MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Tyler Bass found a way to top his last-play 50-yard field goal to end the first half.
Bass kicked a 40-yarder as time expired to give Georgia Southern a 23-21 victory over Eastern Michigan in the Camellia Bowl on Saturday night.
Shai Werts kept the winning drive alive with a 29-yard scramble on fourth-and-10. Bass came on for his third field goal after Wesley Fields' two runs pushed Georgia Southern (10-3) 7 yards closer.
"Right when Shai got that first down, I knew we had a chance to kick it," Bass said. "We've been preparing all week for it, all year for it. When I got out there, I didn't think about anything but the snap, the hold and me just kicking it through. That was it."
Georgia Southern completed the biggest turnaround in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season, going from 10 losses to 10 wins.
"I said at the beginning of the year, we're not sexy, we're just blue collar," coach Chad Lunsford said. "That showed tonight."
Eastern Michigan (7-6) had delivered its own big fourth-down play to take the lead for the first time.
Mike Glass threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Arthur Jackson with 3:33 left on fourth-and-4, followed by Chad Ryland's extra point.
"It was a great football game, and they're obviously a great football program and a great football team," Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. "They got it done in the end. Much as it rips our heart out to say, we do congratulate them, and (it was) an awesome football game."
Georgia Southern took over at its own 25 with a triple-option offense that attempted fewer passes than every FBS team but Army. Werts completed a 15-yard pass to tight end Ellis Richardson, but Georgia Southern fittingly covered most of the 52 yards with runs.
Werts ran for 79 yards and two first-half touchdowns while completing 4 of 7 passes for 33 yards to receive Most Valuable Player honors. His biggest play came on the fourth-and-10.
"I really should have thrown the ball. Ellis was wide open," Werts said. "Wesley had made a block on the linebacker. There was nobody in front of me so I just took off running."
Wesley Kennedy III gained 107 yards on nine carries.
Eastern Michigan's Glass completed 17 of 25 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yarder to Jackson on the opening play of the second half. He had missed the final two games of the regular season with a right leg injury and had only two previous starts.
Glass found Jackson in the back of the end zone to cap a 16-play, 75-yard drive that consumed more than six minutes.
"I was just going through my reads and came back to it late," Glass said. "The linebacker stepped up a little bit and I saw I could get it over their heads."
As it turns out, it left too much time on the clock.
THE TAKEAWAY
Georgia Southern: Ran for 331 yards on 58 carries. Finished the season without throwing an interception. Had its first 10-win season in FBS and second bowl win in as many tries.
Eastern Michigan: Had eight games decided by one score. Just missed its first eight-win season since going 10-2 in 1987.
TURNOVER RECORD
Georgia Southern set an NCAA FBS record with only five turnovers this season. The previous NCAA record was eight turnovers in a season by six teams, last done by LSU in 2017. The Eagles were the only FBS team that didn't throw an interception this season.
THEY SAID IT
"When we first got here this program was in shambles." Eastern Michigan defensive lineman Jeremiah Harris.
CLOSE CAMELLIAS
The five Camellia Bowls have been decided by a combined 17 points, including two winning, last-play field goals.
UP NEXT
Georgia Southern returns most of its offensive starters, including Werts, but loses leading rusher Wesley Fields and top tackler Joshua Moon. It will be the second full season for Lunsford, who led the team's rebound from a 2-10 season.
Eastern Michigan is set to lose six starters on both offense and defense, including quarterback Tyler Wiegers. Glass started three games and is a dual threat running and passing.
LAS VEGAS -- Running back Ronnie Rivers might be the embodiment of Fresno State's turnaround.
It wasn't guaranteed Rivers would be able to play this season after sustaining a foot injury in spring practice, and he was limited by a shoulder injury late in the year. But Rivers was there, leading the way as the Bulldogs completed their journey after going 1-11 two seasons ago.
Rivers rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns to help No. 19 Fresno State beat Arizona State 31-20 in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday.
Anthoula Kelly had a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Marcus McMaryion rushed for a touchdown and was 15-of-29 passing for 176 yards to help Fresno State (12-2) set a school record for wins in a season.
"It's a group that persevered," Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford said. "This group can be remembered as the only team in NCAA history that went from a double-digit losing season to back-to-back double-digit winning seasons."
Rivers put Fresno State back in front 24-20 with a 68-yard touchdown run up the middle in the third quarter and had a 5-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter to seal it. The Bulldogs were 2-0 against Pac-12 opponents this season, also beating UCLA 38-14 in September.
"We've been emphasizing on the word `finish' this past week and just going out there and finishing the job, getting this 12th win," said Rivers, who gained 156 yards on 15 carries in the second half and was honored as the game's most valuable player.
Fresno State was able to overcome turnovers on three consecutive drives in the second half, including when McMaryion threw the first of two interceptions to set up Brandon Ruiz's 44-yard field goal that gave Arizona State a 20-17 lead.
Dejonte O'Neal also fumbled off the pylon when reaching out to score on a throwback screen.
"But I think it says a lot about our team," Tedford said. "Our team plays together, believe in one another. They don't panic and they just keep playing."
Eno Benjamin rushed for 118 yards a one touchdown for the Sun Devils (7-6) in their third straight bowl loss. Manny Wilkins threw for 129 yards, with a 3-yard scoring pass to Kyle Williams and two interceptions.
First-year coach Herm Edwards put the loss on the failure to score points off takeaways, getting three points following the three Fresno State turnovers. Arizona State had 63 yards of offense in the second half.
"We made it a game we wanted to play in. We made it uncomfortable for them," Arizona State coach Herm Edwards said. "But then they got a score. We had to catch up a little bit and that's where they can really come after you."
Benjamin set the school single-season rushing record on a 13-yard run in the second quarter, finishing with 1,642 yards rushing to break Woody Green's mark of 1,565 yards in 1972.
Wilkins said he did not sustain an injury despite taking a hit to the knee on the final pass of his college career, which was intercepted by Juju Hughes.
"I'm good. I left it all out there, so that's all I needed to do," Wilkins said.
THE TAKEAWAY
Arizona State: The Sun Devils will be disappointed to finish with the exact same record as last season, but signs of progress under Edwards were evident. The defense found several young playmakers and played well against Fresno State without freshman linebacker Merlin Robertson. The offense, which played without star wide receiver N'Keal Harry after he declared for the NFL draft, needs to be upgraded to contend in the Pac-12.
Fresno State: The Bulldogs used a strong second half to complete its best season in school history. The senior-heavy offensive line led the way for Rivers, who will be the focal point of the offense in 2019. With a 22-6 record in two seasons at Fresno State, Tedford has reminded everyone why he is one of the best coaches in college football.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Fresno State will finish the season ranked for the third time in school history and should earn its highest final-ranking ever. Arizona State could merit consideration from voters in the preseason poll.
UP NEXT
Arizona State: The Sun Devils need to replace Wilkins, and with commitments from three top high school quarterbacks, it seems his successor might not have been in uniform at the Las Vegas Bowl. If Arizona State can find stability there quickly, the pieces look to be in place to challenge in the Pac-12 South.
Fresno State: The Bulldogs are looking at a major roster overhaul, losing McMaryion, four of five starting offensive linemen and four defensive starters. However, a return to the Mountain West Conference title game isn't an unreasonable expectation based on what Tedford has accomplished in his first two seasons at Fresno State.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- From a 2-5 start to Cure Bowl champions.
Tulane (7-6) capped a turnaround season under coach Willie Fritz with a 41-24 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, the Green Wave's first postseason win in 16 years.
Darius Bradwell rushed for a career-best 150 yards and two touchdowns and graduate transfer Justin McMillan improved to 5-1 as the team's starting quarterback by tossing a first-quarter TD pass to Terren Encalade and running for a late score in the 29th meeting in an intrastate rivalry that dates to 1911.
"Every game this season was kind of fourth-and-inches. Every one was tough," Fritz, completing his third year at the American Athletic Conference school, said. "Starting 2-5 and to come back and win this game is very special."
Bradwell scored on runs of 15 and 4 yards while setting bowl records for rushing attempts (35) and yards for Tulane (7-6), which won a bowl game for the first time since the 2002 Hawaii Bowl.
"We kept feeding him and he did a nice job getting vertical," Fritz said. "He's a hard guy to arm tackle at about 235 pounds."
The Green Wave also got a rushing TD from Amare Jones and outgained the Ragin' Cajuns 337 yards to 84 on the ground to improve to 23-6 all-time against the Rajun' Cajuns.
Lousiana-Lafayette coach Bill Napier said he didn't want the result to leave a "blackeye" on what the Sun Belt Conference runner-up accomplished in its first season under him.
"When our football team doesn't perform as well as we can it's 100 percent my responsibility," Napier said. "We're going to have the integrity to look in the mirror and adjust the things and fix the things we need to do."
The Ragin' Cajuns (7-7), coming off a loss to Appalachian State in the Sun Belt championship game, rallied from a 24-7 deficit to pull within three points on Jarrod Jackson's 15-yard TD reception with just over 10 minutes remaining.
McMillan put the game away, leading a 75-yard drive Bradwell finished with his second TD and later scoring himself on a 16-yard run that put Tulane up 41-24.
Andre Nunez completed 8 of 17 passes for 136 yards and one TD, however Louisiana-Lafayette's productive running tandem of Trey Ragas and Elijah Mitchell were not a factor after falling behind early.
"Very inefficient, in particular after the opening drive," which resulted in the Ragin' Cajuns taking a 7-0 lead on Raymond Calais' 38-yard touchdown run," Napier said.
"Today's outcome was a direct reflection who blocked better, who tackled better, who caught the ball better," Napier added. "There's nothing secret about what happened out there today."
Tulane won four of five down the stretch in the regular season to not only qualify for its first bowl berth in five years, but also finish with a winning record (5-3 AAC West Division) in league play for the first time since 2014.
McMillan was one of the keys, providing consistent quarterback play while throwing for more than 1,100 yards and accounting for 13 touchdowns -- nine passing and four rushing.
The graduate transfer from LSU, where he appeared on only two games from 2015-17, was 11 of 18 passing with one interception Saturday. He finished with 217 yards total offense -- 145 passing and 72 rushing.
THE TAKEAWAY
Louisiana-Lafayette: Ragas rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and Mitchell fell just shy of 1,000 this season, however neither was a factor after the Ragin' Cajuns fell behind by double-digits. Ragas was limited to 40 yards on 10 carries, and Mitchell had 26 yards on six attempts and scored on a 3-yard run in the third quarter.
"You can't start slow in a big game like this and expect to overcome things like that," tight end Matt Barnes said. "We showed some fight and had opportunities to win the game."
Tulane: The Green Wave rushed for 483 yards and finished with a Cure Bowl-record and season-best 28 first downs. Bradwell topped 100 yards for the third time, finishing the season with 1,134 yards and 11 rushing TDs.
UP NEXT
Louisiana-Lafayette: Nunez is a senior, however Ragas, Mitchell and Calas are all underclassmen for the Ragin' Cajuns, who moving forward have a solid foundation to build on Napier, who inherited a team that went 5-7 last season.
Tulane: McMillan has a year of eligibility remaining, as do Bradwell and Corey Dauphine, who combined for 1,928 yards and 18 TDs rushing. The Green Wave have never made bowl appearances in consecutive seasons, but will enter 2019 with heightened expectations after their strong finish.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Utah State walked into the New Mexico Bowl with one of its best records in school history but uncertainty. Its head coach, Matt Wells, left to take the Texas Tech job. Interim coach Frank Maile had to prepare the Aggies with an army of graduate assistants and an announcement a new coach was coming next month.
North Texas, meanwhile, was coming into Albuquerque with experienced coach Seth Littrell and highly touted quarterback Mason Fine.
The Aggies pushed those distractions aside Saturday.
Jordan Love threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns and Jalen Greene had six catches for 151 yards and a score to help Utah State rout North Texas 52-13.
Maile directed the Aggies (11-2) even after Utah State announced former head coach Gary Andersen would return. However, Andersen opted not to attend the bowl game and let Maile finish what he started.
Love completed 21 of 43 passes with one interception. D.J. William had two interceptions, helping Utah State ground high-flying North Texas (9-4).
Aaren Vaughns caught two passes for 109 yards and two scores for the Aggies, Gerold Bright ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and Darwin Thompson added 93 yards on 21 carries.
Maile said he did his best to get the offense ready. The rest was up the players, he said.
"The guys have lot of efforts to doing their jobs," Maile said. The defense is set up for everybody to make plays."
Love said receivers were able to get open, find space and get yards after the catch. "We've been doing that all season," he said.
Fine was injured in the first quarter, and the Mean Green ended up using four quarterbacks. Jalen Guyton had four catches for 103 yards a score.
Littrell said Utah State was the best team the Mean Green faced all season. "We didn't have enough in us today to make more plays to have success," Littrell said.
When Fine came up limping following a nine-yard run in the first quarter, the whole complexion of game changed. "I don't ever want to put him in harm's way and he is so tough," Littrell said. "He wants to do everything he can for his teammates. But as the head coach, sometimes enough is enough."
After the game, North Texas officials announced that Fine had a severe left strained hamstring. This is the second time in three years that Fine most of or all of the Mean Green's bowl game after a shoulder injury kept him out of the 2016 Heart of Dallas Bowl.
Littrell said Fine left with a "pretty bad" hamstring injury but couldn't give more details.
Cornerback Kemon Hall said it was painful to see his teammates injured but players are trained to always be on standby. "You've always got to stay ready," he said. "You hate to see guys do bad or people get hurt."
THE TAKEAWAY
UTAH STATE: Maile was tasked with preparing the Aggies with a staff of graduate assistants in coordinator spots. Players had to handle the distractions and constant questions over the future leadership of the Aggies and how it would affect their chances in the bowl game.
NORTH TEXAS: Coach Seth Littrell announced this week he would stay with the Mean Green to build on what he started when he took over a team that was 1-11 in 2015. Since then, he has a 23-17 but has yet to win a bowl game in three straight appearances.
UP NEXT
UTAH STATE: Andersen returns as head coach and takes over a program that is rising. Sophomore quarterback Love and junior running back Bright are returning to build on an offense that broke a school record in touchdowns.
NORTH TEXAS: Fine is expected to return next season as quarterback for his senior year. Many of his favorite receiving targets also are expected to return and they won't have to adjust to a new head coach after all.
ATLANTA -- Lamar Raynard passed for 292 yards and two touchdowns and Malik Wilson returned a kickoff for the game-sealing touchdown Saturday as North Carolina A&T held off Alcorn State to win the Celebration Bowl 24-22, and the Aggies captured their second straight HBCU national championship and third in four years.
The Celebration Bowl kicks off the bowl season by matching up the champions of two historically black leagues, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Raynard, a senior who finished his career with a 35-2 record as a starter, did most of his damage in the first half with touchdown passes of 17 yards to Zachary Leslie and 27 yards to Elijah Bell as North Carolina A&T (10-2) built a 17-3 lead in the second quarter.
Alcorn State (9-4) stormed back in the third quarter. De'Shawn Waller tallied 116 of his 167 rushing yards on just four carries in the period while playing about six miles east of where he grew up.
The Braves pulled within 17-16 on a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Noah Johnson, the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, and a 29-yard field goal with 51 seconds left in the quarter. Johnson rushed for 120 yards and passed for 128.
Wilson countered immediately, fielding the short kickoff on the left side of the field. He took off diagonally toward the middle and then cut up the right sideline for a 79-yard score.
It was the senior's school-record fourth kickoff return for a touchdown this season alongside scores of 98, 99 and 100 yards.
Johnson scored on a 59-yard option keeper early in the fourth quarter to pull the Braves within 24-22.
Johnson rolled out on the ensuing two-point conversion try, and his pass to a sliding Chris Harris was ruled incomplete. Alcorn State punted on its next possession with 5:55 remaining and didn't get the ball back as North Carolina A&T put together a game-ending 11-play drive.
TAKEAWAYS
North Carolina A&T: Other than the clock-eating final drive, the Aggies were stymied on offense in the second half, with Wilson's kickoff return bailing them out. The Aggies entered the game ranked No. 1 in the HBCU poll and No. 11 in FCS.
Alcorn State: The Braves bullied North Carolina A&T in the second half, with 258 of their 328 total rushing yards on 20 carries. They flipped the script from when these teams met in the first Celebration Bowl in 2015. In that one, they lost 41-34 when North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen, now with the Chicago Bears, rushed for 295 yards.
MISSING MAN
Alcorn State played without starting wide receiver Dayall Harris, who did not make the trip to Atlanta for disciplinary reasons. The senior was the Braves' fourth-leading receiver during the regular season with 28 catches in 11 games, with four touchdowns and a team-leading 15.8-yard average per reception.
UP NEXT
North Carolina A&T: The Aggies will replace at least seven starters on defense and at least eight on offense, including Raynard, the entire line, tight end Leroy Hill and running back Marquell Cartwright before opening the 2019 season at home against Elon and then traveling 50 miles to play at Duke.
Alcorn State: The Braves will lose at least four defensive and three offensive starters ahead of their season-opening trip to Southern Mississippi, which will be followed by a game at McNeese State.
Ninety-six points were scored in the NCAA Division II championship game Saturday. Two points that weren't scored made the difference.
Rogan Wells tied the championship record with five touchdown passes and Valdosta State won its fourth national title with a 49-47 victory over Ferris State in McKinney, Texas.
Ferris State's rally from an 11-point deficit fell short when Jevon Shaw's two-point conversion pass sailed wide of Keyondre Craig at the back of the end zone with 40 seconds left.
"When I saw the ball high and wide, that was a great feeling," Valdosta coach Kerwin Bell said.
Ferris State coach Tony Annese said his team practiced "probably eight" different two-point plays every week during the season. The play he picked was a double reverse designed for wide receiver Shaw, a high school quarterback, to throw back to quarterback Jayru Campbell.
"We haven't used a two-point conversion this year," he said. "We're 0 for 1."
Sophomore Wells, the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy for Division II's outstanding player, outplayed junior Campbell, the Hill Trophy winner.
Wells passed for 349 yards, ran for 39 and caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Ivory Durham IV.
Campbell ran for 122 yards and a touchdown and had 99 yards passing and another TD. He was high on Division I recruiting lists before two arrests for assault in 2014.
Wells said the Hill voting wasn't a motivator.
"(Campbell's) a great player. He can throw it. He can run. I just wanted to come out and win the championship game."
Bell was diplomatic.
"I thought both guys deserved it."
Ferris State couldn't stop Valdosta's championship-game-record 374-yard passing attack, and the champions gave up 270 rushing yards to Ferris State.
The lead changed hands seven times before Valdosta (14-0) overcame a 34-31 deficit with two consecutive third-quarter touchdowns on passes from Wells to Joe Fortson Jr. and Travis Taylor.
In winning their first title since 2012, the Blazers overcame a missed field goal, a muffed punt, 114 penalty yards and a Ferris State pass that VSU cornerback Cory Roberts batted back into the end zone to Craig for a touchdown that pulled Ferris State to 42-38.
Valdosta stretched the lead back to 11 points when Wells lateraled to Durham and ran to the left sideline for a return pass and his touchdown. He's the first player in the championship's 46-year history responsible for six total touchdowns.
"Rogan was special at quarterback," Bell said. "Our defense made the stop at the end to win this championship."
Ferris State (15-1) missed a chance to become the first college team since 1899 to win a record 16 games in a season at any level. Amos Alonzo Stagg's University of Chicago team went 16-0-2 in 1899. Yale had two 16-win seasons in the 19th century. No team has ever finished 16-0.
In the first quarter of its first championship game, Ferris State set records for the longest pass play, 80 yards from Shaw to Craig, and longest field goal, 52 yards by Jackson Dieterle.
Craig and Valdosta's Lio'undre Gallimore each caught two touchdown passes. Gallimore had 111 yards on four catches.
SHENANDOAH, Texas -- After falling to Mount Union last season in the Division III championship game, Mary Hardin-Baylor not only wanted to get back to the title game -- it wanted to beat the Purple Raiders.
The Crusaders did that Friday night.
Jase Hammack threw for 147 yards and two touchdowns, Markeith Miller rushed for 90 yards and a score and Mary Hardin-Baylor won its second title in three years, beating Mount Union 24-16.
Hammack rebounded after losing a fumble in the first quarter that led to the Purple Raiders' lone touchdown by completing 11 of 19 passes and rallying the Crusaders (15-0) from a 10-0 deficit. T.J. Josey caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown for Mary Hardin-Baylor, which lost to the Raiders (14-1) 12-0 last season in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
"The goal since the beginning of fall camp was to get back here and have a shot at Mount Union just because of the way last year ended," Mary Hardin-Baylor coach Pete Fredenburg said. "I think it says an awful lot about these players and coaches that kept pushing and kept driving. It's incredible."
D'Angelo Fulford was 18-of-37 for 194 yards and rushed for 45 yards, and had a 1-yard touchdown run to put Mount Union up 10-0 -- the first time the Crusaders have trailed this season -- with 3½ minutes left in the first quarter. Josh Petruccelli added 57 rushing yards and Justin Hill caught five passes for 71 yards for the Raiders. Both teams finished with 303 yards.
"I thought we were fortunate to get some points on the board early," Mount Union coach Vince Kehres said. "We took advantage of the turnover there and extended a drive with the fake punt. They have a great defense. Nobody's scoring a lot of points on that defense. They executed pretty well down the stretch, and we couldn't quite finish a couple of plays."
Trailing 24-13, the Raiders cut the lead to eight on Cory Barnett's third field goal with 7 minutes left. After stopping Mary Hardin-Baylor a yard short on a fourth-and-2 at the Crusaders' 40, Mount Union's drive stalled at the Mary Hardin-Baylor 16 with consecutive incompletions with a minute left.
Following a three-and-out by Mary Hardin-Baylor, Mount Union had one last chance, but Fulford was sacked by Khevon Shepard and injured on third-and-10. Mount Union's lateral play on fourth down failed.
Hammack found Josey for a 36-yard touchdown pass, which Josey caught falling into the end zone with 1:27 remaining in the first quarter. Miller gave the Crusaders a 14-13 lead with a 2-yard touchdown run right before halftime.
"We always felt like that when you get into a game like this with so much significance, the key thing was to maintain the confidence level that we have, don't panic," Fredenburg said. "Everything is going to take care of itself. We felt like we could play with Mount Union. We felt like our team was a team of destiny."
After Anthony Avila's field goal in the third quarter, Hammack upped the lead to 24-13 midway through the fourth, finding K.J. Miller for a 16-yard touchdown pass.
DAYTONA, Fla. — Trent Solsma threw four touchdown passes, including an 16-yard scoring strike to Connor Niles with less than 90 seconds to play, to help Sioux City’s Morningside College beat Benedictine 35-28 on Saturday night at Daytona Stadium for its first NAIA championship.
Solsma, the NAIA player of the year, was 19-of-36 passing for 292 yards with two interceptions. Niles, whose 25-yard scoring catch gave the Mustangs a 34-28 win over Saint Francis in the semifinals, finished with seven receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns. Arnijae Ponder had 134 yards rushing and a score on 30 carries for top-ranked Morningside (15-0).
Jacob Boyd broke up a pass by Solsma on fourth-and-14 to set up a 10-play, 62-yard drive capped by Frank Trent’s 1-yard touchdown run and Shaefer Schuetz hit Alex Blake for the 2-point conversion to make it 28-all with 5:49 to play. The Mustangs went three-and-out on their next possession but the defense held on Benedictine’s ensuing drive. Punter Jacob Young couldn’t handle a low snap, and Morningside’s Alex Paulson covered a short punt at the 18. Three plays later, Solsma hit Niles for the winner.
Marquis Stewart had 27 carries for 168 yards and a score for No. 7 Benedictine (13-2).
ISML 2018: A Close Shave For Chtholly By Jo-Ryan Salazar The Bedlam On Baltic Avenue December 13, 2018
Match Day 4 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period took place. In the Female Division, Chtholly Nota Seniorious scored the closest victory of the round, a 14780-14769 thriller over Kurisu Makise, Shiro defeated Nagisa Furukawa 16646-14309, Kamui Kanna rumbled past Ai Haibara 16516-13129, Mashiro Shiina romped past Azusa Nakano 16348-13440, Tamako Kitashirakawa eased past Sakura Kinomoto 15669-13455 and Rem thumped Rikka Takanashi 14153.
Wrapping up Female Division action, Kurumi Tokisaki won a 14217-14123 barnburner over Sagiri Izumi, Saber slashed past Reina Kousaka 15776-13115, Asuna Yuuki routed Tooru 19858-11355, Shouko Nishimiya defeated Emilia 17276-16983, Illyasviel von Einzbern defeated Yui Yuigahama 15682-14235 and Rin Tohsaka whipped past Yukino Yukinoshita 16232-13805.
In the Male Division, Archer dominated Shouya Ishida 14307-11359, Kusuo Saiki rolled past Astolgo 15051-11759, Hachiman Hikigaya routed Shirou Emiya 17331-10882, Rintarou Okabe rocked Shouto Todoroki 14690-12391, Tomoya Okazaki defeated Eren Yeager 13359-12732 and Levi leveled Yuuta Togashi 16028-11823.
Wrapping up Male Division action, Willem Kmetsch prevailed over Ainz Ooal Gown 14598-13976, Kyon scored the Upset of the Round, a 14861-11878 scalp of Kiritsugu Emiya, Gilgamesh impaled Touma Kamijou 13794-13157, Riku Dola rocked Karma Akabane 14839-12369, Subaru Natsuki punched Saitama 13867-11685 and Nagisa Shiota defeated Kiyotaka Ayanokouji 13713-12835.
Match Day 5 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is scheduled for December 14, 2018. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
ISML 2018: Big Names On The Rebound By Jo-Ryan Salazar The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue December 11, 2018
Match Day 3 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is in the books, and a number of names have rebounded after some humbling defeats in the prior round. In the Female Division, Chtholly Nota Seniorious defeated Nagisa Furukawa 9595-8594, Kamui Kanna prevailed over Shiro 13489-12550, Kurisu Makise won the closest race of the round, a 10415-10054 barnburner over Ai Haibara, Mashiro Shiina routed Tamako Kitashirakawa 17097-9162, Rem defeated Sakura Kinomoto 15254-12409 and Rikka Takanashi rocked Azusa Nakano 14010-12126.
Wrapping up Female Division action, Asuna Yuuki slashed past Saber 9306-6358, Kurumi Tokisaki shot down Reina Kousaka 14773-11533, Sagiri Izumi roared past Tooru 13228-12274, Shouko Nishimiya defeated Yui Yuigahama 13448-12782, Yukino Yukinoshita whipped past Illyasviel von Einzbern 13144-10685 and Rin Toosaka scored a 16855-13969 statement win over Emilia.
In the Male Division, Archer defeated Astolfo 13169-11724, Hachiman Hikigaya flattened Kusuo Saiki 15718-9573, Shirou Emiya prevailed over Shouya Ishida 12801-11778, Rintarou Okabe routed Eren Yeager 17932-8537, Levi leveled Tomoya Okazaki 19781-5975 and Yuuta Togashi defeated Shouto Todoroki 10013-9605.
Wrapping up Male Division action, Ainz Ooal Gown stormed past Kyon 13260-12041, Gilgamesh impaled Kiritsugu Emiya 10248-9065, Touma Kamijou broke Willem Kmetsch 15357-10041, Riku Dola rocked Subaru Natsuki 13103-11633, Nagisa Shiota punched Saitama 15257-9495 and Kiyotaka Ayanokouji eased past Karma Akabane 12880-12173.
Match Day 4 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is scheduled for December 11, 2018. Vote for you favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
Kyler Murray of the University of Oklahoma was selected on Saturday (Dec. 8) as the 84th winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, an award presented annually by the Heisman Trophy Trust to the most outstanding player in college football.
The junior quarterback was announced as the 2018 winner of the prestigious honor at the end of ESPN’s live broadcast of the Heisman ceremony from Manhattan’s PlayStation Theater.
“This is crazy. This is an honor,” said Murray from the podium after being announced as the winner. “It’s something I’ll never forget. Something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Murray, who followed Baker Mayfield as quarterback at Oklahoma, is the first player to win the Heisman the year after taking over for another Heisman winner. His victory also marks just the fourth time a school has won consecutive Heismans.
He’s the seventh Sooner to win the Heisman, joining Billy Vessels (’52), Steve Owens (’69), Billy Sims (’78), Jason White (’03), Sam Bradford (’08) and Mayfield (’17). That total ties Notre Dame and Ohio State for most Heisman wins.
The 5-10, 195-pounder from Allen, Texas, threw for 4,054 yards and 40 touchdowns, with another 892 yards and 11 scores on the ground while leading the Sooners to a 12-1 record, the Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. His passer rating of 205.72 is the best in Heisman history, eclipsing the mark of 203.76 set by Mayfield in 2017.
Ballots were emailed to 870 media personnel across the nation plus 58 Heisman winners and one fan ballot, for a total of 929 electors. The ballots were received and tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. Murray polled 2,167 points to capture the award over Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama (1,871 points), and Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins (783 points). The point total is reached by a system of three points for a first place vote, two for a second and one for a third.
Murray will be officially inducted into the Heisman family at the 84th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala on Sunday evening, December 9, 2017, at the Marriott Marquis in New York.
ATLANTA – The Southern takeover of MLS is complete.
Atlanta United capped their astonishing first two years of existence with a confident 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers in the 2018 MLS Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night, delighting the biggest crowd in league history with a vintage performance spearheaded by a goal and assist from star striker Josef Martinez.
As some analysts had predicted, the two sides got off to a cagey start, Portland sitting deep and absorbing withering waves of pressure while Atlanta pressed tigerishly but failed to connect on the final pass. A duel between Martinez and Larrys Mabiala sent the Venezuelan tumbling in the Timbers penalty box, but referee Alan Kelly waved play on and a VAR check backed up his no-call.
Miguel Almiron finally created the first clear scoring chance of the game in the 29th minute, meeting a deep cross from Greg Garza with an acrobatic side volley, but Jeff Attinella dived to his right to parry the bouncing shot away from the net.
The affair blew open 10 minutes later as ATLUTD seized the lead by exploiting a moment of slackness by the Timbers in their own end.
The visitors clipped a half-clearance up to Jeremy Ebobisse, but the forward was dispossessed by a sliding Michael Parkhurst and Martinez beat Liam Ridgewell to the ball at the top of the penalty box, leaving the Venezuelan marksman with the relatively simple – for him – task of rounding Attinella and stroking his finish into an empty net.
Portland responded almost immediately. A few minutes later Ebobisse directed a header on target after good work down the right channel by Sebastian Blanco, only for Brad Guzan to make the save and send the fiery contest into halftime at 1-0.
The Timbers tried to mount a rally after the break, venturing forward to create danger in front of Guzan’s goal in the 52nd minute, but found themselves in a 2-0 hole mere moments later as the Five Stripes doubled their lead from a well-executed set piece.
Martinez was heavily involved, first winning a free kick along Atlanta’s left channel, then popping up at the near post to flick on Almiron’s driven service into the path of Franco Escobar at the back stick. The wide-open wingback made no mistake with a firm low strike into the bottom corner, sending the home fans into another bout of delirium.
The Timbers made three attacking-minded subs and pressed forward as they chased the game, but Guzan and his defense held firm and the Atlanta bench rushed the pitch at Kelly's final whistle to celebrate a memorable triumph.
Three Things
ATL TOO STRONG: The Timbers battled valiantly, but this was a definitive display of Tata Martino’s aggressive, attack-minded philosophy and it was hard to see the underdogs’ path to an upset. Setting the tone with their buzzing high press and snapping challenges, the Five Stripes ditched the risk-averse tactics used against the New York teams in their two previous playoff series and insisted the game be played on their terms, to good effect.
MIDNIGHT FOR CINDERELLA: The squad from the Rose City caught lightning in a bottle with their unexpected run through the Western Conference bracket and have much to cherish from the first season under Giovanni Savarese. Though their formula didn’t work against a suffocating ATLUTD side in the final, their hordes of traveling supporters added greatly to this occasion and the future looks bright.
JOSEF AND PARKY: Big players produce in big games, and the Five Stripes’ key cogs did exactly that on this occasion. Special props are due to match (and season!) MVP Martinez and captain Parkhurst, who made the play that led to the opening goal and was generally flawless in his defensive work. After so much heartbreak in his previous trips to the cup final with New England and Columbus, no one in black and red will cherish this win more than him.
ISML 2018: Diamond Match Day 2 Recap By Jo-Ryan Salazar The Bedlam On Baltic Avenue December 7, 2018
Match Day 2 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is history. In the Female Division, Kamui Kanna defeated Kurisu Makise 16474-12574, Nagisa Furukawa eased past Ai Haibara 15060-13601, Shiro scored a 11687-10696 scalp of Chtholly Nota Seniorious, Rem routed Azusa Nakano 15264-7566, Rikka Takanashi rocked Tamako Kitashirakawa 14563-12108 and Sakura Kinomoto scored the Upset of the Round, a 14990-14410 barnburner over Mashiro Shiina.
Wrapping up Female Division action, Asuna Yuuki slashed past Sagiri Izumi 16120-11628, Tooru roared past Reina Kousaka 14401-12691, Saber won a 14036-13757 nailbiter over Kurumi Tokisaki, Yukino Yukinoshita defeated Emilia 17392-15526, Rin Tohsaka whipped past Yui Yuigahama 13927-11941 and Illyasviel von Einzbern throttled Shouko Nishimiya 16661-13101.
In the Male Division, Hachiman Hikigaya routed Shouya Ishida 16871-10189, Shirou Emiya defeated Astolgo 13118-11877, Archer dominated Kusuo Saiki 14340-11472, Shouto Todoroki won the closest race of the round, a 14150-13855 thriller over Levi, Yuuta Togashi defeated Eren Yeager 13855-12320 and Rintarou Okabe whipped past Tomoya Okazaki 14692-11486.
Wrapping up Male Division play, Willem Kmetsch impaled Gilgamesh 16212-12510, Touma Kamijou broke Kyon 13799-11140, Kiritsugu Emiya defeated Ainz Ooal Gown 13486-12942, Nagisa Shiota outwitted Karma Akabane 13523-11656, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji thumped Subaru Natsuki 14136-11628 and Riku Dola puncherd Saitama 13020-12156.
Match Day 3 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is scheduled for December 8, 2018. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
ISML 2018: Diamonds In The Sky By Jo-Ryan Salazar The Bedlam On Baltic Avenue December 4, 2018
Match Day 1 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period has concluded in the final buildup to the postseason. In the Female Division, Kamui Kanna defeated Nagisa Furukawa 20222-9514, Chtholly Nota Seniorious prevailed over Ai Haibara 15612-14548, Kurisu Makise throttled Shiro 15818-12699, Tamaki KItashirakawa got routed by Rem 17608-11038, Mashiro Shiina eased past Rikka Takanashi 11529-10968 and Sakura Kinomoto romped past Azusa Nakano 16659-13182.
Wrapping up Female Division action, Asuna Yuuki slashed past Reina Kousaka 16738-10379, Tooru roared past Kurumi Tokisaki 15894-13050, Saber defeated Sagiri Izumi 15463-12629, Yukino Yukinoshita whipped past Yui Yuigahama 15580-11552, Rin Tohsaka hammered Shouko Nishimiya 17706-12513 and Emilia thumped Illyasviel von Einzbern 18331-14590.
In the Male Division, Hachiman Hikigaya routed Astolgo 16255-10098, Archer dominated Shirou Emiya 14071-11918, Kusuo Saiki defeated Shouya Ishida 14334-11349, Levi leveled Eren Yeager 15567-11185, Rintarou Okabe took down Yuuta Togashi 14857-12374 and Shouto Todoroki prevailed over Tomoya Okazaki 12526-11353.
Wrapping up Male Division play, Kyon defeated Gilgamesh 14338-12147, Ains Ooak Gown broke Touma Kamijou in the Upset of the round 13751-12650, Willem Kmetsch defeated Kiritsugu Emiya 14562-11161, Nagisa Shiota rolled past Subaru Natsuki 14924-12347, Riku Dola rocked Kiyotaka Ayanokouji 12658-12192 and in the closest race of the round, Saitama punched Karma Akabane 12439-12144.
Match Day 2 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is scheduled for December 5, 2018. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
ISML 2018: Rin Tohsaka Wins Ruby Necklace Dark Horse Archer Completes Fate Sweep With Pendant Win
By Jo-Ryan Salazar The Bedlam On Baltic Avenue November 28, 2018
Match Day 6 of the 2018 International Saimoe League Ruby Period has completed, and despite surprisingly low turnouts for this one, as forecasted in the Ruby Necklace Odds, Rin Tohsaka won the Ruby Necklace with a 23557-20550 win over Emilia. Kurumi Tokisaki was third with 10585 votes. Rounding out the order were Yukino Yukinoshita (2246), Yui Yuigahama (2066), Illyasviel von Einzbern (2003), Rikka Takanashi (1143) and Kamui Kanna (851).
Archer was listed as a reliable second choice at 3-1 but coasted to a 19263-15052 win over favored Gilgamesh to win the Ruby Pendant. Willem Kmetsch, making his debut in the ISML Male Division, was third with 9306 votes. Rounding out the order were Kiritsugu Emiya (7568), Astolfo (5248), Subaru Natsuki (4351), Shouto Todoroki (3638) and Tomoya Okazaki (3089).
Advancing to the next phase in the Female Division via the wildcard are Shiro (7815.78), Kurisu Makise (8398), Tooru (8650) and Shouko Nishimiya (8083). Eliminated were Nao Tomori (2037), Schwi Dola (3655), Yuki Nagato (7549.35), Utaha Kasumigaoka (3125), Chiyo Sakura (2268), Megumin (2493), Taiga Aisaka (4201), Haruhi Suzumiya (4828) and Mirai Kuriyama (2724).
Advancing to the nect phase in the Male Division via the wildcard were Yuuta Togashi (8583), Kusuo Saiki (7412.78), Shouya Ishida (7821) and Touma Kamijou (7367.18). Eliminated were Ken Kaneki (4119), Ryuuji Takasu (2337), Yato, (3252), Li Syaoran (7198.3), Taki Tachibana (3684), Takashi Natsume (5626.11), Izuku Midoriya (2629), Kazuma Satou (2652) and Conan Edogawa (4751).
One of the biggest Upsets of the Round happened in the Summer Seasonal Tournament. Platelet and Erythrocyte are not expected to make much of an impact at next year's International Saimoe League despite being locks to make the main draw. However, Platelet may go down as one of the more underrated characters to stand and deliver, and deliver she did in a 17216-13856 scalp of Rinne Ohara to win the Summer Diadem. Eyrythocyte made it a sweep for the series of the season, Hataraku Saibou, in a 16722-12921 whipping of Mahiru Tsuyuzaki, for third place.
Some other action between eliminated ISML participants took place. Kaori Miyazono defeated Tohka Yatogami 14734-12446, Jibril flew past Nero Claudius 14226-13878, Mitsuha Miyamizu eased past Eriri Sawamura Spencer 14843-13354, Yuzuru Otonashi shot down Sorata Kanda 13550-12124, Lancer implace Saika Totsuka 13321-11513 and Souma Yukihira dominated Gintoki Sakata 13422-11438.
Wrapping up action, Moffie defeated Bonta-kun 13737-11895 in a battle of look-alikes, Rin prevailed over Meme 13643-12012, Azuki defeated Natsuki 13678-11959 and in a penguin showdown, King Dedede rolled past Pingu 13418-12025.
Keep it right here on The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue for continuing coverage of the world's premier competition, the International Saimoe League, as the push towards the postseason goes full steam ahead. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
EDMONTON — It turns out the third time was the charm for the Calgary Stampeders.
After two consecutive years of Grey Cup heart break, the Stamps got it right on Sunday night in Edmonton, earning a wire-to-wire 27-16 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS to capture the 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw.
Bo Levi Mitchell threw two first-half touchdown passes, winning Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, while Terry Williams scored on a Grey Cup record 97-yard punt return, as the Stamps erased their ghosts of November’s past in front of 55,819 fans at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
Brampton, Ont. native Alessia Cara performed at halftime, but in the end it was Williams’ record-breaking romp with one second left in the first half that stole the show, giving Calgary a 21-11 lead that would not be relinquished.
Don Jackson and Lemar Durant also scored for Calgary, while Julian Feoli-Gudino struck for the REDBLACKS. Rene Paredes and Lewis Ward each booted a pair of field goals. Durant was named the game’s Most Valuable Canadian after hauling in four catches for 30 yards and adding a 22-yard run.
Mitchell finished with 253 yards on 24-of-36 passing but also threw two interceptions. REDBLACKS starter Trevor Harris countered with 288 yards and a touchdown, but also threw three picks on 20-of-38 passing.
Stamps receiver Eric Rogers had a team-high 64 yards on six catches, including three on second down. RJ Harris had a game-high 66 yards on four catches to lead the REDBLACKS.
The Stamps threatened to score on their opening possession of the game, but a promising drive ended abruptly when Mitchell’s pass intended for Bakari Grant was underthrown and intercepted by Jonathan Rose. The turnover marked Mitchell’s sixth interception in four Grey Cup starts.
Mitchell would get a chance for atonement soon after. With the REDBLACKS hemmed up in their own end, Harris’ pass over the middle was intercepted by defensive back Ciante Evans. Juwan Brescacin‘s third catch of the opening quarter then set up the perfect screen pass, with Mitchell dumping it off to Jackson for an easy 23-yard touchdown, putting Calgary up 7-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
The REDBLACKS moved the ball on their ensuing possession but Ward, nearly perfect throughout the regular season, missed his third field goal of the post-season on a try from 48 yards out.
As the first quarter came to an end, the Stamps’ seven-point lead had much to do with the field position battle, with Calgary’s average starting position starting at the 48-yard-line compared to the REDBLACKS starting at their own 24.
Lewis would redeem himself on his second attempt early in the second frame, hitting from 30 yards out to get Ottawa on the board.
Ahead 7-3, though, the Stampeders responded in orderly fashion. On second-and 10, Rogers fought off tight coverage from Kyries Hebert to make a highlight-reel 20-yard grab. Mitchell struck again on second down, finding a wide open Canadian Julan Lynch for 26 yards down to the Ottawa 34.
After another second-down conversion by Rogers, Mitchell made one of his best plays of the game when he bought time with his legs, escaping pressure to his left before throwing across his body to Durant for a 17-yard touchdown.
Mitchell’s work on second down made the drive possible, as he completed all three second-down passing attempts for 57 yards. The eight-play, 80-yard scoring chewed 4:22 off the clock and put Calgary ahead 14-3.
Just when they needed it most, lightning struck for the REDBLACKS. Harris found an open Feoli-Gudino, who broke a tackle on his way to a 55-yard touchdown. J.C. Beaulieu caught the two-point convert from Harris, cutting the deficit to 14-11 for Ottawa.
It looked like that would make it a one-possession game at the half, but one speedy returner did just what he was brought in to do. Williams caught Richie Leone‘s punt at his own 13, weaved through a crowd of defenders and then sprinted past the kicker, scoring a Grey Cup record 97-yard punt return touchdown.
The score left just one second on the clock, putting Calgary up 21-11 after the game-altering play. Calgary had led after halftime in seven Grey Cups going into the game, going 5-2 over that span with the losses coming in 1968 and last year, 2017, vs. Toronto.
The REDBLACKS chipped away at the deficit early in the third, as RJ Harris‘ grab down the sideline set up a 41-yard field goal by Ward, his second of the night.
Calgary replied quickly though with Rene Paredes‘ first of the night, a 34-yarder that would restore the Stampeders’ lead to 10. Paredes’ field goal put him in the lead for Grey Cup field goal percentage with a 10-for-10 mark, passing former Argos kicker Mike Vanderjagt (9-for-9) based off attempts.
Down two scores and in need of a spark, things turned worse for the REDBLACKS early in the fourth quarter when Diontae Spencer fumbled on a punt return. It was recovered by Stamps special teams ace Wynton McManis, giving Calgary the ball back in optimal field position with 13:33 left.
The REDBLACKS’ defence would hold as Matthews couldn’t catch up to Mitchell’s second down pass in the corner of the end zone. However, Paredes’ second field goal of the game extended Calgary’s lead to 27-14.
The REDBLACKS appeared to cut the deficit to a single score when Harris’ toss to the end zone was apparently caught by a sprawling Greg Ellingson. However, upon further review, the ball was trapped, forcing the Ottawa offence back on the field for a second-and-10. After a pickup of nine by Brad Sinopoli, Harris went back to Sinopoli on third-and-one, only for Jamar Wall to knock the ball loose, forcing a turnover on downs.
With the three-minute warning already passed and the urgency level high, Harris took a deep heave into double coverage looking for RJ Harris, only for Wall to come up with the interception, all but sealing the REDBLACKS’ comeback hopes.
Junior Turner closed the game out with the Stampeders’ only sack of the night. Still, it was a big night for the Stamps’ defence, including three interceptions off Harris by Wall, Evans and rookie Tre Roberson. Alex Singleton had eight tackles, tying a game-high with Ottawa linebacker Kyries Hebert.
JR Tavai had six tackles and a sack to lead the REDBLACKS, who finished with more net yards than Calgary with a 379 to 339 edge, but also turned the ball over six times compared to the Stampeders’ two.
Mitchell won the game’s Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career after first winning it in 2014. He’s the seventh player in CFL history to win multiple Grey Cup MVPs.
The Stamps won despite throwing two interceptions, becoming the first team to win when throwing multiple picks since 1994 when Danny McManus and Kent Austin played quarterback for the BC Lions.
The Hawaii Rainbow Warrior football team represents not only represents the University of Hawaii at Manoa, but the entire University of Hawaii system, the city and county of Honolulu, and the State of Hawaii and the island kingdom it succeeded. The Rainbow Warriors have had a rich tradition of participating in the postseason. Being in a bowl game is a source of pride from a school's perspective and civic perspective. There is a sense of community and bonding and shared memories from seeing your favorite college team make a bowl game and, if they are good enough, win it.
In the state of Hawaii, there is a bowl game called the Hawaii Bowl. Formally sponsored by ConAgra Foods and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, the bowl game was the product of the 2001 Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Football season, where the team had a 9-3 record but was not invited to a bowl game despite having the caliber and quality to be in one and win it. There have been 12 different winners of the Hawaii Bowl. The most high-profile winner? Notre Dame, who beat Hawaii in 2008. That team is now in the College Football Playoff for this year.
To ensure the viability of the bowl game and to incentivize fans from across O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands to converge on Hawaii's de facto national stadium, the Aloha Stadium, and partake in the gridiron festivities, the organizers of the Hawaii Bowl inserted a clause in which the Rainbow Warriors are guaranteed entry to the contest given that they reach the prerequisite amount of wins. In Hawaii's case, that would be seven.
This year, in 2018, they reached eight, but they were very close to being left out of the postseason due to a four-game losing streak that was snapped on Senior Night against UNLV which was followed by an overtime thriller over San Diego State. A number of other victories were also won the hard way, including a road overtime arm-wrestle against San Jose State and a grinder at home to Wyoming, a team that, despite being 6-6, could be without an invitation due to a surplus of bowl-eligible teams and a number of metrics (i.e. conference head-to-head) working against Craig Bohl's Cowboys.
Nonetheless, this is Hawaii's eighth appearance in the show, and they run this game the same way USC runs the Rose Bowl. Ironically, USC finished this season 5-7 and are not going to a bowl game, a truly regressive year. There have been four times Hawaii have been named champions of the Hawaii Bowl. Only one other team has had multiple Hawaii Bowl wins, and that team is SMU, who also finished with a 5-7 season and is bowl-ineligible.
Hawaii's first appearance in the Hawaii Bowl was in the inaugural edition, a game in which the Warriors lost to Tulane 36-28. To date, that is the last-ever bowl win for the Green Wave, despite a 2013 appearance in the New Orleans Bowl. Like Wyoming, Tulane are in an unenviable position of being a team without an invitation. They finished the regular season 6-6 and with a share of the American West Division title but lose on head-to-head and are at the mercy of UCF winning the conference championship to allow the Green Wave to have a case. The Knights are favored against Memphis but with upsets being a commonality, Tulane stand to be on the outside looking in.
Hawaii's first Hawaii Bowl win came the season after, and in typical Warrior fashion, it was a shootout against the mainland UH, the Houston Cougars. Hawaii won 54-48 in a match that went three overtimes, a game that saw Timmy Chang win game MVP. It was June Jones's second-ever bowl game win as Hawaii head coach. Jones would go on to be the winningest head coach in modern Hawaii football history and one of the players he coached, Nick Rolovich, is now coaching at the school with the same offensive system Jones ran, the run-and-shoot, especially after realizing that running the spread is in violation the identity of success at the program. Interesting to note, the head coach of Houston at the time was Art Briles, and this was before a move to Baylor, one that would see the downfall of his legacy coaching the game, a downfall that has been well-publicized (and consequentially, celebrated) by local and national media.
Hawaii's next bowl victory came in 2004, when Hawaii faced the UAB Blazers and their now star receiver in the pros, Roddy White. Watson Brown was the coach back then for UAB, who lost, 59-40 in an offensive shootout. UAB would fold its program several years later but it would only be temporary as pressure was brought on to bring college football back to Birmingham.
The Blazers' return to the big time was celebrated with a Bahamas Bowl appearance, one they would go on to lose. UAB, this season, have won the Conference USA East Division title and stand to be placed in a far better bowl, although taking care of some unfinished business wouldn't be so bad. Chad Owens was the MVP for the Bows, and Owens went on to a successful CFL career to go with at least one Grey Cup. It should be noted that a young Rob Stone was a sideline reporter for ESPN's broadcast. He is now known for his presentations on MLS and all things soccer for FS1 and Fox Sports, alongside a certain Alexi Lalas.
2006 would be Hawaii's next appearance in a bowl game, and the last Hawaii Bowl appearance for June Jones. It was also the year that Colt Brennan began to leave his mark at the program as quarterback. Against Dirk Koetter's Arizona State Sun Devils, the Bows whipped ASU 41-24. Brennan and wide receiver Jason Rivers were best on ground for their efforts. They were part of the 2007 team that got inducted into the UH Circle of Fame. That team's lone loss came against Georgia, a regular to the New Year's Six under current gaffer Kirby Smart. The coach for Georgia in 2007? Mark Richt, who is now the coach at the Miami Hurricanes, who are also bowl eligible at 7-5 this year.
Notre Dame's lone victory over Hawaii was in 2008, a 49-21 rout. This was before the current golden period under Brian Kelly, 10 years ago. Greg McMackin was the coach at the time and it was not going to be easy for Hawaii to pick up the pieces after Jones left for SMU. (He is now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats). McMackin again would fall short as they were stunned in 2010 by the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 62-35. The coach at the time for Tulsa was a man by the name of Todd Graham. The 9-3 season was enough to see Graham take the job at Pittsburgh but he only lasted one year before a lengthy stint at Arizona State. Currently, as of this post, Graham remains unemployed. A season later, McMackin also would be sacked as coach of the Warriors.
McMackin's replacement was Norm Chow, and this was akin to the Philadelphia Eagles hiring Rich Kotite. The Warriors never made a bowl game under Chow's tenure with every season being a losing season and unsurprisingly, it would be his last-ever collegiate coaching gig, despite a cameo coaching at prep level in Southern California.
After Chow was fired as Warriors head coach and Chris Naeole fininished 2015 as interim coach, Nick Rolovich finally took over the program and in his first year, thanks to a petition, Hawaii played in the Hawaii Bowl for the first time since 2010. The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders were the opponents. The coach of that team? Rick Stockstill, who is still the coach to this day and who players are taking part the Conference USA Championship on their own home turf. 52-35 was the final score, with Dru Brown winning game MVP honors. Ironically, he would transfer to Oklahoma State after the following year in which the Rainbow Warriors regressed.
Which brings us to this season. Hawaii started the year 6-1, their lone loss during that stretch against another bowl-eligible team, the Army Black Knights, who stand to win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy after finally turning the tide against Navy after a length period of domination by the fleet. All Hawaii needed was one victory. But losses to BYU, Nevada, Fresno State and Utah State threatened to derail the Warriors' chances of the postseason. They were made to suffer against UNLV but were able to rally through the understudy to Cole McDonald, a freshman state champion from St. Louis High School, Chevan Cordeiro. St. Louis is also the alma mater of Timmy Chang. In the end, Hawaii were able to pull off some thrilling wins over the Rebels and San Diego State in San Diego, their first in three decades, and an overtime victory highlight by routine pass defense times two.
Some sources have Hawaii facing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles are no strangers to the show, having participated in 2011. Jay Hopson is the head coach of the Golden Eagles for this season and comes from a successful run coaching Alcorn State and sticking it to established sides in the SWAC such as Grambling (who have regressed this season). An invitation to the Hawaii Bowl will be an excellent opportunity for Southern Miss to be a sleeper side for next season. The coach for the Golden Eagles at the time? Larry Fedora, who was fired at North Carolina. (Hey, they ARE a basketball school, first and foremost. Like Duke.)
Another source has Hawaii facing Louisiana Tech, a former conference rival back in the old Western Athletic Conference. Skip Holtz is the coach at La Tech, and he also is no stranger to the Hawaii Bowl having seen the experience firsthand as head coach at East Carolina. The Pirates were the beneficiary of Hawaii's perfect regular season in 2007 and pulled off an upset rin holding off the Boise State Broncos 41-38. Chris Petersen, at the time, was the coach. He is now at Washington getting ready to lead the Huskies to a possible Rose Bowl invite.
Still another source suggests that the school of Byron Leftwich and Randy Moss, the Marshall Thundering Herd, the sons (and daughters) of the great John Marshall, will be facing UH on Dec. 22. Now Marshall are already bowl eligible and will not gain much from their make-up game with Virginia Tech this week. However, the Herd have never been to the Hawaii Bowl and it would be understandable if the Hawaii Bowl Committee goes in a new direction and offers the other team from West Virginia a literal holiday vacation.
And yet, another source suggests that Middle Tennessee will get a crack at payback against Hawaii. MTSU were 8-4 heading into their most recent with the Warriors and finished third in their conference division. This season sees them far more improved and a return visit to Honolulu will be a great incentive to even the score and possibly spark a new rivalry for the Warriors.
Watch this space, because here at the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue (who have a stake in the fortunes of Rainbow Warrior Football), we believe that it will be the Herd that face Hawaii on Dec. 22. Watch this space because there will be an update to see if this is confirmed or another opponent is selected for the Green and White in their eighth Hawaii Bowl appearance.
EDIT: We have an opponent. To our modest surprise, the aforementioned Louisiana Tech has been named the Hawaii Bowl opponent for the Warriors.
