Tag: Bowl

Will Michigan State accept bowl bid on Sunday? Reports indicate that’s unlikely

This will be something to monitor throughout Sunday, but it seems pretty clear that the Spartans’ season is officially over.

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Opting out of bowl games has been something high-profile players have done often in recent years, and in 2020 it appears to be the trend for teams as well — potentially including Michigan State.

Bowl bids will be handed out on Sunday, and there’s a chance MSU will receive an offer to play in a postseason bowl game. However, Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal is reporting the Spartans will turn down a bowl offer should they receive one.

MSU has yet to formally announce their postseason intentions, but many have speculated the Spartans are done for the season after this weekend’s game vs. Maryland was canceled on Thursday. A number of players have announced they’re leaving the program (either to go to the NFL or transfer) since that game was canceled, and while that doesn’t completely tell us the season is over, that does serve as a hint.

Earlier in the week, head coach Mel Tucker seemed adamant about wanting to play in a bowl game should that opportunity arise so it’s interesting to see the somewhat sudden decision to change course. However, it sounds like the players wanted to turn down that opportunity to move onto the offseason.

A number of Big Ten teams have opted out of the postseason, including Penn State who is referenced in Couch’s tweet above. So should MSU elect to play, then there would some bowl options for where the Spartans could land.

This will be something to monitor throughout Sunday, but it seems pretty clear that the Spartans’ season is officially over.

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New opponent, same result: Oklahoma wins the Big 12 title

The Oklahoma Sooners locked up their sixth-straight Big 12 Championship with a win over the Iowa State Cyclones, 27-21.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Given the fact that the Oklahoma Sooners started out slow this year, many teams including Texas, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State all had the opportunity to take advantage and have a shot at the Big 12 Championship.

The Cyclones were the only one of the three to take advantage. As the season went on, Oklahoma heated up and marched to their fourth-straight championship game appearance. Since the return of the game, the Sooners have been the only constant.

In their fourth-straight title game appearance, Oklahoma played their fourth different opponent but the result never changed. The Sooners won the last two by one score after winning the prior two by double digits. The Cyclones made a valiant effort but Brock Purdy helped to keep them in the game while also costing them the game all at the same time.

The Oklahoma Sooners will head to a New Years Six bowl game, likely in the Cotton Bowl. It remains to be seen how far Iowa State will fall. If the Cyclones make it as an at-large bid, the Longhorns will head to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl.

The final Big 12 Standings

Seed Team Preseason Rank Conf Rec Overall
No. 1 Oklahoma No. 1 7-2 8-2
No. 2 Iowa State No. 4 7-2 8-3
No. 3 Texas No. 3 5-3 6-3
No. 4 Oklahoma State No. 2 6-3 7-3
No. 5 Texas Christian No. 6 5-4 6-4
No. 6 West Virginia No. 8 4-4 5-4
No. 7 Kansas State No. 7 4-5 4-6
No. 8 Texas Tech No. 9 3-6 4-6
No. 9 Baylor No. 5 2-7 2-7
No. 10 Kansas No. 10 0-8 0-9

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Where will the Gators play their bowl game? Here’s USA TODAY’s latest projection

The winner of UF vs UGA will likely play in the SEC championship game and could still be an at-large contender with two losses.

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below. 

Cincinnati’s ascent into the College Football Playoff race is getting hard to ignore. The Bearcats keep dominating a schedule full of quality teams and doesn’t looking like they’re slowing down soon.

While there may not be any top-tier teams in the American Athletic to match Power Five conferences, there are enough quality opponents to boost Cincinnati’s profile. The Big 12 is already without an unbeaten team and the Pac-12 is scheduled to play four fewer games against a schedule that isn’t much different than the American.

For now, Oregon holds the fourth position behind Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. More will be known when the Ducks finally take the field Saturday, but the Bearcats are absolutely in the thick of the race.

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Another game that likely will shape the debate is this week’s showdown between Georgia and Florida. The winner will likely play in the SEC championship game and could still be an at-large contender with two losses or create some chaos by beating likely opponent Alabama.

There was some movement at the top this week. Losses by Oklahoma State and Michigan knocked them out of the New Year’s Six with Oklahoma and Texas A&M moving in.

The bowl lineup for this postseason stands at 37 games with the status of the Las Vegas Bowl uncertain. Teams in bold have accepted berths.

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First bowl game cancellation for 2020 college football season

It was only a matter of time until we started to learn the fate of some of college football’s postseason bowl games and Friday brought news that the annual bowl game played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California won’t be played this winter. …

It was only a matter of time until we started to learn the fate of some of college football’s postseason bowl games and Friday brought news that the annual bowl game played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California won’t be played this winter.

The game, most recently known as the RedBox Bowl was canceled on Friday and was first reported by Brett McMurphy.

The game matches up Big Ten and Pac-12 teams each year. Last year it was Cal beating Illinois, 35-20.

Since debuting in 2002 the game was played from 2002-2013 at AT&T Park in San Francisco before moving to Levi’s Stadium in 2014 and remaining there since.

The game has had a handful of names over the years: San Francisco Bowl, Emerald Bowl, Fight Hunger Bowl and Foster Farms Bowl before being named the Red Box Bowl in 2018.

The college bowl schedule now sits at just 41 games.

Bowl Projections: Texas returning to the NY6 against an unfamiliar foe

Sporting News came out with their summer bowl projections with the Longhorns staying in Texas to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

Yes, college football is 90 days away from returning but that doesn’t stop the bowl projections from being announced. In recent weeks the Sporting News came out with their summer projections.

Big 12 Bowls:

  • Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl: Baylor vs Mississippi State
  • Cheez It Bowl: TCU vs Florida State
  • Valero Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State vs USC

Then there were the New Year Six (NY6) Bowl games. The Longhorns played in the Valero Alamo Bowl a season ago but this time around they are projected to play in one of the six premier bowl games to take place as part of the NY6 even though their game would be played on December 30th.

According to Bill Bender, the Longhorns would stay home in Texas and participate in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Their opponent would be one that they have never played.

The Longhorns would play the Boise State Broncos based on the latest projections. The Longhorns have never played the Broncos. For Texas this would mark the first time playing in the Cotton Bowl Classic since 2003. That year the Longhorns defeated the LSU Tigers 35-20 in the Cotton Bowl Stadium on the Texas Fairgrounds.

The Longhorns very first Cotton Bowl came in 1943, it was also their first ever bowl game. They defeated the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets 14-7. A return to the Cotton Bowl Classic should give you a relatively good idea of how the expectation level are for Texas. Likely would need to be the runner up in the conference to receive that bowl bid.

The remaining bowl projection has the Oklahoma Sooners making the College Football Playoffs once again only to get bounced in round one by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.

 

247Sports Bowl Projections: Texas Back Into the New Year’s Six

247Sports has given their bowl projections before spring ball has begun and they have Texas as one of the at-large teams in the Big 12.

In what seems to be a yearly tradition surrounding the Texas program, expectations are once again extremely high going into the 2020 season. Not only are the Longhorns expected the compete for the Big 12 championship, but they are expected to play in one of college football’s most pristine bowl games, one of the New Year’s Six bowl games.

Usually, for the Big 12, that game is the Sugar Bowl, as the best team in the Big 12 and SEC face off against each other in New Orleans every year on New Year’s Day. However, for the upcoming season, the Sugar Bowl is one of the playoff venues this year, so Big 12 teams will be considered at large bids.

247Sports has given their bowl projections before spring ball has begun and they have Texas as one of those at-large teams in the conference. The projection also has the Longhorns playing their bowl game in the state of Texas, facing off against Boise State in the Cotton Bowl, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

If the two teams were to face off, it would be the first time the programs ever faced each other in football. While they may be stuck in a non-power five conference, the Broncos are one of the most dangerous teams in the country. Since 2000, they have had 16 seasons of 10 or more wins, including a 3-0 record in BCS /New Year’s Six Bowl games.

Both Texas and Boise State have only been to one NY6 bowl game since its rebranding in 2014. Each has a 1-0 record as the Broncos defeated Arizona in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl and the Longhorns upset Georgia in the 2019 Sugar Bowl.

As for the rest of the Big 12, Oklahoma is the only other team projected in an NY6 game, facing off against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 247Sports does not project a team from the Big 12 to make the playoff, instead having two SEC teams (Alabama and Florida) playing Clemson and Ohio State respectively.

If the Longhorns can make a quality bowl game like the Cotton Bowl, it would be considered a successful season. While Boise State may not be the most flashy opponent to face, playing another game within the state of Texas would create an amazing atmosphere for another big-time bowl game under Tom Herman.

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Here are the rosters for the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

Here are the game day rosters for the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

NFL draft hopefuls will participate in the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. MT (NFL Network). The following players will suit up for the American Team:

And the following players will suit up for the National Team:

Last year, 19 players who participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl were selected in the NFL draft. The American squad won 10-7 in 2019.

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Here are the rosters for the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl

Here are the rosters for the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl.

NFL draft hopefuls will participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl at Tropicana Field on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. MT (NFL Network). The following players will be on the East roster:

#

Position

Last Name

First Name

School

HT   /   WT
4 K Rothe Cooper Wyoming 5’11” / 181
7 QB Stevens Tommy Mississippi State 6’5″ / 229
10 WR Perry Malcolm Navy 5’9″ / 190
11 QB Davidson Kevin Princeton 6’4″ / 225
12 QB Morgan James Florida International 6’4″ / 230
13 WR Kinsey Mason Berry 5’10” / 191
14 WR Overton Diondre Clemson 6’4″ / 210
16 WR Swain Freddie Florida 6’0″ / 199
17 WR Wright Isaiah Temple 6’1″ / 214
18 WR Hammond Josh Florida 6’4″ / 194
19 WR Dillon Derrick LSU 5’11” / 185
22 RB Feaster Tavien South Carolina 5’11” / 222
26 RB Killins Jr. Adrian Central Florida 5’7″ / 164
32 RB LeMay Benny Charlotte 5’8″ / 216
35 RB Dowdle Rico South Carolina 5’11” / 216
47 TE Wolf Eli Georgia 6’4″ / 240
50 OG Onwenu Michael Michigan 6’3″ / 350
53 OC Williams Darryl Mississippi State 6’2″ / 306
59 OC Juriga Luke Western Michigan 6’3″ / 296
61 OG Clark Cameron Charlotte 6’4″ / 300
64 OG Murphy Kyle Rhode Island 6’3″ / 290
66 OC Pollard Sean Clemson 6’5″ / 319
68 OT Ksiezarczyk Evan Buffalo 6’6″ / 312
69 OG Cervenka Gage Clemson 6’3″ / 324
70 OG Phillips John Boston College 6’6″ / 308
73 OT Benzinger Jake Wake Forest 6’7″ / 308
74 OG Gonzalez Steven Penn State 6’4″ / 346
75 OT Runyan Jon Michigan 6’4″ / 319
77 OT Womack Matt Alabama 6’7″ / 335
78 OT Driscoll Jack Auburn 6’4″ / 300
80 WR Parker Aaron Rhode Island 6’2″ / 205
81 WR Gavin Keith Florida State 6’2″ / 208
82 WR Reed Joe Virginia 6’1″ / 215
85 TE Ricci Giovanni Western Michigan 6’3″ / 245
88 WR Bradley Ja’Marcus Louisiana 6’1″ / 195
89 TE Wilcox Mitchell South Florida 6’4″ / 245

DEFENSE

#

Position

Last Name

First Name

School

HT   /   WT
3 P Townsend Tommy Florida 6’2″ / 190
20 S Dinson Jeremiah Auburn 5’11” / 192
21 CB Swann Isiah Dartmouth 6’0″ / 195
23 CB Riley Elijah Army 6’0″ / 205
24 CB Hill Lavert Michigan 5’11” / 181
27 CB Motley Parnell Oklahoma 5’11” / 180
29 CB Reid John Penn State 5’11” / 194
31 S Dorn Myles North Carolina 6’1″ / 198
33 S Clemons Rodney SMU 6’0″ / 206
37 S Carter Shyheim Alabama 5’11” / 192
39 CB Thomas-Oliver III Stantley Florida International 6’1″ / 185
41 CB Clarke Nevelle Central Florida 6’1″ / 185
42 LB Smith Rashad Florida Atlantic 6’2″ / 225
45 LB Divinity Jr. Michael LSU 6’1″ / 243
51 DT Alufohai Auzoyah West Georgia 6’5″ / 328
54 DE Coleman Kendall Syracuse 6’3″ / 251
55 LB Quarterman Shaquille Miami 6’1″ / 238
56 LB Pinckney Michael Miami 6’0″ / 225
71 DT Wharton Tershawn Missouri S&T 6’1″ / 275
90 DT Marino Garrett Alabama-Birmingham 6’1″ / 290
91 DE Smith-Williams James North Carolina State 6’3″ / 255
92 LB Gill Cameron Wagner 6’2″ / 234
93 DT Agim McTelvin Arkansas 6’3″ / 300
94 DE Danna Michael Michigan 6’2″ / 257
95 DE Highsmith Alex Charlotte 6’3″ / 244
97 DE Gaziano Joe Northwestern 6’4″ / 267
98 DE Edwards Austin Ferris State 6’3″ / 280

And the following players will be on the West’s roster:

OFFENSE

#

Position

Last Name

First Name

School

HT   /   WT
1 QB Huntley Tyler Utah 6′ 1″ / 205
2 K Eberle Dominik Utah State 6’1″ / 190
6 QB Fine Mason North Texas 5’10” / 191
7 QB Bryant Kelly Missouri 6’4″ / 225
10 WR Finke Chris Notre Dame 5’9″ / 184
12 WR Johnson Johnathon Missouri 5’8″ / 179
13 WR McCray Jordan Oklahoma State 6’6″ / 190
14 WR Patmon Dezmon Washington State 6’4″ / 223
15 WR Westbrook Nick Indiana 6’3″ / 215
16 WR Hightower John Boise State 6’2″ / 185
19 WR Victor Binjimen Ohio State 6’4″ / 199
22 RB Bellamy LeVante Western Michigan 5’9″ / 171
25 RB Robinson James Illinois State 5’9″ / 219
26 RB Corbin Reggie Illinois 5’9″ / 205
30 RB Jones Tony Notre Dame 5’11” / 225
50 OT Good-Jones Julian Iowa State 6’5″ / 314
54 OG Throckmorton Calvin Oregon 6’5″ / 316
56 OC Shackelford Zach Texas 6’3″ / 301
57 OC Cabral Cohl Arizona State 6’5″ / 292
58 OT Richmond Drew Southern Cal 6’5″ / 315
59 OC Mauigoa Frederick Washington State 6’3″ / 303
60 OG Higby Tyler Michigan State 6’4″ / 303
63 OC Fruhmorgen Jake Baylor 6’6″ / 305
64 OT O’Donnell Carter Alberta 6’6″ / 315
65 OG Wallace-Simms Tre’Vour Missouri 6’4″ / 339
70 OT Durant Yasir Missouri 6’6″ / 340
71 OT Hilbers Jared Washington 6’6″ / 305
72 OG Iwuagwu Cordel TCU 6’3″ / 322
75 OG Dotson Kevin Louisiana 6’4″ / 324
76 OT Bowen Branden Ohio State 6’7″ / 315
77 OT Paulo Darrin Utah 6’5″ / 315
79 OG Dixon Daishawn San Diego State 6’4″ / 319
81 TE Ellefson Ben North Dakota State 6’4″ / 245
82 TE Houston Parker San Diego State 6’2″ / 251
84 TE Wood-Anderson Dominick Tennessee 6’4″ / 259
86 WR Johnson Juwan Oregon 6’4″ / 231

DEFENSE

#

Position

Last Name

First Name

School

HT   /   WT
11 P Pechin Alex Bucknell 6’0″ / 210
23 S Lee Austin BYU 6’0″ / 200
24 S Dequay Marc-Antoine Montreal 6’2″ / 195
27 CB Williamson Chris Minnesota 6’0″ / 198
28 CB Washington II Keith West Virginia 6’0″ / 177
29 S Glasgow Jordan Michigan 6’0″ / 226
31 CB Barcoo Luq San Diego State 6’1″ / 175
32 CB Acy DeMarkus Missouri 6’0″ /197
33 S Nelson Patrick SMU 6’0″ / 216
34 S Kirk Luther Illinois State 6’1″ / 192
36 S Dowell David Michigan State 6’0″ / 206
37 CB Whittaker Jace Arizona 5’10” / 185
40 LB Houston Jr. John USC 6’3″ / 220
42 LB Olson Dante Montana 6’3″ / 241
44 LB Tezino Kyahva San Diego State 6’0″ / 233
47 LB Harding Dele University of Illinois 6’1″ / 230
51 LB Toohill Casey Stanford 6’3″ / 245
52 DT Penisini John Utah 6’1″ / 324
53 LB Walker Mykal Fresno State 6’3″ / 225
55 DE Huff Bryce Memphis 6’2″ / 255
91 DE Tuszka Derrek North Dakota State 6’4″ / 246
92 DE Hamilton Ladarius North Texas 6’2″ / 252
93 DT Williams Chris Wagner 6’3″ / 308
94 DT Davis Khalil Nebraska 6’0″ / 305
96 DT Davis Carlos Nebraska 6’1″ / 312
97 DT Sterk Bryce Montana State 6’3″ / 257
98 DT Williams Raequan Michigan State 6’4″ / 302
99 DT Roy Bravvion Baylor 6’1″ /333

To view a list of seven players to watch for in the bowl game, click here.

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Utah QB Tyler Huntley: “We took it more as a vacation”

During bowl season, the big question is how much motivation each team has. After losing the Pac 12, the same question was asked about Utah.

Every year during bowl season, the big question for some teams is how much motivation each team has and how it will positively or negatively affect them. In last year’s Sugar Bowl, many said the only reason Texas was able to get a victory over Georiga is that the Bulldogs wanted to be in the College Football Playoff, not the Sugar Bowl.

The same was thought after it was announced that Utah would be playing against the Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl. Just like Georgia, the Utes lost in their conference championship game and missed out on the College Football Playoff.

After losing the Alamo Bowl, Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley used that excuse, saying the Utes “took it more as a vacation.”

Texas dominated most of the game on both sides of the ball but especially on the defensive side. The Longhorns held running back Zach Moss to 57 rushing yards and Huntley to under 150 passing yards.

Even if Utah did use their trip to San Antonio as a vacation, they could have had a better showing than what happened. Dominated on both line of scrimmages, killing their drives through penalties, and losing their temper is what cost the Utes the game.

Not being unprepared.

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Alamo Bowl halftime recap

In a great position to win their third straight bowl, if UT can replicate their first half in the second half, they will pull out a victory.

After a solid first quarter for the Longhorns, the second quarter started out even better with a 71-yard punt return from D’Shawn Jamison, setting Texas up inside their own 10-yard line.

Two plays later, Collin Johnson broke wide open in the back of the end zone, giving the Longhorns their first touchdown of the night. It was Johnson’s first score since the Kansas State game.

Utah’s offense remained stalled to start out the second quarter, only gaining 25 yards on eight plays. Two sacks from Ta’Quon Graham and Joseph Ossai mixed with a false start from the offensive line forced the Utes back.

After only throwing for 33 yards in the first half, Ehlinger finally found his groove throwing the ball down the field. First, Johnson had a big play for 23 yards and then Devin Duvernay got a 40-yard reception down the sideline.

The Longhorn got cute on the next play, as Duvernay lost eight yards on a reverse. That play killed the Texas drive, making it 4th and 2 after Ehlinger managed nine yards on third down.

Tom Herman decided it was worth to go for it, but after good pressure from the Utes, Ehlinger threw an interception to Utah’s Javelin Guidry. Originally called a drop, the referees reviewed it, putting the Utes on the one-yard line.

Getting the first turnover of the game, Utah finally started to get their offense rolling to close the half. A big 26 yard run from running back Zach Moss got the Utes into Texas territory for the first time.

Just when it started to go well for them, an ineligible man downfield and an intentional grounding penalty killed the drive. They were forced to punt for the fifth time.

Texas is playing really well, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Shutting an explosive Utah offense was not something expected from the Longhorns, but is no doubt welcomed. Besides the turnover, everything has gone right for Sam Ehlinger and the offense.

In a great position to win their third straight bowl game, if Texas can replicate their first half in the second half, they will pull out a victory.

You can catch the second half of the Alamo Bowl on ESPN.

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