Tag: Outback Bowl

Oklahoma football heading to new locale in USA TODAY Sports Bowl Projections

The Oklahoma Sooners miss out on the playoffs in USA TODAY Sports latest bowl projections.

Oklahoma football opened the season 1-0 with a 51-3 win over the Temple Owls. The Sooners rode a strong performance from their defense, which created six turnovers and six sacks of quarterback Forrest Brock.

The offense was solid. It didn’t need to open the playbook completely. It cashed in on six of its eight possessions in the first half for a 34-0 lead at the break.

The Sooners are set up to have a strong season. How good it will be, only time will tell. The Sooners have a tough schedule and a number of games that could go either way. Though I have the Sooners going 10-2, the latest look at the ESPN matchup predictor has the Sooners ending 8-4.

While 10-2 would put Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff, an 8-4 finish would have the Sooners bowling. In USA TODAY Sports’ latest bowl projections, Oklahoma would travel to Tampa, Florida, to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Formerly the Outback Bowl, this game has tie-ins with the SEC and the Big Ten. According to Erick Smith of USA TODAY Sports, OU would face the Iowa Hawkeyes.

In Smith’s projections, he has four SEC teams making the playoffs. Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Missouri.

While that would no doubt be a disappointing landing spot in the postseason for a proud Oklahoma football program, it would provide an intriguing bowl matchup. The Hawkeyes have had one of the best defenses in college football over the last several years but have struggled to find an offense. Despite a sluggish start with just six points in the first half against Illinois State, the Hawkeyes hit their stride in the second half for a 40-0 win.

A battle of really good defenses could break out in Tampa if the Sooners and Hawkeyes met up in the postseason.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

How LSU fared in its last five bowl games

Here’s how LSU fared in its last five bowl games, which includes two NY6 wins and a national title.

LSU’s bowl game is fast approaching. In 10 days, toe will meet leather in Tampa Bay as LSU meets Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

It will be LSU’s third time in this bowl game, but first time under its current name. It was founded as the Hall of Fame Bowl, in which LSU played in 1988. Then it was the Outback Bowl, where LSU appeared in 2013.

LSU’s fared well in the postseason lately, with the Tigers winning six of their last eight bowl games. That span includes a Peach Bowl win and a national title.

Here’s how LSU fared in its last five bowl games.

What does Penn State’s bowl history look like since 2000?

Penn State is 7-7 in bowl games since 2000. Penn State has won New Years Six bowl games three times since the turn of the century.

Penn State has been to 51 bowl games in its program history, with the first coming with a trip to the 1923 Rose Bowl. It has become an expectation that Penn State will end a football season with an appearance in a bowl game. Of course, since the turn of the century, there have been a few years that went against the grain for one reason or the other.

Since 2000, Penn State has appeared in 15 bowl games, including three trips to New Years Six bowl games under current head coach James Franklin (with a fourth coming up in the 2023 Rose Bowl).  Penn State is 7-8 in bowl games since 2000, including a 3-4 mark under Franklin entering the 2022 season.

Here is a look back on Penn State’s bowl history since 2000.

More Bowl Game History from the College Wire Network:

Alabama / Aub / Fla / LSU / Tenn. / UGA // Mich. / Mich St. / Ohio St. / Wisc. // Okla. / Texas // ND // USC

Turns out, Arkansas won the last ever Outback Bowl

The Outback Bowl is no more. The postseason football game played in Tampa will now be called the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Outback Bowl’s 26 years have come to an end.

Arkansas beat Penn State on January 1 in the game’s final playing with that moniker. Announced Thursday, the bowl game will now be called the ReliaQuest Bowl. During the intervening months, the bowl was called the Tampa Bay Bowl.

The Razorbacks’ 24-10 win over Penn State capped the most successful season of Arkansas football since 2011. The Hogs finished the year 9-4 and are likely to ranked inside the preseason Top 25 heading into the 2022 season.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman called it as massive a win as he could remember as a Razorback. Last year was his second season as head coach, though he spent time on Bret Bielema’s staff in the mid 2010s, as well.

“Some people may think it’s the Outback Bowl, it’s not the national championship,” Pittman said at the time. “To me it’s as big as you can get to our players.”

Kickoff for next season’s ReliaQuest Bowl is January 2, 2023.

The Outback Bowl officially has a new name, and college fans everywhere are mourning

Can we still have a bloomin’ onion and coconut shrimp mascots though?

It’s a sad day for college football fans who love (largely meaningless) bowl games named after Australian-themed American chain restaurants.

RIP to the Outback Bowl and all the bloomin’ fun it once was because it’s now… the ReliaQuest Bowl. Doesn’t exactly have the same spicy signature bloom sauce-like smoothness of its predecessor.

It’ll still be in Tampa and still at Raymond James Stadium. But gone are the days of bloomin’ onion and coconut shrimp mascots on the sidelines of SEC versus Big Ten/ACC postseason matchups.

Originally, the bowl game was named the Hall of Fame Bowl from December 1986 through January 1995. And then in April of ’95, it became the beloved Outback Bowl, filled with fun, chaos, occasional disappointments and often free food giveaways. It’s one of the most popular bowl games in the crowded field.

MORE NCAA: Ranking the 11 best (edible) things college football players could dump on bowl-winning coaches

The Outback Bowl was the official name of the game until March, when it temporarily became known simply as the Tampa Bay Bowl Game. And now, it’s officially the ReliaQuest Bowl, as the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported on Twitter not long before the bowl tweeted the announcement itself.

Will the ReliaQuest Bowl have the same Outback Bowl feel? Will it be boring and less chaotic? Will fans even stop calling it the Outback Bowl? What happens to that bloomin’ onion costume? What’s associated with ReliaQuest that can be dumped on coaches’ heads in a celebratory moment of triumph?

Who knows, but it doesn’t change that it’s the end of an era. And many college football fans aren’t too pleased with that.

Outback Bowl no more? Penn State has officially played in the last Outback Bowl

Penn State played in the last Outback Bowl in college football history.

Penn State started the 2022 calendar year by losing to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. It will, officially, go down as Pen State’s last appearance in the Outback Bowl. But don’t worry, the bowl game itself isn’t going anywhere. It will just sport a new name going forward.

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Bowl Association announced it will rebrand the January 1 bowl as the Tampa Bay Bowl, complete with a new logo to go with the new name. The bowl game will continue its existing partnership with the Big Ten, SEC, and the ACC, along with media partner ESPN.

“We are thrilled about our new Tampa Bay Bowl logo and name which is a reflection of our 36-year relationship with the vibrant Tampa Bay region as one of the most exciting and hospitable destinations of any college bowl game,” Tampa Bay Bowl Chair Rita Lowman said in a released statement. “We look forward to continuing the Tampa Bay Bowl’s positive impact on college football and the Tampa Bay community, both economically and by showcasing our region nationally and internationally.”

In the age of sponsored bowl names, however, it would be a pretty good guess to say this bowl game will not keep this name for too long. The fact the name is the Tampa Bay Bowl now suggests the bowl game’s organization wasn’t able to secure the kind of sponsorship deal it may have been hoping to get and is still holding out hope it will one day receive.

Simply put, there is too much money to be passing up to have a bowl game without some sort of corporate sponsor, whether it is as a presenting sponsor or taking over the namesake of the bowl. But given the game has adopted the name Tampa Bay Bowl, it may be more likely the game attaches or has a presenting sponsorship lined up, but details on that will be made available later.

Hopefully, we all enjoyed the free bloomin’ onions and fried shrimp while we could. And maybe Outback Steakhouse will attach itself to another bowl game as a sponsor to keep that tradition alive.

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Smith Vilbert may be Penn State’s rising star on defense in 2022

Smith Vilbert emerged as Penn State’s rising defensive player to watch after a strong showing in the Outback Bowl

Penn State tried its best to replace six defensive starters in the Outback Bowl to close out the 2021 season, but the effort simply ran out of gas as Arkansas overpowered them on the ground in the second half. But there were some bright spots to pay close attention to during the game from some of the new faces expected to step into some key roles in 2022. Among those taking advantage of the opportunity to play was Smith Vilbert.

The former three-star recruit out of New Jersey showed tremendous pursuit and aggression on the line of scrimmage to break through and create some pressure on Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson. Vilbert recorded three sacks in the game, setting the Outback Bowl record and moving into second on the Penn State defense in total sacks for the 2021 season (Arnold Ebiketie, who opted out, led the team with 9.5 sacks during the regular season).

“I didn’t even know about that,” Vilbert told a reporter when asked about tying the Outback Bowl record for most sacks in a game. “Thank you!””

“I knew he had a couple sacks. I didn’t know he had three,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said after the game. “It’s an Outback Bowl record. Obviously that is promising for our future. It’s going to be really, really important that he continues to grow and develop.”

Smith is the latest in a line of defensive linemen to come to Penn State who fairly could be assessed as project players to a certain degree. Like former defensive standout Odafe Oweh, Smith Vilbert doesn’t have a tremendous amount of football background, but he already has shown he has some good potential to be doing some big things for the Nittany Lions in 2022.

“Obviously coming to Penn State he was a new-to-football guy, being mainly a basketball player,” Franklin said after the Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas. “Excited about his development. That will be something to build on, for sure.”

Smith may have put his name in the spotlight for the first time in the Outback Bowl but he had already won the respect of his teammates, including Jesse Luketa, who declared for the NFL draft shortly after the bowl game.

“I’m not surprised at all, you know. This is exactly who Smith is going to be moving forward,” Luketa said. “He’s an extremely talented player and he’s finally going to be able to come into himself and display that. He can be as dominant as anyone in the country.”

Vilbert seems to take pride in knowing the support he has around the program.

“It felt good because all of these guys have faith in me. At practice and stuff like that, they can see how consistent I’ve been,” Vilbert said after the Outback Bowl, where he made his first career start. “And it felt good that Coach believes in me enough to keep me out there. Most of the guys knew it was my first time starting so I just appreciated Coach believing in me and telling me I could start this game. I went out and did the best I could do.”

If the best he can do in his first start is tie an Outback Bowl record, that is certainly a good sign for things to come on the defensive line for the Nittany Lions in 2022 after Vilbert gets a full offseason to improve his technique and approach while being a projected starter next fall.

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James Franklin looking forward to Parker Washington in 2022

Parker Washignton says Penn State offensive players will step up where it needs to step up in 2022

Penn State’s 2021 season ended with a whimper with a loss in the Outback Bowl, but there are some positives to look forward to in 2022. Among the highlights of the Outback Bowl loss was a one-handed catch by Parker Washington, Penn State’s top returning receiver following the departure of Jahan Dotson to the NFL. Washington is a player Penn State head coach James Franklin is very much looking forward to watch continue to grow next season.

“Yeah, Parker, I think you guys see, there’s a lot to be excited about in his future,” Franklin said in his postgame comments following a 24-10 loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. “Got tremendous ball skills. He’s smart. He can make people miss. He’s built more like a tailback than he is a running back which I think helps him in a lot of different situations.”

Washignton was Penn State’s second-leading receiver in 2020 as a freshman and in 2021 as a sophomore, with Dotson being the leading receiver each season. Washington accounted for 64 receptions for 820 yards and four touchdowns for the Nittany Lions in 2021, and he had more than just the one highlight catch against the Razorbacks in the bowl game. We have done our best to capture some of those key moments throughout the 2021 season because they are worth remembering.

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And if Franklin’s postgame comments are any suggestion, it may not be a surprise to see Washington get some time returning punts for Penn State in 2022, just as Dotson did at times during his time in Happy Valley.

“Even some of the punts he fielded, got some positive yards, even the over-the-shoulder punt, that thing got to the ground,” Franklin noted (Washington only had one five-yard punt return against Arkansas).” Those are 20 yards that are hidden yardage that people don’t think about in the game that saved us.”

Replacing Dotson is no easy feat. Dotson could be a first-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL draft later this spring, and he certainly left his mark in the Penn State record books. But that helps motivate Washington to improve his game as much as possible to help the offense next fall.

“We’re just going to step up where we need to step up,” Washington said in his postgame comments after the Outback Bowl. “Especially with the other guys, we know they’ll be ready in the [wide receiver] room, as well. We just have to come in, focus every day and build on it each day.”

Penn State’s passing game may already know how it will look in 2022. Sean Clifford has announced he will return for another season, and he will likely be the starter for the Nittany Lions once again. Washington will be joined by KeAndre Lambert-Smith as the top two receiving options, and we’ll see who else gets into the mix. The tight-end situation will be covered by Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson.

“Coming in next year and to see Parker and KeAndre do some good things today, that’s going to be important because we’re losing a lot of production in Jahan Dotson,” Franklin said.

He’s not wrong.

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Arkansas Twitter account dunks on Penn State one more time

LOOK: Arkansas trolls Penn State on Twitter after Outback Bowl

To the victors go the spoils. And following a 24-10 victory over Penn State, the Arkansas football Twitter account had  a little more fun at the expense of the Nittany Lions.

Moments after their Outback Bowl victory against Penn State, Arkansas posted a graphic bragging about the Outback Bowl victory, stating that Arkansas had won every Outback Bowl, with the fun notable exception of every one played prior to 2022 (It’s worth a quick note that this was the first Outback Bowl appearance for Arkansas).

You have to pay attention to that fine print under the big letters to get the full effect. Of course, this graphic is a not-so-subtle jab at a previous social media gaffe shared by Penn State’s official football Twitter account last February.

If you need a refresher, Penn State published an image stating Penn State had at least one player in every Super Bowl, but in fine print added the disclaimer “except for five since 1967). The College Football Twittersphere had a field day lambasting Penn State for the image, and deservingly so.

Penn State later updated the image in response to the criticism, perhaps having a slight laugh at its own expense in the process.

You have to admit, that’s well played by Arkansas.

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas

Grading Penn State’s performance in the Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas

Despite the Penn State loss, there are still some positives to take out of this game.

Penn State was a little bit shaken to start the game, but the first half was strong and the game was kept close. However, that wasn’t necessarily the case in the second half.

Let’s take a more in-depth look and grade the performance of Penn State‘s loss to the Razorbacks.

Quarterbacks: C-

Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Sure, there were flashes of athleticism, but Sean Clifford struggled for much of this game. There were times where he was panicking under deep pressure and it came back to hurt them at times. Clifford recently announced his decision to return for sixth season in Happy Valley.

Clifford was later benched for freshman quarterback Christian Veilleux, who last played November 20 against Rutgers, where his debut was nothing short of impressive.

Next: Running Backs

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