Brigham Young: 2016 Poinsettia Bowl Champions

SAN DIEGO -- Jamaal Williams and the BYU Cougars are a good fit in San Diego bowl games.

Once a staple of the Holiday Bowl, the Cougars won their second Poinsettia Bowl on a rainy Wednesday night thanks mostly to Williams.

The senior gained 210 yards on 26 carries and scored once, and Tanner Mangum ran for a touchdown and threw for another to lead BYU to a 24-21 victory over Wyoming.

It was the sixth 100-yard game for Williams this year and the second time he gained more than 200. He ran for a career-best 286 against Toledo.

With BYU (9-4) leading 17-7, Williams gave the Cougars some breathing room when he broke a 36-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter. That TD was set up by Dayan Lake's interception of Josh Allen. The interception came one play after BYU's Micah Hannemann was ejected for targeting after a helmet-to-helmet hit on the sliding Allen.

Williams is BYU's career leader with 3,901 yards rushing. He also scored a touchdown in the Cougars' 23-6 Poinsettia Bowl victory against San Diego State in 2012.

"It felt like almost the same because I scored in both of them," Williams said. "It just brings back a whole bunch of memories, and in the same end zone, too. It just brought back a whole bunch of memories of my freshman year, but I was still in the game."

He praised his blockers, particularly wide receiver Jonah Trinnaman, for springing him on his scoring run.

"Honestly it was just great offensive line blocking and the tight ends and Jonah. Jonah is the man," Williams said. "That man had the best block in the world. I wanted to celebrate right there before I even scored."

Williams fell short of the Poinsettia Bowl record of 228 yards by San Diego State's Ronnie Hillman in 2010.

Wyoming, which lost to San Diego State in the Mountain West Conference championship game Dec. 3, finished 8-6.

"It was a play or two here or there," coach Craig Bohl said. "To go from two wins last year to where we are now, it's been a change of culture."

Brian Hill, who ran for 1,767 yards this season, didn't play the first quarter.

"That was my decision and that is all I'm going to say," Bohl said.

Hill scored on a 4-yard run in the third quarter and finished with 93 yards on 26 carries.

Allen brought the Cowboys back with touchdown passes of 9 and 23 yards to Tanner Gentry in the span of 3 1/2 minutes late in the game. The 23-yard scoring pass came with 2:11 left and pulled the Cowboys to 24-21.

Wyoming got the ball back one final time, but Allen tried a pass across his body into double coverage and it was intercepted by Kai Nacua, his sixth pickoff of the season.

This was the renewal of a rivalry that began in 1922 and ended when the Cougars left the Mountain West after the 2010 season.

Mangum ran for a 3-yard score late in the first quarter and then threw a crazy 5-yard touchdown pass that bounced off two Wyoming defenders before Tanner Balderree grabbed it to give BYU a 17-7 lead.

Mangum started in place of Taysom Hill, who strained his left elbow Nov. 26 against Utah State.

Hill scored on a 4-yard run for Wyoming in the third quarter.

LOSING THE HANDLE

With a heavy rain falling in the first quarter, Wyoming punter Ethan Wood fumbled the snap and teammate Dalton Fields recovered at the Cowboys 3.Two plays later, Mangum scored on a 3-yard run. The Cowboys also botched the hold on a field goal attempt in the third quarter.

UP NEXT

While this was the senior season for Williams and Hill, Mangum will be back next year as a junior. For the Cowboys, they hope this breakout seasons sustains them for several seasons.

Western Kentucky: 2016 Boca Raton Bowl Champions

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers threw to their tackle, ran a trick play from their victory formation and kept scoring touchdowns for Nick Holt, their one-and-done interim coach.

Senior Anthony Wales gained 329 yards from scrimmage and Western Kentucky earned a bowl victory for the third year in a row by beating Memphis 51-31 Tuesday night in the Boca Raton Bowl.

"Coach Holt gave us great energy," Wales said. "We all love him, and we were able to show everybody how great we are."

Oddsmakers had projected the game to be the highest-scoring of the bowl season, and even Western Kentucky left tackle Forrest Lamp got into the act, scoring on a 9-yard razzle-dazzle catch-and-run. The Hilltoppers (11-3) totaled 598 yards for Holt, who was filling in after coach Jeff Brohm left this month to become coach at Purdue.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Sanford was chosen over Holt as Brohm's replacement next season, and attended the game.

"I told the kids it has been two weeks of some of the happiest football of my life," Holt said. "They don't care really right now who's the head coach. They believe in each other."

Wales ran for a career-high 245 yards on 35 carries, added 84 yards on four catches and scored three times. Teammate Mike White threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Taywan Taylor had nine catches for 144 yards and his 17th touchdown of the season.

It was another successful finale for the Hilltoppers, who won the Miami Beach Bowl last year and the Bahamas Bowl in 2014.

Memphis (8-5) lost in a bowl game for the second consecutive year. The Tigers' Riley Ferguson threw for 372 yards and four scores, but they couldn't keep up with the Hilltoppers.

"They're good," Memphis coach Mike Norvell said. "A missed assignment, a bust in communication, and they can expose you."

TRICKERY

Holt, the defensive coordinator during the regular season, oversaw some creative play calling.

The Hilltoppers scored their second touchdown when Lamp, their 300-pound senior tackle, retreated from an unbalanced line, caught a lateral and scored for the first touchdown of his career.

"The last time I scored a touchdown was probably in my backyard against my little brother," Lamp said.

With 45 seconds left in the first half, the Hilltoppers lined up in the victory formation as if running out the clock. Instead Wales swept around left end for a 53-yard gain, but Western Kentucky failed to capitalize, throwing an interception on the next play.

INJURY REPORT

Ferguson missed one series with a leg injury when a defender was blocked into him as he threw an interception.

"He'll be fine," Norvell said.

MEMPHIS MILESTONES

Ferguson set a school season record with 32 touchdown passes. Anthony Miller had a career-high three touchdown catches and increased his season total to 14, a school record.


Jake Elliott kicked four extra points to finish 202 for 202 in his career, extending a streak of successful kicks that's the nation's longest. He did miss a 43-yard field goal try when it hit the left upright.

UP NEXT

This year Norvell became the third coach in Memphis history to achieve a winning record in his first season, and has built a strong foundation. The Tigers open the 2017 season at home Sept. 2 against Louisiana-Monroe.

"We've got a lot of hope and a lot of confidence in where we're going," Norvell said.

Sanford makes his debut with the Hilltoppers when they open next season at home Sept. 2 against Eastern Kentucky.

Tulsa: 2016 Miami Beach Bowl Champions

MIAMI -- Dane Evans passed for 304 yards and five touchdowns, three of those scoring throws going to Keevan Lucas, and Tulsa rolled past Central Michigan 55-10 in the Miami Beach Bowl on Monday afternoon.

Evans completed 28 of 38 passes for the Golden Hurricane (10-3), who scored on their first nine possessions and finished with six wins in the season's final seven games.

D'Angelo Brewer rushed for 105 yards, and James Flanders ran for another 100 and a score for Tulsa. Josh Atkinson and Chris Minter also caught scoring passes for the Golden Hurricane, and Jesse Brubaker ran an interception 66 yards back for another touchdown.

Cooper Rush was 24 for 49 passing for 241 yards for Central Michigan (6-7), throwing three interceptions in his final game with the Chippewas. Jahray Hayes ran for Central Michigan's lone touchdown.

Evans took over the top spot on Tulsa's career lists for touchdown passes (84), 300-yard games (16) and total offense (11,752). He already was the school leader in completions, attempts and yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

Central Michigan: Rush finished with 12,894 yards -- 11 shy of matching Dan LeFevour's Mid-American Conference record of 12,905. His last attempt as time expired would have given him the record, but fell incomplete. ... The Chippewas finished with five losses in their final six games, and went 3-7 after a 3-0 start. ... This was the third straight bowl trip for Central Michigan, but the Chippewas went 0-3 in them. ... The 6-7 record this season is Central Michigan's worst since going 3-9 in 2011.

Tulsa: With the outcome long decided, Tulsa took a knee on fourth-and-goal from the 5 with 1:44 left. ... This wasn't even Tulsa's biggest bowl win. It topped Bowling Green 63-7 at the GMAC Bowl to close the 2007 season.

HURRICANE HISTORY, TULSA VARIETY

Atkinson's 40-yard catch in the second quarter pushed him over 1,000 for the season. That made Tulsa the first FBS school to ever feature a 3,000-yard passer (Evans), two 1,000-yard rushers (D'Angelo Brewer and James Flanders) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Lucas and Atkinson).

HURRICANE HISTORY, MIAMI VARIETY

Marlins Park is built basically on the same site as the famed Orange Bowl -- the home field for the Miami Hurricanes for many years -- stood before it was demolished. One of the replay officials Monday was Terry Porter, who threw the infamous late-arriving flag in the Fiesta Bowl that decided the 2002 national title. Porter made a still-debated call that extended the game in overtime, and Miami lost to Ohio State in double OT.

UP NEXT

Central Michigan: It's time to find Rush's replacement. The 2017 season starts Aug. 31 at home against Rhode Island.

Tulsa: Like the Chippewas, the Golden Hurricane also need a new quarterback. Next season starts Sept. 2 at Oklahoma State.

Saint Francis (IN): 2016 NAIA Football Champions

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – (Box Score) Three touchdown receptions by NAIA All-America wide receiver Seth Coate propelled No. 4 Saint Francis (Ind.) to the programs first-ever national title with a 38-17 victory over No. 2 Baker (Kan.) at the 2016 NAIA Football National Championship, presented by Waste Pro. The banner comes 25 years to the day since the Cougar’s Hall of Fame head coach Kevin Donley won his first career title while at Georgetown (Ky.).

“It’d been 25 years since I’ve won one, and I sure as heck don’t want to wait another 25,” said Donley. “The last couple weeks I’ve had people ask me what makes this team so special. It’s unique people that care about each other. They love each other, and they have a passion for the game. There was a tremendous commitment from these guys for the last 11 months to get to this point today.”

Saint Francis, which entered the night 0-3 all-time in the national final, is the fifth champion out of the list six seasons from the Mid-States Football Association. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (2011), Marian (Ind.) (2012, 2015) and Grand View (Iowa) (2013) were the others.

Coate ended the game with nine catches for 180 yards – the most since Marian’s Anthony Jones Jr. went for 234 receiving yards in the 2014 championship – and three touchdowns. With the three scores, the Fort Wayne, Ind., native set the NAIA’s single-season receiving touchdowns record (25). Coate was named the National Championship’s Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game.

Cougar quarterback Nick Ferrer, who threw for only 63 yards in the first half, ended the game with 245 passing yards and three touchdowns – the 10th time he’s thrown for three-or-more scores. He completed 18-of-30 throws and was not intercepted for the eighth-straight contest.

Saint Francis defensive lineman Lucas Sparks was named the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game. He tallied six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Sparks also forced and recovered a fumble.

Outside of the game’s opening drive, which resulted in a 25-yard Clarence Clark field goal, Saint Francis controlled the tempo during the game’s opening 30 minutes en route to a 17-3 lead at the break. The Cougars held an 18:46 to 11:14 advantage in time of possession, and a 206-132 lead in total yards in the first half.

Saint Francis lit the scoreboard on its first drive of the game, as quarterback Nick Ferrer ended a seven-play, 56-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown strike to Coate. The score extended Coate’s NAIA record consecutive touchdown streak to 27 games – a standard previously held by Greg Thomas of Clinch Valley (Va.) (23 consecutive).

The Cougars added to their lead late in the first quarter, 10-3, on a season-best 44-yard field goal by Ryan Nix.

The first half scoring ended with Saint Francis’ Justin Green scampering 39 yards to pay dirt to round out the opening stanza’s scoring.

Baker cut the deficit to 17-10 with 6:35 left in the third quarter when Logan Brettell linked up with a diving Damon Nolan for a 13-yard touchdowns strike.

However, Saint Francis responded with a pair of long touchdown passes from Ferrer to Coate on back-to-back possessions to seize complete control of the game, 31-10, with a little over 12 minutes remaining. The first score was a game-high 59-yard scoring strike, followed by a 36-yarder after a Baker punt.

The two teams traded touchdowns over the course of the final four minutes with Baker’s Cornell Brown bursting through the pile for a 1-yard score before P.J. Dean of Saint Francis scampered 28 yards to lead to the final tally.

As a team, Saint Francis recorded 443 total yards, while Baker registered 403 yards.

Brown was arguably the player of the game for Baker, as the junior ran for 103 yards and a touchdown, while also leading the receiving corps with 13 catches for 81 yards. With the performance, Brown ends the year with 1,418 rushing yards and 871 receiving yards. He also accounted for 31 touchdowns.

Brettell, who on Friday was announced as the NAIA’s National Player of the Year, ended the game with 263 yards passing, including the aforementioned touchdown.

With the loss, Baker falls to 14-1 on the season and 0-2 all-time in the national championship. The Wildcats, whose other title game appearance came in 1986, was the only remaining unbeaten team in NAIA football.

2016 NAIA Football National Championship Awards
Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game – Seth Coate, Saint Francis (Ind.) (WR)
Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game – Lucas Sparks, Saint Francis (Ind.) (DL)

Saint Francis (Ind.) Game Notes
• Saint Francis becomes the 48th different NAIA program in the 61-year history to win the national championship.
• The football national championship is the third in Saint Francis school history – the women’s basketball team (NAIA Division II) won the banner in 2014 and the men’s basketball team (NAIA Division II) earned the title in 2010.
• Saint Francis earns its first football national title and moves to 1-3 all-time in the winner-take-all battle. The Cougars competed three-straight years from 2004-06, but came out on the losing end during those years.
• Saint Francis boasts 16 all-time appearances in the FCS and a 27-15 overall record. The FCS win total ranks third all-time, trailing Carroll (Mont.) (42) and former member Westminster (Pa.) (31).
• With a touchdown on their opening drive tonight, the Cougars now have reached the end zone offensively in seven of 14 games this year on its first offensive possession.
• Seth Coate, after a five-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, now has been on the receiving end of a score in 27-straight contests dating back to end of 2014 season. The mark is a NAIA record.
• Coate added a second receiving touchdown – a 59-yarder in the third quarter – to give him 24 touchdown receptions in 2016. That season total set a new NAIA record, breaking former Saint Francis’ wide receiver Jeremy Dutcher in 2000 – Dutcher went for 23 that season.
• Coate is the first player since 2014 to catch three touchdown receptions, after he found pay dirt from 36 yards out in the fourth quarter. He has now finished with three TDs in three of his four postseason games this year.
• Nick Ferrer went 18-for-30 passing tonight for 245 touchdowns and three touchdowns. He now stands with 51 total touchdowns on the year.
• Ryan Nix nailed a season-long 44-yard field goal in the first quarter. The length was the longest in a NAIA championship game since 2014.
• In the first half, the Cougar defense held Baker to 132 total yards of offense and three first-half points – Baker entered the game ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring (49.9) and No. 3 in total offense per game (546.1).
• Running back Justin Green eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in the first half with 104 yards. He posted his fourth-straight 100-yard contest as he went for just one 100-yarder in one of his first 10 games.
• Saint Francis head coach Kevin Donley is the NAIA active and all-time coaching wins leader with a 302-129-1 record. He is in his 38th year as a head coach and 18th as the leader of the Saint Francis football program.
• Championship Defensive MVP Lucas Sparks finished the campaign ranked in the top 10 in both total sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (23.0). He posted 1.5 sacks and 2.5 TFLs tonight.

Baker (Kan.) Game Notes
• Logan Brettell completed his first six passes (6-7) of the opening drive to four different receivers, which cumulated in a field goal by Clarence Clark (26 yards).
• Baker was ranked 21st nationally in third-down conversion defense (33.9%). Tonight, Saint Francis went 7-for-16 (44 percent) on 3rd down conversions.
• Baker faced its largest first-quarter deficit of the season (seven points).
• Ranked seventh in the NAIA in sacks against (1.00) – allowed five in Championship game.
• As a team, posted only 132 total yards of offense at halftime and finished with 403 total yards (ranked third in nation with 546.1 ypg)
• Cornell Brown set a season high in receptions (13)… his previous high was 11 against Benedictine (Kan.) on Sept. 24, 2016.
• Cornell Brown notched his 24th rushing touchdown of the year after his one-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter.
• This marked only the second game all year Baker did not have an interception on defense… Eastern Oregon was the other game.
• This was Baker’s first loss of the season and worst loss since 2013.
• Cornell Brown finished the game with 13 receptions for 81 yards and 18 rushes for 103 yards and a touchdown.
• Logan Brettell went 34-for-50 for 263 yards and one touchdown passing. The one touchdown was a season low for Brettell.
• Was 6-for-20 (30 percent) on third downs in the game – was 41.3% on third downs on season.

General Game Notes
• The team to score first has won each of the past 10 championship tilts. The last team to counter that was former member Sioux Falls (S.D.) in 2006 when the Cougars came from behind to defeat Saint Francis, 23-19.
• Saint Francis earned the fifth title in the last six years for the Mid-States Football Association.
• The Cougars led 17-3 at halftime. Five of the last six champions held the lead after 30 minutes.
• Saint Francis sophomore Justin Green rushed for 140 yards on 24 carries, becoming the first player to rush for 100 yards in a championship game since D’Angelo Jordan in a losing effort for Cumberlands (Ky.) in 2013.
• The 44-yard field goal by Saint Francis’ Ryan Nix in the first quarter was just the fourth 40-plus yard field goal in a championship game since 1997.
• With 44 seconds left in the third quarter, Saint Francis’ Nick Ferrer found Seth Coate for a 59-yard touchdown pass for the longest play of the game. The two also connected for the longest pass play of the postseason with a 91-yard pass against Missouri Valley.
• Coate had three touchdown receptions for the third time this postseason. He is just the second player with three touchdown catches in a championship game. His 180 yards on nine catches are the second most in a championship game.
• Baker quarterback Logan Brettell completed 34 passes to six different receivers. With the loss, the NAIA Player of the Year is now 7-7 in the championship game since the award began in 1997.
• The top Wildcat target was Cornell Brown with 13 catches, marking the third straight championship with a receiver making 10 or more receptions. His 13 catches are also a personal season-high.

NAIA National Championship Quotes
Saint Francis (Ind.)
Head Coach Kevin Donley
On winning the championship…
“It’d been 25 years since I’ve won one, and I sure as heck don’t want to wait another 25. It’s a great feeling. The last couple weeks I’ve had people ask me what makes this team so special. It’s unique people that care about each other. They love each other, and they have a passion for the game. There was a tremendous commitment from these guys for the last 11 months to get to this point today.”

On the first half fumble that led to a touchdown…
“I knew when we got the running game going, and it wasn’t as consistent as we would have liked, but that run forced them to do some things on the back end to get another hat in the box to stop the run and we were able to get a couple big plays in the second half from that.”

On matching up on the line…
“We’re in the toughest league in the NAIA. You get through our conference schedule and you get to the postseason, you position yourself to host a round or two, and you feel like you have a pretty good chance. We played their rival in the first round and scored 79, which gave us confidence. We knew Baker was a better football team, but we had confidence. I don’t think anyone doubted we were going to win this game.”

Quarterback Nick Ferrer
On using the deep passing game…
“They started to play run support heavy. They had to make a decision with their safeties and their back end with our running game if they wanted to bring their safeties down or cut those corners for run support on the outside. Once we had a little success with the run game, we decided to go up top and play action them, and used our double moves, and really opened up the game for us.”

Wide Receiver Seth Coates
On the St. Francis defense…
“We went into the half, and (Baker) had three points. They’re supposed to be this big high-powered offense. As an offensive player, I don’t think we were performing to our standard, to what we expected. So, we were in their thanking the defense for their efforts and told them if they get a couple more stops, we promised we’d go score for them. When you have great team play like that, special teams that are solid play by play, it’s hard to lose.”

Lucas Sparks
On using the pass rush to slow down the Baker passing game…
“We knew that we were really good pass rushers all season long. Coming into this game, we had 40 sacks this year, and the school record is 46. That’s something we really prided ourselves on was our ability to rush the passer. Them not really playing anyone like us, we felt we had an advantage and executed our moves.”

Baker (Kan.)
Baker Head Coach Mike Grossner…
“The stat sheet looks fairly even, but as you watch that game, we didn’t make enough plays. You have to make plays in big games and you can’t give up the big play in crucial situations, which we did. I thought in the third quarter we came out and got back in the game quickly. We were down one score and didn’t convert on a drive, and they punched it and got up two scores.”

On the Saint Francis Defensive Front…
“I think their front three and four guys got after us. We knew coming in if we could give Logan (Brettell) time to throw the ball down the field, we would have had some good opportunities. Their defensive front dictated to us in the passing game what we were trying to do. We knew going in they were pretty talented up front and that’s where they won the game.”

On quarterback Logan Brettell…
“Fantastic year. He got every possible award on and off the field. You look at the sheet, we threw the ball 50 times, but only had 263 yards. That tells you a lot about where the ball was going. It was going short. That’s the key to the game that we couldn’t get the ball vertical more.”

Defensive Lineman Nick Becker…
On the defensive breakdowns in the back end…
“That’s what they do, that’s their game, that’s what we saw on film. Their running back (Justin Green) hesitates and waits for guys to open up. We prepared for that, we knew what to expect, but coverage sometimes was too wide.”

Running back Cornell Brown…
On leading his hometown team to the championship game…
“It’s awesome. The home town has been supporting me the whole time, which is a good feeling. We had a good season, and it’s good for us to have that respect and support.”

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.

Arkansas State: 2016 Cure Bowl Champions

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Arkansas State senior wide receiver Kendall Sanders admits that he was pushed by his coaches and even teammates when he didn't want to be at times this season.

The Texas transfer came around as the Red Wolves' season progressed in his lone year with the program. Sanders finally put it all together in his final appearance Saturday night, catching five passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-13 rout of UCF in the AutoNation Cure Bowl.

It was almost like vindication for Sanders who missed two years of football after leaving the Longhorns under the controversy of a sexual assault case in which he was acquitted last year.

"I just had to continue to fight," said Sanders, who also took home the Cure Bowl MVP. "I just thank God for giving me another opportunity and I just tried to make the best of it."

Sanders speed opened up opportunities for big plays all night with quarterback Justice Hansen connecting with Sanders on touchdown passing plays of 12, 75 and 17 yards for a career night. His 75-yard touchdown reception on the third play of the second half set the tone for remainder of the game as the Red Wolves (8-5) went up by a commanding 24-10 just 51 seconds into the third quarter.

Sanders got by the safety, broke a tackle and outran the secondary to the end zone.

"Initially in my route I had to run a 20-yard route but I had just had the conversation with him (Hansen) and he was like just get past the safety," Sanders said. "So I kind of cut it short and tried to past the safety so he could see me and he hit me right in stride. From there I just used my God-given abilities."

It was a fitting ending to college career that was about perseverance.

"I really don't think he started out the season with too much confidence, he was rusty and had to get his feet underneath him," Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson said. "What you've seen him do the last five or six weeks he started playing better and better. That explosive play we had on the very first series of the second half, we desperately needed that to gain the momentum back."

The Red Wolves also received major contributions from their defense and special teams.

Arkansas State's defensive front, led by defensive end Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, swarmed UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton all night, giving him little time to find open receivers. But the special teams unit also came through big, contributing two turnovers that led to touchdowns and also blocking a punt for a touchdown.

"When you look at a team that is as good (defensively) as Central Florida is you know special teams has to come up huge," said Anderson.

For first-year UCF coach Scott Frost the biggest takeaway was learning how much more his team has to grow to take the next step.

"We got to get a lot better," said Frost, who team finished the year 6-7. "I think our payers gave us absolutely all they had and I think this group got about everything they could out of themselves."

TAKEAWAY

UCF: Clearly, Frost wasn't comfortable letting Milton throw the ball down field and that hurt the offense. Jawon Hamilton found little running room with Arkansas State stacking the box and the short passing game to Tre'Quan Smith rarely produced the desired results in a disappointing showing in front of the Knights home crowd.


Arkansas State: While the special teams units made most of the highlight plays, the defense was dominant throughout. Defensive end Ja'Von Rolland-Jones and linebacker Chris Odom kept the pressure on Milton and didn't give Hamilton any running lanes.

UP NEXT

UCF: The Knights could be a contender for the American Athletic Conference title next year but Milton has to take some big steps, especially with his mechanics. Too often he throws off his back foot which leaves passes well short of the receiver. Defensively Frost will have to find a way to replace his entire secondary.

Arkansas State: The Red Wolves lose quite a bit along the offensive line and on defense, but they have enough explosive players to run their string of postseason appearances to seven next season.

Appalachian State: 2016 Camellia Bowl Champions

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Marcus Cox, Taylor Lamb and the Appalachian State kicker came through again in the Camellia Bowl.

Cox rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown, Lamb ran for 126 yards and Michael Rubino kicked the go-ahead 39-yard field goal to lift the Mountaineers to a 31-28 victory over Toledo on Saturday night.

"We're getting used to this Camellia Bowl trophy right here," said Satterfield, adding that it rode next to him on the return flight last year and probably would again.

"We have so much fight and so much integrity in our football team. They do things right on and off the field. You can't win close games like this if you don't do things right on and off the field."

The Mountaineers got a couple of fourth-quarter reprieves after failing on a fake field goal.

Cox became the ninth FBS player with four 1,000-yard seasons and the 22nd to top 5,000 in his career. Game MVP Lamb passed for 119 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score and some key third- and fourth-down conversions.

Kareem Hunt covered 42 yards on four straight rushes to propel Toledo (9-4) down the field after the field goal. Damion Jones-Moore was stopped on third down.

Toledo took a delay of game penalty to line up the potential tying kick. Jameson Vest pushed his 30-yard field goal attempt wide right with 1:48 remaining.

"If we had to go out and do it again, I'd kick the field goal again," first-year Rockets coach Jason Candle said. "I trust in our kicker and I trust in our protection. That was not the reason why we lost the game."

Each of the first three Camellia Bowls have gone down to the final minutes, decided by a combined 10 points.

Rubino, a freshman, opened the season with two missed field goals and a missed extra point attempt in an overtime loss to Tennessee. He finished in much better fashion.

"He's come a long way," Satterfield said.

The teams traded a pair of touchdowns each an 8-minute span of the third quarter, forging a deadlock heading into the fourth.

The Mountaineers converted two fourth-down plays to jump ahead the first time, including Lamb's 13-yard run off a play fake to Cox.

"All 11 guys on defense went to Marcus," Lamb said. "I just went around the edge and there was nobody in sight."

They also got a 94-yard kick return down the right sideline by freshman Darrynton Evans, who skipped away from the grasp of one final diving defender.

Toledo answered with Thompson's 4-yard touchdown catch and a 1-yard plunge by Hunt. Woodside set up the second touchdown with a 58-yard bomb to Thompson.

"This senior class had a storied career," Candle said. "Guys like (senior safety) DeJuan Rogers have no reason to hang their head."

On the Mountaineers' fake, holder Bentlee Critcher's pass to Collin Reed fell incomplete.

THE TAKEAWAY

Toledo: Logan Woodside completed 18 of 26 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He came in leading the nation with 42 TD passes. Hunt broke Chester

Taylor's school career rushing mark.


Appalachian State: Gained 297 rushing yards. Held Toledo, which came in averaging 529 yards, to 374 total yards

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Appalachian State reached 10 wins, at least making a case to finish in the rankings.

UP NEXT

Toledo loses five starters on each side of the ball, including Hunt. But the potent passing duo of Woodside and Thompson will both be seniors next season. Opens 2017 season at home against Elon Phoenix on Aug. 31.

Appalachian State must replace Cox, but gets back Lamb and has a number of underclassmen returning who are either starters or backups. Opens at Georgia on Sept. 2.

San Diego State: 2016 Las Vegas Bowl Champions

LAS VEGAS -- Donnel Pumphrey seemed nowhere near as excited about the chance to become the NCAA career rushing record as his San Diego State teammates during the week leading up to his final game.

Fittingly, when he broke the record on a 15-yard toss sweep to the right early in the fourth quarter, Pumphrey ended being pushed out of bounds on the sideline where he could be immediately swarmed by his friends and coaches.

Pumphrey passed former Wisconsin star Ron Dayne's mark of 6,397 yards and wrapped up his sensational career in his Nevada hometown with 6,405 yards, earning the game's most valuable player honors.

Pumphrey's senior total of 2,133 yards rushing ranks in the top 10 for an FBS player.

"It means the world to me," Pumphrey said on the field immediately after the game as his father wiped away tears before hugging him.

It means just as much to his teammates.

"It's emotional," running back Rashaad Penny said. "To watch that guy do what he do and accomplish so many goals, it's amazing."

"We're just as fired up as he is," linebacker Calvin Munson said. "All of our defensive guys hate him in practice because he is good and he gets us better. He couldn't have done it without the O-line, the fullbacks, the offense.

"I'm just trying to take some credit for you," Munson joked, with a smiling Pumphrey sitting next to him.

Head coach Rocky Long turned to Munson and responded: "You don't block anybody."

Ron Smith returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown, Curtis Anderson caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Christian Chapman, Juwan Washington ran for a touchdown, and John Baron kicked two field goals for the Aztecs (11-3). They overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit against the Cougars (9-4) to turn their second consecutive bowl win into a laugher.

Neither the victory nor Pumphrey's record-setting performance seemed likely after Houston's defense absolutely smothered the Aztecs in the first quarter. Led by freshman Ed Oliver, Houston had seven tackles for loss on San Diego State's first 16 plays. Pumphrey had minus-1 yard rushing on seven carries in the first quarter and the Aztecs didn't have a first down until the first play of the second quarter -- on a penalty for running into the kicker.

"The first quarter, they came out with more intensity than we did, at least their defensive side of the ball," Pumphrey said.

But Pumphrey started to gash Houston on the perimeter, giving San Diego State the lead for good on a 32-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, and the defense intercepted four of Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr.'s passes in the second half.

"When you are leaving your defense out there too long that's what happens," Houston coach Major Applewhite said. "When you give a great back that many at-bats and that many opportunities, one is going to hit at some point and it did."

Ward threw for 229 yards and had a 2-yard touchdown run, tying Bryce Beall's school record of 39 rushing touchdowns.

Houston finished with 254 yards of total offense and just 25 yards rushing.

"They beat the crap out of us," tight end Tyler McCloskey said. "We didn't show up. We didn't execute the way we needed to."

THE TAKEAWAY

San Diego State: The running game for the Aztecs was historic. Not only did Pumphrey set NCAA and school records, but Penny topped the 1,000-yard mark to give San Diego State the first college backfield with a 2,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard rusher in the same season. Capping its most prolific rushing season ever, San Diego State had 127 yards on the ground against the nation's No. 3 run defense.

"We a run-first team," Penny said. "That's all we count on."

Houston: Oliver is the real deal, finishing his remarkable freshman season with 23 tackles for loss and five sacks after picking up 3.5 stops in the backfield in his first bowl game. With his knack for delivering in showcase games -- Oliver had 8 1/2 tackles for loss, four sacks and a forced fumble against Oklahoma, Louisville and San Diego State -- it wouldn't be a surprise if his second season ends with national awards.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Aztecs could find themselves ranked in the final poll for the first time since 1977. Houston's tumultuous season will end outside the Top 25.

HE SAID IT

"They don't get their per-diems unless they show up for curfew, so they were all there because they love money." -- Long on why his team obeyed curfew this week.


Houston wide receiver Chance Allen, who had a team-leading six touchdown receptions this season, did not play after breaking curfew Thursday night.

UP NEXT

San Diego State: The Aztecs must replace four starters on the offensive line, but should be contenders to defend their Mountain West title for a third consecutive season with a strong group of returning skill players.

Houston: After dropping his first game as head coach, Applewhite must build a staff. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando is set to join Tom Herman at Texas, and the American Athletic Conference is not lacking for offensive firepower.

New Mexico: 2016 New Mexico Bowl Champions

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Coach Bob Davie waited a long time for this moment. It had been quite a while for his New Mexico Lobos, too.

Davie earned his first career bowl victory when the Lobos, boosted by a pair of short touchdown runs from Richard McQuarley, beat Texas-San Antonio 23-20 Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl.

Davie had been 0-4 in bowls -- three when he coached at Notre Dame, then last year with the Lobos in this event.

"There wasn't a whole of jumping up and down and whole lot of screaming and a whole lot of carrying on afterward in the locker room," Davie said.

"But after the season that we had, it's more feeling. You don't experience this a whole lot of times," he said.

The Lobos' previous postseason win came in the 2007 New Mexico Bowl over Nevada. Before that, it was a victory in the 1961 Aviation Bowl.

In his fifth season at New Mexico, Davie completed the turnaround of a program that won three total games in the three seasons before his arrival.

The Lobos lost last year's New Mexico Bowl to Arizona.

"These players, I've talked to them in depth about enjoying the moment and definitely this afternoon was a great moment that doesn't come along very often," Davie said.

"It's another building block," he said. "That's what a college program is. You keep taking steps and you keep building and building and building. ... So there is no question that winning the last game is big."

Jarveon Williams ran for 125 yards for the Roadrunners (6-7), who lost in their first bowl appearance in the program's six-year history.

Despite the hype around New Mexico's triple-option threat and the Lobos leading the nation in rushing, the Roadrunners ran for more yards than the Lobos.

"We didn't make enough plays today," Williams said after his eighth game of running for at least 100 yards.

New Mexico quarterback Lamar Jordan rushed for 81 yards and threw a 34-yard pass to Dameon Gamblin that set up McQuarley's 1-yard burst for a 23-13 lead with 2:22 left.

Dalton Sturm threw two TD passes for Texas-San Antonio, including a 4-yard toss to JaBryce Taylor with 25 seconds remaining. The Roadrunners failed to recover an onside kick.

Six Lobos combined for 219 yards rushing. New Mexico was able to keep UTSA's big-play receivers mostly in check amid windy conditions.

Although the wind may have played a factor in some passes, Roadrunners coach Frank Wilson said there were other passes receivers dropped that they normally catch.


"We finished second. Period," Wilson said. "The weather didn't determine the outcome of the game."

THE TURNING POINT

The Lobos' fourth-quarter drive to a touchdown took more than seven minutes off the clock in a game that saw few passes.

"We didn't have a lot of offense," Davie said. "But when we needed it there in the fourth quarter after UTSA scored to make it a 3-point game, we had enough offense."

UP NEXT

New Mexico: The Lobos will try to capture their first Mountain West championship next year. Davie said a bowl win was key for Lobos recruiting to the next level. The Lobos open next season against Abilene Christian.

UTSA: Athletic officials from UTSA say they came to win the New Mexico Bowl but felt the bowl appearance would help get on potential recruits' radars, especially in Texas where some powerhouses are currently struggling. The Roadrunners will open next season against Houston.

Grambling State: 2016 Celebration Bowl Champions

ATLANTA -- Grambling State seized the opportunity when North Carolina Central's Quentin Atkinson celebrated too much in the Celebration Bowl.

Grambling State blocked an extra-point kick set back 15 yards by Atkinson's excessive celebration with just over two minutes left, holding off North Carolina Central 10-9 on Saturday in the bowl that decides bragging rights for historically black colleges and universities.

Joseph McWilliams surged in and swatted Brandon McLaren's 35-yard try with 2:14 remaining to preserve the Tigers' edge.

Down 10-3, the Eagles had a chance to pull even after Atkinson shook loose and caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from scrambling Malcolm Bell. But Atkinson took off his helmet while reveling with the crowd, drawing a personal foul penalty.

"I kind of felt fault for that," Atkinson said. "I do want to apologize to my team for that because that was a selfish act. I'm not selfish, but it was the heat of the moment and I was excited to bring the team back with an outstanding play."

Bell called Atkinson's mistake "kind of a bonehead play" but said the team also was hurt by other mistakes in the game.

North Carolina Central coach Jerry Mack said the longer extra point still should have been made if not for a missed block on McWilliams.

Martez Carter's 32-yard touchdown run to open the second half gave Grambling State (11-1) its first lead. The Tigers earned the bowl bid by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

The Eagles (9-3) won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in Mack's third year.

Trailing 3-0 at halftime, Grambling State opened the third quarter with a run-first plan. Following five power runs by 240-pound running back Jestin Kelly, the 175-pound Carter looked extra-quick on his sharp cuts through the line on his touchdown run.

"Jestin Kelly, he's a ground-and-pound type guy," Carter said. "He wore those guys down. I'm just a home-run hitter, man. He wore them down and then they put me in. What else are you going to do? You take those blows from him and then try to take me."

Carter had 109 yards rushing, two catches for 23 yards and a combined 71 yards on four punt and kickoff returns. He was named offensive MVP. Kelly added 65 yards rushing.

The Tigers threw only one play-action pass for a short gain on the touchdown drive.

Grambling State's defense later set up more points. Arkez Cooper sacked Bell, forcing a fumble recovered by Malcolm Williams at the Eagles 25. The turnover set up a 26-yard field goal by Jonathan Wallace.

McLaren's 23-yard field goal provided the only points of the first half.

THE TAKEAWAY

Grambling State: The Tigers placed a cap on their continued strong progress made in three years under coach Broderick Fobbs, who won seven and nine games, respectively, in his first two years. Fobbs, who played for former coach Eddie Robinson, showed on the national stage the program has returned to prominence as a force among historically black colleges.

North Carolina Central: Despite being a two-touchdown underdog, the Eagles played even with Grambling State, posting a shutout in the first half.

QB NUMBERS

Bell completed 18 of 32 passes for 240 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He had several passes dropped, including a would-be touchdown catch by Atkinson in the first half. Devante Kincade completed 15 of 31 passes for 149 yards with an interception for Grambling State.

HERE TO STAY


Both coaches praised the second-year Celebration Bowl as the more attractive alternative to a possible spot in the FCS playoffs.

"It exceeded all expectations," Fobbs said. "This deal is here to stay."

Added Mack: "The way we've been treated ... I would rather come back to this game next year."

UP NEXT

Grambling State: The Tigers will return a good talent base, including Kincade, as they try to defend their SWAC championship. They'll need to replace six starters on offense and 10 overall. Key losses from the defense include noseguard Blain Winston and leading tacklers Guy Stallworth and Cooper.

North Carolina Central: The Eagles must replace nine senior starters, including six on offense, as they look to defend their MEAC championship. Freshman Naiil Ramadan was listed as the top backup to Bell at quarterback. The Eagles also lose four of their five starting offensive linemen, with only left tackle Nick Leverett returning. The Eagles have not released their 2017 schedule.

Northwest Missouri State: 2016 NCAA Division II Football Champions

The weather was frightful, but the outcome of the NCAA Division II football championship game was delightful for Northwest Missouri State.

The Bearcats outlasted North Alabama 29-3 in wintry conditions that included snow falling from the kickoff through the game’s conclusion.

The temperature was 13 degrees with a minus-4 wind chill when the game started and dropped from there.

The snow was a dusting at first but soon covered the field and fell at such a pace in the second half that workers at Children’s Mercy Park were constantly clearing the sidelines with leaf blowers and shovels. The yard lines were guesswork throughout the game.

For North Alabama quarterback Jacob Tucker, the problems started after a few plays in a series.

“I’d come from the sideline and my hands were warm and dry,” Tucker said. “But you’d get tackled and my hands would get wet and freeze. It’s something I hadn’t experienced before.”

Northwest Missouri State was in better shape to handle the conditions. The Bearcats are a power team; the Lions rely on speed and getting the edge. That wasn’t possible Saturday. Northwest Missouri outrushed North Alabama 226-22.

“I certainly do think it played into our favor,” Bearcats coach Adam Dorrel said. “We know if you want to win playoff games you have to be able to punt and kick into the wind, run the football, play action. We’ve tried to build our team around days like today.”

It took a while, and a change of offensive pace for Northwest Missouri to get rolling. Starting quarterback Kyle Zimmerman injured his right shoulder in last week’s semifinal victory over Ferris State and didn’t finish the game. The team didn’t know until Thursday that he would start.

He did, but the Bearcats benefited from Randy Schmidt, a wide receiver, lining up in the wildcat on its first touchdown.

Schmidt took the snap and went a couple of steps to his right before pitching the ball forward to Jordan Grove. The shovel pass covered 7 yards for the touchdown.

North Alabama had an earlier opportunity, but Northwest Missouri safety Jack Young intercepted a Tucker pass in the end zone.

“I didn’t make the best decision, and they took advantage of the bad decision,” Tucker said.

The Lions got on the board with their most impressive drive that started after the Bearcats’ first touchdown. North Alabama went 60 yards in less than a minute and booted a short field goal.

The teams traded turnovers to open the second half, and Northwest Missouri got the better of the deal.

Tucker was taken down by linebacker Jacob Vollstedt and lost the ball. Ben Spaeth was there for the recovery, and the Bearcats started on the North Alabama 40.

Zimmerman set up a touchdown with a 19-yard keeper. Running back Phil Jackson powered in from the 2 on the next snap.

The Bearcats had their insurance, and would add a safety, a Zimmerman touchdown pass to tight end Shane Williams and a short scoring run by Jackson to pad the advantage and turn things over to a defense that never let North Alabama have a chance.

The Lions finished with 201 total yards, and sacked Tucker four times, with 2  1/2 credited to Cass Weitl.

“We had a game plan to make (Tucker) spill out, and we executed the game plan really well,” Weitl said.

The ball was slippery for both teams but Northwest Missouri took advantage on special teams, putting constant pressure on North Alabama’s punting team. The Lions had a couple of costly bad snaps, and the Bearcats took advantage of field position.

It added up to the program’s sixth Division II championship. That breaks a tie with North Dakota State for the most in the classification.

It’s also the third championship for Dorrel, matching the total of legendary Northwest Missouri coach Mel Tjeerdsma.

Mary Hardin-Baylor: 2016 NCAA Division III Football Champions

SALEM, Va. -- Blake Jackson knew that, more than usual, Mary Hardin-Baylor's fortunes were going to be in his control with the NCAA Division III title at stake.

The dual-threat quarterback embraced it, running for 119 yards and a touchdown and leading the Crusaders to a 10-7 victory over Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on Friday night for their first football national championship.

"I like the pressure. I like the challenge," the senior said. "Thank you to the coaches for believing in me."

Jackson carried 28 times for the Crusaders (15-0), and completed 16 of 27 passes for 171 yards with an interception. The Crusaders virtually ignored running back Markeith Miller, who arrived with nearly 1,500 yards rushing, but gained just 11 on nine carries.

"We had trouble running the ball," coach Pete Fredenburg, who started the Crusaders' program 19 years ago, said. "Blake took up the slack. We felt like he was going to have to be the catalyst for our offense."

Jackson's touchdown came on a 1-yard run with 3:16 left in the second quarter, and was the final score of the game.

"There was a ton of athletes out there tonight on both sides of the ball," Titans coach Pat Cerroni said. "Great athletes, but No. 7 (Jackson) was exceptional."

Dylan Hecker ran 2 yards to give the Titans (13-2) a 7-0 lead after just 6:22, but Oshkosh could never find that rhythm again. The Titans drove to the Crusaders 35 in the final minute, but Matt Cody intercepted Brett Kasper's fourth-and-10 pass from the 35 to clinch the victory.

"Don't drop it," Cody said he thought as the clinching play came spiraling toward him.

Kasper finished 20 for 33 for 185 yards with two interceptions. The Titans were held to 30 rushing yards on 29 attempts.

The Titans were playing in the championship game for the first time. Mary Hardin-Baylor lost in its only previous appearance in 2004.

THE TAKEAWAY

Mary Hardin-Baylor: Jackson and the offense get the credit for scoring points, but the Crusaders' defense held the Titans scoreless after the offense turned it over three times -- at midfield, at the Crusaders 27 and at the Titans 6 while looking for a cushion touchdown. The defense also stopped Oshkosh three times on fourth down -- twice inside the Crusaders 30 and then on the game's penultimate play.


Wis.-Oshkosh: The Titans run a modified 3-4 defense, with virtually no pass rush, and it backfired on them in the first quarter when the Crusaders used a 20-play, 66-yard drive to get their first points on a 22-yard field goal by John Mowery. On the drive, Jackson ran around behind the line unchallenged, at times finding receivers downfield and other times running through gaps for yardage. The Crusaders converted their first five third downs on the drive before settling for the field goal.

BIG KICK

John Mowery's 22-yard field goal was the difference, and he seemed like a liability to the Crusaders coming in.

He's made just 8 of 15 field goal tries on the season, with a long of 42, but was true when a 20-play drive stalled at the Titans 5.

Mowery later missed a 19-yard try, while Oshkosh, whose kicker Eli Wettstein was 16 for 22 on the season with a long of 50, was left on the sidelines for the Titans' final play. A field goal try would have been a career-best 52-yarder.

MISCELLANY

Jaedon Johnson's interception for Mary Hardin-Baylor was their 33rd of the season. Cody's was their 34th. ... Hecker's touchdown run was his 17th of the season, but he finished with just 29 yards on 13 carries. ... Miller's first touch for the Crusaders came on their 22nd play from scrimmage, and he was stopped without a gain. ... In a game that tied for the second-lowest scoring in Stagg Bowl history, the Crusaders finished 11 for 18 on third down and the Titans were 8 for 17.

I Always Thought Bowl Games Were For College Teams.

I always thought bowl games were restricted to college teams and to the best two teams in the National Football League, North America's premier gridiron competition and the main gridiron competition of record around the world. Then I am reminded of the classic series called Eyeshield 21, which talks about the legacy of the Daimon Devil Bats and their ace, Sena Kobayakawa, who leads their senior high school to untold glory culminating in their crossroads game, the Christmas Bowl, the prep equivalent of the Koshien Bowl in the college ranks, the Japan X Bowl in the X League, and the Rice Bowl overall.

A school from near downtown Long Beach, St. Anthony High School, whose grounds are adjacent to the local parish church representing the great city of Long Beach, California, is on the verge of winning its first state championship in the history of its long program. According to Mike Guardabascio of the Press-Telegram, Long Beach Poly last won the title in 1919. This would end a 97-year wait for a state championship in football to return to the city.

It's hard to believe that St. Anthony, a team whose last CIF title came in 1948, would be on the verge of history, something along the lines of the Chicago Cubs ending a long streak of futility. These things don't happen very often and the Saints, managed by Mario Morales, come into the CIF Division 4A State Bowl as favorites to silence the Pleasant Valley High School Vikings of Chico, California, coached by Mark Cooley. It's as simple as the Four Horsemen of the Purple Apocalypse having big days: Johnny Buksa V, Byron "B.J." Busbee Jr., Talaun Patton and Nico Ragas. If the Four Horseman dominate on both sides of the ball, it's a straightforward affair.

No one would be wise to sell Pleasant Valley, the rivals of Chico High School, short. They are led by a quarterback named Kyle Lundquist, who passed for 2,016 yards and 23 yards during the regular season. Ryan Busby (different spelling) is the Vikings' main back, with 718 yards and eight majors, while Payton Williams had 604 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season. Trevor Owens (374 receiving yards, four TD) and Max Andersen (365 yards, five TD) are other seniors looking for a big day out to cap off their careers. Solomon Navarro is their leading tackler with 42 tackles and six sacks during the regular season.

PV have a 10-3 record, and were tied for first in the Eastern League of the Northern Section with a 4-1 record. Placed in Division II, they defeated Shasta 53-13 before delivering a famous 20-6 upset win over Paradise before bouncing Milpitas in Oroville 24-21.

As for St. Anthony, despite setbacks to the likes of fellow postseason participants Valley Christian and Long Beach Wilson, the Saints (ranked 695th in the nation, 61st in the state), finished the regular season 8-2 before going on an epic postseason run. St. Anthony finished 3-0 in the Santa Fe League and were placed in the CIF Southern Section Division 10 playoffs. A close call against Cerritos Gahr (24-21) was followed by blowout wins over Goleta Dos Pueblos (60-28) and Riverside Rubidoux (56-21) before a thrilling 33-32 win over Aquinas in San Bernardino that forced the Saints to take a long hard look at themselves in terms of game management and playing away from home.

However, St. Anthony recovered well enough to slam Yorba Linda 55-23 to win the Southern California 4A title and will be playing their bowl game at the same venue...wait for it...Veterans' Memorial Stadium, the home of the Long Beach City College Vikings and the 2016 Western State Bowl. So the stadium will have hosted two prep bowls and a junior college bowl game within the span on a month, and all this without Long Beach Poly or Los Alamitos being involved!

Buksa has passed for 2,815 yards and 31 touchdowns against just six interceptions while  Patton has been a massive help in establishing a sound ground game, with 1,165 yards and 18 majors. Buksa has been on fire running the option game, rushing for 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns while Busbee has 460 rushing yards and nine TD. Another option for the future is sophomore Markell Sayles, with 794 yards and 11 scores on the ground.

As a receiver, Busbee had 1,023 receiving yards and eight majors, while Ragas has 919 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Aaron Strickland is a receiver for the future, with 341 yards and five touchdowns through nine games in action. Busbee is the leader in all-purpose yards for the Saints with 2,224 yards. As a special teams threat, Busbee has 367 kickoff return yards and 294 punt return yards and was explosive last weekend against the Mustangs. Junior Noah Nieto is the younger brother of senior Amitai Nieto and has 71 tackles to his credit. Junior Dominick Tucker leads in sacks with 8.0 to his name.

Based on stats and quality of opposition, this bowl is St. Anthony's to lose. If the Four Horsemen get to work early and often, this will be a done deal by three-quarter time. Pleasant Valley will need a pleasant performance from its Viking defense in the home of Long Beach's Vikings or it will be a more-than-unpleasant night out in Long Beach for the pride of the Northern Section in the battle for state bragging rights in the 4A Division of the California Interscholastic Federation. I guess high schools can have bowl games, too.

Prediction: St. Anthony 63, Pleasant Valley 21

Lamar Jackson: 2016 Heisman Trophy Winner

NEW YORK -- Louisville came ready to promote quarterback Lamar Jackson at ACC media day in July, with a slew of notepads emblazoned with his name and picture placed right next to the school's football guide.

The move was bold and rarer still considering Jackson was about to begin his true sophomore season and had seven career starts. But coach Bobby Petrino felt so strongly about his young quarterback that he gave the go-ahead to begin promoting Jackson.

Among the 28 players gathered, Jackson was the only sophomore. But he never betrayed his age. He smiled but said little, a player known more for his highlights than his sound bites. Still, it is hard to imagine that anybody in Louisville could have envisioned what was about to unfold.

Week 1. Charlotte. Jackson scored on a 36-yard touchdown run on the opening drive. Then he delivered another score and another. Eight touchdowns -- including six passing -- and 405 total yards later, one name resonated across the country: Lamar Jackson.


What a whirlwind season for Louisville's Lamar Jackson, who led the Heisman Trophy race for almost the entire season. Mark Zerof/USA TODAY Sports
After that game, Jackson tried to exit the stadium but couldn't because fans swarmed him for autographs. A Louisville official noticed and told those assembled that Jackson needed to get going for treatment, whisking him away.

He asked Jackson how long he'd been standing there signing. "Twenty minutes," Jackson said. He would have kept on signing had nobody intervened, but Louisville realized after one week that it had a phenomenon on its hands.

His legend only grew after an otherworldly performance against Syracuse, in which he had 610 yards and five touchdowns and his signature Heisman moment: the Lamar Leap that has been immortalized by a photo of him in midair with his legs outstretched.

At the following home game against Florida State, Jackson made the Seminoles look woefully unprepared for his skills in the run game. He again piled up the yards and touchdowns. His 47-yard run through the middle of the Florida State defense ended with a spin off two defenders at the goal line for his last score of the game.

It was an almost incomprehensible site: an under-the-radar prospect from Florida making four- and five-star defenders -- many from his home state -- look completely and totally lost.

When Lamar Jackson started football at 8 years old, his mother knew he had a gift. She did everything from making him run drills on the beach to putting on pads herself to ensure he was the best.

Knowing a throng of fans would be waiting for Jackson after the game, Louisville officials had him jump into a car. One fan with two helmets begged for Jackson to sign them. Jackson politely declined. When the car started to pull away, the man put one helmet on, carried the other in his arms and ran after the car, screaming for it to stop. Louisville decided in early October that autographs would be off-limits.

Jackson remained nonplussed as the hype started to build. More people started to recognize him on campus, at the mall and in restaurants. He politely smiled but quickly learned it would be best to stay in his room and play video games in the few free moments he had.

He didn't turn on the television to watch his own highlights or hear what analysts thought about him.

"I tried not to pay attention to it, just tried to go out there and win games," Jackson said. "If you fall off, anything can happen. Just got to keep grinding."

There is a reason for that. Jackson grew up with a mom who emphasized character, humbleness, work ethic and drive. He didn't go to parties growing up; he rarely went out anywhere unless his mom approved.

She wanted him to stay focused on living up to the potential she saw in him from an early age. They worked out six days a week, often multiple times a day. He would complain often; she did not care. She coached him and trained him, and she raised him, alternating roles with ease. When anybody asks Jackson how he reached this point, the only answer he gives is: "my mom."

As Jackson dominated each opponent he faced, the question became: How best to stop him? One reporter asked Syracuse coach Dino Babers a few weeks after the teams played, and he responded with blunt honesty: "Based off of our performance, I don't have the right to give an opinion on that."

Florida State could not stop him, either, and neither could Clemson. Although the Cardinals lost to the Tigers, Jackson cemented his name atop Heisman lists with his 457-yard, three-touchdown performance against the reigning ACC champions.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe laid out the perfect game plan in late October, deciding it would be best to limit Jackson's possessions. The plan nearly worked. Duke was the first team to hold Jackson to fewer than three touchdowns, but afterward, Cutcliffe could not stop raving about the quarterback he had just seen. He wondered aloud, "How'd he get out of Florida?"

Simple, really. Jackson emerged on the high school scene late, after transferring to Boynton Beach High. Then-coach Rick Swain called up a former player of his, then-Louisville assistant Lamar Thomas, and told him he needed to see Jackson. Thomas was sold. He went to Petrino. But Petrino didn't think he needed another quarterback on his roster.

Thomas tried again, deciding his best course of action was to convince Petrino that Jackson was a passer -- not just a running quarterback. Thomas had Swain rearrange Jackson's high school tape to start with the passing highlights. Petrino was finally convinced, and he sold Jackson and his mom on the opportunity to play right away under a coach noted for his ability to develop quarterbacks.

And so the under-the-radar Jackson went off to Louisville, determined to play and start as a true freshman. He did, though he did not fully assert himself as the quarterback of the future until the end of the 2015-16 season. His three-touchdown performance in a comeback win over Kentucky showed that he was ready to take charge. After that game, Petrino sat Jackson down and explained what he needed to do to prepare for the upcoming bowl game against Texas A&M.

They had four weeks. That meant studying as much tape as he could. That meant taking detailed notes about what he saw. That meant evaluating his own tape, breaking down all the good plays and all the bad plays. That meant working more on his mechanics during practice, starting with his footwork.

Jackson, in a never-ending quest for perfection, listened and learned. He dedicated himself to that bowl game, and when he took the field against the Aggies, he was virtually unrecognizable. Jackson ran here, and he threw the ball over there, a sudden conundrum for the A&M defense that it never quite solved.

When the game ended, Jackson had set Music City Bowl records for rushing (226 yards) and total offense (453), and he had his name linked with Vince Young and Johnny Manziel as the only quarterbacks to go for 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in a bowl game.

Those who watched the game keenly understood that Jackson was on the verge of a season few had ever seen. In the Louisville spring game, he threw for 519 yards, and expectations for him and the team started growing. Now you see why Louisville decided to promote Jackson so hard, even with 2015 Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson returning to the ACC.

The season did not unfold perfectly for Jackson, though. With a No. 5 ranking and outside hopes for the College Football Playoff, Louisville traveled to play Houston in mid-November. The team and Jackson had their worst performances of the season. The Louisville offensive line could do nothing to slow Houston, and Jackson had nowhere to go. He ended with season lows in rushing (33) and total yards (244) and tied a season low for touchdowns (1).


The collective thought going into the Kentucky game the next week was that Jackson and the Cards would make up for their poor performance against a rival they had recently dominated. But Kentucky stayed with Louisville every step of the way. Jackson had more than 400 yards but fumbled late in the game deep in Kentucky territory. Louisville lost, and Jackson's Heisman lead didn't seem as certain.

But ultimately, his complete body of work prevailed: an ACC-record 51 total touchdowns, the only player in FBS history with 30 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in a season, the only player in FBS history to go for more than 3,300 yards passing and 1,500 yards rushing in a season.

As one ACC head coach mused recently, "He's the best in the country. And it's not even close."

Name   1st 2nd 3rd Total
1. Lamar Jackson  526 251 64 2144
2. Deshaun Watson 269 302 113 1524
3. Baker Mayfield 26 72 139 361
4. Dede Westbrook 7 49 90 209
5. Jabrill Peppers 11 45 85 208 

Seattle Sounders: 2016 MLS Cup Champions

TORONTO — It was a night of almost unbearable tension, the Sounders virtually willing themselves to stay alive in the MLS Cup final, to give themselves a chance, somehow, some way, when they teetered all night on the brink of disaster.

“Agony,’’ Seattle owner Adrian Hanauer would say later with a laugh, describing the mood for 120 minutes-plus of soccer — and the “plus” was where the ultimate glory came for the Sounders. Agony might be the right word.

The Sounders survived a flurry of scoring opportunities by Toronto FC, which has been an offensive juggernaut in the postseason but couldn’t slip one past heroic Sounders goalie Stefan Frei.

They survived an anxiety-packed extra period that featured a save for the ages by Frei on a tantalizing shot by Jozy Altidore, a scoring machine for weeks. The ball was headed for the corner of the net, headed for a death blow to the Sounders’ gritty comeback season, until Frei made a superhuman leap and barely tipped it away.

“You just try,’’ Frei said of the moment that will be enshrined in the annals of Sounders — and MLS — history. “You try and see. Sometime you surprise yourself to what balls you can actually get.”

And the Sounders survived a round of penalty kicks that was the ultimate in that aforementioned agony, perhaps a goofy way to determine a championship but undeniably a riveting one.

And then finally, when Justin Morrow’s penalty kick went off the cross bar, and Roman Torres’ went past Toronto FC goalie Clint Irwin, the tension and angst and yes, agony, gave way to glorious release.

Then, you had the familiar trappings of ultimate success, predictable to anyone who has watched a title celebration but no less emotional when you see it play out in front of you. The Sounders, who didn’t attempt a single shot on goal in regulation or overtime, are the champions of MLS, and they sang and danced and sprayed champagne in a giddy release made even more cathartic by the bumpy road that led them to the first title in franchise history.

Hanauer said that if someone had told him at midseason, when coach Sigi Schmid had been fired and the Sounders were mired near the bottom of the standings, that this of all years would be the year to hoist the cup … well, “I probably would not have believed them,’’ he admitted.

“This was a rough year, but it just shows that in this league, anything can happen. You can make a midseason run and peak at the right time. What I’m most proud of, and Sigi talked about it in the past as well, is consistency. We put ourselves in position to win it eight years in a row, and this was our year.”

It capped an amazing turnaround under Schmid’s replacement, Brian Schmetzer. The original Sounders coach, Alan Hinton, stood outside the locker room after the match, beaming with paternal pride, and told anyone who would listen, “I hereby anoint Brian Schmetzer king of Seattle!”

If so, then Frei is the crown prince after an MVP performance three years to the day after he was traded to the Sounders from, wait for it, Toronto FC. But after the match, Frei was initially concerned with something as simple as getting warm after enduring the brunt of a brutally cold night, unable to run around like his teammates.

“To be honest, after the game was done, I was so cold,” he said. “It was nice because it kept reminding me it was not a dream.”

Throughout the night, it was intensity writ large, as the Sounders became increasingly cognizant that they could not crack Toronto’s defensive wall. So it became about relentless, desperate defense, throwing their bodies at the task with reckless abandon.

The Sounders, in fact, went the entire first half without a shot, and in essence finished the second half the same way, though they were credited with three on the sheet, none on goal, none offering any semblance of a scoring threat.

Toronto, on the other hand, was in a nearly constant state of attack, only to have Frei thwart chance after chance, seven in all — none more heroic than the one that will be shown for as long as soccer is played in Seattle.

Don’t tell Frei he was the hero, though. He didn’t want to hear that, at a time when he was hearing it a lot.

“I don’t look at it that way,’’ he said. “I did what I’m here to do. I made saves. That’s it. We all worked our butts off today, under difficult conditions which made it maybe not the prettiest game, but we fought hard. We wanted to give it our best, and we did. It took everybody.

“I was happy to make it (the save), but a lot more was needed for us to make it to the playoffs, make it all the way to this game, and then come out with the victory. Everyone was magnificent and had their good moments that accumulated to this success.”

Despite the frigid conditions, with the lake effect off Lake Ontario in full force at BMO Field, the game sizzled with energy from the beginning as bodies crashed into each other and flew through the air. It would be easy to ridicule a scoreless tie in a championship game, but the delicious pressure that permeated the second half, and beyond, made it a spellbinding experience, lack of scoring be damned.

But the Sounders had to score sometime, and Brad Evans, Andreas Ivanschitz, Joevin Jones and Nicolas Lodeiro all put the ball in the net in the penalty-kick phase, leaving the two teams tied at 4-all after five rounds. In sudden death, the Sounders were suddenly given that chance they had been pushing for all night, willing themselves toward. The title was dancing in front of them when Morrow’s shot went astray.

It was up to Torres, and he put it past Irwin to set off a wild celebration on the field.

“We were just joking, because yesterday in practice, (Torres) had a PK and missed it. I saved it,” Frei said. “He was pretty cool about it tonight, pretty calm. I was just praying to the soccer gods, and they answered.”

About The Football Bowl Association

Alternate version

Every postseason college bowl game has its own personality, its benefits, its special touches. Each of the 41 games in 33 communities strives to promote the game of college football, while at the same time placing a spotlight on their cities and their citizens and benefiting local charities and organizations.


It’s a tall order, one that is filled each and every season.


The bowls have an ally – the Football Bowl Association.


The non-profit organization – as many of the bowls themselves are – was established to help build upon the traditions of the bowl games, and bring to light the many benefits of the games beyond the playing field and parades and other activities. Just as bowl games bring a uniqueness to college football, the FBA places a spotlight on the distinctiveness of the games and their history and traditions.


The FBA takes the lead in protecting the games, while embracing and honoring the bowl experience for present and future generations.


With college bowl season quickly approaching, tensions run high for the teams selected to play in the 41 bowl games. Practice is being packed in for preparation of the match-ups to begin Dec. 17, but while teams have the opportunity to provide a last round of entertainment for the season, they also have the opportunity to partake in the full bowl experience.


College bowl games provide the opportunity for fans, teams and communities to find a unique experience differing from that of a regular season game.


Fan attendance and devotion to regular season games are somewhat of a staple during the fall, but what better way to show devotion to one’s team than by travelling to cheer on the players while they are rewarded for their hard work throughout the season?


The 41 bowl games aim to create a unique experience for the fans that travel and show support beyond the regular season games.

Unlike regular season games, bowl games often feature fan events leading up to kickoff.


Similar to the fans’ opportunity for a unique experience, coaches and players focus endless amounts of time and effort all season toward the chance at a college bowl game as a reward for their hard work and dedication. Teams spend roughly a week at the bowl game destination before the actual game takes place, and during this time all sorts of activities are scheduled, as well as a little free time.


University of Alabama freshman linebacker Rashaan Evans famously told an ESPN reporter in December 2014 that the best part of the team’s Sugar Bowl experience was living it up on Bourbon Street.


As freshman players, apparently rightfully so, typically stay out of the spotlight and press during this time, senior players are experiencing bowl games as potentially their last opportunity to suit up and step onto the field. The 2014 Military Bowl luncheon featured keynote speaker Col. Greg Gadson highlighting just this fact, and reminded players in attendance of the opportunities that college football has created for them. Hanging up their helmets can be an emotional time, and players strive to receive a bid for that final game where they can showcase their hard work and perseverance.


Although many of the bowl games occur in cities largely visited, teams often find themselves selected for a bowl game in a not-so-typical location. Two years ago, the Bahamas hosted its first-ever Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl in Nassau. The Western Kentucky and Central Michigan teams were welcomed with a party at the famous Atlantis resort upon arrival, as well as a beach bash the following night, offering players time for relaxation and fun, all with views of the Caribbean. The opportunity to attend the Bahamas Bowl may have provided the teams with an additional game to showcase their talents, but it also provided a chance for players to experience a location they may not have otherwise been able to visit. They experienced the culture, community, and island as a whole, all as a result of the driving passion they displayed throughout the season.


Aside from the lighthearted activities available for the teams, players have the chance to give back and become involved in the host communities. From hospital visits to serving at food banks, the players get to learn about a cause important to the community while returning the favor of the opportunity provided to them.


The Nebraska football team spent the Sunday a day prior to their 2015 Foster Farms Bowl face-off volunteering at St. Anthony’s Dining Room, a shelter in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. Players spent time serving and delivering meals, as well as preparing food and busing tables. St. Anthony’s has served poor and homeless residents since 1950, and this activity provided players with the opportunity to experience this district’s decades old refuge.

With positive ways to give back to the community, players show a deep appreciation for the opportunities provided to them through their bowl game attendance.


According to the National Football Foundation, the 2015 bowl season attracted 1,567,447 fans overall, approximately 44,123 per game. For the communities hosting the bowl games, these fans bring with them their wallets. The visitors to the city come out in full force, spending money on food, shopping, attractions and more.


The 2014 AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis drew a crowd of 51,282, and Memphis reaped the benefits. According to Harold Graeter, Associate Executive Director of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the economic impact is somewhere in the range of $20.0 to $25.0 million. Not only do fans bring in revenue, but also businesses generate secondary spending in order to support the incoming flow of money.


Similarly, the 2014 Valero Alamo Bowl generated $45.9 million in total economic impact, up from $32.4 million in 2013.


Numbers do not lie, and with stats like that, bowl games do not fall short of proving their worth to the community. Whether it be a small town or a large city, bowl games generate spending, create jobs and provide a lasting impact on the host communities.


In the same way that communities reap the benefits of the games, teams and fans find unique experiences and opportunities with the attendance of bowl games. The 41 bowls provide countless opportunities for fans, teams and communities alike to come together and experience a gift during the holiday season— a celebration of the passion they have all invested in throughout the year.



Follow @collegebowls on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest bowl information and the impacts of each game. Enjoy the bowl games and be a part of what makes each bowl #biggerthanthegame.

ISML 2016: Shana Elected Saimoe Prime Minister

ISML 2016: Shana Elected Saimoe Prime Minister
Sora Defeats Incumbent Hachiman Hikigaya To Become Deputy Saimoe PM

By Jo-Ryan Salazar
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
December 1, 2016

Finally, it is Shana's year. In a year in which Donald John Trump was elected to the White House, Yuuji Sakai's esteemed wife finally broke through the lack of respect bestowed on her through the years, defeating Illyasviel von Einzbern 3240-1860, a landslide victory that gives her the ISML Heavenly Tiara and the role of Saimoe Prime Minister of Japan, succeeding Eru Chitanda, for the year 2017. Shana was in tears at the Victory Ceremony in Tokyo, as she addressed the crowd, the message of patience was important in being a leader for others to follow. In the background, the campaign anthem, "Don't You Need Somebody" by RedOne, played.

"I learned that humility and graciousness can come a long way because the time will come when you will not need to wait, and it will be your turn to be a beacon of hope for the world," Shana said, holding back tears of joy before a crowd of over 9,000 at Tokyo Big Sight. "To everyone who has supported me, my husband Yuuji, my good friend Kazumi, and to all of you voters who determined that this is my year to show you what I can do to make Saimoe great again, thank you. I also dedicated this victory to the lives lost in Colombia. Chapecoense, I dedicate this victory and my career as a moekko to you and to those falling from above, I met you all in a dream, and you all wonderful brave men of character. I will live my life for you, for your families, for your country, for our world. I ask for your divine guidance and assistance in helping me do my job here on Earth.

"To everyone, I will do my best to work with Yuuji, Sora, Shiro, Stephanie, Aoba, Chitose, Megumin, Rem, Mikan, Eru, Mio, and everyone else who I will call upon to make next year a great year for the Saimoe movement. We are all on the same team. We know what we have to do to win your trust. I waited too long to finally get my chance. But now that I am here to serve you and the interests of our Diet, our Imperial Household, the Japanese anime and manga industry, we will hit the ground running. We will travel all over the world, at gatherings, conventions, meetings promoting our message. We will use the power of sports and gaming to encourage nonviolent means of addressing conflicts and disagreements of all shapes and forms. We will promote the right for anyone to love who they want without paying the price. And we will listen to you in how we can do our job better being people you can stand by, in whatever way or form you want.

"I would like to thank you all for your support. I love you all, and I will treasure this moment for me to finally serve you, the people of Japan, and the world as your Saimoe Prime Minister. Together, We Can Make Saimoe Great Again. God bless you, God bless the world, and may God Bless Japan! Let's do this! Thank you, everyone!"

Sora defeated incumbent Deputy Saimoe Prime Minister Hachiman Hikigaya 2120-2087, a thriller that landed him the ISML Scepter and the role of Deputy Saimoe PM, as well as a right-hand man to Shana. He will promote the use of nonviolent competition, including games, e-sports and sports, as a way to promote self-improvement, peace, teamwork, fair play and "a fulfilment of the mind, body, and soul," as specified in his victory address to the citizens of Elchia. It is expected that Shiro, Stephanie Dola and Sakai will be a part of Shana's Cabinet next year. All will be sworn in on New Year's Eve 2016 in Tokyo, hours before midnight.

Megumin and Rem will also be part of Shana's Saimoe Cabinet as winners of the ISML Winter and Spring Diadems. Joining the team will be Aoba Suzukaze and Chitose Karasuma. Suzukaze defeated Hifumi Takimoto 1709-1405 to win the Summer Diadem, while Karasuma rolled past Ai-chan 1729-1565 to win the Fall Diadem. Also joining the Cabinet as ministers are Eru Chitanda, Mio Akiyama and Mikan Yuuki. Chitanda and Akiyama will be joint Chiefs of Staff after battling to a 2021-2021 draw. Mikan Yuuki will be a deputy advisor after winning the Divine Circlet, 2057-1885 over Eriri Sawamura Spencer.

In Consolation action, Kurisu Makise scored the Upset of the Round, a 2219-2146 scalp of Yukino Yukinoshita, Rin Tosaka whipped past Mashiro Shiina 2465-2191, Saber slashed past Kurumi Tokisaki 2360-2078, Iroha Isshiki drubbed Nanami Aoyama 2107-1977, Nao Tomori kicked Asuna Yuuki 2330-2128, and Shiro leveled Kurumi Tokisaki 2360-2078.

Yuzuru Otonashi, who is also expected to be a part of the Saimoe Cabinet to provide gender balance, slammed Kyon 2126-1833, Kiritsugu Emiya scored the closest race of the round, a 1933-1926 nailbiter over Archer, Rintarou Okabe trounced Ryuuji Takasu 2107-1953, Edward Elric clobbered Koyomi Araragi 2003-1795, Saitama punched Touma Kamijou 2152-1912 and Korosensei dismantled Izayoi Sakamaki 1975-1827.

The 2016 International Saimoe League season has concluded. Keep it right here on The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue for coverage of the 2017 International Saimoe League, the world's premier anime character competition.