Oklahoma State: 2018 Liberty Bowl Champions

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- In a story Monday about the Liberty Bowl, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Oklahoma State set a Liberty Bowl record by gaining 637 total yards. Missouri gained 637 total yards to set the record.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Oklahoma State edges No. 24 Missouri 38-33 in Liberty Bowl

Oklahoma State hangs on to beat No. 24 Missouri 38-33 in Liberty Bowl

By STEVE MEGARGEE

AP Sports Writer

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Oklahoma State hung on for dear life to win a Big 12-style Liberty Bowl against its former conference rival.

Taylor Cornelius tied a Liberty Bowl record with four touchdown passes and Kolby Peel made a critical fourth-down stop with 1:01 left as the Cowboys upset No. 24 Missouri 38-33 on Monday.

The teams combined for 1,139 total yards in the type of game that the Big 12's high-powered offenses produce on most autumn Saturdays. Missouri left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference in 2012.

"(It was) like a lot of games that we play in our conference," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "As I said on the press conference a few days ago, Missouri would fit right in. It ended up being somewhat of a shootout, and the defense made a play at the end."

Missouri (8-5) faced fourth-and-1 from Oklahoma State's 9-yard line when quarterback Drew Lock attempted a keeper around the right end. Peel, a freshman, made a diving ankle tackle that stopped Lock short of the first-down marker.

"It's a game of inches, we all talk about it and know it," Missouri coach Barry Odom said. "I wouldn't want the ball in anybody else's hand besides No. 3 for the Mizzou Tigers (Lock)."

That allowed Oklahoma State (7-6) to survive a game it had led 35-19 heading into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys snapped Missouri's four-game winning streak and avoided their first losing season since 2005, the first year of Gundy's tenure.

Cornelius, a fifth-year senior and former walk-on, went 26 of 44. His four touchdown passes tied a record set four previous times in the Liberty Bowl's 60-year history.

"It's a great feeling to just go out on top," Cornelius said. "As long as we get the win, that's all that matters to me. I don't care about the record."

Cornelius also threw two interceptions to Cam Hilton that sparked Missouri's comeback try. Both interceptions led to Missouri touchdowns -- an 86-yard completion from Lock to Memphis resident Johnathon Johnson and a 55-yard run by Larry Rountree III.

Rountree ran for 204 yards and Johnson caught nine passes for 185 yards. Lock was 23 of 38 for 373 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Chuba Hubbard rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma State. Tyron Johnson had seven catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Missouri wasted two chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma State was clinging to a 35-33 lead when Mike Scott blocked Tucker McCann's 42-yard field goal attempt with 9:22 left.

Matt Ammendola kicked a 27-yard field goal that extended Oklahoma State's lead to 38-33 before Peel's tackle sealed the win.

BIG PICTURE

Missouri: This marks the second straight year that Missouri has lost a bowl game after a late-season surge. Last year, Missouri won its final six regular-season games but followed that up with a 33-16 loss Texas Bowl loss to Texas.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys entered the game ranked 99th in total defense and tied for 96th in scoring defense, but that beleaguered unit delivered when it mattered most. Oklahoma State is 6-1 in its last seven games against teams in the Top 25, and Gundy owns a 9-4 bowl record.

PUZZLING MOVES

Oklahoma State was clinging to a 35-33 lead when the Cowboys made an unsuccessful fake punt attempt on fourth-and-8 from their own 27. Oklahoma State stayed ahead only after blocking a field-goal attempt.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, Missouri made a curious move of its own by calling a timeout after scoring a touchdown to cut Oklahoma State's lead to 35-25. After burning the timeout, Missouri chose to kick an extra point to make it 35-26 rather than attempting a two-point conversion.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Missouri's hopes of ending a season ranked for the first time since 2014 are likely dashed.

RECORD PERFORMANCES

The four previous Liberty Bowl players to four touchdown passes were Purdue's Mark Herrmann (also against Missouri) in 1980, Illinois' Johnny Johnson in 1994, South Carolina's Blake Mitchell in 2006 and Texas A&M's Kyle Allen in 2014.

Missouri's 637 total yards also set a Liberty Bowl record.

SHORT-HANDED

Oklahoma State's offense was missing leading rusher Justice Hill and guard Larry Williams, who sat out the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. Its defense lost cornerbacks Rodarius Williams and Kemah Siverand to targeting penalties -- Williams in the first quarter and Siverand early in the fourth period -- and safety Malcolm Rodriguez to a second-quarter injury.

Missouri played without injured running back Damarea Crockett and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. The Tigers also lost receiver Emanuel Hall to an injury after he caught two passes for 72 yards.

NEXT UP

Missouri has Clemson graduate transfer Kelly Bryant ready to take over for Lock, the Tigers' starting quarterback the last four seasons. The Tigers open the 2019 season Aug. 31 at Wyoming.

Oklahoma State also will break in a new starting quarterback. The Cowboys begin the 2019 season Aug. 30 at Oregon State.

Arizona: 2017-18 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Champions

LAS VEGAS -- Deandre Ayton dribbled through the sea of red-and-white confetti, bobbing and weaving past cheerleaders and fans. The Arizona big man came upon a security guard, dropped a spin move that left both smiling and headed to the locker room.

Ayton's night at the Pac-12 championship was just as smooth a ride.

Ayton had 32 points and 18 rebounds in one of the most dominating performances in Pac-12 Tournament history, leading No. 15 Arizona to its second straight title with a 75-61 victory over Southern California on Saturday night.

"The dominance he just put forth, if there's another player better, I'd like to meet him," Arizona coach Sean Miller said. "He put his team on his back, played the right way and absolutely was a one-man wrecking crew."

Ayton put on a show along The Strip, bouncing back from a nervous Pac-12 opener against Colorado with two dominating games.

The Bahamian big man had 32 points and 14 rebounds in a semifinal win over UCLA and knocked the Trojans (23-11) around like bowling pins in the championship game. Ayton made 14 of 20 shots from the floor and all four of his free throws to lead Arizona (27-8) to its ninth Pac-12 title.

"I was a little starstruck, I wasn't ready, rushing all of my shots against Colorado, not taking my time," said Ayton, who matched the Pac-12 freshman record set by UCLA's Kevin Love with his 23rd double-double. "Coach told me to face up, see what the defense is giving me and that's what I did."

USC gave Arizona trouble with its zone at times and had a decent offensive night. The Trojans just had no answer for Ayton.

"I don't think you're going to stop a guy like that, so we just have to try to do our best to contain him," said Nick Rakocevic, led USC with 13 points. "Although he went off tonight.

Both teams fought through adversity to reach the title game.

Arizona was twice entangled in a federal investigation into shady recruiting practices. USC was named in the probe as well, leading to sophomore De'Anthony Melton to be ruled ineligible this season.

The Trojans also have played without Bennie Boatright since Feb. 15, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury, and backup point guard Derryck Thornton missed the semifinals due to an illness.

In the title game, USC had success getting into the lane and with its pick-and-roll on offense while giving the Wildcats trouble with its zone.

Arizona had success getting to the offensive glass -- eight in the first half -- and by getting the ball to Ayton, who had 13 points and eight rebounds by halftime.

USC led 33-30.

"We had a three-point lead at halftime in a Pac-12 championship," USC coach Andy Endfield said. "That's what you play for, that's what you dream about."

But Ayton continued to be a nightmare in the second half and USC went down a big man when Chimezie Metu picked up his fourth foul with 12 minutes left.

Arizona took off from there -- literally.

Rawle Alkins brought the pro-Arizona crowd to a roar with a two-handed dunk over Elijah Stewart and Ayton followed with another dunk to make it even louder, putting Arizona up 53-46.

Ayton kept dunking and the crowd kept roaring until the confetti cannons went off.

BIG PICTURE

USC: likely locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament after its semifinal victory, but might sweat a little on Selection Sunday


Arizona: looking like one of the nation's best teams at just the right time and should get a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

ALKINS' DUNK

Alkins' dunk over Stewart caused maybe the loudest of the night in T-Mobile Arena and still had Arizona's players talking long after the game.

"It took me a few seconds to realize what happened," Arizona center Dusan Ristic said. "It was one of the best dunks I'd ever seen in my life."

UP NEXT

USC: will play in the postseason, hoping it will be in the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona: will play in the NCAA Tournament, most likely as a high seed.

South Dakota State: 2017-18 Summit Men's Basketball Champions

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Jackrabbits are tourney bound again.

David Jenkins Jr. scored 29 points, Mike Daum had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and South Dakota State beat South Dakota 97-87 on Tuesday night to win the Summit League Tournament championship, clinching the Jackrabbits a third straight NCAA Tournament berth.

Daum was the Summit League Player of the Year, but was limited to 27 minutes because of foul trouble. Jenkins stepped up in his place in the first half with 16 points -- he came in averaging 15.8 points per game.

"I made sure I stayed aggressive at all times," Jenkins Jr. said. "I just took what the defense gave me."

The Jackrabbits went on a 30-17 run with Daum on the bench. The first half featured 11 lead changes before SDSU opened things up.

SDSU took a 47-35 lead into halftime, with Daum getting just six points in seven minutes. He entered the game averaging 23.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

"We're not often times forced to play that many minutes in a half without Mike," SDSU coach T.J. Otzelberger said. "If you look at our team night in and night out, different guys step up. If you're a great team, that's what you do."

Reed Tellinghuisen added 18 points and 11 rebounds for SDSU (28-6), which has won 11 straight. The Jackrabbits shot 48 percent from the field, including 14 for 28 from the 3-point line.

SDSU built the lead to 20 in the second half before South Dakota mounted a challenge midway through the half. Brandon Key's basket for the Jackrabbits made it 57-37 with just under 16 minutes to play. At that point, South Dakota was just 2 for 12 from the field in the second half.

"We really struggled guarding them, and they were cooking on all cylinders," South Dakota coach Craig Smith said. "I just didn't put our guys in a good enough position to win, especially during that run in the first half."

The Coyotes chipped away at the lead. Nate Fuller came off the bench and scored five straight to cut it to 40-28 with 13:07 to play. It was the first time South Dakota had been within 12 since 40-28 late in the second half.

Tyler Hagedorn scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half for the Coyotes (26-8) to help fuel the run, which dwindled SDSU's lead to six with just under three minutes to play.

Jenkins' 3-pointer with 1:38 to play pushed the lead back to 11 at 90-79.

South Dakota's leading scorer, Matt Mooney, led the Coyotes with 30 points but was 9 for 26 from the field, including 3 for 11 from the 3-point line.

Tyler Peterson had 15 points and six rebounds for South Dakota.

BIG PICTURE

South Dakota State: The 28 wins is an SDSU team record.


South Dakota: The Coyotes are hoping to finally edge SDSU next year, with Mooney returning for his senior season after averaging 18.3 points per game as a junior.

HE SAID IT

"To Coyotes fans: I know it doesn't help, but I'm sorry. I played really bad and I'm sorry I didn't come through," Mooney said.

DEFENSIVE EFFORT

The 97 points allowed by South Dakota is the most this season for the Coyotes.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance at the championship game was 11,114, the largest ever for a Summit League championship game.

UP NEXT

South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits head to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year and for the fifth time in seven years. They've never won an NCAA Tournament game.

James Madison: 2016 NCAA Division I FCS National Champions

FRISCO, Texas (STATS) -- James Madison played all season as if it knew something the rest of the FCS didn't know, but on Saturday, there was no denying who's the best team in the nation.

Sorry, Fargo, it's all purple reign this season.

Bryan Schor threw for two touchdowns and Khalid Abdullah rushed for 101 yards and two scores as the CAA Football champion Dukes handled Youngstown State 28-14 to claim the program's second FCS national title before 14,423 at Toyota Stadium.

The Dukes' fans reveled throughout the one-sided game, and why not considering their team's accomplishments. Having already ended North Dakota State's five-year national championship run in the semifinals, the Dukes (14-1) beat their chest in the final -- and some Youngstown State ball carriers as well -- to complete coach Mike Houston's first season with a national title. They previously won in 2004.

"This team won (a JMU-record) 14 games this year," Houston said. "They went undefeated in CAA play. They beat North Dakota State at North Dakota State. They won a national championship on a big stage. I think they go as the best team in JMU history -- hands down."

"This," senior linebacker Gage Steele said, "is going to be a moment that we talk about for the rest of our lives."

Coming into the season, James Madison simply wanted to win one playoff game, let alone the four it took as the No. 4 seed. The Dukes underachieved in the last two postseasons, losing at home in their opening game. But after Houston arrived from The Citadel, he demanded more discipline and physical play out of the Dukes, and they eventually molded into the most complete team in the FCS.

Losing only to FBS team North Carolina in mid-September, the Dukes won their final 12 games behind a physical run game, an athletic, opportunistic defense and a deadly return game.

It was all on display against Youngstown State (12-4), which sought to add to its four national titles in the 1990s. James Madison controlled the surge at the line of scrimmage -- offensively and defensively -- which allowed Schor and Abdullah to feed off each other and Steele (two sacks) to swarm Youngstown State quarterback Hunter Wells.

The Dukes made big plays early to grab control of the game.

Justin Wellons' blocked punt to end Youngstown State's first drive set up the Dukes at the Penguins' 18-yard line. Two plays later, Schor threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jonathan Kloosterman (his fifth TD catch of the playoffs) at the 11:20 mark.

A poor YSU punt then gave the Dukes the ball at midfield. Abdullah cut back for a 30-yard run before Schor connected with Rashard Davis for an 18-yard touchdown pass, making it 14-0 with 9:37 left.

"Obviously, it didn't start the way we wanted," Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini said.

"This isn't a time to point fingers."

In the second quarter, Schor and his wide receivers picked apart the YSU secondary for four completions as part of an eight-play, 87-yard drive that was capped by Abdullah's 1-yard touchdown run, which extended the Dukes' lead to 21-0 with 8:17 remaining.


While Youngstown State closed within 21-7 before halftime on Wells' 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Shane Kuhn, the unseeded Penguins' hopes for a comeback ended early in the second half. On the third play, a Wells pass deflected high into the air and cornerback Curtis Oliver intercepted it at the Youngstown State 47. The Dukes then steamrolled downfield in six plays, with Abdullah scoring from two yards out for his 25th touchdown of the season, making it 28-7.

Abdullah, named the game's most outstanding player, finished the season with 1,809 rushing yards, a James Madison record.

"It means everything," Abdullah said. "It just means that all the dreams and goals we had team came to fruition."

Youngstown State, averaging 257.5 rushing yards, didn't solve the Dukes' defensive front, which turned the Penguins one-dimensional in the second half. Wells (28 of 47, 281 yards) threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Wells with 10 seconds left to tighten the final score at 28-14, but the game wasn't that close.

The Dukes were FCS royalty again.

Chile: 2016 Copa America Champions

Francisco Silva’s penalty kick sealed the Copa America Centenario championship for Chile with their 4-2 win on penalties following a 0-0 draw against rival Argentina Sunday night in a dramatic Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Chile, FIFA’s fifth-ranked national team, defended its 2015 Copa America title, also won on penalties over Argentina. La Albiceleste is still seeking its first major tournament title since 1993.

After Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo stopped Lucas Biglia’s shot in the fourth round of the shootout, Chile needed only to make their fifth try to win, and Silva buried it as La Roja outscored Argentina 4-2 in the shootout. Silva’s winner came moments after Argentina superstar Lionel Messi shockingly missed over the goal.

The contentious finale of the tournament saw 35 fouls called with eight yellow cards and two red cards issued, the first red to Marcelo Diaz of Chile in the 28th minute after he collided with Messi. Consequently, Chile played with 10 men. But only for 15 minutes.

Messi was fouled several times as Chile were physical in marking the diminutive forward, and even he was shown yellow for embellishment in the 40th minute.

In the 43rd minute, the sides were evened at 10 when Argentina’s Marcos Rojo drew a straight red card for a hard tackle on Vidal. It marked the third time that players from both teams were sent off in a Copa America Final.

Before all of that drama, Argentina missed an excellent chance to take an early lead. Chile’s Gary Medel lost control of the ball deep in his team’s side of the field, and Gonzalo Higuain made a run with only the goalkeeper to beat. Higuain’s 21st minute shot trickled just wide left of the goal with Medel laying out against the post to keep the ball out of the net.

Things quieted down in the second half as far as scoring chances and whistles, but Argentina missed in the 84th minute when Messi found Sergio Aguero on the flank and Aguero skied his open shot well over the goal.

Messi missed high on a counter attack early in stoppage time and the game went to an additional 30 minutes.

Romero saved an Eduardo Vargas header in the 99th minute, then Bravo barely tipped away Aguero’s high header in the 100th.

The crowd of 82,026 was the largest to ever see a soccer match in the state of New Jersey.

Vargas didn’t score Sunday, but took the Powerade Golden Boot as leader for the tournament in goals with six. Chile’s Alexis Sanchez was awarded the MasterCard Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, while Bravo won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper for the second straight tournament.

Georgia Tech: 2014 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Georgia Tech players hopped happily, hugged each other and danced in place. The clock had just struck midnight on New Year's Eve, so they had two things to celebrate.

Minutes earlier, the Yellow Jackets had completed a 49-34 victory over Mississippi State in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Quarterback Justin Thomas was chosen the game's outstanding player Wednesday night after he directed an offense that totaled a Capital One Orange Bowl-record 452 yards rushing. He ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns, and threw for 125 yards and a score.

Synjyn Days ran for 171 yards and three scores, including a 69-yarder that defused Mississippi State's comeback bid.

No. 12 Georgia Tech (11-3, No. 10 AP) earned its first Capital One Orange Bowl victory in 63 years. The Yellow Jackets improved to 2-8 in bowl games in the past 10 seasons.

"Our program took a step forward this year," Thomas said, "and we're planning to keep striving to put Georgia Tech's name on the top of the list."

The victory was especially sweet for an Atlantic Coast Conference team located in the heart of Southeastern Conference country.

"For a week or so we won't have to hear about the SEC," Tech coach Paul Johnson said.

No. 7 Mississippi State (10-3, No. 8 AP) lost three of its final four games after being ranked No. 1 for five consecutive weeks.

Mississippi State's Dak Prescott threw for 453 yards, a Capital One Orange Bowl record and a career high. Mississippi State outgained Georgia Tech 605-577, and the two-team total was a Capital One Orange Bowl record.

But the Bulldogs twice lost the ball on downs in the second half, and two onside kick attempts failed.

"We missed some big opportunities," coach Dan Mullen said. "We just didn't score enough points."

Mississippi State scored on a 42-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half to trail 21-20, but the Yellow Jackets were unfazed, bouncing back with touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half to lead 42-20.

Georgia Tech gained 452 yards on the ground, the eighth time they've rushed for 450 yards since Paul Johnson took over in 2008. That breaks a tie with Nevada for the most in the FBS in that span.

"We talked about it at halftime -- if we scored every time in the second half, we couldn't lose, because we were ahead," Johnson said.

Georgia Tech's triple option attack had uncharacteristic balance in the first half, when Thomas threw 10 times for 125 yards. Senior Darren Waller had a career-high 114 yards on five catches, including a 41-yard score.

The nation's second-ranked rushing offense revved it up in the third quarter, when the Yellow Jackets pulled away by gaining 208 yards, all on the ground.

"That's our game, no matter who we play," Thomas said. "That's what we're going to do."

The 75,000-seat stadium was a third empty at the start and two-thirds empty with 10 minutes left. But fans made plenty of noise, especially Tech rooters.

After Georgia Tech scored a touchdown to take a 21-20 lead with 29 seconds left in the first half, the Bulldogs started at their own 28. Four plays advanced the ball to the Yellow Jackets 42 with 5 seconds left, and after a timeout, Prescott heaved a pass into the end zone. Two defenders and Mississippi State's Joe Morrow got their hands on the ball, and it deflected to Fred Ross, who made a diving scoop for the improbable score.

"I was just in the right spot," Ross said.

The Yellow Jackets responded by shifting their ground game into high gear. First, Days found a big hole on a dive play and broke two tackles en route to the end zone.

"It was a big spark," Thomas said. "We got that touchdown and never looked back."

Thomas then scored on a 32-yard keeper, juking past a defender in the backfield to break into the clear and make it 35-20. And after Jamal Golden forced a fumble at midfield, Thomas scored again on a 15-yard run.

"He made some great throws," Mullen said. "What made him dangerous is extending the plays. He made some great open field runs and made people miss."

North Carolina State: 2014 St. Petersburg Bowl Champions

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A turnaround season got a little sweeter for North Carolina State in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl.

The Wolfpack took another step forward under second-year coach Dave Doeren on Friday night with a 34-27 victory over Central Florida that wasn't as close as the final score.

NC State (8-5) dominated for three quarters before Justin Holman threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to help UCF pull within seven.

"This is just the beginning," Doeren told cheering Wolfpack fans listening to a postgame interview over the public address system at Tropicana Field. "Go Pack!"

Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards for NC State, which won just three games in its first season under Doeren.

"I can't wait for next season, there's no telling how far this team can go," Brissett said. "I'm excited in the direction we're going. This is a great program to be at. Everything is set up for us to have success."

Brissett tossed a 37-yard TD pass to Johnathan Alston to put the Wolfpack ahead for good in the second quarter. Running back Shadrach Thornton got NC State going early with an 18-yard scoring pass to Jaylen Samuels.

UCF (9-4) began the night ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed per game, as well as pass efficiency, rushing and scoring defense. But American Athletic Conference co-champions had no answers for Brissett and a supporting cast that amassed 488 yards of total offense -- over 200 more than opponents averaged against the Knights during the regular season.

Brissett was 15 of 26 with no interceptions, completing passes to eight receivers. Thornton rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries and Dayes finished with 78 yards on 13 attempts to key a ground attack that produced 188 yards.

Doeren thanked his players and coaching staff and talked about Brissett's growth in his first season at NC State after transferring from Florida.

"He takes things so personal. He is such a competitor," Doeren said. "He gives all the credit to his teammates. He learned a lot throughout the season, and we love him."

Holman completed 23 of 53 passes for 291 yards for UCF, including TD passes of 6, 14 and 2 yards to Josh Reese, who had six receptions for 75 yards. Reese's second touchdown cut it to 34-20 with 11 minutes remaining.

The Knights got the ball back three more times, but couldn't get any closer until Holman threw his 2-yarder to Reese with 1:44 left. NC State's Tyler Purvis recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Wolfpack ran out the clock.

"We just let the game get out of a whack a little bit," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "You can't do that."

UCF is a year removed from arguably the biggest victory in school history, an upset of Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl that capped the Knights' first 12-win season.

Going from appearing in a BCS game for the first time to ending the year in St. Petersburg for the second time in three seasons might have been perceived as a letdown except the Knights have continued to prosper after losing star quarterback Blake Bortles to the NFL draft, where he was the third overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Holman's Hail Mary pass to Breshad Perriman as time expired gave UCF a 32-30 victory over East Carolina and a share of its second straight AAC championship.

NC State is in its second season of rebuilding under Doeren, who took over after a highly successful stint at Northern Illinois. The Wolfpack went 0-8 in the ACC and 3-9 overall in 2013, and the four-game improvement in their regular-season record this year matched Mississippi State for the second-biggest in the five power conferences.

The Bitcoin Bowl was a homecoming of sorts for Brissett, who is from West Palm Beach and transferred to NC State from Florida. The 6-foot-4, 231-pound redshirt junior completed 10 of his first 12 passes for 197 yards, including his TD pass to Alston that put the Wolfpack up 14-10 early in the second quarter.

NC State won a postseason game for the first time since winning the Belk Bowl in 2011, ending UCF's three-game winning streak in bowl appearances.

"This is a good springboard to next season because the year before we lost our bowl game and last year we didn't get to one," Brissett said. "But this shows you the level that we can play at, and UCF is a very good team that won the Fiesta Bowl last year. This is a great victory. It's no telling how far this team can go."

Hitagi Senjougahara, 2012 Anizone Best Moe Champion

Good early morning, Seoul. I must remind all of you that while I celebrate this victory with you on this cool October evening, you all have jobs to take care of, families to raise, mouth to feed, and a nation that is in need of your care and loyalty. Citizens of the Republic of Korea, thank you for being here.

This decade has seen so much progress for a country that is still at war with its brothers across the border. I am ready to continue that progress and I need your help.

Over this course of this past weekend, the Korean people have spoken. They have affirmed our course. They have told us to be staple stable. Korea has told every one of us, loud and clear, that it is time to put aside old rivalries, join together, and get the job done for the future of this peninsula.

Again, as I will say to you all, we have made so much progress under the leadership of Ms. Homura Akemi. But in our schools, our families, our workplaces, our communities, and the places we go that help us enjoy the life we love...our journey is far from done.

I would like to say a special word of thanks to Ms. Kurisu Makise and her contributions to the field of neuroscience and finding new ways to help prolong the lives of Korean citizens and men and women all over the world. She ran a good race, and I wish her all the best and congratulate her on her efforts.

I want to thank my loving husband, Koyomi Araragi, for his tireless efforts and love and support. Dearest one, you mean everything to me. You mean the world to me, and you helped me get over my darkest days and I lived to tell about it, and I want to thank you.

To the rest of my circle: Nadeko Sengoku, Suruga Kanbaru, Tsubasa Hanekawa, Mayoi Hachikuji, Shinobo Oshino and her brother Meme, and Karen and Tsukihi Araragi, thank you for your support and solidarity in my cause and my plan to help move this country forward. Though we come from different walks of life, our dream is shared, and a new dawn of leadership in Korea is at hand.

This was a year that was highlighted by Expo 2012, an International Exposition that took place in the city of Yeosu. The theme of the Expo was “The Living Ocean and Coast” with subthemes of “Preservation and Sustainable Development of the Ocean and Coast,” “New Resources Technology,” and “Creative Marine Activities.” Over 100 countries participated in this event, and over 8 million visitors from around the world took part in the festivities.

This year, we addressed global issues like climate change and the protection of the oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian and the Arctic. Indeed, the demon that possessed me took the form of a stone crab and when I visited this exposition in Yeosu, I am reminded of my origins and why I am who I am right now.

Finally, our country, under the leadership of Ms. Akemi, returned to the black, recording a current-account surplus as the result of an easing global financial climate. Of course, the Republic of Korea is one of the leading economies in the world: a leader in electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding and steel production.

We have worked hard to turn this country around in the light of the economic recession, and now we ask ourselves this question: what are we going to do to make Korea better in the future?

Tonight, we proclaim that the vital Korean center—this city, Seoul—is alive and well. This is the common ground on which we have made our progress. Our economy is stronger, our streets our safer, our environment is cleaner, the world is more secure and our nation is committed to being united with its brothers and sisters to the North.

My last name, in Japanese, means "battle field." Indeed, the Korean peninsula remains a battlefield, divided between the industrialized South and the undeveloped, cult-driven North. But through your heart, through your will and through your determination, we are committed to becoming one united Korea. To do this, we must make our democracy stronger by enacting real, multi-partisan campaign finance reforms. Talk is cheap. It is not enough. It is time to hit the ground running, ASAP. And the Korean people will watch the leaders of parties represented in the Moe National Assemble to see who is willing, not just to talk, but to act. I am willing to act, and I ask others in the Moe National Assembly to join me in doing so.

And we must keep the Republic of Korea's status as one of the world's most indispensible nations. We will do this by approaching threats to our nation's security through terrorism and the proliferation of dangerous weapons, and seizing these extraordinary opportunities to extend our values of peace and democracy and prosperity. These are important issues I plan to tackle with confidence and resolve as your new Moe President of Korea.

Also, not too far from this special night, one of the national treasures, Sungnyemun, will rise from the ashes and be restored to its mighty grandeur. A pure symbol of this country, I will be there to witness its rebirth, and I implore each and every one of you to join me in witnessing this historic occasion.

Every Korean tonight, no matter which side of the peninsula you are on, and every Korean within in the sound of my voice can take pride in the fact that for the past decade on, a majority of human beings living on this Earth live under democracies where the people rule.

The challenges we face are not Monogatari challenges or Steins;Gate challenges or challenges by fans of other shows. They are Korean challenges. What we have known from the infighting of the past several years and from the remarkable success of the last few weeks of this Moe National Assembly is the lesson we have learned for many centuries, going all the way back to the days of antiquity: what we have achieved as Koreans of lasting good, we have achieved by working together. So let me say to the fans of all the shows that have your favorite moe character or characters, it's time to put country ahead of series.

We know this for sure, as people who love the moe: the races are close and competitive. The Korean people have been closely divided. The Assembly, no matter what happens from this point onward, will be closely divided.

But at the same time, they are sending us a message: Work together. Meet our challenges. Put aside the politics of division and build the communities of our great nation together.

What we need to do is do the work of Korea, the way we seek to do the work of raising our children and doing our work and supporting our religious institutions, our community institutions and any institution we choose to be a patron of.

If would we simply be Korea, the way we seek to live in all of our other roles, there is no stopping Korea. Our best days are still ahead.

So I say to you, when we look into our hearts and minds and simply ask ourselves what is right for the Korean people and the future of our children, when we set aside our differences and build on our shared values of family, duty, loyalty, honour, filial piety, respect for age and seniority, and sincerity; when we roll up our sleeves and work together as a team, Korea always wins.

I got here to this arena of champions tonight, my dear Koreans, because Korea gave me a chance. That is what all the children of Korea deserve. Our people and our ancestors have to give our children the tools to give them not a guarantee, but that real chance to live up to their potential, to be the best they can be.

And so I ask you to join me in that commitment. Every child in this country deserves the main chance that I was given. Every child deserves to overcome the challenges I went through in my lifetime to be successful.

Let us resolve to run this country the way we try to run our lives. Whether you are a fan of Steins;Gate, or a fan of Monogatari or a fan of Hyouka or a fan of Accel World, whether you support a show of the past, or a series that will air soon on your television set and will be released on DVD soon after, whether your buy the merchandise in-store or online, whether you are a fan of anime or not, remember that we all belong to one of the greatest countries in the world and in our history.

To us, much has been given and much is still expected. We must rise to the challenge of continuing the progress we made. Tonight is a night of joy, not just for us here, but for all Koreans, and for all fans of moe from around the world.

For the seventh time in our history, our people have made their quiet and deliberate decision. They have come together with their powerful voice and expressed their will.

Tonight, we celebrate the miracle of Korea. Soon, we greet the dawn and begin our work anew. I am even more grateful than I can say, and I am excited at our opportunity to help continue our path to success as a nation. You have given me this opportunity and a responsibility that comes to only a few people.

I will do my best. I will never let you down. And together we will move Korea forward in the 21st Century. Thank you, good night, God bless you all, and may the gods bless Korea.

Hankook Manse.

-Hitagi Senjougahara

Seventh Moe President, Republic of Korea

8 October 2012

Jamsil Arena

Seoul Special City, Republic of Korea