2025 College Football: Bowl Game Takeaways

If your team is playing in one of these bowls, congratulations! Normally I’d say “your team is at least 6-6”, but so many schools disturbingly opted out of these games, more 5-7 squads than usual made the cut. If you love football like me, then you’ll appreciate the teams that did show up instead of acting like children. I’m providing bowl game takeaways for every bowl, and I’ll update this page whenever games occur (most recent first), so check back often. I’ll try to discuss each game within 24 hours of its end. The CFP first-round, quarterfinal, and semifinal games will be discussed in separate posts. Read on for the takeaways!

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest 43, Mississippi State 29

Sadly, this was our last bowl of the season (excluding the CFP semifinals, which aren’t really traditional bowls anymore). Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby benched QB Blake Shapen before the Egg Bowl (not actually a bowl game), so he left for the NFL draft and Kamario Taylor made his second ever start. He’s a highly touted dual-threat prospect who’s expected to start next year. Opposite him was Robby Ashford, a player finishing his career with his fourth school in 6 years. Taylor’s game started with a bang, as he heaved a 51-yard bomb to WR Brenen Thompson (4/106), leading to an FG. With a better throw, he’d have been gone.

Wake Forest must’ve seen the fireworks and said “hold my beer”, because KR Koredell Bartley took the succeeding kickoff 100 yards for a TD. On top of that, the Demon Deacons ran the “Swinging Gate” play for a 2-point conversion. The Bulldogs had two problems on offense. First, Taylor left hurt four different times including for a dislocated finger, cramping, and a concussion check. Second, they were abysmal in the red zone, with a turnover on downs and 4 field goals through 2.5 quarters. Neither QB was particularly accurate at first, but Ashford (20/33, 303 yards, 3 TDs, INT; 14/50/2 rushing) found his groove much sooner.

To open the 3rd quarter, WF WR Jack Foley had his first career catch, which was a 64-yard TD (the Demon Deacons added a 2-point conversion). Wake Forest would punt, and Thompson took it back 44 yards, but it was still just another FG for MSST. After WF scored another TD, Taylor left for the third time, and backup Luke Kromenhoek (3/5, 53 yards), himself entering the portal, led the Bulldogs to the red zone. Taylor (13/22, 241 yards, TD; 18/63/1 rushing) returned and scored a TD plus a 2-point conversion. Mississippi State actually got within 3 points of Wake Forest (30-27) early in the 4th quarter, finally making it a game.

However, the Demon Deacons scored on a 6-minute drive to extend their lead again. In yet another twist, LB Neveah Sanders blocked the PAT, and CB Kelley Jones took it for 2 points, keeping the deficit 1 score. Unfortunately, MSST didn’t score from there, and Ashford shoveled a pass to RB Ty Clark III (17/91; 3/73/1 receiving) for a 63-yard game-clinching TD. That wasn’t the worst of it though. In garbage time, Taylor ran for a tough first down but took a low hit on the tackle and stayed down. He seemed to suffer a serious leg injury, and he was carted off with a towel over his face. It was a sad way for his game to end.

As our third and final 5-7 team to play in a bowl this year, Mississippi State was by far the most competitive squad. However, Taylor’s injury clearly casts a pall over the team’s 2026 outlook if it’s as serious as it looked. Taylor is young and raw, but he is immensely gifted. Hopefully he recovers soon. On the jubilant Wake Forest side, HC Jake Dickert became the winningest 1st-year HC in team history. His prize? A disgusting mayo bath (it wasn’t cool of him to drag his family into this!). Wake Forest had some really good wins this year, and they’re a program on the rise. The next step is to find a QB to replace the graduating Ashford.

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: SMU 24, (17) Arizona 19

Isn’t it a bit of a downer to have the “Holiday Bowl” sponsored by a company that helps you prepare your assets before your death? SMU must’ve been excited, because they took off like a rocket ship. On the second play of the game, they ran a double-reverse flea flicker for 80 yards to TE Matthew Hibner (they must’ve watched Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl). RB TJ Harden ran in for 6 one play later, capping a 1:08 TD drive. QB Kevin Jennings had one of his hot streaks, throwing for a season-high 248 first-half passing yards. The Mustangs were practically flawless in the first two quarters, with only a stalled drive for an FG as a blemish.

Most impressively, SMU’s pass defense dominated for a while. That unit is ranked 133rd in the FBS, but it pitched a shutout for 30 minutes. Arizona was missing some linemen, but I still expected better from the #17 team. It wasn’t really on them though: the Mustangs were that good. As well as Jennings can play when he’s on fire, he’s also prone to crippling stretches of poor play. His INT on a deep shot in the 3rd quarter wasn’t one of those cases, but it still hurt. It galvanized Arizona, who finally sustained a good drive: 14 plays, 94 yards, and 7:31 for a TD (their 2-point attempt was no good). If only it ended there for Jennings.

He threw another INT on the subsequent drive, firing a YOLO throw that bounced off 5 pairs of hands before being caught. The Wildcats erred though, going on 4th-and-6 instead of kicking an FG to pull within 2 possessions. SMU’s defense bailed Jennings out, but the numbers were ugly: 9 yards of offense and 0 completions in the 3rd quarter. The next time Arizona faced 4th down, they scored a TD, but once again they missed on the two-point try. Yet Jennings remained reckless, throwing a 3rd INT. As usual, his defense came to the rescue, picking off Arizona QB Noah Fifita (28/43, 265 yards, 3 TDs, INT; 13/73 rushing) off a deflection.

That pretty much wrecked the Wildcats’ comeback chances. They did manage to score another TD, but their onside kick attempt was scooped up by S Ahmaad Moses, who also led the Mustangs with 13 tackles. Fifita was the entire Arizona offense, and he simply didn’t get enough help. Jennings (21/32, 278 yards, 3 INTs) did receive help from WR Yamir Knight (7/104), but he nearly threw the game away. Scoring 0 points in the second half didn’t ruin them, but only because the defense was excellent. It’s performances like these that make me wonder how far SMU can really go with Jennings. I have more faith in Fifita next year.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13

A dream start for the Bearcats really devolved. At one point, they were 7-1 and ranked 17th in the country, looking like real Big XII contenders. They then lost their final 4 games to limp into the bowl game, where they saw a whopping 18 key players opt out. One of those is QB Brendan Sorsby, who is somehow ranked as the top QB in the transfer portal (I disagree). That led Cincinnati to alternate between 2 QBs. Brady Lichtenberg (10/15, 78 yards, TD, INT), who is a 5-year Bearcat and never transferred despite being a backup all 5 seasons, got the start and couldn’t move the ball except during a late TD drive that had to feel pretty good.

The more interesting QB was redshirt freshman Samaj Jones, next year’s potential starter. After Navy drew first blood, he responded with a run-heavy TD drive that ended up being their best of the game. It took two 4th-down conversions and a bad TD call at the goa line, but the Bearcats got it done. Jones (2/5, 19 yards; 15/57/1) did about nothing through the air but ran well. It really wasn’t a great day to throw the football thanks to torrential rain. Each team threw a chopper on a WR screen on their first drives. Both squads had to rely on the ground game, which provided a clear advantage to Navy, a premier running team.

While QB Blake Horvath (9/15, 108 yards, 2 TDs; 16/53/1 rushing, FUM) did throw a TD before the half after missing a wide open receiver on the prior play, running the ball got them results. The three stars were the same as they’ve been all year for the FBS’s #1 rushing offense: Horvath, FB Alex Tecza (16/80/1), and WR Eli Heidenreich (5/64/1; 10/62 rushing). Those three helped lead another TD drive to open the 3rd quarter, and then both offenses settled down for a bit. The teams traded fumbles, and Navy DT Julien Moutome had 3 TFLs (75% of his team’s total) to stifle the Bearcats. A 4th-down drop by Cincy killed their chances.

The Midshipmen ate half the fourth quarter before pouring it on (pun intended) with their 4th TD of the game. Cincinnati got their nice drive to cut the lead to 2-scores, and they even forced a Navy punt. However, P Jacob Carlson stuck it at the 1, and LB Coleman Cauley (10 tackles) earned a pick six on the next play to put an exclamation point on this game. Based on what I saw from Jones, if he’s the starter, Cincy is finishing at the bottom of the Big XII next year. Navy, as they do each year, must move on from a stellar senior class, including Horvath. With HC Brian Newberry running the show, I think they’ll be alright.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Texas State 41, Rice 10

One of the only schools at the top of the academic progress rate list to accept a bowl invite, 5-7 Rice really didn’t belong here. I hate to be so blunt, especially with a really competitive first half. Texas State was just feeling their way through the game before turning on the jets. It took a 3-game winning streak for the Bobcats to reach bowl eligibility, but they had their QB in Brad Jackson (17/24, 173 yards, 3 TDs; 14/52/1 rushing). He played an epic second half, along with 4 offensive teammates. RBs Lincoln Pare (11/106/1) and Greg Burrell (9/81) and WRs Beau Sparks (4/87/1) and Chris Dawn Jr (11/75/2) all stuffed the stat sheet.

Conversely, Rice’s already weak roster was missing QB Chase Jenkins, who opted for the portal. The Owls alternated between 2 different passers for most of the game. Lucas Scheerhorn (6/9, 16 yards) barely gained 2 yards per completion, while Patrick Crayton Jr (4/9, 70 yards, TD, INT, 2 FUM) moved the ball better but committed 3 turnovers. By the end of the game, RB Quinton Jackson (16/78; 3/3, 8 yards passing) took a few snaps and fired short passes. Despite a 10-7 halftime score, Texas State scored 31 unanswered points once they got serious, and this game became a laugher. Only a meaningless late FG stopped the bleeding.

I consider this our worst bowl game because of what happened late in the 3rd quarter. Rice S Daveon Hook took a hit to the head and stayed down for over 15 minutes. He had movement which was great, but he needed a neck brace and a stretcher before he could be carted off. I hope he’s alright, but that event kept me from really celebrating Texas State’s performance. And it was indeed a dominating show. This should give them real momentum heading into 2026, where their explosive offense will hope to share the locker room with a competent defense. At the very least, they’re always a fun team to watch each week.

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: (15) Utah 44, Nebraska 24

I saw this one as a major mismatch on paper. We had a 10-2 Utah team (albeit without HC Kyle Whittingham, who headed to the below-mentioned Michigan). Facing them was a 7-5 Nebraska squad missing QB Dylan Raiola (ankle, portal). The game pretty much turned out the way we thought it would. Nebraska’s running game actually looked fantastic on the first two drives, both of which ended in Cornhusker TDs. RB Mekhi Nelson (12/88/1; 3/48 receiving) ran well, as did freshman QB TJ Lateef (15/28, 182 yards, TD, INT; 13/22/1 rushing). Nebraska’s first-quarter lead didn’t last though, as Utah took over from there.

QB Devon Dampier (18/31, 310 yards, 2 TDs; 19/148/3 rushing) put on a real show, toying with the Cornhuskers defense. He was a one-man offensive juggernaut, both running and throwing. Dampier accounted for 5 total TDs as the Utes scored 31 unanswered points. A nice storyline was that TE Dallen Bentley (6/106/1), overlooked at the start of the year, worked his way into the offense and had a really good game. This offensive showing was especially good with Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, two great tackles, opting out. The Utah defense did the rest, sacking Lateef 3 times and allowing 0 points through the middle two quarters.

This ugly loss saw Nebraska coach Matt Rhule extend his losing streak against top-25 teams to 20 games. He recently received a long-term extension, and the program is better under him than it was prior to his arrival. That said, we all blasted James Franklin for losing too much to top-10 teams. This is even worse. You wonder if the Cornhuskers have reached their ceiling with Rhule. New Utah coach Morgan Scalley, the DC who was essentially the HC in waiting, couldn’t have scripted a better debut game. The continuity he provides should keep the Utes’ success going, as he appears plenty ready for his opportunity.

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: (13) Texas 41, (18) Michigan 27

Fortunately for fans, this bowl wasn’t dominated by Michigan’s coaching drama. Their new coach, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, was in attendance, but Biff Poggi led the team in this game. It was Texas who had more absences though, losing 9 starters to opt-outs. The Longhorns who did play struggled for a bit, putting up just 3 first-quarter points and fumbling a kick return while Michigan scored 10. QB Arch Manning provided a microcosm of his season. He looked jittery during the first frame but then really heated up, as did the entirety of both offenses. Suddenly, we had 4 straight TD drives and a 17-17 halftime score.

It really should’ve been 20-20, but a bad snap cost Texas 22 yards from the MICH 21 to knock them out of FG range, and Michigan K Dominic Zvada missed a 45-yard FG, continuing his lackluster season. The offensive fireworks continued in the second half, mainly through the ground game. With leading rusher Quintrevion Wisner in the portal, Texas had to rely on Christian Clark (20/105/1), and he really answered the call. Michigan rode Bryson Kuzdzal (20/82), who also had a solid performance. With U-M trailing 24-20 entering the 4th quarter, everything came down to the play of the quarterbacks down the stretch.

Michigan’s Bryce Underwood (23/42, 199 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs; 14/69/1 rushing) ran for an acrobatic TD to take a 27-24 lead. The replay showed that the ball came loose before he reached the pylon, which would’ve yielded a touchback. For some reason, the officials didn’t agree with me, the commentators, or the ESPN officiating expert. No matter. Manning fired a 30-yard dime to WR Kaliq Lockett just a few plays after seeming to get shaken up. Underwood gave the ball back with his 2nd INT of the game, and Manning shook off whatever ailed him. He ran for a 60-yard on a 1-play drive, displaying great speed.

Underwood, completely coming undone, threw another INT that effectively ended the game. The difference between he and Manning (21/34, 221 yards, 2 TDs; 9/155/2 rushing) was striking. Luckily for the Wolverines, Underwood played the year as a true freshman, so he’s likely to get better. He has plenty of talent, as evidenced by his big NIL deal that I suspect will keep him in town despite the coaching change. Texas’ midseason revival came just a bit too late to get them to the CFP (darn that Florida loss). However, Manning seemed to figure things out. His hype will be just as big next year, only this time, he’s poised to deliver on it.

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Duke 42, Arizona State 39

If you’ve been waiting for a bowl with a ridiculous shootout, then the Sun Bowl had your name on it. Of course it was crazy: the Sun Devils of Arizona State played in a game called the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl…in Texas. Even weirder: their opponents were the 5-loss Duke Blue Devils. Also known as ACC champions. To keep the topsy-turvy thing going, with Sam Leavitt gone, Jeff Sims got another start for ASU and looked…good? He has been awful for Georgia Tech, Nebraska, and even Arizona State. However, in this game, he almost did no wrong. Actually, we just had no defense, and both offenses erupted at a frantic pace.

Sims opened the scoring with a rushing TD, but Duke hit WR Que’Sean Brown (10/178/2) for a deep-shot TD to tie it. Brown was unstoppable in this game, seemingly in a mind meld with QB Darian Mensah (29/51, 327 yards, 4 TDs, INT; 4/21 rushing). Two key plays that did NOT involve scoring saw ASU commit two turnovers on downs. On one, the Sun Devils got stuffed near midfield, and Duke scored a TD off it. A bit later, Sims threw an end-zone shot on 4th-and-1 at the Duke 14 because a Blue Devil clearly jumped offside. However, no flag was thrown. Regardless, Sims managed to throw for 181 first-quarter passing yards.

As the teams continued to trade scores, we reached halftime at 28-24 Duke, marking the highest-scoring first half of bowl season. Adding to the chaos, two players (one on each team) were ejected in the second quarter for separate incidents. To start the second half, ASU had a great drive going. However, WR Jalen Moss (5/129/1) lost a fumble in Duke territory. Even though the Blue Devils stretched their lead to 11, Sims roared back with 2 more TDs. Two turnovers on down by Duke had ASU in control, but RB Demarius Robinson (15/56; 4/91 receiving) lost a critical fumble. He and Jason Brown (12/120) were otherwise great though.

Duke parlayed the takeaway into a go-ahead TD, and then the real Sims (27/38, 375 yards, 3 TDs, INT; 7/70/2 rushing) showed up. He threw an INT on an off-target pass, marring 58 fantastic minutes of football. A gusty 4th-down throw by Mensah finished the Sun Devils off and sent them into an offseason of uncertainty. Several key contributors, especially Leavitt, need to be replaced. This team won the Big XII last year and nearly beat Texas Tech this year, but where they go next is a mystery. Duke came on really strong at the end of the season. If they get a defense, they might not have to lose 5 games before they go on a hot streak!

ReliaQuest Bowl: (23) Iowa 34, (14) Vanderbilt 27

I was interested in seeing whether Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, the Heisman runner-up who had some choice words for the voters, would suit up. He did (and he played well!), but I’m stunned to be writing here about the Iowa offense. At first I thought the Commodores defense was just playing poorly. How do you allow a 44-yard QB run on 3rd-and-7 with 3 players around QB Mark Gronowski (16/22, 212 yards, 2 TDs, INT; 10/54/1 rushing) and then get flagged for a late hit? Maybe Iowa just had a good plan with their rushing attack, as RB Kamari Moulton (14/95/1) also popped some big runs and the opening-drive score.

That all stemmed from the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, which dominated the line of scrimmage. Vandy’s secondary tacklers didn’t fare well either, as a short pass to TE DJ Vonnahme (7/146/1) let him rumble for 51 yards before anyone bothered to bring him down. Alas, that drive ended in an end-zone INT despite an on-target pass. Iowa earned a 14-3 lead after a weird punt by Vanderbilt. P Nick Haberer oddly held the ball for a while before running past the line of scrimmage and kicking it, incurring a penalty that gave the Hawkeyes the ball at the 14-yard line. WR Reece Vander Zee (4/33/1) made a great catch for a TD 1 play later.

To start the 3rd quarter, Iowa got fancy with a reverse into a flea flicker for a TD to Vonnahme, but Pavia finally got going. He took a deep shot that landed in the arms of WR Tre Richardson (6/127/1) for an immediate response. The teams traded scores in the second half, with Pavia (25/38, 347 yards, 2 TDs; 15/36/1 rushing) force-feeding Richardson and WR Junior Sherill (8/123) with star TE Eli Stowers (and my #1 draftable TE) opting out. Pavia got just 15 rushing yards from players other than himself though, and the Vandy defense couldn’t keep Iowa off the field. That led to a pair of curious decisions late in the game.

Down 34-24 with 2:58 to go and a 2nd-and-10 upcoming, HC Clark Lea opted to kick a field goal. I’d much rather have a TD there even if it takes a few more seconds. Their “onside” kick was just a pooch kick, which Iowa easily recovered. With 2:01 left, Vanderbilt out of timeouts, and a 3rd-and-1 play, Iowa drew the Commodores offsides but got the first down anyway to win the game. I’m not used to the Hawkeyes putting up this many points. Imagine if they came close to that in their 4 losses to ranked teams this year. Pavia’s college career ends in disappointment, but he can take solace in the fact that he still played great.

Valero Alamo Bowl: TCU 30, (16) USC 27 (OT)

We could easily have ended up talking about who wasn’t playing in this game. USC had numerous opt-outs, including Biletnikoff Award-winning WR Makai Lemon. TCU had fewer missing players, but they lost their most important one when QB Josh Hoover entered the transfer portal. We’re not going to dwell on them though as the players who did participate gave us a show. Both offenses started out a bit jittery, likely because of chemistry issues between the new QB-WR combinations. The scoring began in earnest in the 2nd quarter, particularly once TCU started running the ball better. They led 14-13 at the half before issues returned.

Backup QB Ken Seals, a former Vanderbilt starter making his first start for his hometown Horned Frogs, fumbled on the first play of the 3rd quarter, but a lineman recovered it. On the very next snap, he threw an INT on a tipped ball. The Trojans couldn’t capitalize though, as QB Jayden Maiava (18/30, 280 yards, TD, 2 INTs) threw a pick in the end zone for his second INT of the game. That play by the TCU defense only stemmed the tide for a bit, as USC got hot on the backs of two freshmen. RB King Miller (25/99/1; 1/15 receiving), a former walk-on, provided some punishing runs, while WR Tanook Hines (6/163) was simply incredible.

On the back of those new stars, the Trojans scored 11 unanswered points before TCU’s own underclassman star, RB Jeremy Payne (13/73/1; 6/50/1 receiving), put up a TD to cut USC’s lead to 3. One more stop by the Horned Frogs defense gave Seals the ball back with a chance to write a storybook ending 10 years after Bram Kohlhausen did the same at his Alamo Bowl. It didn’t quite go that way, but he did drive down the field for a tying FG to force OT. USC got the ball first and relentlessly tested freshman CB Gil Jackson. The young corner committed 1 PI penalty and maybe got away with another, but he held his own.

The Trojans settled for an FG, but TCU had to contend with both USC and the officials once they got the ball. An insane catch by TE Joseph Manjack IV (3/28) was wrongly overturned, and Seals (29/40, 258 yards, TD, INT; rush TD) took a 10-yard sack on 2nd down. Facing 3rd-and-20, the goal was to pick up a few yards for a tying FG attempt, but Payne had other ideas. He took a short pass and broke multiple tackles, somehow staying in bounds and dashing to the end zone. The man is only 180 lbs, but he played well above his weight, pinballing off defenders and plowing through them before breaking away all night long.

Seals, who was named the player of the game by ESPN (I would’ve gone with Payne but whatever), got his fairytale ending after all. A season that was at times trying still resulted in 9 wins. That’s because the Horned Frogs came together to make great things happen. We don’t yet know who will play QB in 2026, but the young core of the roster is very promising. On the other side, there’s something apropos about a Lincoln Riley-coached team losing a game because the defense allowed a 3rd-and-20 conversion. His Trojans are close though. Maiava will be back to give them another shot next year. Their recruiting class looks awesome!

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Illinois 30, Tennessee, 28

In this bowl, we had two teams that were both ranked in top 20 for a time before disappointing. Each had 4 losses and wanted to end their season on a high note. This was a matchup of contrasting styles. Illinois is a defense-first team that aims to produce a complementary offense, whereas Tennessee is one big offensive salvo that hopes its defense merely avoids messing things up. For a time, the Illini kept Tennessee from playing their high-speed game. Thus, in spite of an early turnover on downs (and thanks to a missed TENN FG), Illinois was able to take a 10-7 halftime lead, after which is was of course the defense that made a play.

LB Joe Barna took Volunteers QB Joey Aguilar (14/18, 121 yards; rush TD) down for a sack and ripped the ball out. Fellow LB Leon Lowery Jr scooped it up for a TD and a 10-point lead. Illinois kept Tennessee at bay for a bit, but the running backs for the Volunteers made it tough. Both DeSean Bishop (19/93/2) and Star Thomas (9/67; 1/18 receiving) rattled off chunk plays to jumpstart the offense, while the defense stiffened to keep Tennessee in the game. Still trailing 27-21 following an Illini FG, KR Joakim Dodson exploded for a 94-yard return TD to give Tennessee a 28-27 lead with 4:58 to go. It all could’ve unraveled for ILL.

But it didn’t. QB Luke Altmyer (20/33, 196 yards, TD; 10/54/1 rushing) calmly lead his team down the field while chewing clock. Facing 3rd and 6 at the Tennessee 13, Altmyer used a hard count to draw an offside penalty, making the conversion far easier. From there, Illinois kneeled on the ball until K David Olano kicked a GW 29-yard FG as time expired. After all their work to come back, that had to hurt for Tennessee. Illinois set two different program firsts: their first-ever two-season stretch with consecutive bowl wins and their only back-to-back 9-win seasons in program history. This team isn’t flashy, but they get the job done.

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14

A three-game losing streak to end the season was enough for Coastal to fire HC Tim Beck, but the coaching change only made a difference for about a half. QB Tad Hudson, who saw some playing time earlier in the year but struggled, started by necessity (other QBs were injured) and looked quite good for a while. Going against the top defense in C-USA (albeit one that lost a bunch of DBs to the portal), he threw for a TD in each of the first two quarters. On the other side, La Tech had a QB in Trey Kukuk (9/19, 114 yards, TD, INT, FUM; 19/104 rushing) who can run but had an awful time throwing an accurate football.

In the 2nd half, the game devolved into some of the sloppiest play you’ll ever see. The Bulldogs got an FG to cut their deficit to 14-6 courtesy of a 30-yard PR by Dedrick Latulas, and then things got wild. CCU WR Robby Washington (5/47/1) fumbled on the first play of the next drive, but Kukuk fumbled it back 3 days later. I personally thought his hand was moving forward, but the officials disagreed. Coastal moved the ball again, but K Kian Afrookheth had a 22-yard FG blocked (he also missed from 29 earlier in the game). Then, we had a muffed punt that bounced a mile to the end zone for a touchback, with nobody capable of recovering it.

Kukuk finally threw a decent pass to WR Marlion Jackson (3/87/1), but Jackson fumbled the ball away. Not to worry, as Hudson (25/49, 311 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) threw an INT that bounced off his WR’s chest (the receiver took a hard hit that jarred the ball loose). One play later, Jackson made amends with a deep shot TD, but the tying 2-point conversion failed. Suddenly though, the Bulldogs had offense. They scored again on their next possession to take the lead (off another great Latulas punt return), and the shorthanded defense shut out the Chanticleers for the entire second half. An ugly game had an ugly finish.

On CCU’s last-gasp attempt, CB Jakari Foster picked Hudson off to seal the win, earning his FBS-leading 8th INT of the year. Most of the game was spent seeing who could commit more penalties. The teams combined for 25 accepted fouls for 228 yards. If you’re wondering, CCU “won” with 15 penalties for 129 yards. Neither team necessarily deserved a victory, but Louisiana Tech was the better team this year. They won their 8th game, which is a big deal for this particular program. Missouri State’s Ryan Beard is coming aboard to revive Coastal Carolina. With the way he improved the Bears, CCU fans can only hope the same happens here.

JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern 29, Appalachian State 10

The bowl organizers had a really tough time finding an opponent for Georgia Southern. Numerous schools declined invites, even some 5-7 teams. That left us with a rare matchup between two opponents from the same conference (the Sun Belt). It also happened to be a rematch of the latest edition of the “Deeper Than Hate” rivalry. In the last meeting, Georgia Southern controlled the game before App State made a furious comeback that came up just short. Given the late scheduling of the game, numerous Mountaineers players had already departed the program, forcing HC Dowell Loggains to scramble to field a roster.

With almost no quarterbacks available, two reserve players split time. One, Noah Gillon (4/7, 64 yards, 2 INTs), moved the ball decently but committed back-breaking turnovers. That gave Matthew Wilson (12/22, 128 yards, 2 INTs; 12/110 rushing), a 3rd-string DB who hasn’t played QB since high school, extended playing time. He added an element with his dynamic running, but he too caught the turnover bug later on. Deep shots to WR Dalton Stroman (3/96) constituted the bulk of the passing offense. Georgia Southern didn’t turn the ball over once, and that was the difference in a game that remained competitive for a bit.

App State just couldn’t get out of their own way. On one FG attempt, K Dominic De Freitas connected from 36 yards, but a false start pushed them back. He hooked the 41-yard attempt left, but another false start wiped that out too. De Freitas came up short from 46 yards. Defensively, the lack of players hurt them badly. GASO QB JC French IV (18/25, 171 yards, TD; 12/38 rushing) added to his program records, while RB OJ Arnold (11/152) broke the game open. The Eagles gave their opponent life with a weird WR pass for an INT, but the defense snuffed it out. Credit the Mountaineers for trying, but they needed a full roster to have a shot.

Kinder’s Texas Bowl: (21) Houston 38, LSU 35

On an 8-bowl Saturday, we saved one of the best for last. The fireworks started immediately, with WR Barion Brown (1/37) taking the opening kick 99 yards for a TD. LSU’s offense put up another TD to take a 14-0 lead, but that start was eerily similar start to FIU’s in the First Responder Bowl. The parallel proved prophetic because just as UTSA stormed back to blow away the Panthers, Houston started to do the same to the Tigers. A missed FG and a lost fumble allowed the Cougars to score 3 TDs before halftime and take a 21-14 lead. However, unlike FIU, LSU actually regrouped during the break and fought back in the second half.

If only their defense could’ve stopped the bleeding. Houston QB Conner Weigman (27/36, 236 yards, 4 TDs; 13/56 rushing) set a program bowl record for passing TDs and was on-point the entire night. RB Dean Conners (16/126/1) was a big play waiting to happen every time he touched the ball. TE Tanner Koziol (9/76/1), a player we’ve had our eye on, was the biggest weapon in the passing game, while WR Amare Thomas (7/66/2) scored two TDs. This game had a ton of possessions because there was so much scoring, and yet Houston only punted 3 times. LSU wasn’t nearly as consistent, but they did make a charge.

Aside from a 36-yard run by RB Harlem Berry (who also lost a fumble), the Tigers had just 41 yards on their other 23 carries. QB Michael Van Buren (16/26, 267 yards, 3 TDs; 24 rushing yards) had to carry the load, and he actually played really well. WR Kyle Parker (7/68/1) and especially TE Trey’Dez Green (4/80/2) helped LSU make a charge, and they managed to tie the game at 28 in the 4th quarter. Ten unanswered points for the Cougars basically put the game to bed though, even if LSU nearly got their hands on an onside kick recovery. Houston’s firepower (and 4 sacks) was just too much for a team in transition to overcome.

The offensive showing from LSU in this bowl was nice, but everything is about new HC Lane Kiffin moving forward. Funnily enough, a team engaging in a shootout with no defense looks exactly like a Kiffin team, but it’s not LSU. Kiffin is going to need to work the portal with mastery if the Tigers are even going to come close to the Ole Miss team he left behind. Houston, even since joining the Big XII, is a team that just doesn’t get enough recognition. They’re consistently good if not great, and I’m seeing steady improvement each year under HC Willie Fritz. With one small leap, they could battle for the conference title in 2026.

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: (19) Virginia 13, Missouri 7

Another team sabotaged by a departing QB, Missouri watched Beau Pribula enter the portal, ceding this start to Matt Zollers. This case was a little different though, as we actually saw Zollers fill in for an injured Pribula earlier in the year. Unfortunately, that film only told us that the Tigers would struggle to score points. For one drive, the offense functioned as intended. They marched 74 yards on 7 plays with star RB Ahmad Hardy (15/89) leading the way and fellow RB Jamal Roberts (11/56) scoring a TD. They didn’t score a single point from then on. For some reason, they got away from the run, and it cost them.

Both teams traded turnovers on downs and missed FGs after that opening possession, but UVA did finally make an FG to cut Missouri’s lead to 7-3. The Cavaliers struggled offensively too, but QB Chandler Morris (25/38, 198 yards) didn’t make mistakes and RB Harrison Waylee (20/68/1) ground out some tough yards. After halftime, Virginia had the drive of the game. They took 10:07 to run 19 plays and earn 75 yards plus the go-ahead TD. One more FG proved to be plenty, as Zollers (12/22, 101 yards, INT) couldn’t move the ball at all. His passes either went short or incomplete. Still, UVA didn’t finish off their weakened opponent.

With one last chance, Zollers got hot, throwing for more than half of his passing total on one drive. He brought the Tigers to the 21, but he took a hit on 3rd-and-10, slamming his head into the turf. The officials made him leave the game for 4th down, and walk-on Brett Brown had to throw the end-zone shot. It was a good effort, but it fell incomplete. Why Hardy, who set the single-season rushing yards record during the game for Missouri, barely touched the ball late is a mystery to me. As a result, Virginia got to celebrate their first 11-win season ever! That’s a nice way to wash that ACC title game loss out of your mouth huh?

Isleta New Mexico Bowl: (25) North Texas 49, San Diego State 47

In a battle between the #1 scoring offense (North Texas) and the #4 scoring defense (San Diego State) in the FBS, something had to break. We learned VERY quickly that it would be the defense. UNT didn’t look like themselves in the AAC title game against Tulane, but they started fast here. The Mean Green put up 21 points in the first quarter, mostly thanks to WR Cameron Donner (6/66/2) and RB Caleb Hawkins (30/198/2; 3/25/1 receiving). Hawkins in particular had a monster day (he even recovered an onside kick). QB Drew Mestemaker gets all the attention, but Hawkins is just as big of a reason for UNT’s success this year.

Mestemaker (27/47, 250 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs; 2/18 rushing) didn’t actually have his best day, as he was fairly inaccurate. He put up plenty of points, but he had help. On one drive, North Texas ran a fake punt, which RB Ashton Gray took for 34 yards. Notably interim HC Drew Svoboda was the team’s ST coordinator. Deservedly, Gray (16/152/2) scored the TD on that drive. The running game earned 368 yards and 4 scores, proving itself to be the key to the attack. Every drop was necessary, as the opposition fought back.

SDSU QB Bert Emanuel (4/7, 37 yards; 11/170/2 rushing) made his first ever start in place of the injured Jayden Denegal. He was a major ground threat and answered UNT’s first scoring drive immediately. The Aztecs failed a trick 2-point play from their PAT formation, which hurts when you notice that they lost by 2. Emanuel added a 70-yard TD run in the second quarter but hurt his back shortly thereafter and did not return. That was a brutal break for a guy finally getting his chance. Third-stringer Kyle Crum (14/29, 169 yards, TD, 2 INTs; 8/21/2 rushing) came in and nicely threw a TD pass on 4th and goal from the 3.

Both teams missed FGs before the half (though SDSU’s came from 57 yards out), and they traded INTs after the half (UNT’s was deflected). Down 28-20 at the break, the Aztecs had chances but experienced an awful 3rd quarter. They got outscored 14-0 during the period, and the subsequent 42-20 deficit was too much to overcome. SDSU tried their absolute best to surprise us though! They had a fantastic start to the 4th quarter with a rushing TD and a 66-yard PR TD by WR Nathan Acevedo (4/61), who was also the team’s leading receiver. An INT on a desperate 4th-down heave by Crum cost them, but he kept firing.

More TDs and a miraculous 4th down conversion by SDSU enabled them to get within 2 points, but just 1 second remained on the clock. They didn’t have enough time, so North Texas survived to reach win #12, their most in school history. Mestemaker also set a single-season UNT record with 35 TD passes. I wonder if he’ll follow old coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State, but he’s likely moving on to make some major cash. Sadly, this season will likely go down as a blip. San Diego State is competitive most seasons. Like New Mexico, they got screwed by the Mountain West’s tiebreaker system, but they still had a fine year.

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Fresno State 18, Miami OH 3

Starting in the middle of the Pop-Tarts bowl and at the same time as a big-time NFL game wasn’t ideal for the Arizona Bowl, but we didn’t forget about it! Honestly, you didn’t miss much. Snoop Dogg was probably the most interesting thing about the event. Miami freshman QB Thomas Gotkowski has done a nice job since replacing former starter Dequan Finn, who departed in a very strange manner. However, in his two games against better competition (here and in the MAC title game), he struggled mightily. In this bowl, he went 6/22 for 72 yards and an INT, never giving his team a chance against a quality Fresno State defense.

The Redhawks’ own defense did well, limiting the Bulldogs to 4 FGs and just 1 TD on the day. QB EJ Warner (15/22, 219 yards, TD; 7/23 rushing) and WR Josiah Freeman (7/143) were really efficient though, and they didn’t have to do much to earn a victory. I can’t overstate just how much Finn screwed his team. A 7-7 finish for Miami is actually commendable given their circumstances. Regardless of how it looked, they came out and competed. For Fresno State, this was actually a down year. They expect to contend for Mountain West titles. Moving forward, they’ll be hunting for Pac-12 titles, and we’ll see how they fare in their new conference.

Pop-Tarts Bowl: (12) BYU 25, (22) Georgia Tech 21

Everyone’s favorite bowl, the Pop-Tars Bowl was our first on with two ranked teams (among non-CFP games). BYU RB LJ Martin didn’t play due to surgery, but both teams impressively had no voluntary opt-outs. Even if I didn’t tell you that, you’d know it by the way these teams played and battled. The Cougars started with a 74-yard drive but got stuffed at the goal line on 4th down (not having Martin hurt here). They scored a TD on their second possession, with QB Bear Bachmeier (27/38, 325 yards, TD, INT) looking good despite his injury-induced mobility limitations. He did only have 1 rushing attempt on the day though.

Georgia Tech responded with a drive of their own and seemed poised to score on a trick play (a pitch with an RB pass to a wide-open man), but BYU called a timeout because they only had 10 men on the field. On 4th down, they ran another trick play with a formation shift from their PAT alignment and got their TD. Trailing 14-10, the Cougars made a critical error when KR Cody Hagen muffed a kickoff, giving the ball right back to GT. The Yellow Jackets took a 21-10 lead into the half and drove at the start of the third to take a truly commanding lead. However, DE Nusi Taumoepeau literally kicked the ball out of their hands.

A Bachmeier INT at the goal line wasted that opportunity, but the turnover completely stifled Georgia Tech’s momentum and energized BYU. DT Keanu Tanuvasa blocked an Aidan Birr FG, and BYU scored a TD+2 off the turnover. They added another TD in the 4th quarter to finally retake the lead. While both late scores came on runs, TE Carsen Ryan (8/120) and WRs Parker Kingston (5/76) and Chase Roberts (7/57/1) were the true stars on offense. When GT faced 4th and 15 at their own 16 on their final drive, it looked like their luck had finally run out. That’s when QB Haynes King (22/40, 270 yards, 2 TDs, INT; 7/31 rushing) struck.

He fired a bomb to WR Eric Rivers, who burned CB Evan Johnson for a 66-yard gain. Alas, Georgia Tech stalled in the red zone and threw a 4th-down end zone INT on a desperate King prayer. And who was the man who picked off the pass? None other than Johnson, who got his revenge. I love the way both teams played, and they each had a fantastic season. To me, BYU belonged in the CFP field, and Georgia Tech at least deserved an ACC Championship game spot. One thing we can agree on: this bowl is a ton of fun, and it has the best trophy in sports. For those wondering, the cherry and cookies & cream Pop-Tarts got toasted!

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Army 41, Connecticut 16

Thanks to Notre Dame’s juvenile behavior (yes; I’m going to keep picking on that), UConn was the lone independent to play in a bowl. Given all their opt-outs, they may as well have stayed home. HC Jim Mora left for Colorado State, and QB Joe Fagnano entered the transfer portal. The Huskies started with a 7-0 lead, but their highlights ended there. Freshman QB Ksaan Farrar (11/17, 84 yards; 7/13/1 rushing) couldn’t do anything; he had -3 passing yards into the 3rd quarter before garbage time got him back into the green, but he had no business being thrust into action here. Army showed UConn absolutely no mercy.

Their patented rushing attack ran roughshod over the Huskies. QB Cade Hellums (15 carries, 45 yards, 2 TDs) got the most work, and he even completed 7 of 8 passes for 108 yards and a score! Interestingly, every single reception went to WR Noah Short. RBs Jake Rendina (14/87) and Carson Smith (9/49/1) also contributed to the ground game, but the biggest impact came from another QB: Godspower Nwawuihe (12/171/2). His 70-yard TD run to open the 3rd quarter took a 14-10 game and sent it on the road toward being a blowout. The bobbled PAT snap after that score was the only blemish; Army scored TDs on all 4 second-half drives.

Other than RB Cam Edwards (11/108/1), I’m not sure how engaged the Huskies were. Especially in the second half, the Black Knights just to want this game more. By the end, UConn’s will completely broke, with Smith’s last TD coming after several broken but poorly attempted tackles. New HC Jason Candle has plenty of things to fix, which is surprising to say about a 9-win team. Army ended the regular season 6-6 before rallying for a winning season here. HC Jeff Monken did his best to avoid the Gatorade bath, but he deserved the honorary ritual. It’s hard as hell to win at a military school, and he found a way to do so again.

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State 22, Clemson 10

The bigger the game and the names, the more opt-outs you have. Even a tight-knit team like Clemson isn’t immune. WRs Antonio Williams and Bryant Wesco Jr didn’t play, and it really hamstrung the Tigers. I lost count of how many drops their pass-catchers committed, with only WR TJ Moore (6/83) providing any positive contribution. The lack of weapons caused QB Cade Klubnik to struggle in his final college game, which in turn led to deficiencies on the ground (43 yards at 1.7 YPC). Realizing a need to create a spark, Clemson ran a fake punt pass that failed miserably. HC Dabo Swinney was furious it even got called.

For three quarters, Penn State’s offense didn’t do any better. Aside from a field goal directly resulting from Clemson’s botched special teams play, they scored just 3 points through 3 frames. Both defenses were dynamic, but the Nittany Lions were better. They earned 4 sacks and allowed just 10 points all day, while the dam eventually broke for Clemson. PSU exploded in the 4th quarter, with QB Ethan Grunkemeyer (23/34, 262 yards, 2 TDs), RB Quinton Martin Jr (20/101), and WRs Trebor Pena (5/100/1) and Devonte Ross (8/84) all finding their groove. They too weren’t spared by opt-outs with several weapons missing.

In spite of that, Penn State outscored Clemson 16-7 in the 4th quarter, saving their best for last. The Tigers never truly threatened and went out with a whimper. PSU interim coach Terry Smith had a rough start (0-3), but he finished really strong (4-0) and ended up doing a good job. He has agreed to stay on with new HC Matt Campbell as a member of his staff, and I think he’ll be an asset. Clemson is at a crossroads. Neither DJ Uiagalelei nor Klubnik ended up being Trevor Lawrence’s successor, and it has hampered the team for years. Swinney will need to overcome his reluctance to use the transfer portal. His team depends on it.

Go Bowling Military Bowl: East Carolina 23, Pittsburgh 17

ECU came into this game with a severe disadvantage: QB Katin Houser opted out along with several offensive weapons, leaving the Pirates undermanned. True freshman Chaston Ditta (8/17, 202 yards, 2 TDs), who had 7 career pass attempts, got the start and acquitted himself well. He had a freshman moment on his first drive when he took a big sack to drop out of FG range and was a bit inconsistent, but he did his job. The offensive line didn’t help him out until midway through the game, and you can’t really do that to a young QB. However, the defense wasn’t hit by opt-outs and it showed, as that unit carried the day.

The Pirates sacked Pitt QB Mason Heintschel (25/40, 256 yards, TD, INT, FUM) twice on consecutive plays during the Panthers’ first drive on their way to a 4-sack game, with defensive linemen Kendrick DuJour (2 sacks) and Jasiyah Robinson (1.5 sacks) leading the way. What really did the Panthers in though was turnovers. They committed 5 of those, always offsetting something good or leading to a big play for ECU. RB Ja’Kyrian Turner (16/93) ran well, but he lost 2 fumbles, including a dropped pitch. His second yielded a TD on a shot play to WR Anthony Smith (4/156/2) one snap later, which I love doing after a takeaway.

WR Kenny Johnson muffed a punt, Heintschel lost a fumble on a strip sack, and the Panthers added two turnovers on downs. A turnover actually nearly doomed their opponents, and it never should’ve happened. An “inadvertent whistle” wiped out an ECU TD run by RB Marlon Gunn Jr (18/50), limiting him to a 14-yard gain. I never heard the whistle, and it reportedly came after he broke away anyway, so the TD should’ve stood. A lineman committed a holding penalty after that, and Ditta lost a fumble that LB Rasheem Biles took for a scoop-n-score. A 17-7 lead for the Pirates transformed into a 14-10 deficit in an instant.

East Carolina responded with a Smith TD on a 2-play drive, which I thought was a fantastic response. From there, the defense did the rest, and each team only added an FG the rest of the way. It’s too bad for Pitt DC Randy Bates, who’s retiring after a career spanning more than four decades. His unit wasn’t to blame; they had 3 sacks and 12 TFLs, and they yielded only 23 points despite giving up 5 turnovers. This team has work to do in the offseason. ECU does as well, but there appears to be a very solid base to build upon. The Pirates played hard and rallied in spite of their departing teammates, a true sign of strength.

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: UTSA 57, FIU 20

Two out of three 12/26 bowls were complete blowouts. We had an idea that FIU might struggle once we learned that they were missing FIVE DBs. Even a lousy offense can take advantage of that, and UTSA is not lousy. It was almost a blowout in the other direction though. FIU scored fairly easily on their opening possession and forced a UTSA punt on theirs. PR Maguire Anderson committed the cardinal sin of fielding the punt inside his own 5, but he outran everyone pursuing him for a 97-yard TD, the longest in bowl history. The stunned Roadrunner fans in Dallas didn’t stay disappointed for very long.

UTSA turned into an offensive juggernaut, scoring on each of their next 5 possessions. The first two were end zone trips for RB Will Henderson (14/59/2; 1/40/1 receiving), who has incredible speed and scored 3 times on the day. QB Owen McCown (18/28, 295 yards, 3 TDs; 7/22 rushing), son of former NFL QB and current Vikings QB coach Josh McCown, played a fantastic game. A 14-0 deficit became a 31-14 lead by halftime, and the Roadrunners never looked back. Their one unforced error, a surprise onside kick out of bounds, was rectified by a 4th-down INT. UTSA’s 57 points constituted a program bowl record and a 2025 bowl season high.

FIU was simply too damaged to compete. Starting QB Joe Pesansky (11/31, 102 yards, 2 TDs, INT) still had turf toe, and the man who relieved him later, Keyone Jenkins (7/14, 49 yards, INT) had a pre-existing injury of his own. The right side of the offensive line had absences that led to relentless pressure on Pesansky, and he suffered the effects. He barely completed passes thanks to throwaways and forced misfires. Even when FIU finally scored again in the 3rd quarter, the subsequent 2-point try was picked off and returned for 2 by UTSA (why go for 2 there anyways?). The team that won 7 games wasn’t the one who came to Texas.

Don’t let that overshadow the job HC Willie Simmons has done in his first year. The man is a winner, and he continued his streak of never posting a losing season (9 years total). If anyone can turn this downtrodden program around, it’s him. On the other side, we already know about Jeff Traylor. The surprise isn’t that he produced another winning season; it’s that no other school has poached him yet. He has declined Power 4 offers, showing loyalty that’s rare in the current era of college football. As long as he stays, the Roadrunners should be a relevant factor in the AAC. Just ask Tulane what they can be at their best.

Rate Bowl: Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17 (OT)

This was by far the best bowl of the day, but mostly for those who like defense. New Mexico tried whatever they could to manufacture offense, but nothing worked. QB Jack Layne (14/25, 88 yards, INT) didn’t throw well, and HC Jason Eck tried bringing in James Laubstein (0 yards passing; 15/57 rushing) for a QB run game. It wasn’t effective, and an 8-minute drive stalled inside the 10 because of it. Minnesota found success with a balanced attack. QB Drake Lindsey (18/28, 147 yards, 2 TDs) managed the game, mainly connecting with WR Jalen Smith (6/64/2). RB Darius Taylor (24/116/1; 4/23 receiving) was the offensive engine.

Even so, the Golden Gophers didn’t score many points. They fumbled on a 4th-and-1 attempt (oddly, they’re 5/11 on that down and distance this year, one of the worst in the nation) and only managed 14 points in regulation. UNM had 3 sacks and played pretty good coverage, helping them stay in the game. Down 14-6, the Lobos got a lightning strike from the return game, as RB Damon Bankston (10/57) took a kickoff 100 yards to the house. New Mexico then used a well-designed play to tie the game with a 2-point conversion. That’s all the scoring we got in regulation, though the Lobos certainly tried to give Minnesota some help.

As much as special teams giveth, they also taketh away. Following the KR TD, UNM oddly chose to do a pooch kick, providing Minnesota with a short field. A bit later, they tried a fake punt, but it failed spectacularly because DE Anthony Smith (2 sacks), the Big Ten’s leading sacker, snuffed it out. In total, the Golden Gophers got 3 short fields. However, the Lobos defense was fantastic, shutting them out in all 3 instances. In OT, the offensive issues persisted for UNM, who only mustered a field goal. Conversely, Minnesota went for the win, and Jalen Smith laid out for the winning TD on a shot to the end zone.

New Mexico hasn’t won a bowl game outside of their home state since 1961. Still, it’s hard to be upset about the direction of this program under Eck. He took a team that hadn’t posted a winning season since 2019 to an arcane tiebreaker away from competing for the Mountain West championship. Minnesota is just too darn good in bowl games. Coach PJ Fleck is now 7-0 in bowls, showing that the Golden Gophers are a solid team; they just play in a brutal conference. You can count on Minnesota to reach 6+ wins almost every year, which is more impressive than it sounds given the opponents on their schedule.

GameAbove Sports Bowl: Northwestern 34, Central Michigan 7

I wish I had more to say about this game, but it was extremely dull. Nobody scored for the entire first quarter, as every drive ended in a punt except one missed FG by Central Michigan. The Chippewas wouldn’t actually score until the 4th quarter. QB Joe Labas (21/25, 178 yards, TD) did alright as a passer, but he lost two fumbles that directly led to Northwestern touchdowns. He also missed time with injury, and backup QB Angel Flores threw one pass: an INT that led to another NW TD. Wildcats QB Preston Stone (19/31, 226 yards, 3 TDs) and WR Griffin Wilde (10/97/2) took full advantage of the miscues and deserve credit.

Once Northwestern took a 21-0 lead at the half, this game was practically over. The only positive I can say for CMU is that they forced a turnover in every game this year, a streak they maintained by intercepting backup QB Ryan Boe with the game out of reach. On the one hand, it’s not a great look that a solid MAC team can’t compete with a middling Big Ten opponent. Conversely, Northwestern’s season looks much better at 7-6 than it would at 6-7. After several years stuck in mediocrity, HC David Braun has the program trending in the right direction. Competing with the Ohio States of the world is a stretch, but it’s a start.

Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl: Hawai’i 34, California 31

We rarely get to see Hawai’i games due to their time zone and lack of TV appearances, so this was a fun experience. Both teams happened to possess freshman QBs from the islands: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for Cal and Micah Alejado for Hawai’i. The game started out very one-sided. Sagapolutele, who announced that he’s staying with the Golden Bears next season, fired a deep shot TD to WR Jacob De Jesus (9/137/1), and RB Kendrick Raphael (18/91/1; 3/14 receiving) ran in another. De Jesus showed off his skills with a 34-yard PR, and Cal scored a third time. The game was 21-0 before the Rainbow Warriors could even blink.

During that period, the only time Hawai’i came close to scoring was on a 50-yard FG attempt, which K Kansei Matsuzawa missed for only his second failed kick of the year. I still have the “Tokyo Toe” as one of my top draftable kickers. After Cal’s initial onslaught, the tide slowly started to turn. Hawai’i WR Pofele Ashcock (14/123/2) scored the team’s first points and began to take over the game. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears couldn’t get out of their own way for about a quarter and a half. JKS was very lucky not to be picked off several times, and California’s offense didn’t score another point until the 4th quarter.

Even the special teams turned around for Hawai’i: a partially blocked punt led to an FG before the half. Following the break, Alejado (32/46, 274 yards, 3 TDs; 5/33 rushing) simply caught fire. In total, he put up 21 unanswered points to tie the game before Cal added an FG. Undeterred, Alejado led another FG drive, but Sagapolutele (28/39, 323 yards, TD; 4/15/1 rushing) finally had an answer. With a drive that chewed up most of the remaining clock, he provided Cal with a 31-28 lead. Unfortunately for his team, “most” meant that 1:52 remained, and that was plenty of time for the Rainbow Warriors, who marched right down the field.

Initially looking for a tying FG, they moved the ball so well that they started thinking touchdown. However, Alejado went down with 15 seconds left and had to come out. In a fantastic coaching decision, Timmy Chang had backup Luke Weaver throw an end-zone shot, which connected with WR Nick Cenacle (8/59/1) to win the game. A game that seemed destined to be a blowout ended up being fantastic! Hawai’i looks as good as they have in about 20 years, when Chang himself was the QB. Cal can’t be happy that they let this one slip away, but with their star freshman returning, their prospects look very bright.

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: Ohio 17, UNLV 10

Ohio had every reason not to show up to this game. They elevated John Hauser to interim HC after former coach Brian Smith was placed on leave and subsequently fired in…unusual circumstances. Hauser was the team’s DC before his temporary(?) promotion, so the defense had to be the unit to calm the storm surrounding the program. Against UNLV, a 10-win team that finished as the runners-up in the Mountain West, they played lights-out. Neither team could do anything at the start, with Ohio throwing a red zone INT, UNLV fumbling after a 79-yard drive, and the Bobcats coughing the ball up right after that. It was ugly.

UNLV finally scored on a deep pass, but an ineligible man downfield penalty brought it back. The Rebels didn’t score at all in the first half. Ohio held their QB, Anthony Colandrea, to 184 yards passing, 28 yards rushing, and an INT. While they only sacked him twice, they killed drives with 8 TFLs and 2 turnovers. No individual player really stood out: every man did his part. Their good work was needed, as Ohio’s offense struggled themselves. The Bobcats got the first real score of the game in the second quarter, with QB Parker Navarro (11/15, 143 yards, INT; 12/43/1 rushing) running for a TD after an 84-yard drive. They missed the PAT of course.

Ohio added a TD and a 2-point conversion in the 3rd quarter by going back to their roots: running the ball. RB Sieh Bangura (19/149/1), who scored the TD, was the star of this game. UNLV finally scored an FG after a drop on 3rd-and-12, but Ohio added one of their own. On 4th-and-goal with under 5 minutes left, Colandrea ran for a 5-yard TD to reach the end zone for the first time. Bangura and the running game shined in closing time (with help from a facemask penalty), and the Bobcats never gave the ball back. It was part of a 202-yard game on the ground, and it gave Ohio their 7th-straight bowl victory. Hauser should keep this job.

New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky 27, Southern Mississippi 16

You knew this game was going to be interesting (and not necessarily in a good way) when USM’s first drive ended with their punter dropping the ball while trying to kick it. That’s the exact same thing Oklahoma’s punter did in their CFP game oddly enough, but luckily for the Golden Eagles, the miscue only led to an FG. Most of this game consisted of good defense and each team trying to see who could mess up more. WKU QB Rodney Tisdale Jr (9/20, 65 yards, INT) completed less than half of his passes, and USM QB Braylon Braxton (24/47, 258 yards, TD, INT; 8/21 rushing) barely cleared that threshold.

Penalties were an issue for both sides (8/74 for WKU and 12/100 for USM). When USM DL JJ Hawkins snagged a 1-handed INT, the team celebrated like such children that the ref called unsportsmanlike conduct on the ENTIRE TEAM. I mean every single player and coach on that sideline. It overshadowed the Golden Eagles extending their FBS lead in INTs on the season, which reached 23 by game’s end. Injuries also played a part. Hilltoppers backup C Elijah Williams broke his leg, and the shuffled line that followed led to increased pressure. On one blown block, Tisdale got hurt, which brought former starter Maverick McIvor into the game.

Some scouts consider McIvor, who lost the job due to his own injury, a draftable prospect. You can see the arm talent in him, and the offense moved better with McIvor in the lineup. In fact, Tisdale was cleared to return, but McIvor (12/19, 199 yards, INT; 8/48/1 rushing, FUM) stayed in. Hie entry changed the game. He wasn’t perfect (as shown by his two turnovers), but he led Western Kentucky to 21 points. That included a big 54-yard TD run in the 4th quarter by RB Marvis Parrish (7/65/1). Completely re-energized by McIvor, the defense locked down, holding USM to 3 second-half points and intercepting Braxton to finish the job.

Tisdale is only a freshman, and he played well late in the year. With McIvor out of eligibility, Tisdale will be able to grow into the role next year. The Hilltoppers always have an exciting offense, so we can expect more fireworks from this perennial C-USA contender. Southern Miss is a team in transition. OC Blake Anderson has been promoted to head coach with the departure of Charles Huff, and he’s taking over a squad that just had its best season in years. I’m curious where the former Utah State and Arkansas State coach will take them. Overall, both of these schools had solid campaigns, which they’ll try to build on in 2026.

Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl: Louisville 27, Toledo 22

We chose a bean-based bowl sponsor when people are in close proximity to one another. Brilliant. Perhaps anticipating the result of that, Cardinals RB Keyjuan Brown (15/112) got us off and running with a 31-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. Louisville looked like a well-oiled machine, marching right down the field for a TD. In response, Toledo QB Kalieb Osborne (17/28, 167 yards, TD; 18/77 rushing) lost a fumble. To be fair, this was a damaged Rockets team. HC Jason Candle left for UConn, leaving the job to interim Robert Weiner, and starting QB Tucker Gleason was hurt. Osborne was making just his first ever start.

Toledo’s defense picked up the slack, sacking QB Miller Moss twice to drop the Cardinals out of FG range. Louisville punted for a touchback, but the officials penalized Toledo for having 2 players on the field wearing #12. That convinced Weiner to trot his kicker out for a 54-yard FG attempt, but Esean Carter blocked it. His jersey number? 12. Toledo was penalized for the same infraction a bit later (with two 39s this time), but their punt got blocked anyway. In what morphed into a bit of a comedy of errors, Louisville gave the ball right back on a fumbled backward pass the very next play. Both offenses went into a half-long funk.

Things seemed to get worse for the Rockets with a back KR to open the 3rd quarter, but some good runs by Osborne moved them down the field. And of course they missed the field goal. Louisville took the opportunity and opened the floodgates. Playing without star WR Chris Bell (ACL tear), Moss (16/24, 153 yards, 2 TDs) led two straight TD drives, leaving Toledo for dead. But they wouldn’t quite. Osborne threw a TD on 4th and 11, the Rockets got a 2-point conversion, and K Robert Hammond III, who’s from the Palm Beach area, set a Boca Raton Bowl record with a 50-yard FG. At that point, Louisville leaned on their star backs.

This time it was Isaac Brown (10/102/2), a Miami native, who broke a big run: a 53-yard sprint for 6. Brown hadn’t played in over a month but opted in to play anyway. That’s the kind of guy you want on your team. Interestingly, the subsequent PAT was blocked and returned for 2 points, and Toledo scored again. But the RBs shut the Rockets down with 3 straight first-down carries. Following a few funny penalties (some as part of a brawl and one for swatting the ball from the center, who was snapping for a kneel-down), Louisville officially claimed victory. The undermanned MAC team put up a really good fight, but LOU’s talent won out.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State 34, Utah State 21

It didn’t occur to me that Washington State’s new coach, former Missouri OC Kirby Moore, is the brother of the Saints’ Kellen Moore. Both of them played on the blue field that hosted this bowl! Maybe that’s not particularly interesting to you, but neither was the game itself aside from a few moments. Neither team has won a bowl game in years, and you can sort of see why given the lack of execution. WSU QB Zevi Eckhaus (26/44, 223 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs; 14/34 rushing) was all-or-nothing, throwing 3 TDs (including 2 beautiful deep bombs) and 3 bone-headed INTs. Luckily for his team, only the good plays really mattered.

That’s because Utah State couldn’t take advantage of their great field position. After the first INT, they went 3-and-out and missed a 31-yard FG. Following the second pick, QB Bryson Barnes flung it right back to the Cougars. Only on the 3rd INT did the Aggies finally cash in for a TD. Barnes (9/21, 116 yards, INT, rush TD) had his roughest outing of the season before leaving injured in the 4th quarter. It was sad to see his college career end that way. Backup Jacob Conover (5/7, 78 yards, 2 TDs) immediately threw a pick six, but a penalty brought it back. He actually did quite well after that, but it was well into garbage time.

Perhaps the biggest highlight for Washington State came on a kickoff, where P Ryan Harris delivered a SMASH on the returner. It was a tad late, so it got flagged, but I’d argue it’s what energized the Cougars and helped them build their 20-0 halftime lead. At least USU made it a little competitive by the end. Both teams will be in the reformed Pac-12 next year, shows how much weaker that iteration of the storied conference will be. Interim HC Jesse Bobbit got the famous fry bath, and he’ll now join Matt Campbell at Iowa State. Moore is inheriting a team that isn’t half bad. It’ll be his job to elevate it from there.

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: NC State 31, Memphis 7

Neither bowl game today was particularly competitive. I suppose we should’ve seen this one coming. Memphis lost HC Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas, but even before that, the Tigers had lost their final 3 games to go from the AAC’s likely playoff representative to 8-4. Still, I expected more from 6th-year senior QB Brendon Lewis (14/25, 106 yards, TD, INT; 11/51 rushing) in his final game for his 4th school. Memphis managed just 1 score in the 2nd quarter. The running game was actually fine, but Lewis short-circuited in the critical moments. His worst faux pas was a telegraphed INT that got returned inside his team’s five.

You may have expected NC State to struggle on offense without RB Hollywood Smothers (transfer portal). Backup Jayden “Duke” Scott (19/108) was more than competent though, and QB CJ Bailey (14/25, 221 yards, 2 TDs, rush TD) had a really good game. The completion percentage only looks low because Bailey attempted so many deep shots, and they were hitting at a nice clip. Even K Kanoah Vinesett had a highlight with a 52-yard FG: he had only 8 total attempts on the season and 0 beyond 40 yards. The Wolfpack defense earned 2 sacks but a stellar 12.5 TFLs, shutting down any drives that got any momentum.

And that was it for this game. NC State took a 31-7 halftime lead and neither team scored a single point from then on. Memphis tried their hardest but couldn’t do it, while the Wolfpack seemed content to just burn the final 30 minutes. Despite being on opposite sides of this result, both teams are facing a bit of uncertainty. Memphis will have a new coach in Charles Huff, but he seems like a mercenary after spending just 1 season at Southern Mississippi. Meanwhile, Bailey isn’t a sure bet to return, as he’s considering a transfer. Maybe after a game like this, he’ll decide that the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Western Michigan 41, Kennesaw State 6

Fun fact: this is the only bowl game featuring 2 conference champions (pending any CFP matchups). I wrote that I wanted the Bucked Up LA Bowl to be our least-competitive matchup. That game has been outdone. Western Michigan scored on the very first offensive snap with a 65-yard run by RB Jalen Buckley. The star back earned 174 yards on just 8 caries and didn’t have to play any of the second half. WMU DE Kershawn Fisher returned a fumble by KSU QB Amari Odom for a TD just a few plays later. The Owls had no clue what hit them, and the Broncos took full advantage of their seemingly dazed state of mind.

Western Michigan used a dominant rushing attack (RB Devin Miles also contributed 68 yards and a TD), a pair of TD passes from QB Broc Lowry (12/19, 120 yards, 2 TDs, INT; 6/23 rushing) and a smothering defense to take a 27-0 lead…in the first quarter. Their only mistake was a shanked PAT. Special teams did step up though with a blocked punt in the second quarter. WMU tallied 5 sacks, including 2.5 from Rodney McGraw, and did so without MAC DPOY Nadame Tucker (injured, draft prep). Unlike Arkansas State last night, Western Michigan pressed their advantage and never let up, particularly with their smothering defense.

Due to a missed FG before the half, Kennesaw State didn’t score until 4:10 remained in the 3rd quarter and the Broncos’ defense got sloppy. Their only points came on an 82-yard TD catch by WR Javon Rogers (3/111/1), but naturally KSU missed the PAT. Only RB Chase Belcher (16/148) deserves a shoutout for the Owls. Odom (18/35, 209 yards, TD, 2 INTs) was a dud. KSU’s second FBS season has been a smashing success, but they laid a real egg here. Western Michigan finished off the second 10-win season in school history with a MAC title and a bowl win. HC Lance Taylor is really doing wonders with this program.

Xbox Bowl: Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28

Competing against two 11-win NFL teams playing Thursday Night Football, many people probably didn’t watch this bowl. That’s a shame, as Arkansas State is one of the more entertaining teams fans haven’t seen. They’ve had some crazy finishes, including their 30-29 squeaker over App State to earn their 6th win and reach this game. Missouri State, an FCS team this time last year, just hired a new HC (SMU OC Casey Woods) because their old one (Ryan Beard) lead such a successful transition that Coastal Carolina poached him. As you might imagine, the Bears struggled most of the game without their leader.

Most of the struggles fell on the offensive line. You expect that with mostly FCS-caliber players at scarce positions. ASU teed off for 8 sacks, with 8 different players getting in on the fun. Thanks to the sack yardage, the Bears had just 47 rushing yards and 1.3 YPC. The Red Wolves had no such offensive troubles. QB Jaylen Raylor (17/31, 388 yards, 3 TDs) sizzled early on. He threw 3 first-half TD passes to WRs Corey Rucker (6/166/1), Chauncy Cobb (4/30/1), and Jaylen Bonelli (2/28/1). With another TD early in the 3rd quarter, Arkansas State took a 31-7 lead and put the game out of the Bears’ reach. Or so you might think.

Leave it to the Red Wolves to make things interesting. Their offense shut down for the rest of the game, only scoring one FG. MOST refused to quit, especially QB Jacob Clark. I’d cut a guy some slack for calling it a day after taking 8 sacks, but that’s not what he did. Clark (25/35, 349, 4 TDs, FUM), along with WRs Dash Luke (7/169/2, FUM) and Jmariye Robinson (4/96/1), caught fire in the 4th quarter, scoring 21 points. However, a Clark fumble, a muffed punt by Luke, and penalties (14 for 115 yards) doomed the Bears. One failed onside kick, and ASU celebrated. Based on the first half though, I’m happy with how the game turned out!

68 Ventures Bowl: Delaware 20, Louisiana 13

First off, let’s congratulate both teams for being here. Delaware made it to 6-6 in their first ever FBS season, while Louisiana needed a 4-game winning streak to rise from 2-6 to 6-6. The Ragin Cajuns will rue their missed opportunities early in this game though. Their first two drives ended inside the Delaware 25: a missed 39-yard FG and an end zone INT on 4th and 1. Their QB, Lunch Winfield (21/36, 231 yards, TD, INT, FUM; 14/40 rushing), was hobbled by an early ankle injury, and ULL’s normally dangerous rushing attack managed just 104 yards at 2.7 YPC. Conversely, Delaware’s ground game started out hot.

RB Jo Silver (14/116/1) opened up the scoring with a 61-yard TD dash. That score and one FG by each team basically told the story of the half though. The Blue Hens had an excellent scoring chance after recovering a muffed punt in the second quarter, but they failed on 4th down and scored nothing. Normally, Delaware is a pass-heavy team. In this bowl, they had just 50 first-half passing yards. The coaches must’ve noticed that, because they came out slinging the ball in the third quarter. QB Nick Minicucci (19/30, 176 yards, TD) threw for 70 yards on the first drive of the 2nd half alone, including a TD to WR Sean Wilson (6/81/1) on 3rd-and-15.

To their credit, ULL didn’t go away. Down 3 scores, Winfield led an FG drive and then a TD march (scoring on 4th-and-6) after his teammates blocked a Delaware FG. He lost a fumble on the next drive, but the ULL defense forced a 3-and-out to give the offense one more chance. The Ragin Cajuns went 86 yards and had one short-range shot at the end zone, but the ball bounced off the hands of TE Caden Jensen (4/72) and fell incomplete. We got a great game in the end, and Delaware ended up with a winning season. Not bad after being an FCS school last year! Louisiana gave it all they had though, so they should be proud too.

StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Old Dominion 24, South Florida 10

Here was our first game that was badly affected by an opt-out. USF QB Byrum Brown, who hasn’t decided on his next move, skipped the Cure Bowl. I’d complain about that, but how can I criticize a kid for leaving if coach Alex Golesh already bolted for Auburn? Still, it left a senior making his first career start, Gaston Moore, to lead the offense. That went…not well. Moore (20/28, 236 yards, TD, 2 INTs) did some good things but threw two back-breaking INTs on overthrows. A backup QB got in the game and threw an INT, as did the punter on a fake. WR Chris Neptune (10/102) lost a fumble to give USF a 5-turnover day.

Old Dominion’s offense wasn’t exactly clicking either, which let the Bulls stay in the game for a while. South Florida scored an FG following a fumble recovery and earned their only TD on a short field after the refs ruled a forward pass a fumble and made ODU punt from their own end zone. The Monarchs also botched a hold on an FG attempt before the half. Special teams treated nobody well. Neptune’s fumble came on a muffed punt, and ODU missed the FG they tried following the recovery. Usually reliable Bulls K Nico Gramatica also uncharacteristically missed two FGs. Eventually though, the dam broke on USF’s defense.

ODU ran the ball very well, with RBs Devin Roche (19/100) and Trequan Jones (8/56/1) having big games. Although QB Quinn Henicle (11/25, 127 yards; 24/107/2 rushing), substituting for transfer portal entrant Colton Joseph, didn’t throw well, he ran great. His running actually powered his team to victory. At one point, USF CB De’Shawn Rucker knocked Henicle out of the game via targeting, but he shockingly missed just one play. On ODU’s final non-kneeling drive, Henicle had a strong run that showed him breaking his opponents’ will, and he followed it up with a 51-yard TD sprint to officially put this game to bed.

I’m happy for Old Dominion, who reached the 10-win threshold in a very successful season. Unless Henicle takes a major step forward as a passer, they’ll need a new QB, but that’s tomorrow’s problem. USF can start worrying about their QB situation today, because it’s really the main reason they lost. As we proceed through this new NIL and transfer portal era, get used to seeing things like this. More players are going to opt out than ever before. Sometimes, it won’t make that much of a difference. Unfortunately, in this case, it robbed us of the chance to see a really good team play at the peak of their powers.

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13

Two Alabama teams playing in an Alabama bowl. These teams were conference runners-up: Troy from the Sun Belt and Jacksonville State from C-USA. Both of them had major injuries. Gamecocks RB Cam Cook, the leading rusher in the FBS, missed the game because he was “banged up”. Trojans QB Goose Crowder hurt his ankle in the Sun Belt Championship game. Somehow, Crowder (3/6, 13 yards) started this game, but he didn’t last very long due to the injury. Tucker Kilcrease (12/23, 116 yards, 2 INTs) relieved him again and did not play well. We still got a good game because JVST insisted on keeping their opponents in it.

The Gamecocks fumbled on a botched flea flicker, and DT Luis Medina recovered it in the end zone for a TD. They also tried a fake punt with backup QB Gavin Wimsatt, but it fell incomplete and gave Troy possession on the plus side of the 50. Troy had a 10-7 lead without being able to move the ball at all. And they seemed resigned to that offensive fate. Before the 2-minute timeout, facing 3rd-and-8 in the red zone, they ran up the middle for 2 yards and kicked an FG. Up 13-10 in the 3rd quarter, WR DJ Epps (2/18) returned a kick for 79 yards, but the Trojans’ offense went -11 yards, and they missed their FG attempt.

Jacksonville State had the better QB by default in Caden Creel (14/20, 173 yards, TD) and got a 100-yard game out of WR Deondre Johnson (6/101). However, it was a drive with 10 straight runs that gave them the lead following an INT by LB Ian Mitchell. Nobody scored the rest of the way, with the Gamecocks shutting out Troy for the entirety of the second half. This used to be a rivalry matchup, but these teams hadn’t met since 2001. You could tell that both programs were into it, which was nice to see during this particular bowl season. Only JVST got to rebound from their conference title game loss though, making the win even sweeter.

Bucked Up LA Bowl: Washington 38, Boise State 10

Here we had ourselves a meeting of Pac-12 members past and future. Fortunately, this bowl is still Gronky. Otherwise, there wasn’t a whole lot to see. Hopefully this will wind up being our least competitive game of bowl season because after Boise State took a 3-0 lead, they never led again or came close. QB Maddux Madsen (7/16, 51 yards, 2 INTs) had a poor game, looking worse than he has since the Broncos got crushed by Notre Dame. Worse still, he re-aggravated his foot injury and left at halftime. Max Cutforth (15/27, 202 yards, TD, 3 INTS) replaced him and looked abysmal, with a garbage-time TD drive fluffing up his stats.

Conversely, Washington could do no wrong. QB Demond Williams Jr (15/24, 214 yards, 4 TDs), still just 19 years old, showed us the best version of himself as a passer to date. RB Jonah Coleman (12/86/1) and WR Denzel Boston (6/125/1) each flaunted their burst, with the latter catching a 78-yard TD pass on a busted coverage. On defense, the Huskies earned 3 sacks and 5 takeaways (all INTs). They also held the Broncos to just 2.1 yards per carry on the ground. That made them one-dimensional, but that dimension was awful. Washington cruised so easily that their starters all got to sit out the fourth quarter and watch.

I hate to say it, but this is why Group of 6 champs aren’t taken seriously. Washington is a good team. They spent some time at the lower end of the rankings and won 8 games. Three of their losses came against Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon, all of which are powerhouses. However, Boise State won the Mountain West and is one year removed from reaching the CFP quarterfinals. This was a really sour way to end a still-solid season. For Washington, this is some fantastic momentum to carry into next year. Williams finished on a high note, and the whole team built a ton of confidence. HC Jedd Fisch is cooking something here.

Cricket Celebration Bowl: South Carolina State 40, Prairie View A&M 38 (4OT)

This is the part where I’d say “here’s the only bowl featuring FCS teams”. That’s true this year, but if teams keep opting out of bowl games, you have to wonder if more I-AA schools will be in play. Maybe they should because these two games gave us a show. It didn’t feel like that would be the case in the first half. Just like in last year’s iteration, SC State came out jittery and took some major punches. Prairie View rocketed out to a 21-0 lead behind a great performance from QB Cameron Peters (24/36, 412 yards, 4 TDs; 9/35/1 rushing), who set a Celebration Bowl record for passing yards and led the Panthers in rushing on the day.

The defense was also stout, earning 4 sacks and 9 TFLs. LB Sterling Roberts led all players in both sacks (2.5) and total tackles (11). To top it off, Bulldogs QB William Atkins IV (7/9, 45 yards) left with an arm injury before halftime, so this game looked over. If not for the bands, I might’ve switched to the FCS Playoffs at halftime. It’s a good thing I didn’t, as SC State caught fire behind backup QB Ryan Stubblefield (15/29, 234 yards, 2 TDs, INT, rush TD). Powered by his connection with WR Jordan Smith (9/152/2; 5/28/1 rushing), Stubblefield led the Bulldogs to 21 unanswered 3rd-quarter points to tie the game. PV didn’t roll over though.

Though not as prolific as they were in the first half, the Panthers did add two 2nd-half TDs. It’s just that each time they did, SC State answered in kind. After a conservative series near the end of the game, we headed to OT, where nobody did much of anything right. Both teams scored FGs after failing to earn even a single first down. In the second extra period, Stubblefield threw an INT, but Panthers K Diego Alfaro missed a 38-yard game-winner. He also missed from 26 yards earlier in the game. Neither team converted their two-point try in 3OT, and to be frank, neither attempt came particularly close at all.

Finally, in 4OT, SC State broke through. RB Tyler Smith (8/22/1) dove at the pylon, and the play was ruled a TD on field. I and the announcers thought that he was PROBABLY short, but we all agreed that it was too close to overturn. When Peters’ subsequent pass fell incomplete, the Bulldogs celebrated (pun intended). This was the 10th year of the Celebration Bowl and by far the best one yet. Prairie View A&M was surprise team who almost no one picked to be here, so they put forth a great effort. South Carolina State got the bad taste from last year out of their mouths and took their place as the best team in all of HBCU football.