Category: College Football

UCLA dispatches Boise State for hometown win in LA Bowl

Boise State came into Saturday’s game with a four-game win streak and took a two-score lead early, but the Bruins surged back to win.

UCLA got to play a bowl game right in its own backyard this season, and while Boise State jumped out to an early lead, the Bruins roared back for a 35-22 victory in the Starco Brands LA Bowl.

The Broncos had been riding an eyebrow-raising hot streak, winning their final four games culminating in a Mountain West Conference Championship victory over UNLV. Boise State kept the momentum in the first half, kicking three field goals before a short touchdown run by running back George Holani to make the halftime lead 16-7.

The Bruins would not be embarrassed on their home turf, however. Junior quarterback Ethan Garbers entered the game in the second half and jolted the UCLA offense back to life. He completed nine of his 12 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns, including a 5-yard score to wideout Kyle Ford early in the third quarter to pull the Bruins within two points. After a pair of rushing touchdowns from TJ Harden, Garbers connected with J. Michael Sturdivant for a 40-yard touchdown.

The result of UCLA’s offensive avalanche, spurred on by Ethan Garbers, was 28 unanswered points and a 35-16 lead for the hometown team. A late touchdown for the Broncos didn’t lead to a full comeback,

Here are the best pictures from UCLA’s victory.

Fresno State bowls over New Mexico State in commanding New Mexico Bowl win

The Bulldogs defeated the Aggies in their home state with 17 unanswered points to end the game behind a brilliant game from quarterback Mikey Keene.

New Mexico State might have been playing in its own state, but Fresno State looked right at home in its 37-10 victory in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.

The Bulldogs, coached by linebackers coach Tim Skipper as head coach Jeff Tedford deals with personal health concerns, jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the opening quarter and never looked back.

Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene delivered one of the best games in the early bowl season. He threw two first-half touchdowns, first a 26-yard score to Josiah Freeman in the opening quarter before he connected with Jaelen Gill for a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Keene ended the day with 31 completions on 39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Seven different Bulldogs players caught at least three passes. He even ran for a score, making him responsible for all four Fresno State touchdowns.

The game looked closer when the final quarter began, with Fresno State’s lead only 20-10, but the Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points to end the game with an emphatic victory.

Here are the best images from Fresno State’s victory.

Booger McFarland endorsed football players peeing their pants if it’s raining during a game

Well, this is certainly a take.

ESPN college football analyst Booger McFarland found a very unexpected positive for playing in the rain while talking about the Cure Bowl on Saturday.

As the sloppy conditions in Orlando during the Appalachian State-Miami (OH) game created plenty of on-field chaos for both teams, the ESPN trio of McFarland, Kevin Negandhi and Dan Mullen talked about how tough it can be to take on the conditions if you’re a football player.

McFarland interjected to point out what he sees as a distinct positive to playing in the rain, particularly for defensive linemen: The rain allows you to get away with peeing your pants on the field.

Yes, really, this is a thing he said on live television.

Look, while McFarland is technically true that no one is going to see that you tinkled in your britches if it’s pouring rain outside, it’s not ever advisable to wet yourself in public unless you are a toddler or in the film Billy Madison. Not to mention super gross for those who might tackle you.

We’re not really sure why McFarland chose this as his “playing in the rain is good, actually!” take, but more power to him, we guess?

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Watch Rob Gronkowski sing the national anthem ahead of UCLA and Boise State’s LA Bowl

Gronk really picked up momentum at the end.

UCLA took on Boise State on Saturday night in a bowl game officially named the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk, and that, of course, meant Rob Gronkowski was a notable part of the matchup.

The four-time Super Bowl champion tight end replaced Jimmy Kimmel as the bowl game’s host after signing a multiyear agreement to partner with the bowl, the Associated Press reported back in October. At the time, Gronkowski also said he’d have a special performance for the game, and that turned out to be singing the national anthem.

Although he had some help with the performance from the New Directions Veterans Choir, per USA TODAY Sports, Gronkowski — who was previously a performer on The Masked Singer – came through and sang it before kickoff.

He really picked up momentum at the end.

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Rob Gronkowski sings the national anthem at the L.A. Bowl

Rob Gronkowski sang the national anthem at the L.A. Bowl, and he was a lot better than Enrico Palazzo.

Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski is always up for new experiences, and he made quite the business decision at the L.A. Bowl on Saturday. Actually, the full name of the bowl game is “Starco Brands LA Bowl hosted by Gronk,” which is a different story.

Per USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer, Gronk got naming rights to the game without throwing any sponsorship money down, as generally happens in these cases.

The reason for this is a unique reverse-naming-rights deal of sorts, where the name of this game is marketing and trying to stand out in a postseason filled with 42 major-college postseason games starting Saturday. Putting celebrity names in the game’s title helps the LA Bowl do that and more, especially in the entertainment capital of the world, where a game between UCLA (7-5) and Boise State (8-5) might not move the needle much otherwise.

Well, Gronk did his best to move the needle with his performance of the national anthem as part of a five-person group.

Not exactly a bravura performance, but he was a lot better than Enrico Palazzo.

Montana’s incredible 2-point conversion helped knock North Dakota State out of FCS playoffs in 2OT

The Montana Grizzlies are headed to the FCS title game in part thanks to this amazing play.

The Montana Grizzlies are headed to the the NCAA FCS championship game for the first time since 2009 after downing North Dakota State, 31-29, in a thrilling double-overtime semifinal game Saturday in Missoula, Montana.

And how they won was beyond impressive, extending their win streak to 10 games this season.

After having the lead for most of the game, the Grizzlies let the Bison tie it up at the end of the fourth quarter, eventually forcing overtime. It took the two teams a total of three plays to trade touchdowns, sending the game into a second overtime with the score tied at 23-23.

Getting the ball first, Montana found the end zone, and because it was the second overtime, it was forced to go for the two-point conversion after a touchdown. And wow, the Grizzlies did not disappoint with this incredible two-point conversion play:

With receiver Junior Bergen getting tossed the ball after the snap on the trick play, he looked like he was about to be tackled way back around the 18-yard line. But he somehow still got the pass off, and receiver Keelan White SOMEHOW came up with the deflected ball in the back of the end zone.

North Dakota State had its chance to tie the game again and force a third overtime. And while the Bison scored a touchdown, their two-point conversion attempt was intercepted, and that was that.

Montana will play for the FCS national title against defending champ South Dakota State on Jan. 7.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Appalachian State wins low-scoring, rainy Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl

The Mountaineers beat Miami-Ohio in a rainy game with 255 combined passing yards, six total turnovers, and two touchdowns.

In a game more defined by the weather than the play, Appalachian State held on to beat Miami-Ohio 13-9 for a victory in the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl.

The game, played in Orlando, was played through consistent rainfall, turning the field into something faintly resembling a slip-and-slide. The Mountaineers and RedHawks combined for 615 yards of offense, including just 255 combined pass yards, and six turnovers. There wasn’t a touchdown scored in the first half, and the offensive scoring output was limited to two touchdowns and three field goals.

A win is a win, however, and the Mountaineers found a way through the gloomy day. Running back Anderson Castle had 119 yards on 20 carries, and quarterback Joey Aguilar punched his way into the end zone for Appalachian State’s lone touchdown of the day. Aguilar managed to somehow find some success through the damp air, completing 18 of 32 passes for 211 yards on the day.

The RedHawks scored a rushing touchdown of their own in the third quarter, but they could never close the deficit beyond that.

Here are the best photos from the rain-soaked game.

 

Fans had so many jokes about App State’s Cure Bowl win amid rainy, messy chaos

College football fans loved the Cure Bowl’s slippery madness.

Well, somehow, we made it to the end of a very wet and slippery Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl matchup with Appalachian State beating Miami (Ohio), 13-9, in a game that was filled with chaos and no first-half touchdowns.

The weather Saturday at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando was less than ideal, as rain poured throughout the game and flooded the field. It was raining so hard that the rain heard on ESPN’s broadcast sounded at times like horses trotting, and some players ended up covered in paint from the field.

It was as chaotic as you’d imagine with a downpour like this, and they combined for 13 (THIRTEEN!!) total fumbles — seven from App State and six from Miami — and six total turnovers.

It was a mess, but the Mountaineers managed to come out on top.

As the field flooded with water and the game kept getting more and more hilarious, college football fans loved the slippery madness and had so many jokes.

Jacksonville State defeats Louisiana in last-minute comeback to take R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

The Gamecocks trailed Louisiana by seven points with two minutes left, but a late touchdown and an overtime field goal saved the game.

Jacksonville State won the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in stunning fashion on Saturday, defeating Louisiana 34-31 in overtime after a late touchdown.

The Gamecocks and Ragin’ Cajuns traded touchdowns early, but it felt more like Jacksonville State versus the Louisiana cornerback Jalen Clark. Clark returned a fumble for a touchdown on the game’s opening drive. After a Gamecocks touchdown tied the game, he intercepted a pass from quarterback Zion Webb and ran it back for his second score of the first half.

Despite the early offensive mistakes, Jacksonville State continued to bounce back. They scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive after Clark’s pick-six, and 10 third-quarter points nudged the Gamecocks ahead again.

The game stood tied at 24 in the final six minutes before Louisiana’s defense came through again. Cajuns defensive back Tyree Skipper jumped in front of a Gamecocks pass and raced 33 yards to the end zone. With 5:32 left in the game, it looked like Louisiana might have found the game-winning score.

After trading punts, the Jacksonville State offense found life. The Gamecocks marched 70 yards on just eight plays, capped off by an 18-yard pass from Webb to wide receiver Perry Carter for the game-tying touchdown inside the last two minutes.

After the Cajuns missed a field goal on their first overtime possession, Jacksonville State kicker Garrison Rippa knocked a 27-yard field goal through the uprights for the walk-off win.

Here are the best images from the Gamecocks’

season-ending win.

Former Texas A&M quarterback commit announces his new school

Anthony Maddox, who decommitted from Texas A&M on Friday, announced on Saturday that he would play for a different SEC school.

Quarterback Anthony Maddox, a top Class of 2024 quarterback prospect, announced his commitment to Ole Miss just one day after he decommitted from Texas A&M, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported.

The 6-foot-1 Mississippi native had been committed to the Aggies since February. He visited the Rebels last weekend just before he announced he would no longer play for Texas A&M.

ESPN is the recruiting site most bullish on Maddox, with the Oak Grove quarterback currently 212th in the site’s national class rankings and the No. 9 pocket passer in the class. Maddox is also considered a four-star prospect on rivals.com and 247Sports’ Composite Rankings. Both sites consider him among the 30 best quarterback prospects in the upcoming class.

Maddox will walk into a crowded quarterback room in Oxford. Starter Jaxson Dart will return for the 2024 season, and former five-star prospect Walker Howard will be the presumed backup in his redshirt sophomore next season.