive drives.
Guerendo collected a one-yard score on a drive that was set up by a 61-yard interception return from Riley, but that was answered with a 12-yard touchdown reception from Lane. Guerendo found pay dirt again from two yards out on the next time out, then that was responded with a 44-yard score from tight end Duce Robinson.
While the fourth quarter had been a period where Louisville had thrived in during the regular season, that was not the case against USC. Their two drives in the final period consisted of a turnover on downs in the red zone, and a one-play drive that was a fumble from wide receiver Jadon Thompson that clinched the loss.
West Virginia: 2023 Duke's Mayo Bowl Champions
West Virginia coach Neal Brown got a bath of mayonnaise after his team beat North Carolina 30-10 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Brown became the latest victim — for lack of a better term — of the now-traditional mayo bath for the winning coach of the game.
Mountaineers QB Garrett Greene was 12-of-24 passing for 228 yards and a TD and also rushed nine times for 64 yards thanks to a 48-yard carry. Greene’s TD came on the first play of the game as he found Traylon Ray for a 75-yard TD pass on play-action.
West Virginia shut out North Carolina in the second half as the Tar Heels played the game without Drake Maye. The junior QB opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. Maye is a potential No. 1 pick in April.
Conner Harrell started in his place and was 18-of-27 passing for 199 yards and a TD and two interceptions.
The win means West Virginia finishes the season 9-4 and wins nine games in a season for the first time since 2016. It’s a massive accomplishment for Brown and the team after he entered the season in danger of losing his job if West Virginia didn’t have a good season.
Brown was entering his fifth season in 2023 and the team hadn’t won more than six games in any of his first four seasons at the school. West Virginia went 5-7 in 2022 after a 6-7 campaign in 2021.
Virginia Tech: 2023 Military Bowl Champions
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- — As long as he could hold onto the ball and keep his footing on a slippery day, Kyron Drones found plenty of room to run.
Drones rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown and also threw for two TDs as Virginia Tech withstood a second-half downpour to beat No. 23 Tulane 41-20 in the Military Bowl on Wednesday.
Drones fumbled three times in the wet weather, but the Hokies (7-6) only lost one of them. The sophomore quarterback passed for just 91 yards, but he and Bhayshul Tuten were tough to stop on the ground.
“It was tough conditions. You can't really simulate it like that,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “They had the same weather we did. Both teams had to deal with it.”
Tuten finished with 136 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries to help Virginia Tech snap a four-game losing streak in bowls.
“Any time we've had success this year, really, we've been able to run the ball,” Pry said. “That's who we need to be. That's who we want to be.”
Tulane (11-3) was without star quarterback Michael Pratt. Both Kai Horton and Justin Ibieta played in his place, but Ibieta was carted off in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury. Makhi Hughes rushed for 88 yards.
An unforced fumble by Drones gave the Green Wave an early lead when Tyler Grubbs scooped up the ball and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.
“It was the first drive of the game and we still had a long way to go,” Drones said. “It was a next-play mentality.”
After a muffed punt gave Virginia Tech the ball at the Tulane 11, Drones ran for a TD on the first play to put the Hokies up 10-7.
Drones also lost the ball on that run, but he was ruled to have reached the end zone first.
Tulane had first-and-goal from the 1 when Horton was hit by Pheldarius Payne as he tried to hand off. The Hokies recovered that fumble to stave off a great scoring opportunity.
Virginia Tech took a 17-10 lead on Drones' 1-yard scoring pass to Harrison Saint Germain with 8 seconds left in the half.
Then the rain really seemed to pick up.
Jaylin Lane lost a fumble in the first minute of the second half, and Tulane took advantage of that short field, tying the game on a 6-yard scramble by Horton. But Drones broke loose for a 51-yard gain on the next drive, and Tuten's 9-yard scoring run put the Hokies up 24-17.
“We've been strong against the run all year. I think when you add the quarterback into it, that gives it a little bit different element,” said Slade Nagle, who was Tulane's interim coach after Willie Fritz left to take the job at Houston earlier this month. “He's a dynamic player that had a huge impact on the game.”
Drones threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Benji Gosnell early in the fourth, and after Tulane lost its third fumble of the day, Tuten scored on a 12-yard run to make it 41-20.
THE TAKEAWAY
Virginia Tech: The Hokies lost three straight in September against Purdue, Rutgers and Marshall, but they did a nice job rallying for a winning season. Virginia Tech appears headed in a positive direction under Pry.
Tulane: The Green Wave have won 23 games over the past two seasons, but Nagle had a tough task in this bowl.
RANKED WIN
This was the first victory over a Top-25 opponent in four tries for Virginia Tech under Pry.
“This was the type of win we couldn't find during the regular season,” he said.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech: The Hokies are scheduled to open next season at Vanderbilt on Aug. 31.
Tulane: New coach Jon Sumrall now takes over the program as the Green Wave try to build on their success these past couple seasons.
Kansas: 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Champions
PHOENIX – The Kansas Jayhawks defeated the UNLV Rebels, 49-36, in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl inside Chase Field in Phoenix Arizona on Tuesday night, highlighted by six touchdown passes from Jason Bean and three touchdown receptions apiece by Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm.
Bean tied the Kansas football record with six touchdown passes and this was the first time two players have had three touchdown receptions in the same game in school history. Bean was named the Guaranteed Rate Bowl offensive MVP, while Kenny Logan Jr. was named defensive MVP.
The Kansas win gives the Jayhawks its first bowl victory since 2008, while the Jayhawks finish the season at 9-4, Kansas’ first 9-win season since 2007. The victory makes Kansas 7-7 in all-time bowl appearances.
UNLV scored first on their first possession, marching down the field on an eight-play, 65-yard drive, which was capped off by a 3-yard rushing touchdown by running back Vincent Davis.
The Jayhawks evened the score while still in the first quarter on a six-yard passing touchdown from Bean to Grimm. The touchdown came on the heels of a 98-yard drive, which was Kansas’ longest scoring drive since 2019.
KU got possession at its own 30-yard line with 5:03 to play in the half and drove 70 yards in nine plays, including a 44-yard reception from Bean to Quintin Skinner which moved the ball down to the UNLV one-yard line. On the next play, Devin Neal plunged into the end zone, making it 28-7, before UNLV knocked in a 40-yard field goal attempt to cut down KU’s lead to 28-10 heading into the half.
Following the halftime break, UNLV stopped Kansas on its first drive and moved to an 11-point deficit at 28-17 with 12:15 remaining in the third quarter on a 5-yard pass from Maiava to Shelton Zeon III. UNLV would add another passing touchdown on a 37-yard strike to make the score 28-24 with 10:30 left in the third quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Kansas struck back on a 40-yard throw from Bean to Arnold, which put Kansas back up 11 with 14:52 to play. The 40-yard touchdown reception capped off a 99-yard drive, Kansas’ second drive of 98 or more yards in the game to put the Jayhawks up 35-24.
After the long drive by the Jayhawks, UNLV responded with a seven-play, 88-yard yard drive to bring the score to 35-30. The Rebels failed to convert on the 2-point conversion.
With two receiving touchdowns already between the duo, Bean found Arnold a third time on a 56 yard screen play to put Kansas up further, 42-30 with 11:10 remaining in the game. The three touchdown receptions tied the Kansas bowl record for receiving touchdowns in a game, tying Dezmon Briscoe’s three receiving touchdowns set in the 2008 Insight Bowl vs. Minnesota.
On the ensuing UNLV possession, Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant recorded his fourth interception of the season on a pass by UNLV’s Jayden Maiava. Kansas would take advantage of the Bryant interception, as Grimm scored his second touchdown of the day on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Bean to put Kansas up, 14-7 with 11:37 remaining in the first half.
UNLV missed a 52-yard field goal on their next possession, setting the Jayhawks up with good field position for a five-play touchdown drive that covered 66 yards and was capped with a 15-yard touchdown strike from Bean to Arnold. At that point, Kansas led 21-7 with 7:57 to play in the half.
On the first play of UNLV’s next drive, Maiava was picked off again, this time with KU linebacker Craig Young hauling in his second career interception. The Jayhawks gave the ball right back, however, two plays later as Bean was picked off in the end zone. Kansas then held the Rebels to a three and out on the next drive, setting the stage for another scoring drive.
Grimm added another touchdown reception to his tally on a 43-yard strike from Bean in the fourth quarter to extend KU’s lead to 49-30. This was the first time in Kansas football history that two players recorded three touchdown receptions each.
UNLV answered with a long touchdown of its own, completing a 50-yard touchdown reception before failing a two-point conversion. Kansas maintained a 13-point, 49-36 advantage with 6:25 left in the game.
Kansas entered victory formation as it claimed its first bowl victory since 2008 with its 49-36 win over UNLV.
Texas State: 2023 First Responder Bowl Champions
Texas State fans weren’t messing around in their first bowl appearance on Tuesday night in the Dallas area. The Bobcats were facing Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at SMU’s stadium, and it sounds like stadium reps weren’t prepared for the hydration practices from fans.
Making their first ever appearance in a bowl game, Texas State fans made the trek to Dallas in full force, taking up their side of the stadium. To be honest, this should’ve been expected, as Bobcat fans are known to take down some frosty beverages.
But it doesn’t sound like First Responder Bowl reps were prepared for the amount of celebrating Texas State fans were preparing for.
According to a number of media outlets and fans, the Bobcats side of the stadium sold-out of alcohol before the first half ended. This sent fans to the opposite side of Gerald J. Ford stadium to collect any extra beverages that weren’t being bought by Rice fans.
Carter Yates of ‘Dave Campbell Texas Football’ summed up the atmosphere, along with a communications problem for both teams.
This is certainly a great problem to have when it comes finances. Not only did the Bobcats win their first bowl game, Texas State fans drank the entire stadium dry in the process, with a little help from the Rice contingent.
But, running out of beer before halftime is a rough situation for fans looking to continue their holiday celebration.
Minnesota: 2023 Quick Lane Bowl Champions
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-7) defense looked shaky in the first and fourth quarters, but Darius Taylor was a problem for the Bowling Green Falcons (7-6) from his first carry, leading his team to a 30-24 win for an unprecedented third Quick Lane Bowl victory.
The true freshman running back was named Quick Lane Bowl MVP after 35 carries for 208 rushing yards and a touchdown in his first game action since Oct. 21.
The Gopher defense was without All-Big Ten safety Tyler Nubin, starting strong safety Darius Green, and starting will linebacker Devon Williams, in addition to key contributors Maverick Baranowski and Aidan Gousby. The Falcons wasted no time taking advantage. They opened the game with a three-play scoring drive capped by a 46-yard touchdown pass from Conner Bazelak to Odieu Hiliare, who beat cornerback Justin Walley deep.
With fifth-year senior quarterback Cole Kramer making his first (and last) career start, the offense responded to Bowling Green’s quick scoring drive by chewing up nearly eight minutes of game clock. Taylor, seeing his first action since the Iowa game, made his presence known with eight carries for 43 rushing yards on Minnesota’s opening possession. Kramer connected with Elijah Spencer for a four-yard score to get the Gophers on the board.
But Minnesota failed to tie the score, attempting a two-point conversion play that saw kicker Dragan Kesich hurdle a defender before landing on his butt short of the goal line.
The Gophers took their first lead of the game on a 31-yard field goal by Kesich midway through the second quarter. The go-ahead field goal was made possible by Kramer, who sprinted through the middle of the defense for 31 yards to set up Minnesota at the 26-yard line.
The Falcons were able to retake the lead before halftime thanks to an interception by defensive back Darius Lorfils. Kramer dropped back on a play-action pass and was hit as he threw by Bowling Green pass rusher Cashius Howell, sending the ball floating into the waiting arms of Lorfils. Taking over at the Minnesota 15-yard line, Bowling Green failed to gain a yard on three plays before settling for a 33-yard field goal by Alan Anaya and a 10-9 halftime lead.
The Gophers came roaring out of the locker room, riding Taylor on an 11-play, 78-yard touchdown drive that ended with Kramer scoring on a quarterback sneak. With a 16-10 lead, the Minnesota defense proceeded to force a three-and-out, with the punt coming after Jah Joyner sacked Bazelak on third down. Quentin Redding returned the punt 27 yards to set up his offense at the Bowling Green 27-yard line. Six plays later, Kramer faked a sneak on 3rd & 2 and instead found Jameson Geers for a seven-yard touchdown, extending their lead to 23-10.
In the fourth quarter, the Gopher defense took their foot off the pedal. Falcons running back PaSean Wimberly broke loose for 42 yards down the sideline, getting Bowling Green into Minnesota territory. Facing 4th & 3 at the 31-yard line, Bazelak took advantage of egregious no-call on a hold and found Hiliare for 13 yards and a first down. Wimberly capped the drive with an 18-yard jet sweep for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 23-17.
Le’Meke Brockington responded by returning the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to the Bowling Green 48-yard line. The Gopher offense took care of the rest, with Taylor finding the end zone on a 17-yard run. The Falcons refused to go quietly, mounting a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on their next possession to make it a six-point deficit with two minutes and 30 seconds left to play. But Minnesota recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock from there.
Kramer finished 8-of-16 for 26 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Coastal Carolina: 2023 Hawaii Bowl Champions
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Freshman quarterback Ethan Vasko threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night as Coastal Carolina beat San Jose State 24-14 to win the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu.
Vasko completed 20 of 33 passes, wrapping up the win with 2:43 remaining when he found Sam Pinckney for an 8-yard scoring strike. The play capped an eight-catch, 123-yard performance for Pinckney in his last college game.
The Chanticleers (8-5) possessed the ball for more than 37 minutes, converting 8 of 15 third downs. They were outgained 374-336, but their defense came up with two key fumble recoveries to halt third-quarter drives.
Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, who was born in Honolulu and playing the final game of his college career, hit 16 of 30 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. He led two fourth-quarter scoring drives that got San Jose State (7-6) within three points, first finding Sam Olson on a 35-yard strike at the 12:27 mark.
Quali Conley added a 12-yard touchdown run with 8:30 remaining, but the Spartans couldn't get the stop they needed. They had a chance to get within seven points with 1:09 left but kicker Kyler Halvorsen missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt, ending their hopes of a dramatic comeback.
San Jose State entered the game as a clear favorite. The Spartans came in with a six-game winning streak, and Coastal Carolina's star player, quarterback Grayson McCall, departed for NC State via the transfer portal.
But Vasko orchestrated a patient attack that hogged the ball for nearly 18 1/2 minutes in the first half. It was Vasko who broke the scoring seal with 3:16 left in the first quarter, flipping a 2-yard touchdown pass to Matt Alaimo to cap an 80-yard drive that lasted nearly 5 1/2 minutes.
Meanwhile, San Jose State couldn't get going against a Chanticleers defense that was lit up frequently down the stretch. They limited the Spartans to 24 plays, 127 yards and six first downs in the half.
--Field Level Media
Northwestern: 2023 Las Vegas Bowl Champions
LAS VEGAS — Ben Bryant passed for 222 yards and found Bryce Kirtz in the corner of the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern beat Utah 14-7 Saturday night in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Bryant went 22 for 34 with two touchdowns as Northwestern (8-5) closed out its season with a fourth straight win. The Wildcats limited Utah (8-5) to 221 yards and had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Bryson Barnes was 8 for 13 for 55 yards with two interceptions, and Ja'Quinden Jackson rushed for 55 yards on eight carries to lead Utah, which lost three of its last four games.
The Utes trailed 7-0 early in the fourth quarter and tied the game with 12:38 left when Micah Bernard scored on a 6-yard run. The touchdown capped an eight-play, 60-yard drive that took 3:59. Bernard was playing for the first time since injuring a knee in the season-opener against Florida.
Northwestern scored the first points of the game with 1:20 left in the first half when Bryant connected with Cam Johnson from 12 yards out for a score. The touchdown capped an eight-play drive that covered 75 yards, including a 25-yard completion to Marshall Lang to set up a first down at the 12 yard line.
The Wildcats had a chance at a field goal on the last play of the half, but Jack Olson missed a 40-yard attempt. It was his second miss of the half after failing to convert from 51 yards in the first quarter.
Northwestern threatened earlier in the second quarter after Jaheem Joseph intercepted Barnes and returned it 45 yards to the Utah 7. But Northwestern was stopped on a third-and-goal play from the 1, and Barnes then threw incomplete on fourth down, turning the ball over.
Joseph also intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart a Utah drive in the first quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Utah: The Utes will hope to rebound from a disappointing season with quarterback Cam Rising, who missed the whole season with a knee injury, returning for 2024. It will be his seventh season of college football.
Northwestern: Coach David Braun inherited a team that went 1-11 in 2022 and improved to 8-5 with a bowl victory in his second year as Wildcats’ coach.
UP NEXT
Utah: The Utes, who will move from the Pac 12 to the Big 12 next season, will open the season at home against Southern Utah on Aug. 29.
Northwestern: The Wildcats open the 2024 season at home against Miami of Ohio.
South Alabama: 2023 68 Ventures Bowl Champions
History in the making was the story tonight in Mobile, Alabama, as both teams were looking to etch another accomplishment into the record books. Still, South Alabama would be the ones to do so as they knocked off Eastern Michigan University, 59-10, to acquire the program's first-ever bowl game win.
It was the third consecutive bowl game appearance for the first time in program history for the Eagles as they were searching for back-to-back bowl game wins for the first time but will have to wait to do so.
After an early 3-0 start the Jaguars would add to their total after quarterback Desmond Trotter would find wide receiver Jeremiah Webb for a 49-yard reception to EMU’s three-yard line.
On the next play, a shuffle pass from Trotter would end up in the hands of wide receiver DJ Thomas-Jones to extend South Alabama’s lead, to 10-0.
On the Jaguars’ ensuing offensive possession, quarterback Gio Lopez connected with wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett for a South Alabama touchdown to go up, 17-0, with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
EMU linebacker Joe Sparacio would intercept Trotter to give the Eagles some momentum heading into the second quarter, but that was quickly dwindled after South Alabama running back Kentrel Bullock rushed for a 17-yard Jaguars touchdown to extend their lead, 24-3.
The Jaguars would continue to roll as Marquise Robinson intercepted EMU’s Cam’Ron McCoy, which led to another South Alabama touchdown to extend the lead, 31-3, with 8:07 left in the second quarter.
It wouldn’t stop there as Lopez would connect with Pritchett for another first-half touchdown for South Alabama to put the Jaguars up, 38-3, heading into halftime.
It was pure dominance in the first half by South Alabama as they totaled 417 yards of offense while EMU only compiled 27. The Jaguars also converted 19 first downs to the Eagles’ one.
The 38 points scored by South Alabama tied the 68 Ventures Bowl record for most points scored in the first half.
The second half wasn't much different than the first, as South Alabama outscored the Eagles 21-7 to win the 68 Ventures Bowl, 59-3.
The Jaguars would also set another record by scoring the most points since joining the FBS with 59 points.
Lopez would finish the game by completing 14 of his 19 passes for 192 yards and three passing touchdowns while adding 88 rushing yards and one touchdown. Pritchett would haul in eight catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns.
Georgia State: 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Champions
NEW ORLEANS — Georgia State scored 31-consecutive points and held Utah State scoreless for nearly three quarters in a 45-22 rout in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The Panthers, who were one of an FBS-leading 12 Sun Belt football programs to compete in Bowl Season, improved to 4-2 in six all-time bowl appearances—including three-straight bowl wins.
Redshirt senior quarterback Darren Grainger accounted for five touchdowns on the day, tying his own career high and program record. Grainger rushed for the first two Georgia State touchdowns—then added three through the air as part of the 31-point outburst that turned a 14-14 game at the 3:41 mark of the first quarter into a 45-14 rout at the 9:18 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Aggies halted the Panthers streak with a final touchdown strike at the 4:48 mark of the fourth quarter, ending nearly three quarters of dominance by Georgia State.
Senior running back Freddie Brock rushed for a Georgia State single-game program record 276 yards and the lone touchdown not accounted for by Grainger. Brock had rushed for just 31 yards in three appearances on the season for the Panthers prior to the record-setting bowl performance.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Cadarrius Thompson caught five passes for a game-high 117 yards and two scores, while redshirt junior wide receiver Tailique Williams had the other touchdown reception for the Panthers.
Four different Georgia State defenders accumulated five-or-more tackles.
With the win, Georgia State improves to 7-6 on the season.
Air Force: 2023 Armed Forces Bowl Champions
James Madison's magical season came to an end in a not so magical way on Saturday.
The Dukes faced a 31-21 loss to Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl under interim head coach Damian Wroblewski, who took over after Curt Cignetti went to Indiana following the conclusion of the regular season.
Following the loss, college football fans called JMU fraud for going 11-1 in the regular season just to get blown out in its bowl game.
The lack of a run defense was ultimately what hurt the Dukes. James Madison gave up a whopping 340 yards on the ground, and it was more than enough for Air Force to control the game.
Now James Madison is gearing up for its third year in FBS with a new coach, Bob Chesney, at the helm. The Dukes had a positive season, but faced the reality of the challenges of FBS in their bowl game.
Duke: 2023 Birmingham Bowl Champions
Todd Pelino kicked three field goals and Duke relied mostly on defense to defeat Troy 17-10 in the Birmingham Bowl on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala., where interim coaches guided both teams.
Troy didn’t score until the second half but made a game of it until a late interception doomed the Trojans’ final chance.
Pelino had second-quarter field goals from 34 and 37 yards, including the latter on the last play of the first half. Combined with Jaylen Coleman’s 1-yard run late in the first quarter and Nicky Dalmolin’s two-point conversion run, the Blue Devils carried a 14-0 lead to halftime.
Quarterback Grayson Loftis finished the game 19-for-29 for 183 yards with an interception for the Blue Devils.
Duke (8-5) received 73 rushing yards from running back Jaquez Moore and 66 yards from running back Jordan Waters.
Troy quarterback Gunnar Watson completed 21 of 36 passes for 230 yards, and running back Kimani Vidal gained 79 yards on 17 carries. The Trojans (11-3), the Sun Belt Conference champions, had a 10-game winning streak end.
Both teams saw their previous coaches depart for other jobs after the regular season. Mike Elko left Duke to go to Texas A&M, while Jon Sumrall departed Troy for the Tulane position.
Trooper Taylor, the running backs coach, was in charge for Duke. Defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato oversaw Troy.
Troy finally got on the board on Scott Taylor Renfroe’s 44-yard field goal with 1:36 remaining in the third quarter. That capped a 10-play, 53-yard drive.
After Pelino’s 45-yarder with 13:29 remaining, the Blue Devils made a fourth-down stop that seemed critical at the time.
But Damaje Yancey’s interception gave the Trojans the ball back. They got going and moved 87 yards in 10 plays to score on Derrick Graham’s 2-yard run with 5:54 left.
Troy forced a Duke punt and started their last possession at its own 11-yard line with 1:40 left. Two plays later, Jeremiah Lewis intercepted Watson as Duke sealed the outcome to push its bowl winning streak to five games.
–Field Level Media
Northern Illinois: 2023 Camellia Bowl Champions
In a game that was contentious from warmups on, the Northern Illinois Huskies defeated the Arkansas State Red Wolves 21-19 in the 2023 Camellia Bowl. Both teams were 6-6 entering the day.
Huskies' head coach Thomas Hammock secures Northern Illinois' second winning season in his tenure and their first bowl win in eight appearances. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi completed 18 passes on 29 attempts for 200 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Here's what else stood out from the MAC's second win of this bowl season.
Kicker Kanon Woodill's Play of the Day
Northern Illinois' third touchdown of the day came from an unlikely source. Place kicker Kanon Woodill took a short toss from holder Tom Foley 32 yards for a touchdown. It's his first career touchdown. Woodill didn't make a field goal in the win, but this arguably made up for that.
Husky Ball Control
Despite being shutout in the second half, Northern Illnois managed to win the game through expert ball control. The Huskies had the ball for forty minutes and 21 seconds - over 75% of the game. Running back Antario Brown had 25 carries for 132 yards, his fifth 100-yard performance of the season. All together, the Huskies rushed for 189 yards in the win.
A Comeback Attempt That Fell Just Short
In the final minutes, Jalen Raynor led a touchdown drive for the Red Wolves that made the score 21-19 in favor of NIU. The two-point conversion that would have tied the game was unsuccessful. Arkansas State then attempted an onside kick and appeared to recover it, but the officials called the Red Wolves for offsides on the kick, much to Butch Jones' chagrin. NIU were able to run out the last minute on the clock to secure the win.
Arkansas State are still searching for their first winning season under Jones.
Manchester City: 2023 FIFA Club World Cup Champions
Goals: Alvarez (1, 88), Nino OG (27), Foden (72)
Man of the Match: Julian Alvarez (MCI)
Manchester City made history by beating Fluminense 4-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™. It saw them become the first English team to conquer the competition at their first attempt – Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea had failed – and Pep Guardiola outrank Carlo Ancelotti and claim and outright-record fourth crown as coach.
The roar from kick-off had barely settled when the fastest goal in the tournament’s history snapped the deadlock. Fabio fingertipped a Nathan Ake curler from outside the box on to the post, and Julian Alvarez chested the ball into the unguarded net.
City doubled the lead when Rodri cannily slipped Phil Foden through and the latter’s centre was inadvertently diverted into the Fluminense net by Nino.
Guardiola's side continued to control the game and they made it 3-0 18 minutes from time. Alvarez was the creator on this occasion, sending in an inviting cross which the onrushing Foden slotted in from close range.
The outstanding Alvarez rounded off the scoring late in the game when he rifled an unstoppable finish beyond Fabio after some sublime close control.
Georgia Tech: 2023 Gasparilla Bowl Champions
TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time in seven years, Georgia Tech has won a bowl game.
The Yellow Jackets finished off a very productive season in head coach Brent Key's first full season with the team by capping off the year with a 30-17 win over the University of Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
After going down 14-0 early, the Jackets responded with 17 second-quarter points to tie the game up at 17-all heading to the break.
In the second half, their weakest unit all season stepped up in a big way. Tech's defense shut out UCF's offense in the second half in dominant form.
After the offense was led by quarterback Haynes King for most of the season, it was Georgia Tech's ground game that shined brightly in Tampa, Florida, on Friday night.
The Jackets rushed for over 270 yards, led by sophomore running back Jamal Haynes, who tallied 128 yards on 18 carries. King even provided a spark of his own with his legs, rushing for 89 yards on 12 carries -- including a 5-yard score in the second quarter.
The big play of the game came for the Jackets just before halftime, when King connected with wide receiver Malik Rutherford on a 41-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up with just 56 seconds before halftime.
The Yellow Jackets had a bounce-back year in head coach Brent Key's first full year as head coach. They were 7-6 overall and 5-3 in the ACC, with ranked wins over Miami (FL) on the road and North Carolina at home on The Flats.
It was Georgia Tech's first winning season since 2018, Paul Johnson's last season as head coach.
Key got some revenge over the team he used to coach for 10 years, from 2005-2015. In 2022, Tech lost to UCF in Orlando 27-10 under then-head coach Geoff Collins.
Key also defeated his wife's alma mater, which he joked about prior to the bowl game matchup.
South Florida: 2023 Boca Raton Bowl Champions
BOCA RATON, FLA. DEC. 21, 2023– The USF football team (7-6) put an exclamation mark on a memorable first season under first-year head coach Alex Golesh as the Bulls rolled to a 45-0 victory over Syracuse (6-7) in the Boca Raton Bowl in front of a vocal throng of Bulls fans and a national television audience on ESPN.
USF posted its first bowl win since 2017 and first winning record since 2018 to complete a season that also saw the greatest turnaround in program history with a six-win improvement, the first road win in three years, first bowl appearance since 2018, highest ranked recruiting class in 10 years and the program's first-ever 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard receiver.
On Thursday, the Bulls defense rose to the occasion, swarming Syracuse from the outset forcing four punts (including three three-and-outs) and three turnovers – including a pair of scoop-and-score touchdowns – in the first half as they limited the Orange to 91 first half yards (including -15 rushing) in pitching USF's first, first half shutout since 2019.
Syracuse finished with 159 yards, 10 punts, and just nine first downs (going 1-of-17 on third down) as the Bulls posted their first complete game shutout since 2009 and didn't allow the Orange to reach the redzone in a complete domination. Daquan Evans was named Defensive MVP after posting five tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and forcing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Meanwhile, Aamaris Brown-Bunkley was named Special Teams MVP after returning a botched field goal attempt for a touchdown and adding three tackles.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Byrum Brown, who was named Offensive MVP, started the game 10-of-11 before finishing 19 of 26 for 214 yards and three touchdowns passing, posted a team-best 64 yards rushing on 14 carries, and caught a 21-yard pass from Sean Atkins. He became just the second Bull to surpass 4,000 total yards in a season, finishing with 4,101 yards, second only to Quinton Flowers' 4,342 yards posted in 2016.
Sean Atkins became the Bulls' first 1,000-yard receiver, as he grabbed six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulls jumped to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. USF got on the board first when Brown hit Atkins in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.
After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Bulls had great field position, but a pass to the flanks from Brown to Atkins went astray and was ruled a lateral. Syracuse picked it up and ran it back to the end zone, but Brown, hustling downfield, was blocked in the back by an Orange player and Syracuse took over possession at the USF 28 after the penalty.
Syracuse went backward from there and was forced to attempt a 47-yard field goal. The snap was mishandled and then punched out the hands of an Orange player by Tavin Ward. Brown-Bunkley scooped it up and raced 64 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The Bulls made it 21-0 when Brown hit Khafre Brown with a perfect 31-yard touchdown pass that completed and 81-yard drive.
A John Cannon 40-yard field goal made it 24-0 with 2:40 to play in the first half. Syracuse had 53 yards, four punts and two turnovers to that point.
The defense put another touchdown on the board when Evans hit Syracuse quarterback Braden Davis on a blitz, dislodged the ball and Tramel Logan scooped it up and ran 61-yards for the touchdown, his USF season record tying third defensive touchdown of the season, to make it 31-0 at the half.
The Bulls got their fourth turnover of the game with an interception by Tavin Ward on Syracuse's first possession of the second half, and Brown quickly capitalized hitting Atkins with a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-0.
Nay'Quan Wright plunged in from two yards out early in the fourth quarter to make it 45-0 as USF fans began the celebration.
KEY STATS
• The 45-0 victory marked USF's largest margin of victory ever in a bowl game and its fourth bowl win over an autonomous "power" conference program.
• The USF defense forced four turnovers, scored two defensive touchdowns, and posted its first, first half shutout since 2019 on the way to completing its first complete game shutout since a 59-0 victory over Charleston Southern in 2009.
• USF held Syracuse to 1-of-17 on third downs and 1-of-3 on fourth while allowing just nine first downs in the game.
• USF out-gained Syracuse 407 to 159 and allowed just 20 yards rushing from Syracuse.
NOTABLES
• QB Byrum Brown became just the second Bull to surpass 4,000 total yards in the season, finishing with – yards, second only to Quinton Flowers' 4,342 yards posted in 2016.
• Brown threw three touchdown passes in the game to set a new USF season record with 26 and completed 73 percent of his passes to set a new USF season completion percentage record with 64.6 percent on the year.
• WR Sean Atkins posted six catches for 93 yards to extended his season receptions record to 92 and extended his season receiving yards record 1,054, becoming the first 1,000-yard receiver in program history. He also completed a 21-yard pass to finish 4-of-4 for 149 yards passing on the year.
• DE Tramel Logan returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown, marking his third defensive touchdown of the season (two fumble returns, one interception) to tie Trae Williams (3, in 2007) for the most defensive touchdowns in a season in program history.
UP NEXT
USF welcomed 25 new Bulls on the first day of the NCAA Early Signing period in the top class in The American and among non-autonomous "power" programs on Wednesday. The Bulls will begin spring practice in March.
Season tickets • Single-game tickets • Group tickets (10+): call 1-800-GoBulls
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 26th season in 2022 while completing construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American kick returner Brian Battie, and had 32 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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