#GenshinImpact #Fontaine
Manchester City: 2023 FIFA Club World Cup Champions
Goals: Alvarez (1, 88), Nino OG (27), Foden (72)
Man of the Match: Julian Alvarez (MCI)
Manchester City made history by beating Fluminense 4-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™. It saw them become the first English team to conquer the competition at their first attempt – Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea had failed – and Pep Guardiola outrank Carlo Ancelotti and claim and outright-record fourth crown as coach.
The roar from kick-off had barely settled when the fastest goal in the tournament’s history snapped the deadlock. Fabio fingertipped a Nathan Ake curler from outside the box on to the post, and Julian Alvarez chested the ball into the unguarded net.
City doubled the lead when Rodri cannily slipped Phil Foden through and the latter’s centre was inadvertently diverted into the Fluminense net by Nino.
Guardiola's side continued to control the game and they made it 3-0 18 minutes from time. Alvarez was the creator on this occasion, sending in an inviting cross which the onrushing Foden slotted in from close range.
The outstanding Alvarez rounded off the scoring late in the game when he rifled an unstoppable finish beyond Fabio after some sublime close control.
Georgia Tech: 2023 Gasparilla Bowl Champions
TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time in seven years, Georgia Tech has won a bowl game.
The Yellow Jackets finished off a very productive season in head coach Brent Key's first full season with the team by capping off the year with a 30-17 win over the University of Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
After going down 14-0 early, the Jackets responded with 17 second-quarter points to tie the game up at 17-all heading to the break.
In the second half, their weakest unit all season stepped up in a big way. Tech's defense shut out UCF's offense in the second half in dominant form.
After the offense was led by quarterback Haynes King for most of the season, it was Georgia Tech's ground game that shined brightly in Tampa, Florida, on Friday night.
The Jackets rushed for over 270 yards, led by sophomore running back Jamal Haynes, who tallied 128 yards on 18 carries. King even provided a spark of his own with his legs, rushing for 89 yards on 12 carries -- including a 5-yard score in the second quarter.
The big play of the game came for the Jackets just before halftime, when King connected with wide receiver Malik Rutherford on a 41-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up with just 56 seconds before halftime.
The Yellow Jackets had a bounce-back year in head coach Brent Key's first full year as head coach. They were 7-6 overall and 5-3 in the ACC, with ranked wins over Miami (FL) on the road and North Carolina at home on The Flats.
It was Georgia Tech's first winning season since 2018, Paul Johnson's last season as head coach.
Key got some revenge over the team he used to coach for 10 years, from 2005-2015. In 2022, Tech lost to UCF in Orlando 27-10 under then-head coach Geoff Collins.
Key also defeated his wife's alma mater, which he joked about prior to the bowl game matchup.
South Florida: 2023 Boca Raton Bowl Champions
BOCA RATON, FLA. DEC. 21, 2023– The USF football team (7-6) put an exclamation mark on a memorable first season under first-year head coach Alex Golesh as the Bulls rolled to a 45-0 victory over Syracuse (6-7) in the Boca Raton Bowl in front of a vocal throng of Bulls fans and a national television audience on ESPN.
USF posted its first bowl win since 2017 and first winning record since 2018 to complete a season that also saw the greatest turnaround in program history with a six-win improvement, the first road win in three years, first bowl appearance since 2018, highest ranked recruiting class in 10 years and the program's first-ever 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard receiver.
On Thursday, the Bulls defense rose to the occasion, swarming Syracuse from the outset forcing four punts (including three three-and-outs) and three turnovers – including a pair of scoop-and-score touchdowns – in the first half as they limited the Orange to 91 first half yards (including -15 rushing) in pitching USF's first, first half shutout since 2019.
Syracuse finished with 159 yards, 10 punts, and just nine first downs (going 1-of-17 on third down) as the Bulls posted their first complete game shutout since 2009 and didn't allow the Orange to reach the redzone in a complete domination. Daquan Evans was named Defensive MVP after posting five tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and forcing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Meanwhile, Aamaris Brown-Bunkley was named Special Teams MVP after returning a botched field goal attempt for a touchdown and adding three tackles.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Byrum Brown, who was named Offensive MVP, started the game 10-of-11 before finishing 19 of 26 for 214 yards and three touchdowns passing, posted a team-best 64 yards rushing on 14 carries, and caught a 21-yard pass from Sean Atkins. He became just the second Bull to surpass 4,000 total yards in a season, finishing with 4,101 yards, second only to Quinton Flowers' 4,342 yards posted in 2016.
Sean Atkins became the Bulls' first 1,000-yard receiver, as he grabbed six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulls jumped to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. USF got on the board first when Brown hit Atkins in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.
After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Bulls had great field position, but a pass to the flanks from Brown to Atkins went astray and was ruled a lateral. Syracuse picked it up and ran it back to the end zone, but Brown, hustling downfield, was blocked in the back by an Orange player and Syracuse took over possession at the USF 28 after the penalty.
Syracuse went backward from there and was forced to attempt a 47-yard field goal. The snap was mishandled and then punched out the hands of an Orange player by Tavin Ward. Brown-Bunkley scooped it up and raced 64 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The Bulls made it 21-0 when Brown hit Khafre Brown with a perfect 31-yard touchdown pass that completed and 81-yard drive.
A John Cannon 40-yard field goal made it 24-0 with 2:40 to play in the first half. Syracuse had 53 yards, four punts and two turnovers to that point.
The defense put another touchdown on the board when Evans hit Syracuse quarterback Braden Davis on a blitz, dislodged the ball and Tramel Logan scooped it up and ran 61-yards for the touchdown, his USF season record tying third defensive touchdown of the season, to make it 31-0 at the half.
The Bulls got their fourth turnover of the game with an interception by Tavin Ward on Syracuse's first possession of the second half, and Brown quickly capitalized hitting Atkins with a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-0.
Nay'Quan Wright plunged in from two yards out early in the fourth quarter to make it 45-0 as USF fans began the celebration.
KEY STATS
• The 45-0 victory marked USF's largest margin of victory ever in a bowl game and its fourth bowl win over an autonomous "power" conference program.
• The USF defense forced four turnovers, scored two defensive touchdowns, and posted its first, first half shutout since 2019 on the way to completing its first complete game shutout since a 59-0 victory over Charleston Southern in 2009.
• USF held Syracuse to 1-of-17 on third downs and 1-of-3 on fourth while allowing just nine first downs in the game.
• USF out-gained Syracuse 407 to 159 and allowed just 20 yards rushing from Syracuse.
NOTABLES
• QB Byrum Brown became just the second Bull to surpass 4,000 total yards in the season, finishing with – yards, second only to Quinton Flowers' 4,342 yards posted in 2016.
• Brown threw three touchdown passes in the game to set a new USF season record with 26 and completed 73 percent of his passes to set a new USF season completion percentage record with 64.6 percent on the year.
• WR Sean Atkins posted six catches for 93 yards to extended his season receptions record to 92 and extended his season receiving yards record 1,054, becoming the first 1,000-yard receiver in program history. He also completed a 21-yard pass to finish 4-of-4 for 149 yards passing on the year.
• DE Tramel Logan returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown, marking his third defensive touchdown of the season (two fumble returns, one interception) to tie Trae Williams (3, in 2007) for the most defensive touchdowns in a season in program history.
UP NEXT
USF welcomed 25 new Bulls on the first day of the NCAA Early Signing period in the top class in The American and among non-autonomous "power" programs on Wednesday. The Bulls will begin spring practice in March.
Season tickets • Single-game tickets • Group tickets (10+): call 1-800-GoBulls
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 26th season in 2022 while completing construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American kick returner Brian Battie, and had 32 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
UTSA: 2023 Frisco Bowl Champions
Owen McCown completed 22 of 31 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns, and UTSA earned the first bowl victory in program history by beating Marshall 35-17 in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday night in Frisco, Texas.
McCown, a redshirt freshman and the son of longtime NFL quarterback Josh McCown, got the starting nod because decorated starter Frank Harris sustained a shoulder fracture on Nov. 24 – an injury that was revealed just hours before kickoff Tuesday.
Joshua Cephus hauled in seven receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown for the Roadrunners (9-4). Robert Henry ran for two touchdowns and 37 of UTSA’s 135 rushing yards.
Marshall quarterback Cole Pennington, son of program legend Chad Pennington, completed 15 of 33 passes for 258 yards. Rasheen Ali gained 92 yards and a touchdown on nine carries for Marshall (6-7).
Pennington was shaken up on a big third-down sack during the fourth quarter, with Marshall trailing 28-17. Colin Parachek relieved Pennington on a fourth-and-14 attempt and threw to his left, where Kam Alexander made a leaping interception and returned it 57 yards to the Marshall 17-yard line.
Rocko Griffin stormed into the end zone on the next play to put UTSA up 35-17 with 8:39 to go.
Mike Green had two of the Marshall defense’s six sacks, and Micah Abraham and Eli Neal intercepted McCown during the first quarter.
While McCown took his lumps early, Marshall jumped out to a 14-0 lead.
Ethan Payne scored on a 1-yard rush following McCown’s second pick for the first points of the game. Ali burst away for a 64-yard touchdown sprint on the first play of the second quarter to make it 14-0.
Henry responded for UTSA with a 3-yard scoring run on the next drive. Then, Cephus caught a pass in the right flat and navigated the right sideline for a 44-yard touchdown to tie the game with 8:53 left in the half.
After Rece Verhoff put Marshall ahead with a 44-yard field goal, UTSA conducted a 13-play, 75-yard drive to take a 21-17 lead just before halftime. Henry’s 1-yard rushing score capped off the march.
With 4:49 remaining in the third quarter, McCown used play action to reach David Amador II on his left, and the freshman receiver took it 19 yards to the end zone for his first career touchdown and a 28-17 advantage.
–Field Level Media
Keiser: 2023 NAIA Football National Champions
DURHAM, N.C. — Keiser (Fla.) used a dominating run game and a stifling defense to claim its first NAIA Football Championship Series title, ending a 27-game win streak by Northwestern (Iowa).
The Seahawks amassed 373 yards on the ground led by Most Outstanding Player Jaden Meizinger's 261 on 22 carries with a touchdown in a 31-21 win over the Red Raiders.
Meizinger broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run right up the middle on the first play from scrimmage to set the tone for Keiser. Nico Cavanillas pushed the lead to 10 with 7:00 left in the second with a 31-yard field goal at the end of a nine-play, 66 yard drive that ate up over six minutes of the quarter with 41 yards coming on seven running plays.
"We worked so hard and I really can't explain it," said Meizinger. "We're just a bunch of underdogs and are really resistant."
The Seahawk defense added a takeaway at the 6:15 mark of the second with a strip sack of Jalyn Gramstad at the 14-yard line, which was punched into the endzone by Andrew Burnette four plays later.
"These kids have done such a great job," said coach Doug Socha. "We have a saying 'ride the wave' and they did it through all the momentum swings."
Gramstad and the Red Raiders took advantage of a Kylar Fritz interception at the Keiser 45 with 1:43 left in the second quarter with a six-play drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown pass to Austyn Gerard with 29 seconds left in the half.
Northwestern was held to 26 rushing yards gained on 14 attempts in the first half which netted -13 yards due to sacks. An offense that racked up the most first downs in the NAIA this season was held to just eight in the first half and 118 total yards with over a third coming on the final drive.
Clayton Bosma came away with an interception in the end zone on Keiser's first possession of the second half and the Red Raiders followed it up with their biggest play of the game, a 39-yard completion from Gramstad to Michael Story. The drive didn't result in points, but Eli Stader's 38-yard punt was downed at the Keiser 1-yard line.
Story had a game-high 121 receiving yards on six catches.
Meizinger got the Seahawks out of the shadow of their own goalpost with a 53-yard run on first down. Four plays later, it was Justin Wake making his first start at quarterback, finding Maurico Porcha for a 30-yard touchdown to go up 24-7 with 5:17 left in the third.
Wake finished 10-of-15 passing for 117 yards. Porcha was the top receiver with 45 yards on two catches.
The Red Raiders attempted to rally in the final frame on Gramstad's second touchdown of the game, a 53-yard strike to Konner McQuillan with 10:54 left to make it 24-14 with 10:54 left. The Red Raiders then recovered an onside kick and seven plays later, McQuillan scored from two yards out to get within a field goal with 7:06 left.
Keiser ended the thoughts of a Northwestern comeback with a 77-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Louis Lubin III. Lubin III also had an interception in the endzone at the 5:02 mark of the final frame to help secure the win.
Gramstad was 15-of-34 through the air for 287 yards and was the leading rusher for Northwestern with 47 yards, but was sacked four times.
"Our guys don't flinch, our coaches did a great job, but most important our players stayed calm and found a way," said Socha.
Maddox Aprile was the Most Outstanding Defensive Player with a solo sack and two assisted sacks among his six total stops.
Western Kentucky: 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl Champions
When you pull off the fourth-largest comeback in bowl history, you have to find the perfect celebration to match it.
Western Kentucky trailed Old Dominion 28-0 in the second quarter of the Famous Toastery Bowl in Charlotte on Monday, but a 28-7 run sent the game to overtime, where the Hilltoppers ultimately won on a walk-off field goal.
With plenty of toast on hand thanks to the game’s sponsor, the players had a creative way to celebrate the unlikely, come-from-behind victory. While some threw bread in the air like graduation caps, others engaged in the new art of making toast angels.
That’s right — toast angels.
The Hilltoppers finished the season 8-5 with the comeback win, which was completed without star quarterback Austin Reed, who opted out of the game. Third-stringer Caden Veltkamp ultimately had to take the reigns, and his 383-yard, five-touchdown performance was enough to pull off one of the wildest wins we’re likely to see in bowl season.
Texas Tech: 2023 Independence Bowl Champions
SHREVEPORT, La. ― The Texas Tech football team ended with a bowl victory for the third year in a row, beating California 34-14 Saturday night at the Independence Bowl.
Behren Morton threw three first-half touchdown passes and Gino Garcia kicked a 25-yard field goal as Tech built a 24-14 lead by halftime. Tahj Brooks, who recently announced he will stay with the team for 2024 on the Covid-bonus year, tacked on a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Tech finished 7-6, winning for the fourth time in five games since a 3-5 start. The Red Raiders snapped a three-game win streak by Cal (6-7), which became bowl eligible by winning its last three games of the regular season.
The Golden Bears led 7-0 after Tech's Drae McCray fumbled the opening kickoff and Fernando Mendoza flicked a 25-yard touchdown pass to Monroe Young, a brother of Red Raiders' tight end-linebacker Matthew Young. On its next possession, Cal went 79 yards to reach the Tech 5-yard line, but linebacker Ben Roberts threw Jaydn Ott for a loss on fourth-and-2.
Morton threw touchdown passes on Tech's next three possessions, to Coy Eakin for 27 yards, Mason Tharp for 15 yards and Loic Fouonji for 14 yards.
Here's the Red Raiders' report card.
Offense: A
This becomes Behren Morton's team in 2024, and he showed what that could look like with a sharp performance. Coy Eakin had a career high in receiving yards, and Eakin, Mason Tharp and Loic Fouonji pitched in with touchdown catches.
Defense: B
Any team's first order of business facing Cal is to contain Pac-12 rushing leader Jaydn Ott. The Red Raiders held the FBS's seventh-leading rusher to 42 yards through three quarters and foiled him twice on fourth down in Tech territory.
Special Teams: B
Tech ostensibly spotted Cal the game's first touchdown with Drae McCray's fumble on the opening kickoff. Xavier White set up a touchdown with a 24-yard punt return, and Austin McNamara pinned the Golden Bears at their 15-yard line or inside three times.
Coaching: A
Golden Bears wobbled the Red Raiders with a first-play touchdown and another long drive on its second possession. Whatever Joey McGuire's staff said worked, because the Red Raiders kept their poise and answered with authority.
Overall: A
Any bowl victory over a team from a power-five conference is a good victory. Can the Red Raiders use it as a springboard for a more satisfying 2024 season than their disappointing follow-up to last year's Texas Bowl triumph?
UCLA: 2023 LA Bowl Champions
UCLA defeating Boise State in the LA Bowl was not just another win but maybe the hope the fanbase needed.
The UCLA fan base was for the most part not very thrilled with how the season ended. Yes, the Bruins defeated USC but they lost three of their last four regular season games and many alums and fans wanted a coaching change. However, the LA Bowl may have changed many fans minds and optimism and excitement may be back in Westwood.
To top things off, the UCLA basketball team lost another marquee game to Ohio State today. Then, the football team was down by double digits at the half. December 16th was not looking like a good day for Bruin fans but one individual would end up putting a smile on many UCLA fans faces with a remarkable second half performance.
Statically speaking, starting quarterback Colin Schlee was 11 for 16 for 78 yards and a touchdown completion. He also ran the ball seven times for 127 yards as well. However, Garbers came into the game in the third quarter and completed eight for eight passes for 112 yards and threw a touchdown. He also due to his accurate passing, opened up the UCLA running game allowing TJ Harden to run for two second-half touchdowns. Also, the Bruins' defense stepped up big time in the second half.
The Bruins defense did not have a great first half as the Broncos did not punt the ball one time prior to half time. In four possessions, Boise State had three field goals and a touchdown. In the second half, UCLA's defense really stepped up their game. The first four offensive possessions of the second half for Boise State lead to four straight punts. On their fifth offensive possession, Alex Johnson intercepted a pass by Broncos quarterback CJ Tiller that would lead to an UCLA touchdown on the following possession. It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter that Boise State would score again.
Garbers threw a 40 yard touchdown pass to J. Michael Sturdivant to give the Bruins a 35-16 lead. After a Boise State touchdown to cut the lead to 13, Garbers ran for 20 yards on a third and sixteen to put the icying on the cake to ensure a UCLA victory. The win for UCLA was needed as the Bruin fanbase has not had much to cheer for since the USC win.
The win for UCLA gives the Bruins their 8th win of season and winning the LA Bowl was a great way to give the seniors a lasting memory of winning their last game in a UCLA uniform.
Fresno State: 2023 New Mexico Bowl Champions
Mikey Keene threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns Saturday as Fresno State walloped New Mexico State 37-10 to win the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.
Keene completed 31 of 39 passes with an interception. He also contributed a rushing touchdown for the Bulldogs (9-4), who looked more like the team that was ranked in the top 25 earlier in the season instead of the one that limped into the bowl with a three-game losing streak.
Fresno State won despite the absence of head coach Jeff Tedford, who took a leave of absence on Dec. 1 to address a medical condition. Assistant coach Tim Skipper ran the program and extracted one of its top performances of the season.
The Bulldogs outgained the Aggies 500-200, nearly doubling them in first downs (23-12) and converting 8 of 13 third downs. Malik Sherrod was a workhorse for Fresno State, rushing for 90 yards on 20 carries and catching eight passes for 81 yards.
New Mexico State (10-5) won 10 games for just the second time in school history but couldn’t cope with its Mountain West Conference foe. Diego Pavia completed only 11 of 25 passes for just 58 yards, although he did rush for 74 yards and the team’s only touchdown.
The Bulldogs carved out a 17-3 halftime lead. Dylan Lynch hit a 32-yard field goal with 6:17 left in the first quarter and Keene connected with Josiah Freeman for a 28-yard touchdown pass less than three minutes later.
Ethan Albertson got the Aggies on the board with a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter but Keene and Jaelen Gill hooked up for a 23-yard scoring strike at the 7:02 mark to up the margin to 14 points.
After Lynch converted a 25-yard field goal just over three minutes into the third quarter, Pavia got New Mexico State within 20-10, spinning off tacklers on a 14-yard scoring run.
But Keene’s 4-yard touchdown run with 13:20 left in the game fueled a 17-point fourth quarter that put the game away.
–Field Level Media
Appalachian State: 2023 Cure Bowl Champions
What do you get when the skies open up and two teams battle in a monsoon? App State and Miami Ohio delivered one of the wildest bowl game performances in recent memory, for all the wrong reasons.
First off, congratulations to App State for winning the Cure Bowl 13-9 in Orlando, Florida. After scoring the game’s only touchdown, we found out this was going to be a muddy mess. I feel for both teams in this postseason outing.
On a positive note, ESPN analyst Booger McFarland pointed out postgame that neither team needed a bathroom break during the downpour. Rather than run to the sideline tent or locker room, Booger jokingly pointed out that the conditions gave each player an opportunity to just ‘Let It Flow’ on the field.
Imagine being part of one of these teams and finding out you’re headed to sunny Florida for a bowl game. Disney World, Universal Studios, laying out by the pool with a side of football, it was all part of the plan. But this game turned into the muddiest bowl game in recent history and viewers were treated to players slipping around all over the field.
Not only were fans of both teams prepared for a wonderful afternoon of football in Florida, but the players were hoping to have a turnover free game. Nope, that wasn’t going to happen on Saturday afternoon, with a record being snapped in the process.
For the first time since 1988, both teams combined to tie the record for most fumbles in a game. In the announcers booth, Robert Griffin III made it a point to say he wasn’t born the last time something like this happened in a college football game.
Only 5 of the 13 fumbles were lost, but this was a sight to behold.
Postgame Slip-N-Slide Celebrations For App State
Thanks to the fantastic field conditions for this type of celebration, App State took full advantage of the flooded field. Covered in paint and ready to party, Appalachian State players immediately started their own slip-n-slide party as the clock ticked down to zero.
What a great way to close out the 2023 season for App State, winners of its last five of seven games.
I hope the coaching staff gives the players a few days off following the win in Orlando, because they should be headed straight for Disney World on Sunday.
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
Harding: 2023 NCAA Division II Football National Champions
MCKINNEY, Texas — Harding made history by winning its first NCAA Division II national championship in a 38-7 victory over top-seeded Colorado School of Mines at McKinney ISD Stadium in Texas on Saturday.
The Bisons recorded 502 rushing yards in the winning effort to become the first school in NCAA history with more than 6,000 yards on the ground in a single season.
"It's 100 percent guys that love each other, believe in the brotherhood that care deeply," Harding head coach Paul Simmons said. "Let's honor God with how we love one another, how we work, how we sacrifice... that was really evident with how we battled today."
Running back Blake Delacruz led the way for Harding with 212 yards on 27 carries, while Braden Jay rushed 11 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
Colorado School of Mines struck first on a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Matocha to running back Nick Roper. The score gave the Orediggers a 7-0 lead with 9:06 to play in the first quarter.
But from there, it was all Bisons.
Harding, who finished the season with a perfect 14-0 record, scored 38 unanswered points and held Colorado School of Mines to 341 yards of total offense to secure the championship victory.
Bison running back Jhalen Spicer started the scoring party with a 10-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. Jay gave Harding the lead with rushing scores of 10 and nine yards in the second quarter to push the Bisons ahead 21-7 at the half.
Harding made a statement on its opening drive of the third quarter with a four-play, 87-yard drive capped by a 73-yard rushing touchdown by Jay.
Leading 31-7 with 11:58 to play in the fourth quarter, quarterback Cole Keylon pounded in a one-yard rushing touchdown, giving the Bisons a 38-7 lead.
Keylon completed two passes for 46 yards and added 20 rushing yards on seven carries.
Florida A&M: 2023 Celebration Bowl Champions
Florida A&M (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) defeated Howard (6-6, 4-1 MEAC), 30-26, to win the 2023 Celebration Bowl. It is the first Celebration Bowl win and the first postseason bowl win in school history for the Rattlers.
The Rattlers trailed 16-10 at halftime after a slow start but scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to storm back for the win. All-American linebacker Isaiah Major sealed the game with an interception on Howard's final drive with less than two minutes remaining. Major was selected as the Defensive MVP after recording six total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception.
It was a dominant defensive performance for the Rattlers as Howard finished the game with only 187 total yards and less than 3.5 yards per play. The Bison capitalized on great field position to take an early 14-0 lead but failed to establish any offensive consistency throughout the game.
Running back Kelvin Dean was named the Offensive MVP after leading the Rattlers with 87 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Quarterback Jeremy Moussa completed 19-of-32 attempts for 289 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and two interceptions. All three of Moussa's touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner to Jah'Marae Sheread with five minutes remaining.
Florida A&M becomes only the second SWAC program to win the Celebration Bowl, joining Grambling State (2016). The Rattlers also extended their winning streak to 11 games, which is the second-longest streak in the nation.
Ohio: 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl Champions
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—The Ohio football team (10-3, 6-2 MAC) wrapped up their 2023 season at the Myrtle Beach Bowl with a historic 41-21 victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles (6-7, 3-5 SBC).
This win marks Ohio's first time in program history recording consecutive 10-win seasons and made the Bobcats the first Mid-American Conference team to win five consecutive bowl games. Five turnovers forced sets the program record for the most turnovers forced in a bowl game, a record that hasn't been touched since the 1962 Sun Bowl (4).
Freshman running back Rickey Hunt was a force to be reckoned with, tying the NCAA bowl record for touchdowns in a game as well as setting the program record for most touchdowns scored in a game (5). On top of that, Hunt (Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored the most touchdowns in a bowl game since Dorian Brown in Bahamas Bowl (4). This stellar performance earned him 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP accolades.
The game marked multiple career firsts for the Bobcats. Graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro (Tempe, Ariz.) recorded his first collegiate start, going 11-for-16 with 120 passing yards and one passing touchdown. On the ground, Navarro recorded 15 carries on 71 yards. Hunt led the team on the ground, finishing with 115 rushing yards on 17 carries. Of his five touchdowns — which marked his first five collegiate touchdowns — four were rushing and one was receiving.
Safeties Jeremiah Wood (Pickerington, Ohio), Adonis Williams Jr. (South Euclid, Ohio) and Walter Reynolds (Detroit, Mich.) all snagged their first career interceptions. Wood also recorded one forced fumble, one pass breakup and five tackles. Graduate student Bruce Houston (Lewis Center, Ohio) led the defense with eight total tackles — highlighted by five solo stops — and one quarterback hurry; Reynolds was right behind him with seven tackles on the game.
Freshman kicker Gianni Spetic (Chardon, Ohio) had a perfect day, kicking two successful field goals and five PATs. Freshman kicker Alex Kasee (Sylvania, Ohio) recorded 428 yards on seven kickoffs, averaging 61.1 yards per kick, while redshirt junior punter Jack Wilson (Sylvania, Ohio) amassed 115 yards on three punts.
Wood shut down the opening drive with his first career interception, giving Ohio the ball less than two minutes into the game. The Bobcats concluded the ensuing 11-play, 43-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal, putting Ohio ahead by three. Hunt extended the Bobcats' lead in the second quarter with a two-yard rushing touchdown. After Spetic's extra point, Ohio led 10-0. The next drive, Adonis Williams Jr. snagged Ohio's second interception of the day, preventing the Eagles' offense from gaining momentum.
Hunt scored his second touchdown of the day—and first career receiving touchdown—with 3:16 until halftime. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Shay Taylor's (Mount Perry, Ohio) fumble recovery on the ensuing drive set the Bobcats up to score again, closing the first half with a field goal to take a 20-0 lead.
Reynolds stopped Georgia Southern's first drive of the second half short with Ohio's third interception of the game, returning the ball for 40 yards. Hunt immediately took advantage of regaining possession, scoring with a six-yard rushing touchdown to put the Eagles at a 27-point deficit.
Georgia Southern scored their first touchdown with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter, cutting the Bobcats' lead to 20 points with a three-yard rushing touchdown and a successful PAT. Ohio's next drive ended in a 40-yard punt, but Wood's forced fumble followed by a 30-yard return by redshirt junior cornerback Roman Parodie (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) set up a 60-yard drive for Ohio, concluding in a 40-yard rushing touchdown for Hunt and extending Ohio's lead to 34-7. The Eagles quickly recovered, answering with a 65-yard receiving touchdown the following drive. Georgia Southern chipped away at the Bobcats' lead in the fourth as well, opening the final 15 minutes of play with a 15-yard receiving touchdown, putting the score at 34-21.
Hunt wasn't done yet—with 2:52 remaining in the game, he wrapped up an eight-play, 55-yard drive with a nine-yard rushing touchdown, marking his fifth touchdown of the game and Ohio's final time scoring. With 29 seconds on the clock, Navarro took a knee and the Bobcats went into victory formation, solidifying their 41-21 win.
To stay up to date with all things Ohio football, follow the team on OhioBobcats.com, Twitter and Facebook (@OhioFootball), and Instagram (@OhioFB).
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Iowa Western: 2023 NJCAA Division I Football National Champions
Call it 'Council Rock', call it 'Little Bluffs', just don't call it anything but home for Iowa Western Football.
#2 Iowa Western rolled to the 2023 NJCAA D1 Football National Championship on Wednesday night, topping #4 East Mississippi, 61-14, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
The Reivers (12-1) fought back from an early one-point deficit to batter the Lions (10-3) over four quarters of football to become the first back-to-back title winner since EMCC did it five years ago.
As they've done all season long, the 'Darkside' defense set the tone of the game early, forcing heralded Lions' QB Ty Keyes into a pair of hurried throws in a three-and-out on the game's opening possession.
Head Coach Scott Strohmeier's offense tested the waters on their first possession, rushing for three short gains before kicking the ball away on a Max Bartachek punt.
The Lion offense appeared to have their feet underneath them on their second drive, converting three first downs to get into Reiver territory before a holding penalty set them behind the chains. The Reivers took advantage coming up with their first QB sack of the game on 3rd and long as Jaylen Pettus took down Keyes for an eight-yard loss to force another EMCC punt.
After a trio of runs on drive number one, Hunter Watson delivered with his arm on drive two, finding LJ Fitzpatrick for a short gain from the 25-yard line and Latrell Bonner for 17-yards and a first down on the drive. A surprised offensive lineman even got involved as Caleb Jones caught a deflection for a two-yard gain, his first catch as a Reiver. A 15-yard facemask followed by a Jonathan Humpal 23-yard run gave the ball to the Reivers inside the redzone before Watson delivered a perfect strike to Bryant Williams in the endzone from 19-yards out for the game's first score. Bartachek's PAT banged off the right upright to leave the score at a 6-0 Reivers' advantage.
EMCC struck right back when Jaylon York returned the ensuing kickoff 91-yards for the score as the Lions' took a 7-6 lead on the extra point.
Special teams coach Eric Finney immediately dialed up a trick play on the return with Fitzpatrick handing off to Jack Wattier who flipped to Joshua Pierre-Louis to set the Reivers up just shy of midfield.
Strong running by Humpal, a first down pass to Nate Sullivan and a long reverse run by Louis Brooks set the Reivers up inside the Lion's redzone again. Watson surged into the endzone from one yard out to give the Reivers back the lead for good at the end of the first quarter. Lane Feierfeil was successful on the point after, forced into duty due to an injury by Bartacheck on EMCC's kickoff return score.
After both teams exchanged punts, EMCC earned a first down on a long run by Keyes, but were forced into another punting situation just inside Reivers' territory. Jaylen Pettus, one of the few returners from last season's championship team, added to his numbers on the day, blowing by his blocker to stuff the kick of Trace Beard and then raced out to cover the loose ball himself.
Bryant Williams converted a first down on his first positive carry of the day and then found the endzone on his second catch of the day, catching and spinning in the air, before sprinting in for the score untouched. Max Bartachek, back in for place kicks, was true on the PAT to increase the lead to 13, at 20-7, with 9:29 to play in the half.
A tackle for loss by Nathan Hale started the next EMCC drive and Capri Wilson took care of the rest, tipping away Keyes pass on 2nd down and picking up his second sack of the season on third to force another punt by the Lions and the Reivers went back to work on offense.
Watson showed off his speed with a 29-yard gain into East Mississippi territory before rushing for another 1st down on the following play. After an incompletion and a negative rush, Watson found LJ Fitzpatrick for a big first down to the EMCC 7-yard line. After a three-yard gain by Shawn Gary, Jr. it was Jonathan Humpal finding the endzone as the lead ballooned to 20 points before halftime.
"We've made them one-dimensional, we're playing really good," said Head Coach Scott Strohmeier at the break, "it's 30 minutes, we've got 30 more to do."
The Lions were fortunate the lead didn't increase even more after turning the ball over inside their own 30. Head Coach Buddy Stephens elected to go for it on 4th and 1, but running back Jaylen Jennings fell down at the line of scrimmage and IWCC took over at the visitor's 28-yard line. The Reivers were unable to capitalize on the gaff, with EMCC getting the ball back before missing a long field goal before the end of the first half.
The second half started with another pair of punts and the Reivers setting up at their own 25-yard line for their second offensive drive, the same place they took over from in the first half on their first scoring series. As the series proved, it would be their first scoring series of the half once more. After Watson led the Reivers to the EMCC 45-yard line, he did the rest on his own, nearly losing his pants on his second TD run of the day.
Defensively, the Reivers continued to give the Lions fits. Ahmad Johnson turned in back-to-back tackles on East Mississippi's next possession before Keyes threw incomplete on third down and EMCC punted the ball away again.
After missing numerious games this season due to injury, LJ Fitzpatrick took over for the Reivers, grabbing three balls from Watson for 47 of his 89 yards on the day, including a 10-yard score to build the lead to 41-7. The lone EMCC score of the game cut the lead to 41-14 with one quarter to play.
In the fourth, backup quarterback Chad Kearns tossed his first Reiver touchdown, a beautiful throw to Latrell Bonner for his fifth touchdown of the year, holding the ball with one hand while breaking his fall with the other as he got both feet in for the catch.
Jonathan Humpal cruised for his second score of the game, going 45-yards for the score with 9:52 still to go in the contest as the Reivers inched closer to the NJCAA Championship game record 66 points.
EMCC's lone offensive turnover of the day came with five minutes to go as Walt Gray turned in a strip sack of Ty Keyes. Dominic Wiseman recovered the football to help IWCC finish the season at plus 20 in turnover ratio.
Trevor Burnett ran three times on the final scoring drive of the game for IWCC, picking up a pair of 20-yard gains before racing 26-yards for the final score of the night.
The Reivers outgained EMCC on the day 553-317, holding Lions' QB Ty Keyes to 270 total yards and allowing only 56 total rushing yards on the day.
The IWCC rushing attack gained 335 yards of the 553 total yards in the game and posted not one, but two rushers above the 100-yard mark. QB Hunter Watson carried 14 times for 108 yards, equaling the rushing output of teammate Jonathan Humpal on the day. Watson also turned in his first plus 200-yard passing game of the season tossing three scores and rushing for a pair of IWCC's five rushing touchdowns.
"He's been locked in all week, he's focused, he's competitive and he made some great throws today." said Strohmeier of his starting quarterback.
Defensively the Reivers picked up four more quarterback sacks to add to the season total, a program record 62 on the year. The team also recorded 139 tackles for loss, including 11 in their dominating championship game performance. Pettus had a pair of those QB sacks to go along with his blocked punt, while Ahmad Johnson chipped in a game high seven tackles. Joshua Pierre-Louis, Clem McCullough and Clev Lubin finished with five tackles apiece.
The game capped several notable performances for IWCC. Hunter Watson becomes the only QB to start 13 games in a season as the Reivers have never played more than 12 games in a single season before this year. The QB also moved inside the Top 10 in total passing yards in a career, with 1904 passing yards this season, his 22 TD passes rank sixth for a single season with the all-time mark of 39 held by Jake Waters set during the 2012 season.
Bryant Williams moved into second place on the all-time rushing list, his two-year total of 1,454 yards moved him past Mekhi Sargent, who posted his total of 1,449 in a spectacular 2017 season.
ALL-TIME CAREER RUSHING YARDS
2011-12 Aaron Wimberley 2,037
2022-23 Bryant Williams 1,454
2017 Mekhi Sargent 1,449
2013 Akise Teague 1,343
2018-21 Milton Sargbah 1,225
Jonathan Humpal, from Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, surged in to the Top 10 on the single season rushing list, his 808 yards moved him past Williams and Kevis Streeter who rushed for 751 yards in the inaugural season of IWCC football.
ALL-TIME SINGLE SEASON RUSHING YARDS
2017 Mekhi Sargent 1,449
2013 Akise Teague 1,343
2012 Aaron Wimberley 1,150
2010 Jalen Singleton 939
2011 Aaron Wimberley 887
2019 Zaquandre White 876
2014 Devon Paye 819
2023 Jonathan Humpal 808
2009 Kevis Streeter 751
2022 Bryant Williams 749
Watson's 717 rushing yards this season puts him just outside the single season Top 10 in 12th place, it's the second most rushing yards by a Reiver QB in a single season and with his effort, he pushes James Graham, this season's QB Coach, outside of the Top 5 for QB single season rushing yards.
SINGLE SEASON RUSHING YARDS - QB
2017 Kai Locksley 723
2023 Hunter Watson 717
2013 Tay Bender 566
2009 Dominique Corder 509
2018 T.J. Starks 498
LJ Fitzpatrick also finds himself among the all-time leaders, even after an injury marred 2023 season, Fitzpatrick's numbers are good enough for a Top 10 finish in all-time career yards.
ALL-TIME CAREER RECEIVING YARDS
2012 Deon Long 1,626
2014-15 Taj Williams 1,597
2010-11 Matt Waters 1,544
2012-13 Geronimo Allison 1,300
2011-12 Andrew Stone 1,173
2017-18 Nick Singleton 1,155
2015-16 Nick Easley 1,125
2018-19 Marcell Barbee 1,052
2013-14 Alex Reed 916
2022-23 LJ Fitzpatrick 883
Williams matched his 2022 title game TD total with a pair of catches, those two scores moved him from a tie for 10th in career TD's into a tie for sixth for career, non-kicker, scoring.
ALL-TIME CAREER SCORING (non-kickers)
2011-12 Aaron Wimberley 28
2012 Deon Long 25
2017 Kai Locksley 20
2014-15 Taj Williams 20
2010-12 Jake Waters 18
2018-21 Milton Sargbah 17
2017 Mekhi Sargent 16
2022-23 Bryant Williams 16
2010-11 Matt Waters 15
2011-12 Andrew Stone 14
The 61 total points finished just shy of the 66 that Northwest Mississippi posted in the 2015 NJCAA National Championship against D3's Rochester Community & Technical College, the only time in the last 30 years that voters put an NJCAA D3 team in the title game. The Yellowjackets lost to the Rangers, 66-13, in the 2015 Mississippi Bowl.
Defensively, the Reivers, led by Defensive Coordinator Mike Blackbourn, continued to wreak havoc on even the most potent offenses. The Reivers allowed just 239 yards per game and just over 70 yards rushing per contest. The 2023 'Darkside' averaged nearly 11 tackles for loss per game and set the program mark for sacks in a season with 62. The previous high mark was 56 set just last season, a huge source of pride for defensive line coach Aaron Terry.
"Ultimately, it's the stability that we're able to have as a staff," said Coach Strohmeier, "Black (Mike Blackbourn), AT (Aaron Terry), Finney (defensive backs coach Eric Finney), Monthei (asst. defensive lin coach Jeff Monthei) just go to work and take care of the 'D' and that allows me to just focus on the offensive side, this year we added a key piece in Tristan (offensive coordinator Tristan Speer), Brant's back (running back coach Brant Anderson) and we're able to add some former players to the staff in James (2022 QB James Graham) and Kendrick (former O-lineman Kendrick Davis). Throw in the managers and filmers and of course all of the thankless work that Reese (dir. of football operations Reese Baumgartner) does off the field and it's an unbelievable staff. I'm very fortunate with that and the fact that the administration is one hundred percent behind what we're doing."
The 2022 & 2023 Football teams joins Women's Soccer (2022 & 2023), Volleyball (2020/Spring '21 & 2021), and Indoor Track & Field (2021 & 2022) as teams to go back-to-back as champions in Iowa Western Athletics' history.
Overall, it's the third championship in five tries for Coach Strohmeier and his staff in 15 seasons of football. In addition to shutting out Hutchinson, 31-0, last year in Little Rock, the Reivers topped Butler in the 2012 Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The defense of the Reivers' national titles will begin in the Reivers' 16th season of football and is tentatively scheduled to start with a home game against Hutchinson Community College in week one of the '24 slate. The official schedule will be released in 2024.
The annual Blue-White Spring game is also tentatively scheduled for May 3rd, 2024 at Titan Stadium at Lewis Central High School.
Cortland: 2023 NCAA Division III Football National Champions
SALEM, Va. (AP) — Zac Boyes threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards, Cortland stopped a 2-point conversion attempt with 90 seconds remaining, and the Red Dragons beat defending champion North Central 38-37 on Friday night for their first NCAA Division III championship.
Cortland (14-1), playing in the Stagg Bowl for the first time in program history, handed North Central (14-1) its first loss since the 2021 championship game. The Cardinals, in their fourth straight title game, won the 2019 national title in addition to last year.
Both teams scored in the final 1:41 — with North Central electing to go for 2 instead of a potential tying extra point with 1:20 to go. Quarterback Luke Lehnen was stuffed on a run to the left side and Cortland recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.
“It means everything. I was over there talking to the officials on the sideline when we were kneeling it out and I’m like ‘We can kneel it, right? We can kneel it out and clock’s at zero’ and he said yes,” Cortland coach Curt Fitzpatrick said. “I can’t believe it. It’s amazing. I’m so proud of our players and coaches and our fan base that drove seven hours to be here.”
Cortland converted on a fourth-and-5 play near midfield with 3:49 to go in the fourth quarter and Cole Burgess ended the drive with a catch in the backfield before racing down the sideline for a 21-yard touchdown.
North Central scored 21 seconds later when DeAngelo Hardy was left wide open over the middle of the field and he cut back a defender to race for a 60-yard touchdown. The Cardinals, who average 60 points per game and rarely kick field goals, were denied back-to-back championship on the goal line.
North Central entered with the nation’s longest active win streak with 29. South Dakota State, which won its FCS semifinal game on Friday, has 28 straight wins, followed by Washington (20), Florida State (19) and Division II Harding (18).
The Red Dragons’ trip to the title game included three road victories and one at home — ending in a 12th straight victory.
Three of the first four drives of the game ended in fourth down stops in the red zone.
Cortland avoided being shutout in the first half of a game for the first time since 2016 when it drove 55 yards in 51 seconds — aided by a 15-yard penalty — to get within 7-3 after Mike Baloga’s 31-yard field goal.
Cortland began the second half with a seven play, 72-yard drive ending in Burgess’ 9-yard touchdown grab for a 10-7 lead. A video replay overturned the call on the field as Burgess got a foot down before going out of bounds.
It was just the second time all season that North Central trailed in a game — with the other coming in the fourth quarter of the semifinals.
North Central tied it at 31-all with 7:16 remaining on Lehnen’s 64-yard run.
Lehnen, who won the Gagliardi Trophy, the premier D-III individual award, threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 159 yards and another score for North Central. Joe Sacco added 159 yards rushing, including his 20th rushing touchdown of the season, to reach the 100-yard mark for the 11th time this season. Hardy made five catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Boyes became the second quarterback in school history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100. Burgess finished with 11 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns for Cortland. Joe Iadevaio also had two touchdown grabs and 95 yards. JJ Laap made two catches for 75 yards and a score.
North Central’s third made field goal of the season — in three attempts — came with 3:16 left in the third quarter to tie it at 17-all.
How Long Beach State prepared for Bronny James' debut and won
ByMyron Medcalf 
Sunday, December 10, 2023 8:14PM
Long Beach State tried to stay cool.
The Beach were about to play the biggest college basketball game of the weekend, thanks to Bronny James, who was set to make his Division I debut for USC five months after suffering cardiac arrest during a workout in July.
The lines outside Galen Center -- where the school announced a sellout on Friday once the freshman star's debut was announced -- snaked down the street. Tickets on the secondary market had sold for hundreds -- and in some cases, thousands -- of dollars. LeBron James, Bronny's dad, was rumored to be attending. Still, the Beach believed they had settled down by the time tipoff approached.
As the national anthem echoed through the speakers in the arena, however, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar entered the building, and the entire roster turned their heads.
"LeBron is about 6-foot-9, 240 pounds. ... Of course we all noticed him," LBSU junior Jadon Jones, who finished with 18 points and eight rebounds after LBSU upset USC 84-79, told ESPN. "The crowd erupted as soon as his face was on the jumbotron. We saw Rich Paul there."
When Bronny entered Sunday's game early in the first half, the crowd cheered. The USC fans rose to their feet whenever he touched the ball. And they roared after his chase-down block on Jones. He followed the play with an assist to Vincent Iwuchukwu, his USC teammate who had also suffered cardiac arrest in 2022 during a team workout.
And just like that, the Trojans fed off the energy and entered halftime with a double-digit lead.
Facing Bronny & Co. in that building was going to be more difficult than Long Beach State had imagined.
"We just didn't fight early in the game," said longtime LBSU head coach Dan Monson.
Nearly 72 hours earlier, Monson forgot he was in a room full of Gen Z kids. He told his players that they weren't "the Washington Generals."
He was, of course, referring to the old nemesis of the Harlem Globetrotters, the flashy assembly known for its trick shots and dribbling maneuvers in the 1960s and 1970s. The Generals rarely won when the two teams played. Monson's point was that Long Beach State had a chance against the Trojans.
There was just one problem.
"None of them knew what I was talking about," Monson said.
But he also reminded them that Sunday's game could be memorable.
"There are a lot of games that come and go and you're not going to remember them," he said he told his team. "This is one of those games, for good or bad, you're going to remember the rest of your life because of the circumstances. You have to play with emotion, but you can't be emotional."
When he tried to revive the Washington Generals metaphor again at halftime, his team finally seemed to get it, and returned for the second half with renewed energy. Then Bronny made his first shot: a 3-pointer from the wing with 13:10 to go in the game.
All the talk about staying focused and poised seemed to disappear with the crowd on fire.
As the Beach looked around the arena and heard the noise, they realized they had entered an environment unlike anything they had seen in the past.
"I had to call a timeout," Monson said. "I had to settle that down a little bit. When he hit that 3-pointer, the crowd was at a decibel level few arenas will get to this year."
As play continued, though, he also noticed a strange change come over his team's opponent.
In the first half, the Bronny hype had driven the Trojans and fueled an emotional charge. In the second half, however, they began to show signs of fatigue. Maybe the pregame pageantry had been a lot for USC, too, he wondered.
Just like that, the game started swinging in LBSU's favor, and regulation ended with USC -- a 13.5-point favorite entering the game -- heading to overtime with the Beach, a stunning reversal.
"Our first thing was just to stay calm," Jones said about his team's comeback.
The Beach understood the crowd would be large and the atmosphere would reflect the moment. At the same time, they weren't really worried about Bronny, who finished the game with 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists and 1 block in 17 minutes off the bench. The Beach figured it would take time for him to adjust in his first college game. Veteran Boogie Ellis and freshman Isaiah Collier, the projected No. 1 pick in ESPN's latest NBA mock draft, were the bigger threats.
"To be honest, Bronny wasn't our biggest priority in the scout," Jones said. "He's a good young player. But he's still a freshman in his first game."
Ellis and Collier tried to carry their team through overtime, but the game ended with Long Beach State pulling off the upset and winning its first game at USC since 1987.
Monson didn't focus on the result as he went through the handshake line. The game, he said, was a celebration of Bronny's recovery more than anything else.
"I told Bronny after the game, 'Congratulations,'" he said. "What he's been through is way bigger than this game. To see him back out there and his proud dad there and his mom, that's way more important than anything else."
Once they finished celebrating the victory, the Beach showered, got dressed and hopped onto their team bus for the 40-minute ride back to campus, thinking about the way they had played spoiler on Bronny's big night, and how they could use the win to fuel success the rest of the season.
"They got ahead of us quickly," Jones said. "But we were able to calm the storm."
Riverside: 2023 CCCAA Football Champions
RIVERSIDE - Gabe Panikoski kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired to give host Riverside City College a 24-21 victory over defending champion College of San Mateo in the 3C2A Football State Championship game Saturday afternoon at Wheelock Stadium.
Riverside (12-1), appearing in a fourth consecutive state championship game, had to respond after the Bulldogs (11-2) completed a 78-yard drive with 2:01 remaining to tie it with a 1-yard run on a direct snap to Valentino Foni (his second such tally of the game). That was set up by a 19-yard third-down pass from Anthony Grigsby to Tyler Bourland, who made a spectacular one-handed catch, that just missed getting into the end zone.
Tigers quarterback Jordan Barton took control after the kickoff, marching from his own 25 to the 6-yard line. The final dramatics were set up by Barton's 17-yard scramble to the seven (from the CSM 24), going out of bounds with nine seconds remaining. Barton, after a 1-yard run to the six, took his final timeout with four seconds to go, setting up Panikoski for the game-winner.
"I thought it was going to go into overtime," said Riverside coach Tom Craft. "But Barton was resourceful. He's been doing that all year."
The ending dramatics also reminded Craft of some history. "We did the same thing 30 years ago to beat San Francisco in the title game," said Craft, who was the Palomar College coach at that time. "We won it on a field goal with three seconds left."
Barton completed 22 of 31 passes for 201 yards, ran (and scrambled) 18 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns - to earn game MVP honors. Riverside running back Bryce Strong rushed for 76 yards and a TD on 16 carries and caught 9 passes for 97 yards - to gain offensive player of the game recognition. The Bob Stangel defensive player of the game was RCC frosh lineman Esaia Bogar with 8 tackles, including a 15-yard sack, and a QB hurry.
Grigsby was the game-passing leader with 236 yards, completing 19-of-26 throws, including a TD. He led the Bulldogs on a 65-yard drive with their first possession after CSM -held the Tigers to a quick initial 3-and-out. A 38-yard Grigsby to Fidel Pitts pass was the big play on the drive, completed with Foni's 3-yard run.
Riverside responded with a 75-yard drive that the Bulldogs appeared to halt at their own 4-yard line. The Tigers had settled for Panikowski's successful 21-yard field goal. The Bulldogs were called for holding, however, and Craft took the points off the board. Now at the two, Strong rushed quickly into the end zone to tie it.
On their next possession, Barton took the Tigers 83 yards in nine plays, scrambling for the final 10 yards with a leap into the end zone for a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.
San Mateo, however, was determined to tie it at the half. Grigsby took the Bulldogs 65 yards in the final 1:09 of the period, connecting with Pitts on a 42-yard play to get things started and finishing with a 3-yard toss to Terence Loville for the equalizer.
The game remained knotted into the fourth quarter. Barton got things going by engineering a 62-yard drive - capped by his own 14-yard run for a 21-14 advantage with 9:50 remaining.
Led by Strong and Barton, Riverside rushed for 221 yards against the usually stingy Bulldogs and had a total offense of 422 yards.
San Mateo had 111 yards on the ground (with Sanchez and White each netting 46 yards) and 254 passing for 365 total yards. Pitts caught 4 passes for 115 yards and Loville 4 for 43.
Arona Mata'u led CSM on defense with 9 solo tackles and 3 assists.
Riverside captured its second all-time championship, joining its 2019 win, also over CSM. The Bulldogs were looking to be the state's first back-to-back champion since Mt. San Antonio in 2009 and 2010.
(Fred Baer, CCCSIA)
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