College Bowl Roundup

Published 2:20 pm Sunday, December 29, 2024

Field Level Media

ALAMO BOWL

No. 17 BYU’s stout defensive effort shut down No. 23 Colorado’s explosive offense in the Cougars’ 36-14 Alamo Bowl win on Saturday night in San Antonio.

The Cougars, who had four sacks and two interceptions, held Colorado to just two rushing yards and 210 yards of total offense. The Buffaloes averaged 34.5 points and nearly 400 yards of offense per game entering the Alamo Bowl. “The guys believed in each other,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “We’ve been working on this and I’m really proud of the staff, the coaches and I’m happy all our fans are here. I’m definitely happy for the seniors. These guys love each other, and I am happy we got that win.”

BYU’s Parker Kingston had a 64-yard punt return touchdown. Jake Retzlaff completed 12-of-21 passes for 151 yards and two interceptions. LJ Martin (93 rushing yards) had two touchdowns on the ground and Sione I Moa ran one in for the Cougars (11-2). Evan Johnson and Isaiah Glasker had interceptions. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders completed 16-of-23 passes for 208 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter caught four passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. Sav’ell Smalls added a touchdown catch.

DJ McKinney, Anquin Barnes Jr. and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig had interceptions for Colorado (9-4). Martin gave BYU a 7-0 lead with a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the opening quarter. A 28-yard pass to Martin on a wheel route out of the backfield was the key play on the drive. After BYU forced a three-and out,

Will Ferrin gave the Cougars a 10-0 cushion with a 51-yard field goal. At the start of the second quarter, Sanders hit Hunter on a short crossing route he turned into a 58-yard gain. But the drive stalled when Sanders was sacked by Logan Lutui for a 23-yard loss. On the next play, Alejandro Mata missed a 48-yard field goal. Kingston used a wall of blockers down the sideline on his 64-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Cougars a 17-0 lead late in the second quarter. BYU went into halftime up 20-0 on Ferrin’s 54-yard field goal. On Colorado’s first possession of the second half, Johnson picked off a pass that set up BYU’s nine-play scoring drive.

The Cougars took a 27-0 lead on Moa’s 13-yard touchdown run. Hunter made three Cougars defenders miss on a 43-yard touchdown reception that cut the BYU lead to 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third. Martin’s second TD run gave BYU a 33-7 cushion in the fourth quarter. Colorado tacked on a late score when Sanders hit Smalls with a 2-yard pass.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL

Bryson Daily rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, setting a single-season FBS record for scores by a quarterback along the way, as No. 22 Army rolled past Louisiana Tech 27-6 in the Independence Bowl on Saturday in Shreveport, La.

Hayden Reed carried 20 times for a career-high 114 yards and a touchdown as Army (12-2) rebounded from a crushing 31-13 loss two weeks ago to Navy, in which the Black Knights relinquished the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy. Army improved to 8-3 all-time in bowl games, and its 12 wins are the most in a season in program history. Daily finished his senior season with 32 touchdowns, which topped the previous mark of 31 by an FBS quarterback, set by Navy’s Keenan Reynolds in 2013.

The Black Knights rang up 321 yards on the ground, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt against short-handed Louisiana Tech (5-8), which was without several players who entered the transfer portal. The Bulldogs had only six defensive linemen available. Louisiana Tech was a replacement for Marshall (10-3), which opted out of the game after more than 20 players entered the portal. The Black Knights limited the Bulldogs to 218 yards and 11 first downs. Army stuffed Louisiana Tech’s rushing attack, allowing just 49 yards on 22 carries. Evan Bullock completed 14 of 28 passes for 169 yards for Louisiana Tech. Tru Edwards had eight receptions for 92 yards.

Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie expressed disappointment on two fronts. “I’m disappointed with them and the outcome. I’m disappointed that we didn’t play our best. I think it’s two fold, to use this taste of postseason play to motivate you to get back here, and then also to use this taste of postseason play to know that you play people where you have a small margin for error.” Army was without second-leading rusher Kanye Udoh, who has transferred to Arizona State, after amassing 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.

The Black Knights dominated from the start, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives, which covered 80, 80 and 75 yards. Army’s 21-play, 75-yard march in the second quarter, which was capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by Daily, chewed a whopping 12:21 off the clock and put the Black Knights up 21-3 at the break.

Louisiana Tech drove inside the Army 10-yard line on three occasions but settled for field goals of 27 and 44 yards from Drew Henderson. The Black Knights’ Jaydan Mayes snuffed out the other march with an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

FENWAY BOWL

UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano threw for two touchdowns and the Huskies’ defense overwhelmed North Carolina for a 27-14 victory in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday in Boston.

Mel Brown ran for 96 yards and the Huskies (9-4) reached the nine-win level for the third time in program history. It was a miserable day for the Tar Heels (6-7), who are in transition as they await Bill Belichick, who now takes over as head coach. Freddie Kitchens served as interim coach on Saturday following Mack Brown’s departure at the end of the regular season and had praise for his team despite the loss.

North Carolina’s Chris Culliver returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and backup quarterback Michael Merdinger threw for 86 yards. Six of the team’s 10 first downs came in the final 11 minutes.

Fagnano finished 16-for-23 for 151 yards for the Huskies, who were limited to a field goal in the second half after rolling up a 24-7 halftime lead. North Carolina lost starting quarterback Jacolby Criswell to an apparent shoulder injury on the team’s second offensive series. The Tar Heels, who were without running back Omarion Hampton (going into NFL draft), didn’t pick up a first down until less than 30 seconds remained in the first half, and that was followed by an interception. UConn’s first points came on Chris Freeman’s 32-yard field goal.

Then, with 3:45 left in the quarter, Fagnano connected with Skyler Bell on a 38-yard touchdown. The Huskies led 10-0 before Culliver’s ensuing kickoff return, the only glitch for UConn in the first quarter. Fifty seconds into the second quarter, Fagnano hit Alex Honig with a pass for a 4-yard touchdown. The final first-half touchdown came on running back Cam Edwards’ leap into the end zone to complete a fourth-and-2 snap. That capped a 14-play drive that consumed almost six minutes. “I feel like a proud father towards this team,” UConn head coach Jim Mora said. “We ran for 210 yards. That’s how you win a football game.”

North Carolina, which lost its fifth consecutive bowl outing, was credited with 1 rushing yard in the first half. The Tar Heels drove 98 yards on eight plays to score on running back Caleb Hood’s 17-yard pass to John Copenhaver with 6:46 left in the game. Hood rushed for a team-high 78 yards. UConn had gone 0-3 against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, but it had no trouble in snapping that streak against the Tar Heels.

PINSTRIPE BOWL

A trio of running backs recorded touchdowns to help Nebraska hold off Boston College’s late rally for a 20-15 win in the Pinstripe Bowl on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Bronx, N.Y.

New York native Rahmir Johnson scored the Cornhuskers’ opening touchdown to highlight his 60-yard performance on 10 carries. His 11-yard run on fourth-and-1 before the two-minute timeout iced the game, lifting Nebraska (7-6) to its first winning season since 2016. Kwinten Ives also ran for a score and Emmett Johnson (team-high 68 rushing yards on 14 carries) caught one from freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was 23 of 31 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the day.

Nebraska had a 20-2 lead before allowing its first touchdown with 6:11 left in regulation. Boston College (7-6) forced two first-half turnovers and finished five of its first seven drives inside the opposing 35-yard line, but the Eagles went 0-for-4 on fourth downs until Turbo Richard’s 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Nebraska’s first two punts turned into touchdowns for the Eagles, with the second being blocked and returned to the 2-yard line ahead of a Jordan McDonald score with 4:18 remaining.

“Yeah, these guys fought hard,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said. “We have a tough football team. They never quit. That’s what BC is all about.” Grayson James quarterbacked the Eagles, going 25 of 40 for a season-high 296 yards.

He also rushed for 22. Lewis Bond made six catches for 94 yards. Jahmal Banks was Raiola’s leading target, making four catches for 79 yards. After big plays went by the boards for both teams on their opening series, Raiola sent Nebraska on a 15-play, 75-yard drive to the opening touchdown four seconds into the second quarter.

Following a third-down conversion in the red zone, Rahmir Johnson scored on a 4-yard run before John Hohl’s PAT made it 7-0. After Boston College was unable to convert on Josiah Griffin’s recovery of an Emmett Johnson fumble, an ensuing fourth-down penalty gave Nebraska new life and the Cornhuskers turned it into Ives’ 2-yard score with 3:39 before halftime. Ashton McShane’s 88-yard blocked PAT return got the Eagles on the board at 13-2, though. Nebraska’s first drive out of halftime included two fakes from punter/holder Brian Buschini, including a successful fake field goal.

On the following series, Raiola’s 13-yard pass to Emmett Johnson out of the backfield resulted in a 20-2 lead with 3:02 left in the third.

Richard punched in the first Boston College touchdown.

James’ two-point conversion pass attempt failed. Buschini’s second punt was blocked by Victor Nelson Jr. and returned to the 2-yard line by Omar Thornton, setting up McDonald’s run and a Liam Connor PAT.

ARIZONA BOWL

Miami of Ohio forced four turnovers and Kevin Davis scored on an Arizona Bowl-record 97-yard run in a 43-17 victory over Colorado State on Saturday at Tucson, Ariz. Miami (9-5) won its first bowl since 2021 after losing the last two years in the postseason. Colorado State (8-5), making its first bowl appearance since 2017, has lost five consecutive bowl games.

Davis finished with 148 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns to earn game MVP honors. Brett Gabbert, playing the last game of his six-year career at Miami, completed 13 of 25 passes for 184 yards. Colorado State freshman running back Justin Marshall gained 84 yards on nine carries. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was 23 of 45 for 321 yards and a touchdown for the Rams with two interceptions. The teams combined for 48 points in the second half after Miami led 9-3 at halftime.

The RedHawks took the opening drive of the second half 75 yards on six plays in only 2:25 to build a 16-3 lead. Davis’ 4-yard TD run capped the drive, which included Gabbert completing a 40-yard pass to Kam Perry. A fumble by Colorado State’s Vince Brown II, following a reception, allowed Miami to take possession at its 47 with 12:23 left in the third quarter. Gabbert scored five plays later on a 10-yard run to increase the lead to 22-3. Colorado State was stopped on downs at the Miami 3, when Avery Morrow was tackled by Ambe’ Caldwell on a 1-yard gain. Davis followed with his 97-yard run on the next play for a 209-3 lead with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

Colorado State cut its deficit to 29-10 when Fowler-Nicolosi completed a 56-yard touchdown pass Stephon Daily on a fourth down. The Rams were driving again when Fowler-Nicolosi threw an interception that was returned 54 yards by Ty Wise to the Colorado State 5. Jordan Brunson scored on a 2-yard run to increase the lead to 36-10 and put the game out of reach with 13:30 left.

MILITARY BOWL

East Carolina’s Rahjai Harris broke off a dazzling 86-yard touchdown in the final two minutes of a record-setting night, and the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak to the North Carolina State Wolfpack with a 26-21 win in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md., on Saturday.

With East Carolina trailing 21-20, Harris zipped around the left end, cut back and outran the Wolfpack secondary at 1:33 to give the Pirates (8-5) their fifth win in six games. The Pirates’ Dontavius Nash intercepted a deflected pass by quarterback CJ Bailey as the Wolfpack (6-7) attempted a rally past midfield. A short brawl broke out between the teams with 38 seconds left. Harris, a senior, set his career high and a Military Bowl record with 220 rushing yards on 17 carries.

Quarterback Katin Houser went 18-of-29 passing for 147 yards and two interceptions. He rushed for 84 yards on 13 attempts with two touchdowns. Bailey completed 19 of 26 passes for 230 yards with three scores and an interception, while Hollywood Smothers rushed for 139 yards on 15 carries. Tamarcus Cooley recorded two interceptions for the Wolfpack, who lost for the third time in four games. Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren wasn’t happy with how his team handled the closing seconds as the Pirates were running out the clock.

On third-and-6 on ECU’s opening series after stopping NC State on a fourth-and-1 at the Pirates’ 24, Houser called his own number and rumbled in untouched from 19 yards to cap a 75-yard drive for a 7-0 lead with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter. Smothers’ 44-yard run put NC State in position for its first points, but Kanoah Vinesett pulled a 34-yard field goal wide left at 13:34 of the second. East Carolina kicker Noah Perez answered on the next possession by drilling a 24-yard field goal with 7:17 to go for a 10-0 advantage.

The Wolfpack finally capitalized with their best drive of the half by going 78 yards in 11 plays. Bailey ended it with a pass of 8 yards to Dacari Collins with 1:58 left, but Perez booted a 42-yarder with six seconds left for a 13-7 halftime lead. In the third, Houser kept the Pirates a perfect 4-for-4 in scoring on their possessions by dashing in from 4 yards at 9:17 for a 20-7 lead while the defense continued to hassle Bailey.

However, Bailey fired two scoring passes early in the fourth quarter, striking from 15 yards to Justin Joly on fourth-and-2, and then using a trick play to hit Smothers for a 33-yard score to take the one-point lead at the 9:49 mark.