Western Kentucky: 2025 New Orleans Bowl Champions

 

Western Kentucky University captured the 25th New Orleans Bowl with a 27-16 victory over Southern Miss on December 23, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome. Quarterback Maverick McIvor led the Hilltoppers comeback as WKU finished the 2025 season 9-4, earning their fifth bowl game victory under head coach Tyson Helton.

Sam Houston: 2024 New Orleans Bowl Champions

 

The unstoppable Sam Houston Bearkats met the immovable Georgia Southern Eagles in this year’s New Orleans Bowl. The Big Easy was anything but as these two teams threw haymakers back and forth at each other. This slug-it-out type of college football game, however, should come as no surprise to those familiar with the FCS style of play.

Sam Houston Georgia Southern

Kats Have Claws

The best way to describe the first quarter is total Sam Houston domination. As Last Word On Sports discussed earlier this week, the transfers remaining made a world of difference. Even with this being their last game under the Bearkats banner, these players were giving it their all.

Whether it was penalties or a tenacious Sam Houston defense, the Eagles couldn’t get anything going in the first fifteen minutes. JC French’s very first play of the game was snatched out of the air by Jaylon Jimmerson and ran back for an amazing pick-six.

Anyone who was doubting that Sam Houston could persevere without their head coach was, very quickly, forgotten.

Eagles Have Talons

Ryan Aplin’s team wasn’t ready to fly home just yet, though. After being pushed down, Georgia Southern got back up, dusted itself off, and knocked Sam Houston straight in the teeth. French, despite his early interceptions, showed why he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the Sun Belt. Working in tandem with running back Jalen White, he led the Eagles on an eighty-yard drive down the field.

Indeed, the Bearkats defense was clearly caught off guard as the mobile quarterback kept bouncing back and forth between the lines. The opening minutes of the second quarter were everything the first quarter wasn’t. Despite some good effort, the Sam Houston defenders couldn’t keep up. A final pass to Josh Dallas put the Eagles on the board.

While the Georgia Southern offense was stumbling to success, the Eagles defense was putting the fear of God into the Sam Houston offense. Defenders and linebackers alike kept blasting through the Bearkats’ line. Hunter Watson stuck in the backfield, was their target each and every time. Each time Watson got back up, it was clear he never wanted to get hit like that again.

Clawing Back the New Orleans Bowl

A late Georgia Southern drive in the first half couldn’t close the gap fast enough, and the third quarter would open with a 21-10 lead for Sam Houston. That’s when the Eagles began clawing their way back into this bowl game.

A touchdown and field goal would bring that big lead down to just three points. Big hits began closing the walls on Watson and the Bearkats. Somehow, some way, their lead was disappearing. In the fourth quarter, Georgia Southern took as much time off the clock as they could. Yet, just as it had been all game, they couldn’t maintain the momentum.

French would throw his fifth interception of the night, Dallas fumbled a punt recovery, and then the Eagles followed this up with a personal foul and a targeting penalty. Despite a last-minute push, these mistakes held a Georgia Southern victory well out of reach.

The 2024 New Orleans Bowl: By The Numbers

At 31-26, the Bearkats walk out with the victory. Watson completed 23 out of 28 passes for 213 yards of offense. The leading rusher for the Bearkats is Jay Ducker with 26 total yards on the ground. Overall, Sam Houston comes away with 265 total yards of offense and 28 minutes of possession time.

Georgia Southern leaves the New Orleans Bowl with 393 total yards of offense and 31 minutes of possession time.

The Future of Sam Houston and Georgia Southern Football

Both teams have some big decisions to make in the future. The New Orleans Bowl may have been the end of Sam Houston’s football dominance- at least for now. With so many outgoing transfers, the Bearkats are in an uncomfortably similar position to the SEC’s Oklahoma Sooners right now. It’s not rebuild time just yet, but the success of 2024 will be difficult to recreate in 2025.

Georgia Southern, on the other hand, is looking to next year with hope. Unlike so many teams in college football, the Eagles are a cohesive unit. Perhaps it’s the FCS legacy, but this team is one that’s sticking together. As college football competition heats up, Georgia Southern and the Sun Belt’s 2025 season is looking to be the hottest yet.

Jacksonville State: 2023 New Orleans Bowl Champions

 - In a blast of a game, Louisiana stalled on its overtime possession, and Jacksonville State made the most of its opportunity. It took the running game down to make it a chip shot, and relatively untested backup kicker Garrison Rippa came through with a 27-yard field goal for a bowl win.

- Jacksonville State dominated the offensive tempo, but Louisiana managed to stay in the game - no one was ever up by more than one score - with a pick six for a late 31-24 lead. Jacksonville State drove back in the final few minutes, and scored on a fourth down 18-yard Zion Webb pass to Perry Carter pass. The extra point by Rippa tied it up, and the Gamecock D held on Louisiana’s final drive in regulation.

- Louisiana came up with another pick six earlier in the game, and started out the game with a scoop and score for a less than two minutes in. Jacksonville State was battling through quarterback injuries in a rotation, but survived despite being -4 in turnover margin.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Player of the Game

Ron Wiggins, RB Jacksonville State

Wiggins ran 27 times for a game-high 126 yards and a score, and he caught three passes for 17 yards.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl What It All Means

- It’s a real shame the NCAA didn’t get to enforce its rule that teams transitioning from the FCS to FBS weren’t eligible for a bowl game. This back-and-forth overtime game was a TOTAL drag with Jacksonville State in it. (Sometimes, the teams that REALLY want to be in a bowl game bring the most fire.)

- The Louisiana offense struggled. The game was close because of the three defensive scores, but the offense was more than doubled up in yards and couldn’t keep things moving. The Jacksonville State defense had a good game, but the offense had something to do with it, too. It ran more than 100 plays and dictated the tempo out of the game.

- How amazing has this season been for Jacksonville State? It was supposed to be a wee bit of a struggle in the first year in the FBS, but it started with a tough close win over UTEP, kept grinding even when the points were there, and head coach Rich Rodriguez generated a nine-win season with a bowl victory just one year removed from the FCS.

- Experts Picks For Every Bowl

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Key Stats

- Total Yards: Jacksonville State 526, Louisiana 247

- 4th Downs: Jacksonville State 5-of-6, Louisiana 0-of-0

- First Downs: Jacksonville State 31, Louisiana 14

Western Kentucky: 2022 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS – Led by its electric offense and dominant defense, WKU defeated South Alabama, 44-23, to win the 2022 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Championship Wednesday night at the iconic Caesars Supderdome. 

 

The Hilltoppers put up 677 yards of total offense on the night, including 522 yards passing. Those 522 yards set a New Orleans Bowl record, marking the best passing display the bowl game has ever seen.

 

Of those 522 passing yards, 497 belonged to quarterback Austin Reed. That mark set the individual record for passing yards in the New Orleans Bowl, and led to him being named the bowl game's Most Valuable Player. It was also the most passing yards a Hilltopper quarterback has ever thrown for in a bowl game, passing Brandon Daughty who threw for 486 in the 2014 Bahamas Bowl.

 

Reed's receivers were dynamic on the night, as Dalvin Smith, Jaylen Hall and Malachi Corley all surpassed 100 yards on the night. It marked the first time three WKU receivers have passed the century mark in a single game since 2017 against Middle Tennessee. Smith and Hall both caught a touchdown a piece while Corley hauled in two scores. Hall's touchdown reception came on a double pass, with fellow-receiver Smith recording the touchdown pass.

 

Defensively, the Tops took the Jaguars out of the game early by allowing only three points through the first half. The nation's leading defense in forced turnovers added two more off of interceptions by Kaleb Oliver and Upton Stout. Oliver's interception occurred in the end zone to keep the Jags off the scoreboard, and Stout picked off a pass with South Alabama in WKU territory, threatening to score.

 

Derrick Smith led WKU in tackles with nine in his final game in a Hilltopper uniform. Stout was close behind with eight, and Will Ignont recorded seven takedowns in his WKU finale. The Tops got after the quarterback all game long, recording four sacks between JaQues Evans, Tre Shaw, Dareon Goodrum and Mike Allen.

The bowl victory was WKU's second in a row and sixth all time. It was also the second year in a row the Hilltoppers defeated a 10-win team from the Sun Belt Conference in a bowl game. The win also gave WKU a 9-5 record overall for the second-consecutive season.

 

Louisiana: 2021 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS -- — Levi Lewis passed for 270 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 74 yards, and No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette defeated Marshall 36-21 in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night to end its season on a program-record 13-game winning streak.

The Ragin' Cajuns (13-1), who had to rally from behind twice in the game, took the lead for good on Emani Bailey's first of two TD runs he had in the final 8:20.

Lewis' 54-yard pass to Michael Jefferson set up Montrell Johnson's 3-yard TD run to widen the lead with 3:54 to go and Bailey scored again late for the final margin in the first game for Michael Desormeaux as Cajuns head coach. He took over after the ULL won the Sun Belt Championship game under Billy Napier, who left after that to become the Florida Gators' head coach.

Rasheen Ali rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns for Marshall (7-6). His final touchdown on a 9-yard run put Marshall in front 21-16 late in the third quarter.

Lewis finished 19 of 31 passing without a turnover. He had three completions of 42 or more yards and also had a 55-yard run. Bailey finished with 94 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.

Marshall QB Grant Wells was 15 of 26 for 99 yards and was intercepted once by Bralen Trahan.

Early on, Louisiana-Lafayette looked poised to take control, driving 81 yards for a touchdown on the game's first series. Lewis' 9-yard scoring pass to Kyren Lacy made it 7-0.

The Cajuns led 10-0 after Nate Snyder's 42-yard field goal.

But Marshall found its footing when Ali burst up the middle for a 63-yard score.

Two series later, the Herd drove 58 yards in three plays, highlighted by Ali's 32-yard run to start the drive and his 14-yard score two plays later to put Marshall in front 14-10 in the second quarter.

Lewis gained 55 yards on a read-option keeper to set up Snyder's 25-yard field goal to cut it to 14-13.

Trahan's interception and 26-yard return to the Marshall 44 set up Snyder's third field goal of the half to put the Cajuns back in front 16-14. ULL parlayed that turnover into points after Lewis' deep heave on a rollout was caught by Jacob Bernard on the Marshall 4.

THE TAKEAWAY

Marshall: The Thundering Herd collapsed after taking a five-point lead into the fourth quarter. Marshall gave itself a chance by frustrating Lewis on several drives and sacking him twice. But Marshall's offense netted just 15 yards and no points in the fourth quarter.

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Desormeaux era is off to a strong start. Bailey, Lewis and Johnson, who rushed for 54 yards, combined for 222 yards on the ground. Lewis finished his career at QB with a performance that earned him bowl MVP honors and the defense completely shut down the Herd in the pivotal fourth quarter. Lewis finished with 9.191 career yards passing, just short of Jake Delhomme's ULL career record of 9,216 yards passing.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Louisiana-Lafayette's highest ever ranking was No. 15 at the end of last season. The Cajuns could finish even higher this year.

UP NEXT

Marshall: The Thundering Herd will have Wells and Ali back to help lead the offense when Marshall begins its 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Norfolk State.

Louisiana-Lafayette: Must find a successor at QB to Lewis, the Cajuns' all-time leader in touchdowns passing with 74, as they prepare to begin the Desormeaux era in earnest when they open the 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Southeastern Louisiana.

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Georgia Southern: 2020 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS — Georgia Southern quarterback Shai Werts kept his team in suspense until pregame warmups.

That’s when he started getting geared up emotionally the way he normally does on game days — which teammates and coaches understood to mean that their offensive leader wasn’t going to let his shoulder injury sideline him for what was likely his final game with the Eagles.

“It really energized our team,” coach Chad Lunsford said. “The guys fed off that for sure.”

Werts had three touchdown runs and threw a 65-yard scoring pass to help Georgia Southern beat Louisiana Tech 38-3 Wednesday in the New Orleans Bowl.

“Going into the week, I really didn’t know if I was going to be able to play,” insisted Werts, who missed Georgia Southern’s previous two games. “When the time came for me to make a decision, I felt good.”

Werts scored one of his touchdowns on a designed QB run that covered 37 yards. His two other rushing TDs came from a yard out.

“It definitely feels good to go out on top with my guys,” Werts said. “You’re only as good as your last game, and if this is my last game, then I feel good about it.”

Georgia Southern (8-5) came up with four interceptions — including two near its own goal line in the first quarter. Safety Justin Birdsong intercepted two passes — the first against Louisiana Tech starter Aaron Allen and the second against reserve JD Head in the third quarter.

“It was a big game for us,” said Birdsong, noting that his team was motivated by hearing that Louisiana Tech (5-5), which is in Conference USA, had won 18 straight against current Sun Belt Conference members. “It was definitely a statement to go out there and do what we did.”

The Eagles came in averaging 262 yards rushing and finished with 322 against Louisiana Tech.

Malik Murry broke off a 43-yard run on the opening drive to set up Werts’ first short TD run. Gerald Green’s 55-yard run in the fourth quarter highlighted his 108-yard, one-TD performance. Werts finished with 71 yards rushing.

“I didn’t want Shai to have to go out with an injury and I don’t think he wanted to either,” Lunsford said. “Super proud of him, proud of how he was able to end his career here.”

Appalachian State: 2019 New Orleans Bowl Champions

Four series in, it appeared we had an upset brewing on the Bayou. Underdog UAB took the ball to open the game and rolled 75 yards in four snaps, scoring on a 25-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III to Hayden Pittman. The Blazers’ defense then forced a three-and-out, allowing UAB to best its previous drive: four plays for 79 yards, capped by another 25-yard Johnston scoring strike, this time to Austin Watkins. Appalachian State’s offense then went three-and-out again on its second possession. By that point the scoreboard read 14-0 Blazers, and the box score read 154-8.

From that point forward, though, it was the blowout the experts expected. No. 20 Appalachian State closed the New Orleans Bowl on a 31-3 run, running away from an overmatched UAB team to close the best season — degree of difficulty included — not only in school history, but in Sun Belt history as well, as the Sun Belt first team to knock off two Power 5 foes in the same season and the first Sun Belt team to start 11-1 closed a 13-1 season in style on Saturday night.

The Mountaineers finally got on the board a minute into the third quarter with a 34-yard Chandler Staton field goal, then found the end zone on their next drive thanks to a 17-yard connection between Zac Thomas and Thomas Hennigan.

After the halftime break, App State took the ball and rolled 75 yards in seven plays, scoring on a play no offensive coordinator would ever draw up: on a 4th-and-1 sneak from the UAB 30, Thomas fumbled the under-center snap, which running back Darrynton Evans scooped and scored, giving the Mountaineers their first lead.

UAB (9-5) tied the game with a 49-yard Nick Vogel field goal, but Appalachian State regained the lead on another fumble, and this time it wasn’t their own. Johnston was sacked by Nick Hampton and lost the ball on the process, which Trey Cobb raced 24 yards to the house, giving App State a lead it would not relinquish.

After a UAB three-and-out, App State put the game away with a 9-play, 85-yard drive punctuated by another Thomas-to-Thomas toss, this one a 27-yarder where Hennigan Moss-ed the UAB defender.

What glimmer of hope UAB had of a comeback was flushed out when Watkins fumbled away a reception at the App State 41-yard line with 1:25 to play.

Following the 14-0 UAB start, App State out-gained UAB 403-184, while the Mountaineers won the ground game 262-40.

The win completes easily the best season since moving to FBS for App State, and begins the Shawn Clark era at 1-0.

Appalachian State: 2018 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS -- While the future of Appalachian State interim coach Mark Ivey is unknown, Mountaineers players left no doubt about how much they appreciated the way he handled his lone game in charge, carrying him off the field in triumph.

"It was an honor," said Ivey, a former Appalachian State player who took over when Scott Satterfield left for Louisville two weeks ago. "I'm glad that the kids think enough about me to want to celebrate with me and have fun because I love every one of those kids. They are exceptional."

Appalachian State receiver Malik Williams passed for two touchdowns on trick plays, quarterback Zac Thomas caught a scoring pass and threw for three more, and the Mountaineers routed Middle Tennessee 45-13 in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night.

Camerun Peoples had a 63-yard touchdown run for the Mountaineers (11-2), who gave Ivey, a former Appalachian State player, a victory in what might have been his only chance to coach his alma mater.

Ivey -- who'll soon be replaced by North Carolina State offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz -- looked determined to make his lone game as interim coach a memorable one.

"I had a blast," Ivey said, noting that one of his "core values" is to have fun amid the work of preparing to play. "If you can't make this fun, if you can't love what you do, there's no purpose of being here."

Appalachian State even tried a surprise onside kick in the first half -- and it might have worked if Clifton Duck had not snatched the high-bounding ball just before it had covered the mandatory 10 yards for a legal touch by the kicking team.

That was one of few things that didn't go right for the Mountaineers, but Middle Tennessee (8-6) could not take advantage of it. Three plays later, Tae Hayes' interception and 27-yard return set up Appalachian State on the Blue Raiders 41. Soon after, Williams connected on his second TD pass, which the former high school QB threw to Thomas after taking a pitch from running back Darrynton Evans on a reverse.

"Coach Ivey's done a phenomenal job with this team," Thomas said. "We owe a lot to that man."

Middle Tennessee's Brent Stockstill was 25-of-37 passing for 330 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

"We couldn't get open. We couldn't protect. We couldn't run the ball. For an offense, that's tough sledding," Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill said. "You've got to give them credit. They didn't give us much breathing room."

APPALACHIAN AIR

Williams' first TD passing came after he caught a backward pass from Thomas near the right edge of the field and launched a 30-yard strike down the sidelined to Thomas Hennigan.

Thomas threw his first touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half, when he found Henry Pearson from a yard out. In the second half, he hit Corey Sutton for TDs of 17 and 11 yards. He finished 15 of 24 for 177 yards, but also was intercepted twice by safety Reed Blankenship.

THE TAKEAWAY

Middle Tennessee: Brent Stockstill was under constant pressure from an Appalachian State defense that has allowed fewer than 16 points per game. He was hit as he threw on his second interception and sacked six times. The Blue Raiders couldn't get their ground game going, either, finishing with just 62 yards rushing.

Appalachian State: The Mountaineers finished with 448 total yards, including two runs of more than 60 yards. Evans' 62-yard run set up Thomas' first TD pass and stood as the third-longest run in New Orleans Bowl history until it was eclipsed by Peoples' blazing scoring run down the right sideline. Evans finished with 108 yards.

QUOTABLE

"What he has done, what he has meant to this program, what he has meant to this team, words don't do him justice," Rick Stockstill said of his quarterback son, whose college career ended with the bowl game. "He's just a phenomenal human being, fantastic player, fantastic leader. I'm just very, very humbled to be his coach -- and now I get to be his dad."

UP NEXT

Middle Tennessee: Rick Stockstill has to settle on a new QB after seeing his son, Brent, set most meaningful Blue Raiders passing records during the past four years, including career TDs with 106. The Blue Raiders have to replace seven offensive starters while six starters are set to come back on defense.

Appalachian State: The Drinkwitz era begins. After three seasons as offensive coordinator at NC State, the 35-year-old Drinkwitz takes over a team that won the past three Sun Belt titles. The Mountaineers will be loaded with experience next season, losing only one starter on offense and just three on defense.

Georgia State: 2017 Cure Bowl Champions

ORLANDO, Fla. -- From 0-12 to Cure Bowl champions in four years.

Georgia State's fledgling football program took a bow Saturday, celebrating a 27-17 victory over Western Kentucky -- the first postseason win in school history.

Conner Manning threw for 276 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers (7-5), who had a winning record for the second time in the program's eight-year history and set a school record for victories in a season.

"I told them before we stepped on the field that the team that wanted this game the most was going to win," first-year coach Shawn Elliott said.

"There was no doubt in my mind that we were the team that wanted it and we were going to win it," Elliott added. "We're a bunch of misfit coaches and misfit players that learned how to work hard and fight every day."

The Panthers (7-5) started their program from scratch in 2010, going 6-5 as an FCS independent. They began the transition to FBS with a 1-10 record in 2012, then sank to a program-worst 0-12 the following year -- Georgia State's first in the Sun Belt Conference.

Saturday's appearance in the Cure Bowl was the team's second in three years. The Panthers lost to San Jose State 27-16 here in 2015, finishing 6-7.

"Coming into the year a lot of us believed we could have a special year," Manning said. "The new coaches brought a lot of energy, and we started this during the winter. We got to work early with the goal of being in this position."

Manning threw a 42-yard TD pass to Roger Carter, Demarcus Kirk scored on a 26-yard run, and Kyler Neal finished a 16-play drive consuming nine minutes of the fourth quarter with a 1-yard TD run that put Georgia State up 27-10.

Mike White tossed TD passes of 54 and 4 yards to Deon Yelder, finishing with 351 yards -- the senior's eighth consecutive 300-yard game passing -- for Western Kentucky (6-7). Yelder had five receptions for 112 yards for the Hilltoppers.

Georgia State star Penny Hart, the Sun Belt Conference leading receiver, did not start and played sparingly because of an ankle injury. His lone reception -- for 27 yards midway through the third quarter -- came on the play before Manning threw his TD pass to Carter.

Western Kentucky finished with a losing record in their first season under coach Mike Sanford. The Hilltoppers also were denied in their bid to set a school record with four consecutive bowl wins.

"Today's game, honestly, it's been what's ailed us all year," Sanford said.

"We needed to identify opportunities to run the football, I thought we had some early opportunities but not enough," Sanford added. "That made us one dimensional and more difficult to throw the football. To win championships we have to run the ball effectively, and we didn't do that."

FAREWELL

White finished 26 of 39 passing and threw an interception on the final play of his career. He also lost a fumble late in the second quarter.

It wasn't the way the Hilltoppers envisioned him finishing up.

"Mike is up there with some of the best (quarterbacks) that I've ever been around," Sanford said. "It's disappointing for Mike to not go out the way he deserves to go out."

SETTING THE TONE

Georgia State DE Mackendy Cheridor had two sacks in the opening half, sending a message to White that the Western Kentucky quarterback could be in for a long day. Chase Middleton, Hardrick Willis, Terry Thomas and Dontae Wilson also had sacks for the Panthers.

TARGETING

Western Kentucky defensive end Julien Lewis was penalized for roughing the passer early in the second quarter. Officials reviewed the play and determined the 6-foot-3, 300 -pound redshirt junior should be ejected for targeting.

THE TAKEAWAY

Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers won the Bahamas, Miami Beach and Boca Raton bowls the past three seasons, joining Clemson, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Stanford, Utah, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin as the only team with bowl wins each of the past three years. The chances for a fourth straight win were hindered by three turnovers -- one of them on a trick play early in the fourth quarter -- and six sacks.

Georgia State: Playing in the Cure Bowl for the second time in three seasons is a nice accomplishment for an eight-year-old program. The Panthers finished fourth in the Sun Belt under first-year coach Shawn Elliott, but placed nine players on the league's all-conference team.

UP NEXT


Western Kentucky: The game was the last for 19 seniors, including White, who began his career at nearby South Florida. The class won 37 games -- second-most by the Hilltoppers as a FBS program. In addition to a new starting quarterback, there will be opportunities to shine at wide receiver, where departing seniors Nacarius Fant, Cameron Echols-Luper and Kylen Towner combined to catch 134 passes for 1,423 yards and 10 TDs this season.

Georgia State: Like Western Kentucky, the Panthers will try to build off this year's success with a new quarterback. Manning's successor will have some productive players to work with, beginning with Hart -a 5-foot-8, 180-pound sophomore who led the Sun Belt in receiving with 74 receptions for 1,121 yards and eight TDs.

Troy: 2017 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS -- When Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers glanced around the Superdome, his eyes would stop on the name of Archie Manning, who has become one of his mentors, or on spots in the stands where he's sat during games he attended as a fan.

During his next visit, he'll be able to look at spots on the field where he threw four touchdown passes, as well as the end zone where he ran for a short score, to help the Trojans beat North Texas 50-30 in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday.

"Just being on that field today is going to be one of my great memories for a long time," Silvers said.

Silvers, a former counselor at Manning's football camp, threw for 305 yards, completing 24 of 31 passes. The Orange Beach, Alabama, native was intercepted once on a deep throw, but that hardly mattered in a game controlled by Troy's defense, which produced five North Texas turnovers.

"Our ability to get pressure on quarterback was probably the difference," said Troy coach Neal Brown, who has presided over 21 victories in the past two seasons.

Josh Anderson, filling in for injured starter Jordan Chunn, rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns for Troy (11-2).

Two of Silvers' TD passes went to Damion Willis, whom Silvers targeted more than usual because of an early injury to receiver Deondre Douglas. Willis had 136 yards on a New Orleans Bowl-record-tying 11 catches.

"I hated that Deandre went down, but like coach said, you can't flinch," Willis said. "I didn't flinch today."

Mason Fine passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns for North Texas (9-5), but was intercepted twice and fumbled twice. He finished with Mean Green single-season records of 4,052 yards and 31 TDs passing.

"Their font seven- that defensive line -- gave me fits all day," Fine said. "We never got in a rhythm. We never got comfortable."

The Trojans were threatening to take a three-touchdown lead in the second quarter when a bad snap sailed over Silvers' head and linebacker Colton McDonald scooped it for a 56-yard fumble return to make it 22-13. Fine later found Michael Lawrence for a 13-yard TD on a diving catch near the sideline, making it 22-20.

But early in the third quarter, Fine's short pass was deflected back to linebacker Hunter Reese, whose interception set up Silvers' keeper to make it 29-20.

Troy widened the lead when Silvers rifled a 59-yard TD pass down the middle to Tevaris McCormick, who had 107 yards on five catches.

Troy raced to a 15-0 lead, starting with Anderson's 1-yard run before converting Fine's first fumble -- forced by defensive tackle Jamal Stadom -- into Anderson's 2-yard touchdown.

THE TAKEAWAY

Troy: The Trojans received one vote in the last AP Poll, but might get more after arguably the greatest season in program history. One of the Trojans' 11 victories came on the road against, No. 16 LSU, which has a chance to finish with 10 wins.

North Texas: The Mean Green's struggles on defense this season meant its offense would need a clean, efficient performance. Instead, UNT was turnover-prone and struggled to protect Fine. Missing injured top rusher Jeffery Wilson only made matters worse as UNT had minus-8 yards rushing.

BATTERED

Fine was hit often and sacked six times, sometimes getting up slowly and limping -- but never leaving the game.

"Everybody who watched the game understands how tough he is," UNT coach Seth Littrell said. "He's not going to quit on his teammates. That's why he's so respected in our locker room."

Troy's sacks were split among six players.

"There's not a dominant guy on our defense because everybody makes plays," Stadom said.

DIVERGENT FORTUNES

A lingering knee injury denied senior Troy running back Jordan Chunn a chance to set a Sun Belt Conference career record for touchdowns rushing.

Troy did not reveal until kickoff that Chunn was unable to return from his Dec. 2 injury against Arkansas State.


Chunn has 47 career rushing TDs, one short of the league-record set by Tyrell Fenroy of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2008.

Chunn's absence, meanwhile, produced the first 100-yard day for Anderson, a fellow senior.

"I don't think you could really go out any (better) way," Anderson said.

UP NEXT

Troy's offense will have to move forward without Silvers and Chunn. Their replacements will debut in Troy's 2018 opener on Sept. 1 at home against Boise State.

North Texas has a relatively young squad with only a handful of senior starters. UNT will have to replace starters at safety, defensive end, linebacker and right tackle. North Texas opens 2018 at home on Sept. 1 vs. SMU.

Southern Mississippi: 2016 New Orleans Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS -- Allenzae Staggers set New Orleans Bowl records with 11 catches for 230 yards and also scored a touchdown to help Southern Mississippi beat Louisiana-Lafayette 28-21 on Saturday night.

Nick Mullens, the Southern Miss all-time leader in yards passing and passing touchdowns, finished his distinguished career by throwing for 346 yards and two TDs.

One of Mullens' TD tosses was a 6-yarder to running back Ito Smith, who also rushed for 138 yards and two scores.

However, Mullens' turnovers helped the Ragin' Cajuns keep the game competitive despite the Golden Eagles (7-6) outgaining ULL (6-7) 481 yards to 252.

Mullens' second-quarter fumble and fourth-quarter interception both led to Cajuns touchdowns, the latter on a short run by ULL quarterback Anthony Jennings that trimmed Southern Miss' lead to 28-21 with 5:10 to go.

ULL got the ball back once more, starting on its own 18-yard line with 2:02 to go, but Jennings' overthrew a fourth-down pass as he rolled right.

Jennings scored twice on runs for the Ragin' Cajuns, who often struggled to move the ball through the air. A transfer who once started for LSU, Jennings completed 8 of 20 passes for 95 yards. He was intercepted once -- by Tarvarius Moore on the Southern Miss goal line -- and sacked six times, including three times by Ja'Boore Pool.

REGROUPING

The Cajuns' composure was tested early. Mullens completed his first three passes for 127 yards and a touchdown to Smith, who also rushed for the game's opening TD as the Golden Eagles took a 14-0 lead inside the first 8 minutes.

But ULL methodically pulled itself back into the game, starting when Jennings led a nine-play, 66-yard drive capped by his 4-yard TD to make it 14-7. In the second quarter, Tre'maine Lightfoot's sack and strip of Mullens was scooped and returned 15 yards by Otha Peters to the Southern Miss 29, setting up a tying 12-yard TD run by reserve QB Dion Ray, who periodically ran plays out of a "wildcat" formation.

TAKING THEIR TIME

As the first half ended, Mullens rushed the Southern Miss offense to the line of scrimmage to try to spike the ball and stop the clock so the Golden Eagles could try a 45-yard field goal. The clock read zero after his spike, but officials ordered 1 second put back on the clock. Louisiana-Lafayette then used both of its remaining timeouts in an effort to disrupt kicker Parker Shaunfield's rhythm. After the second timeout, officials decided to review the previous play and ruled that time had expired after all, ending the half in a 14-all tie.

UP NEXT


Southern Miss: The first order of business is to find a replacement for Mullens, who leaves the Golden Eagles as the program's career leader in yards passing (11,994) and TD passes (87). Complicating that transition at QB is the departure of three-year starting center Cameron Tom and starting guards Oliver Bates and Brandon Farmer.

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Cajuns are expected to apply to the NCAA for another year of eligibility for Jennings, but prospects for approval appear slim. The next QB could come from the junior college ranks. The offense also loses Elijah McGuire, who ranks second all-time in rushing for ULL, and top receiver Al Riles.

Louisiana Tech: 2015 New Orleans Bowl Champions

It was quite the career capper for Louisiana Tech's seniors, as the Bulldogs rode a huge second half to a 47-28 New Orleans Bowl win over Arkansas State.

Louisiana Tech jumped out to a big 17-3 lead behind the arm of former Florida Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel and the legs of NCAA record-setting running back Kenneth Dixon. However, Arkansas State came back and tied the game up at 17 by halftime, and the Red Wolves answered the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the second half, as well.

But after that, Louisiana Tech pulled away, thanks in large part to Driskel. He threw for three touchdowns and over 450 yards in a dominating performance, as the Arkansas State secondary had no answer for the Bulldogs' passing attack.

It was a tough ending of the year for the Red Wolves, who went undefeated in Sun Belt play, including an impressive 40-27 win over Appalachian State. Quarterback Fredi Knighton rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown, but he struggled as a passer, completing just half of his passes. The defense just couldn't keep up with that kind of production.

Here are three things we learned from the game.

1. Jeff Driskel got his redemption

Driskel really struggled while at Florida under Will Muschamp, and he ended up transferring to Louisiana Tech. Driskel's decline with the Gators really began in the 2013 Sugar Bowl, when his team lost to Louisville, 33-23, despite coming in heavily favored. This New Orleans Bowl, also at the Superdome, gave him a chance at redemption.

"It's amazing how life works, I get another chance at making a memory at the Sugar Bowl," Driskel said, according to the announcers.

He certainly delivered, with three touchdowns and over 400 yards passing. It was a nice career capper, even if it was unexpected.

2. NCAA record for Kenneth Dixon

Dixon had himself a day, setting the career NCAA rushing and receiving touchdowns record with 87. He also set a New Orleans Bowl record with four touchdowns, and he did it while running out of his jersey number.

Dixon might lose the record to Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who plays Pitt in the Military Bowl, but this was Dixon's day to cherish.

3. Bad experience for the Sun Belt

The Sun Belt got a nice win from Appalachian State over Ohio, but the league had a chance to show that its champion could hang with a simply above average Conference USA team. Instead, Arkansas State, which laid an egg in the New Orleans Bowl after going through the Sun Belt slate unscathed. Bowl games really shouldn't determine how we think of conferences, but they do, and this isn't great for the Sun Belt.

Louisiana-Lafayette: 2014 New Orleans Bowl Champions

University of Louisiana-Lafayette coach Mark Hudspeth said Terrance Broadway's final game as a Ragin' Cajun was a fitting end for his senior quarterback. Playing for the final time at UL-Lafayette, Broadway passed for 227 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cajuns to a 16-3 victory against Nevada on Saturday in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

He was named the game's most outstanding player. He also earned that honor in 2012 when he led UL-Lafayette to a 43-34 victory against East Carolina.

It was, at times, a frustrating season for Broadway and the Cajuns. They started 1-3 and Broadway lost his favorite receiver, senior Jamal Robinson, to a knee and foot injury.

That meant establishing rapport with his other receivers, something that took time.

He hooked up with receiver James Butler eight times for 53 yards Saturday.

"The connection with me and James really picked up,'' Broadway said. "We've been on the same page throughout the year. James has really stepped up big for us.

"It's been team all year. All I want to do is be consistent. If I pass the ball seven times, I want to be 7-for-7. That's just how our offense rolls. Anybody on our offense could have been MVP (Saturday).''

Broadway completed his first 14 passes of the game. He directed the Cajuns to scoring drives on the first two possessions. He guided UL-Lafayette on a 77-yard, eight-play touchdown offensive to start the game, completing two passes for 29 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown strike to C.J. Bates that came on third down.

He also had a 15-yard run on the drive as the Cajuns moved efficiently, needing only one third down conversion, which came on the score with 11:26 left in the first quarter.

UL-Lafayette made it 10-0 with 2:55 left in the second quarter when senior kicker Hunter Stover hit a career-high 46-yard field goal. The Cajuns moved from their 11 to the Nevada 29 before the drive stalled. Broadway completed four passes on that drive for 27 yards and rushed for 10 yards.

"Terrance was spot on (Saturday),'' Hudspeth said. "Great way for him to go out.''

McGUIRE CONTRIBUTES: Nevada did a fair job of handling Cajuns' running back Elijah McGuire, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, for most of the game.

He just missed getting 100 yards rushing, finishing with 99 yards on 16 carries. He also had five receptions for 54 yards.

Wolf Pack coach Brian Polian said the plan was to limit UL-Lafayette's running game.

"We came into the game saying we had to stop the run,'' Polian said. "It's hard to look at the numbers and say we got blown up.''

FOURTH BEST CROWD: Though it wasn't the record crowd the New Orleans Bowl has enjoyed the previous three years, Ragin' Cajuns fans still had a respectable showing.

The announced crowd was 34,014, the fourth largest in the New Orleans Bowl history. The actual crowd was considerably smaller. But considering the early 10 a.m. start and fact that UL-Lafayette had been here the previous three years, it wasn't a bad showing.

ECT.: UL-Lafayette had 26 first downs, third most in New Orleans Bowl history, and held the ball for 36:54 to Nevada's 23:06, the best mark in bowl history. ... Cajuns senior kicker Hunter Stover made field goals of 46, 38 and 35 yards, tying the New Orleans Bowl record for most in a game. He missed his fourth attempt in the fourth quarter. ... The three points by Nevada was the fewest ever in New Orleans Bowl history.

**************

Trey Iles can be reached at riles@nola.com or 504.826.3405. 

Louisiana-Lafayette: 2013 New Orleans Bowl Champions

It was as cruel a way for Tulane's season to end as possible. Green Wave kicker Cairo Santos missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with nine seconds left that gave the University of Louisiana-Lafayette a 24-21 victory in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night before a record crowd of 54,728 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

It was UL Lafayette's (9-4) third straight victory in the New Orleans Bowl. And it prevented an impressive rally for victory by Tulane (7-6), which came back from a 21-0 second-quarter deficit.

Led by quarterback Devin Powell, the Wave drove from its 5 to the UL Lafayette 31 to set up Santos' attempt, which went wide left. It was a difficult way for Santos' career to end. He was the Lou Groza Award winner in 2012.

Tulane trailed 24-21 in the fourth quarter and drove from its 25 to the UL Lafayette 39. Facing fourth-and-10 at that point with less than eight minutes to play, Wave coach Curtis Johnson elected to punt instead of sending in Santos for a 56-yard field goal try.

UL Lafayette took over at its 9 then, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Jalen Nixon, and drove to the Tulane 49 before it was forced to punt with but 1:42 left.

Cajuns punter Daniel Cadona hit a beauty that put Tulane at its 5 with 1:35 to play.

The Cajuns took a 24-21 lead with 9:56 left in the fourth quarter thanks to a Powell interception.

Pinned at the Tulane 3 after a UL Lafayette punt, Powell dropped to pass. But he was hurried and threw up a poor pass with a lot of air under it that was picked off by Cajuns safety Sean Thomas at the Wave 25. UL Lafayette took over at the Tulane 13 but could do nothing with it, as the Wave defense held.

That brought on UL Lafayette kicker Hunter Stover, who booted a 27-yard field goal, the first attempt of his collegiate career, that gave the Cajuns a 24-21 lead with 9:56 to play.

The Wave rallied from a 21-0 first half deficit and tied the game thanks its defense in the third quarter.

Facing third-and-6 at the UL Lafayette 33, Cajuns quarterback Terrance Broadway was chased from the pocket and looked to throw it away. But his pass went into the waiting arms of Wave cornerback Derrick Strozier at the Cajuns’ 37. Strozier returned the ball to the UL Lafayette 17.

After a procedure call by Tulane pushed it back to the Cajuns’ 22, Wave running back Orleans Darkwa ran 22 yards to tie the score, 21-21, with 2:34 left in the third quarter.

The Cajuns looked to make it a blowout in the first half as they jumped to a 21-0 lead. UL Lafayette scored touchdowns on two of their first three drives and led 14-0 with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

UL Lafayette drove 65 and 73 yards, pounding the Wave up front with an impressive running game. Freshman running back Elijah McGuire ran 27 yards for the first score with 10:57 left on the Cajuns’ first offensive of the night to give them a 7-0 lead.

Running back Alonzo Harris made it 14-0 with a 15-yard run with 2:10 left in the second quarter as UL Lafayette had 143 yards at the end of the first 15 minutes.

Tulane picked itself up, though, driving from its 40 to the Cajuns’ 18 on the ensuing possession. That’s when UL Lafayette delivered what looked to be a kill shot. Cajuns’ cornerback Corey Trim picked off a pass by Green Wave quarterback Nick Montana and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown.

Trim jumped the sideline-route pass then went the distance to give UL Lafayette a 21-0 lead with 12:31 left in the first half.

But Powell came on after that and engineered a pair of touchdown drives to cut the Cajuns’ lead to 21-14 at the half.

Tulane drove 71 yards in nine plays for their first score of the night, a 1-yard run by Orleans Darkwa with 3:55 left in the second quarter.

But it was a fourth down gamble that breathed life into the Wave. Facing fourth-and-2 at the Tulane 48, Johnson elected to go for it and Powell delivered. He completed a 41-yard pass to Devon Breaux to the UL Lafayette 11. Two plays later, Darkwa scored.

The Wave defense helped set up the next score when cornerback Jordan Sullen picked off a pass by Broadway at the Tulane 35.

On the first play after the interception, Powell again came through with a 49-yard pass to Ryan Grant to the UL Lafayette 16. Darkwa capped the drive with a 7-yard run to cut the Cajuns’ lead to 21-14 with 1:58 left in the first half.

Powell finished the first half completing four of six passes for 109 yards. In fact, Tulane outgained the Cajuns on offense 243-185 in the first half.

Broadway was five of seven passing for 57 yards and rushed for 38 yards in the first half.

2010 New Orleans Bowl: Troy 48, Ohio 21

Trojans cruise past Bobcats | The Troy Messenger

http://www.troymessenger.com/2010/12/19/trojans-cruise-past-bobcats-in-new-orleans-bowl/

December 20, 2010

Published 12:42am Sunday, December 19, 2010

It was a little over a month ago when the Troy football team found itself in a troubling situation.

FIU had just taken control of the Sun Belt Conference thanks to a double-digit victory in Troy with only a handful of games remaining.

The Trojans were in a stretch where it had lost two of three games and was barely hovering above 500.

My, how much can change in a month’s time.

A month later, those worries were all but forgotten as the Trojans found themselves under the lights of the Superdome in its third visit to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, representing the conference as the champion, for a record fifth-straight time.

Troy Trojans' Tebiarus Gill (10) dives for a touchdown during the second quarter of the 2010 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. (Messenger Staff Photo/Thomas Graning)

And unlike the 2008 New Orleans trip, the Trojans will be returning home with some hardware for the efforts on the gridiron.

In the first ever meeting with the Ohio University Bobcats, the Trojans wasted little time in dispatching its opponents as it cruised to a dominating 48-21victory.

“We’re certainly proud to be sitting here before you as the victors over Ohio University in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl,” head coach Larry Blakeney said.

“We prepared well. I think our kids, after coming back off some really tough losses in the last half of the season, and then getting two wins and the help to get a co-championship, really helped us prepare well. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just the excitement of being in a bowl. When we play three-phase football and we take care of the kicking game and don’t turn the ball over on offense and tackle well no defense, normally, we’re a very difficult team to beat.”

This was Troy’s second bowl victory in the program’s history, with the first also taking place in the New Orleans Bowl against Rice back in 2006.

for the 2010 season, the Trojans finished 8-5.

If there was any question about which Troy team would take the field going into the game, those questions were answered almost immediately.

On offense, the Trojans were ruthless as it attacked the Bobcat defense through the air and on the ground, as it was led by two senior wide receivers.

Jerrel Jernigan made his presence felt early thanks to his 12-yard run that put his team up 7-0.

Troy Trojans' Jerrel Jernigan (3) runs the ball during the first quarter of the 2010 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. (Messenger Staff Photo/Thomas Graning)

The Eufaula-native would find the endzone two possessions later on a 16-yard pitch and catch from quarterback Corey Robinson.

Fellow Trojan Tebiarus Gill took the spotlight though.

Gill scored on receptions of 31, 17, and 26 in the first half of his first New Orleans Bowl game, helping give Troy a 38-7 lead at the half.

In the first half alone, three New Orleans Bowl records were broken by the overpowering Troy offense.

The 38 points scored were the most in the the bowl’s 10 year history, Taylor’s field goal was the longest and Gill’s three scores were the most by any player.

Gill would finish with 80 yards on four receptions.

In the first half alone, Troy out gained Ohio 371-79 in total yards, and 21-4 in first downs.

Defensively, the Trojans suffocated an Ohio offensive unit that was ranked in the Top 50 in points scored.

On the second play of the game, Troy defensive back Jimmie Anderson picked off a Phil Bates pass and quarterback Boo Jackson, who was one of the team’s leading rushers coming into the game, was sacked twice by Mario Addison.

Along with Addison, sophomore defensive end Jonathan Massaqoui got into the sack party, finishing with 2.5 for 18 yards.

He also led the team with eight total tackles, five of which were solo.

“Makes me feel proud to be a part of this organization,” Massaquoi said.

“We finished off strong today. The guys enjoyed themselves in New Orleans and we put on a big show. We showed the nation Troy’s here to compete.”

Not to be outdone by his teammates, Robinson continued his stellar play from the end of the season.

And that played resulted in the game Most Valuable Player Award when it was all said and done.

“They liked to man up on us and I liked our matchups with Jerrel and Tebiarus,” the quarterback said. “Those guys made me look good and it’s a sad day that they are leaving.

“The defense showed up and played very well (Saturday night). Jimmie’s interception was a huge momentum swing for us at the beginning of the game. There’s always mistakes being made, I’m just glad to get out of here with a win.”

Robinson finished the game completing 32-of-42 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns.

“He spent two off-seasons and two springs with us before he competed for the starting job,” Blakeney said.

“I really think that competition meant a lot to him. He won it because he worked hard at it. Corey’s made mistakes, but he’s learned a lot from those mistakes.”

The 48 points scored against the Ohio defense was the most allowed all season, topping the 43 points given up to Ohio State back in the third week of the season.

The Bobcats defense came into the game allowing an average of 22 points per game, which was good for 34th in the nation.

This was the second-straight game the Trojans scored 40 or more points.

The loss for the Bobcats drops Ohio to 0-5 in bowl games.

“It was clear that we had trouble controlling them from the very start in terms of what they were all about offensively,” Ohio head coach Frank Solich said after the game.

“They pretty much threw at will. They made some big plays after the catch and that eventually opened up the ground game for them and so they had both of them going.”

This was the fourth ever meeting between Blakeney and Solich.

Troy Trojans' Corey Robinson (6) celebrates after being named the MVP of the 2010 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. Troy defeated Ohio University 48-21. (Messenger Staff Photo/Thomas Graning)

While Solich may have gotten the best of Blakeney’s Trojan team when he was the head coach of Nebraska in blow out victories, the tables were turned this time around.

“I have the utmost respect for coach Solich,” Blakeney said.

“He means an awful lot to college football.”

Even though the offense did not put up quite as impressive numbers in the second half, it was still effective enough to keep the Trojans ahead for the remainder of the game.

A DuJuan Harris two-yard run and another Taylor field goal were the final scores on the night for the Trojans.

“We went through a couple tough times this season,” Blakeney said. “There is no doubt about it, we really had to look at ourselves and figure things out.

“I think tonight we played the best half of football I have seen in a long, long time. Our guys came in ready to go and executed everything currently. I think to a certain degree we put it on cruise control but we had the right to do that with such a big lead.”

The end of the game meant the end of 22 Trojan careers – one of which will be remembered as one of the all-time greats.

Troy Trojans' DuJuan Harris (32) runs the ball past Ohio Bobcats' Erik Benjamin (30) during the first quarter of the 2010 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. (Messenger Staff Photo/Thomas Graning)

Coming into the game, Jernigan has been sick with a stomach virus, however, that illness was not evident on the field.

The senior finished with 99 all-purpose yards, 48 receiving yards on seven catches and two scores.

“What more can you ask for?,” he said.

“Four years, four rings. I’ll miss Troy, I’ll miss the whole community, the whole Troy nation of fans.”

Troy finished with 602 total yards, while Ohio finished with 308.

The 48 points scored were a season high for Troy and the most ever scored by a team in the New Orleans Bowl.

Click here for more photos from the game.