Category: College Football

Western Kentucky celebrated Famous Toastery Bowl comeback with iconic ‘toast angels’

When you pull off a 28-point comeback, you have to have the celebration to match.

When you pull off the fourth-largest comeback in bowl history, you have to find the perfect celebration to match it.

Western Kentucky trailed Old Dominion 28-0 in the second quarter of the Famous Toastery Bowl in Charlotte on Monday, but a 28-7 run sent the game to overtime, where the Hilltoppers ultimately won on a walk-off field goal.

With plenty of toast on hand thanks to the game’s sponsor, the players had a creative way to celebrate the unlikely, come-from-behind victory. While some threw bread in the air like graduation caps, others engaged in the new art of making toast angels.

That’s right — toast angels.

The Hilltoppers finished the season 8-5 with the comeback win, which was completed without star quarterback Austin Reed, who opted out of the game. Third-stringer Caden Veltkamp ultimately had to take the reigns, and his 383-yard, five-touchdown performance was enough to pull off one of the wildest wins we’re likely to see in bowl season.

Western Kentucky completes storybook comeback in overtime to win Famous Toastery Bowl

The Monarchs led by 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Hilltoppers came all the way back for the miracle victory.

Western Kentucky defeated Old Dominion 38-35 in overtime to win the Famous Toastery Bowl in one of the biggest bowl comebacks of recent history.

The Monarchs dominated the first twenty minutes of the game. Old Dominion scored its fourth touchdown just two minutes into the second quarter, an 11-yard run from quarterback Grant Wilson that made the lead 28-0 well before halftime.

For much of the game, it seemed the Hilltoppers couldn’t get out of their own way. Western Kentucky turned the ball over five times, including a pick-six early in the first quarter. The team battled back slightly, scoring back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to seven points, but wide receiver Craig Burt Jr. coughed up the team’s third fumble with five minutes left to seemingly seal their fate.

The special teams unit contributed to the comeback effort, however. The Hilltoppers forced a 47-yard field goal attempt and blocked it to keep the deficit at one score. The offense took nine plays to drive 64 yards after the blocked kick, but the Old Dominion defense forced them into a fourth and goal from the 15-yard line.

With his back against the wall, Western Kentucky quarterback Caden Veltkamp found K.D. Hutchinson at the buzzer for his fifth touchdown pass of the game to force overtime.

After a missed field goal by Old Dominion in overtime, Western Kentucky walked the game off with a 29-yard field goal attempt to cement the comeback.

Here are the best images from Western Kentucky’s miraculous victory.

Five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola flips from Georgia to Nebraska

Dylan Raiola, the top-ranked QB in the Class of 2024, flipped to the Cornhuskers on Monday after he had been committed to the Bulldogs since May.

Dylan Raiola, the top quarterback recruit in the Class of 2024, has flipped from Georgia to Nebraska. He announced the decision via social media on Monday.

Raiola announced the decision with a poem about his recruitment.

“Once lured by Georgia, where powerhouse glory gleamed,” the poem read. “Yet Nebraska’s purpose in his heart brightly beamed.”

Raiola had been committed to Georgia since May, but he took an official visit with the Cornhuskers on December 15th.

Raiola is the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2024, according to 247Sports. The Buford, Georgia, native is the highest-rated commit in the history of the program by 247Sports ranking and raises the Cornhuskers 2024 class to No. 23 in the country.

For more Nebraska coverage, go to Cornhuskers Wire.

Western Kentucky pulls off epic 28-point Famous Toastery Bowl comeback against Old Dominion

Western Kentucky’s comeback was the fourth-largest in bowl history.

Western Kentucky looked to be down and out in the second quarter against Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl — which was held in Charlotte in place of the Bahamas Bowl — on Monday afternoon.

After giving up 21 points in the first quarter, the Hilltoppers found themselves in a 28-0 deficit after a Monarchs touchdown early in the second quarter. Western Kentucky would break the shutout before the half, but it still found itself down three touchdowns heading into the locker room.

The second half, however, was a different story.

The Hilltoppers outscored Old Dominion 28-7 in the final two quarters, sending the game to overtime. The Monarchs missed a field goal on the first possession of the overtime period, but Western Kentucky’s Lucas Carneiro wouldn’t make the same mistake.

His 29-yard walk-off field goal sailed through the uprights to give the Hilltoppers a 38-35 win and complete the fourth-largest comeback in bowl history.

The historic comeback was made even more impressive by the fact that Western Kentucky was without star quarterback Austin Reed, who has thrown 60 touchdowns in the last two seasons. Reed opted to sit out the game while he focuses on the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

Without Reed, Turner Helton got the start but was ultimately benched after two series that ended with a strip sack and an interception returned for a touchdown.

In his place, third-stringer Caden Veltkamp shined. He completed 40 of 52 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns while also adding 53 yards on the ground.

In the transfer portal and opt-out era, these bowl games can be hard to project. But regardless of the available personnel, bowl season always has some magic up its sleeve.

Nebraska sends a message to college football world by flipping 5-star QB Dylan Raiola from Georgia

Matt Rhule and Nebraska pulled off a major recruiting coup on Monday.

It wasn’t the most inspiring Year 1 on the field for Matt Rhule at Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers finished 5-7, falling short of a bowl bid for the seventh season in a row. While that is undoubtedly disappointing, there are reasons to believe better days are ahead.

On Monday, Rhule and Nebraska pulled off a colossal flip, securing a commitment from five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. A native of Buford, Georgia, Raiola — the No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 class and a top-10 overall prospect, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings — had been pledged to the in-state Bulldogs since May.

Raiola received a flood of predictions in favor of Nebraska ahead of an official visit to Lincoln last week, and he became the highest-ranked player to commit to the Cornhuskers in the recruiting rankings era, according to ESPN.

Assuming he ultimately signs, he’ll join a team that happens to have his uncle, Donovan Raiola, on staff as the offensive line coach. Raiola’s father Dominic also played college football for the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska has been in a decades-long battle to return to prominence, and while the on-field returns have been slow under Rhule, what’s going on under the hood is much more encouraging, especially with the investments being made in NIL.

We’re seeing that starting to bear fruit and landing a quarterback of Raiola’s stature should send a message to the entire college football world that Nebraska is finally getting serious.

Top safety prospect Xavier Filsaime flips from Florida to Texas

Xavier Filsaime, a Texas native who had been committed to Florida since April, announced on Monday he would instead play for the Longhorns.

Xavier Filsaime, a consensus top-50 prospect and one of the best safeties in the Class of 2024, flipped his commitment from Florida to Texas, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported on Monday.

247Sports grades Filsaime as a five-star prospect, the No. 32 overall player, and the second-best safety in the upcoming class. He had been committed to Florida since April.

“One of my hardest decisions ever,” the Texas native said in Fawcett’s report on the decision. “I have lots of love for everyone over there.”

The move jumps Texas to No. 5 in 247Sports’ 2024 team recruiting rankings. Billy Napier and the Gators, who were once as high as third in the country, tumbled down to 10th with the decommitment.

Filsaime becomes the latest player to detach from the Florida football program. Four other 2024 recruits have decommitted from the Gators since the start of November, including three four-star prospects in defensive lineman Nasir Johnson, edge rusher Jamonta Waller, and cornerback Wardell Mack. Edge rusher Princely Umanmielen and running back Trevor Etienne also left for the transfer portal.

Get more Texas coverage at Longhorns Wire.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker to be named next Troy head coach

The Fighting Irish offensive coordinator will replace new Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall after just one season as the offensive coordinator.

Troy has reportedly found its replacement for former head coach Jon Sumrall, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Monday that the Trojans are expected to hire Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.

Parker has been on Power 5 coaching staffs for a decade now. He spent four years as an offensive assistant coach for Purdue from 2013-16, working with tight ends and wide receivers. He was the Boilermakers’ interim head coach in his last year with the team after Darrell Hazell was fired in October 2016, although Purdue lost its final six games to finish 3-9.

After the Purdue stint, Parker worked as an offensive assistant and a wide receivers coach at Duke from 2017-18 and he worked as Penn State‘s wide receiver coach in 2019. He got his first coordinator job with West Virginia when he was in charge of the offense and wide receivers from 2020-21, and he joined the Notre Dame staff for the 2022 season. When former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees left for Alabama ahead of the 2023 season, Parker assumed his role.

Notre Dame’s offense was one of 2023’s best, as the Fighting Irish averaged 39.1 points per game this season, the eighth-best mark in the country, and finished ninth in the FBS at 6.95 yards per play. Notre Dame gained at least 400 yards in seven different games, and their 351 yards of offense against Ohio State was the second-most surrendered by the Buckeyes this season.

Parker will have big shoes to fill in his first head coaching job, as Sumrall led the Trojans to a 23-4 record in two seasons before he was hired as Tulane’s head coach.

Former All-SEC wide receiver Juice Wells commits to Ole Miss

The former South Carolina Gamecock, a 2022 First-Team All-SEC wideout, has 2,818 career yards and 28 career touchdowns.

Former South Carolina wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells joined a stacked Ole Miss transfer portal class on Sunday.

Wells was limited with injuries in 2023, not playing a full game and not returning after he exited in the first half against Georgia in Week 3.

In Wells’ only full season with South Carolina, he had 68 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 and he ended the season as a First-Team All-SEC wideout. He broke free for 189 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas in his first conference game, and he had 11 catches for 177 yards in a huge upset victory over Tennessee late in the year. He had four 100-yard games on the year.

The 6-foot-1 wideout began his collegiate career with James Madison. He had 33 receptions for 603 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman in 2020, but he truly exploded as a sophomore.

Wells hauled in 83 catches for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. The Dukes were not an FBS team at the time, but only two FBS receivers reached all three of those numbers. After a slower start to the season, he had 597 yards and six touchdowns in his final six regular-season games.

Lane Kiffin’s Rebels now have the top 2024 transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. Wells joins former Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, a 2023 Second-Team All-SEC team member, and former Tennessee edge Tyler Baron in the high-octane class.

Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord commits to Syracuse

The Buckeyes quarterback and former four-star prospect threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.

Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord committed to play for Syracuse in 2024, he announced through social media on Sunday.

McCord started all 12 regular-season games for the Buckeyes in 2023. The junior ended the year with 3,170 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and six interceptions. His 83.7 QBR was the eighth-best in the country, according to ESPN.

The memory of his time with Ohio State will surely be defined by this season’s loss to Michigan, however. The Buckeyes passer completed 18 of his 30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions, including one on the potential game-winning drive to seal the defeat.

The New Jersey native had only thrown 58 passes across the 2021-22 seasons. He leaves the Buckeyes with a 66.5% completion percentage, 3,776 career passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions in three seasons. He announced he would enter the transfer portal on Dec. 4, less than 10 days after the Michigan loss.

McCord will join head coach Fran Brown, who was announced as the next Syracuse coach last month, for his first season.

The Orange won six games this season despite the No. 115 passing offense in the country. Syracuse threw for 173.7 yards per game, with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a team. The team notably stopped throwing the ball late in the season, with 16 pass attempts or less in each of the final eight games. McCord aims to redefine the Orange passing attack in 2024.

Texas Tech cruises to Independence Bowl victory in commanding offensive display

The Red Raiders held California scoreless for the final three quarters and scored 27 unanswered points to cruise to a 34-14 victory.

Texas Tech cruised to a 34-14 victory over California in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl behind an empowered offense and an opportunistic defense.

The Golden Bears offense was powered by running back Jaydn Ott this season, a First Team All-Pac-12 nominee. He finished the regular season averaging 114.6 yards per game, the seventh-best mark in the nation, but despite an early touchdown, the Red Raiders defense stifled him to just 45 yards on 16 carries.

On the offensive side of the ball, sophomore quarterback Behren Morton threw for 256 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. All three of his touchdown passes came in the first 21 minutes of the game, including a go-tying 15-yard score to Mason Tharp and a go-ahead touchdown pass to Loic Fouonji in the early second quarter. Texas Tech never surrendered the lead again.

Despite a touchdown pass in the opening minute of the game, California quarterback Fernando Mendoza made too many costly mistakes in the second half. With Texas Tech leading and Ott unable to get going downhill, the Golden Bears quarterback threw an interception on the first drive of the third quarter. He threw two more before the game was over and even coughed up a fumble, turning the ball over four times in seven second-half drives.

With the California offense unable to get off the ground, the Red Raiders cruised to an easy victory. Running back Tahj Brooks punched his way into the end zone in the third quarter, the highlight of a 98-yard performance. Texas Tech scored the game’s final 27 points, and the California offense didn’t score after the first quarter ended.

Here are the best photos from the Texas Tech victory.