Tag: Holiday Bowl

Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) runs the ball against Washington State Cougars linebacker Parker McKenna (46) during the second quarter at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Kyle McCord’s 5 TDs power Syracuse’s rout of Wazzu in Holiday Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle McCord threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns as No. 21 Syracuse authored an offensive masterpiece in a 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Friday in San Diego.

As part of his stellar performance, McCord set the Atlantic Coast Conference single-season record for passing yards (4,779) in his first year at Syracuse. The old mark of 4,593 was set by Clemson’s Deshaun Watson in 2016.

On Friday, McCord threw two touchdown passes apiece to Trebor Pena and Oronde Gadsden II.

LeQuint Allen also caught a TD pass to go along with 120 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground for the Orange (10-3), who finished with 606 yards of offense.

Zevi Eckhaus passed for 363 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions while adding a rushing score for Washington State (8-5).

Kyle Williams had 172 receiving yards and a score on 10 catches to pace the Cougars, who fought valiantly after a tumultuous month in which coach Jake Dickert bolted for Wake Forest and more than 30 players entered the transfer portal, including Oklahoma-bound starting quarterback John Mateer.

The Cougars trailed 35-21 at halftime before slicing their deficit in half on Eckhaus’ 42-yard TD pass to Carlos Hernandez. However, the Orange scored the next 17 points to win comfortably.

Late in the third quarter, McCord connected with Pena, who took a short pass and ran down the left sideline for a 45-yard score to make it 42-28. Allen increased the margin to 52-28 late in the fourth with a 33-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Eckhaus gave Washington State an early 7-0 lead with a 4-yard TD scramble, but the Orange answered with touchdowns on their next two possessions. First, McCord hit Pena for a 19-yard TD on a back-shoulder throw, and then Allen found some room en route to a 12-yard scoring run.

Syracuse’s momentum didn’t last long, however. On the Cougars’ third play of the ensuing drive, Williams took a slant pass and split the defense for a 66-yard touchdown. Shortly thereafter, Leon Neal Jr. blocked a Syracuse punt and Josh Meredith recovered for a 12-yard score, putting Washington State ahead 21-14 after one quarter.

The second quarter was action-packed, as well — at least for the Syracuse offense. The Orange outscored the Cougars 21-0 in the period, highlighted by two touchdown passes from McCord to Gadsden.

In all, Syracuse racked up 364 yards in the first half en route to a 14-point lead at the break.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) drops back to pass against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Stability for No. 21 Syracuse, new faces for WSU in Holiday Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

When No. 21 Syracuse faces Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Friday in San Diego, the matchup presents itself, in many ways, as stability vs. chaos.

The Orange (9-3) have won their last three games, including a 42-38 upset of Miami in the regular-season finale, to enter the postseason with considerable momentum. More importantly, Syracuse has a head coach/quarterback combo that it can count on, as first-year coach Fran Brown has turned around the program, thanks in large part to standout signal-caller Kyle McCord.

Meanwhile, the Cougars (8-4) are dealing with the opposite situation — and their three-game losing streak to end the regular season is the least of their concerns.

Cougars coach Jake Dickert recently bolted for Wake Forest, while quarterback John Mateer announced that he is transferring to Oklahoma. More than 25 Washington State players have reportedly entered the transfer portal, which has turned Syracuse from a slight favorite in this game to a two-touchdown favorite at some sportsbooks.

As for Syracuse, Brown has his sights set on double-digit victories in his first year at the helm. The program has only won 10 games in a season once over the last two decades.

“(We’re) just trying to get to 10 wins,” said McCord, who finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy balloting after throwing for a national-best 4,326 yards and 29 touchdowns. “I think that would be a huge accomplishment for us and the team. I’m excited for it.”

Not only has McCord decided to play in the bowl game, but he is reportedly challenging the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility.

“We don’t opt out around here. We love football,” Brown said.

Meanwhile, Washington State is scrambling under acting head coach Pete Kaligis and new No. 1 quarterback Zevi Eckhaus.

A senior who has thrown only seven passes this season, Eckhaus will be making his first start for the Cougars. And he has enormous shoes to fill, as Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for a team-high 826 yards and 15 more scores.

“My message to (the players) was, ‘I know who we are. We’re going to play this game, and I’m going to give you everything that I have in the next nine days, that when you look back in 10 years, you’ll go, ‘Wow, that was a very special time and I didn’t even realize it,” Kaligis said. “I just love them so much. I want them to have everything. I want them to have everything in the next eight days.”

Washington State has lost its last three bowl appearances and has not won a postseason contest since the Alamo Bowl at the end of the 2018 season.

Finally, a commonality between the two programs, as Syracuse also is looking for its first bowl win since the conclusion of the 2018 season, as that victory in the Camping World Bowl has been followed by bowl losses in each of the last two years.

“I think (a win in the Holiday Bowl) would put us on the right track (in future years) to be able to reach our ultimate goal,” Brown said, “which is to get to the college playoffs, which is to win the conference championship and then win a national championship. That was the goal the entire time.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 27, 2023; San Diego, CA, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Miller Moss tosses record 6 TDs as USC beats No. 15 Louisville in Holiday Bowl

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Miller Moss passed for a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first career start to lead Southern California to a 42-28 victory over No. 15 Louisville on Wednesday night in San Diego.

Moss got the start due to 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams opting out of the game and he was up to the task, completing 23 of 33 passes for 372 yards with one interception while setting the school’s bowl record for passing touchdowns. The only USC quarterback to throw more touchdown passes in any game is Cody Kessler, who had seven against Colorado in 2014.

Tahj Washington caught seven passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans (8-5), who won for just the second time in their past seven games. Ja’Kobi Lane also had two scoring receptions, Duce Robinson had one and Kyron Hudson caught one while also blocking a punt.

Isaac Guerendo rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns and also caught five passes for 42 yards for the Cardinals as he pulled yeoman study after star runner Jawhar Jordan opted out of the game. The loss was the third straight for Louisville (10-4).

Jack Plummer completed 21 of 25 passes for 141 yards for the Cardinals despite dislocating a finger on his throwing hand early in the second quarter.

Louisville trailed 28-21 after Guerendo’s 1-yard run with 9:43 left in the third quarter.

Moss restored the 14-point margin with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Lane with 4:51 left in the period.

The Cardinals moved within 35-28 when Guerendo scored his third touchdown, a 2-yarder with 12:51 remaining in the contest.

But Moss was at it again, connecting with Robinson on a 44-yard touchdown pass to give USC a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes remaining and the Trojans closed it out.

Moss threw four first-half touchdown passes to help USC take a 28-14 lead.

Louisville struck first on Guerendo’s 2-yard run with 8:37 left in the first quarter. The Trojans tied it four-plus minutes later when Moss threw a 17-yard scoring pass to Washington.

Another Moss-to-Washington hookup — this one from 29 yards out — gave USC a 14-7 lead with 8:07 remaining in the second quarter.

Hudson blocked the punt of Louisville’s Brady Hodges to give the Trojans the ball at the Cardinals’ 18 with 7:09 left in the first half. Two plays later, Hudson caught a 9-yard toss from Miller to give USC a 14-point lead.

Backup quarterback Evan Conley scored on a 9-yard run to bring Louisville within 21-14 with 1:56 left in the first half. The Trojans pushed the lead back to 14 on Moss’ 31-yard scoring pass to Lane with 19 seconds left.

–Field Level Media

Sep 9, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws the ball against the Stanford Cardinal in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tall task awaits USC in No. 15 Louisville at Holiday Bowl

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Southern California felt it was a national championship contender and certainly was resembling one when the squad was unbeaten through six games.

But the rest of the season was a disaster for the Trojans, who finish the campaign in a mid-level bowl when it opposes No. 15 Louisville in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

USC (7-5) limped to the finish with five losses in six games and had to rally from 14 points down in the fourth quarter in the one victory — 50-49 over Cal on Oct. 28.

In the eyes of Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, his team needs to forget what happened over the second half of the season.

“We got to make the most of it,” Riley said of the bowl experience. “You can’t let all that outside stuff take away from the opportunities at hand.”

Nearly 20 USC players have opted out of the Holiday Bowl, including 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams (3,633 passing yards, 30 TDs in 2023).

Miller Moss makes his first career start at quarterback. That’s no easy task with Louisville (10-3) ranking 16th in total defense (307.4 yards per game) entering the bowl season. The Cardinals also feature an elite defensive end in Ashton Gillotte (11 sacks), who announced he will return in 2024.

Moss has thrown just 59 passes — completing 72.9 percent — in his three seasons with the Trojans. He has passed for 542 yards and three touchdowns.

“I worked my whole life for this,” Moss said. “I’m excited to step in this role and I’m very confident in our team. … I think I just try to treat it like any other game.

“Obviously excited about the opportunity, but not gonna make it more than what it is. We have a game to prepare for and we’re going to do everything we can to win.”

The Cardinals are looking to finish with a bang after back-to-back losses erased some shine off their stellar campaign. Still, they have won 10 games for the first time since 2013.

Louisville blew a 10-point lead while succumbing 38-31 to in-state rival Kentucky in late November and then the offense struggled in a 16-6 loss to then-No. 4 Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t finish the season exactly the way we wanted,” Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm said. “I thought our guys came ready to play, they practiced hard. It’s just the game did not go the way we wanted, and that starts with me. We just got to fix a few things up.”

Louisville also has to figure out how to plug the losses of star running back Jawhar Jordan (1,128 yards, 15 touchdowns) and top receiver Jamari Thrash (63 catches, 858 yards). Both players opted out of the bowl to focus on the NFL draft.

Isaac Guerendo (649 yards, eight TDs) and Maurice Turner (251 yards, one score) will split the ball-carrying duties.

Quarterback Jack Plummer has passed for 3,063 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The contest will mark just the third time that Louisville has ever played in the state of California. Both of the previous games ended in ties — 24-24 against Long Beach State in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl and 10-10 versus San Jose State in 1990.

Brohm said the program is happy to be playing out west and he has cautioned his players that the Trojans are much better than their record.

“I think our team understands that when you play a brand team like that, it’ll be an exciting game,” Brohm said. “They have a ton of talent, are well-coached, and I think our guys will be fired up to go out there and play.”

The Cardinals are 12-12-1 all-time in bowls. This is their 12th appearance in the past 14 seasons.

USC is playing in its 57th bowl game. The Trojans have a 34-20 record with two others vacated (one win, one loss) due to NCAA penalties. USC is 1-2 in past Holiday Bowl appearances.

This is the first-ever meeting between USC and Louisville.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Andre Greene Jr. (1) catches a touchdown pass while defended by Oregon Ducks defensive back Dontae Manning (8) during the first quarter of the 2022 Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Holiday Bowl: No. 15 Oregon beats UNC on Bo Nix’s last-minute TD

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Bo Nix tossed a 6-yard scoring pass to Chase Cota with 19 seconds left and Camden Lewis’ point-attempt went through despite hitting the upright as No. 15 Oregon rallied for a 28-27 victory over North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday night in San Diego.

Bucky Irving rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks (10-3). Nix was 23-of-30 passing for 205 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Troy Franklin caught the other scoring pass for Oregon.

Drake Maye completed 18 of 35 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns, while Power Echols had an interception for North Carolina (9-5). Kobe Paysour had seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown and Andre Greene Jr. and Bryson Nesbit also had scoring grabs for the Tar Heels.

The Ducks trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter before staging the comeback in the final seven minutes in the first football game played at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.

First, Nix connected with Franklin on a 6-yard scoring pass to bring the Ducks within 24-21 with 6:58 left.

Noah Burnette booted a 44-yard field goal to give the Tar Heels a six-point lead with 2:29 remaining.

Nix then guided Oregon on an eight-play, 79-yard drive and hit Cota on fourth down for the score. The point-after attempt by Lewis hit the left upright and went through the goal posts for the one-point lead.

North Carolina had one last possession and made it into Ducks territory. But Maye’s Hail Mary pass from the Oregon 41-yard line fell incomplete in the end zone as time expired.

Maye threw three touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Tar Heels to a 21-14 halftime lead.

Oregon struck first on Irving’s 2-yard scoring run less than four minutes into the contest. The Tar Heels knotted the score when Maye connected with Greene on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 4:37 remaining in the quarter.

Irving broke loose on a 66-yard scamper to give the Ducks a 14-7 advantage with 9:13 left in the half. North Carolina tied the score on Maye’s 14-yard pass to Nesbit with 4:34 remaining.

Echols made a key interception with 35 seconds left in the half on a play in which Nix’s pass intended for Terrance Ferguson hit the back of the leg of North Carolina’s Cedric Gray and the toe of Echols before the latter collected it and returned it 40 yards to the Oregon 49. Maye connected with Paysour on the next play for a touchdown and the seven-point lead.

The second half was scoreless until Burnette kicked a 19-yard field goal with 9:13 remaining to give the Tar Heels a 24-14 lead.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Tar Heels, Ducks follow stars into Holiday Bowl

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In an era in which the stars of the show routinely opt out of bowl games, No. 15 Oregon and North Carolina follow their leading men into the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday in San Diego.

Ducks quarterback Bo Nix is returning for the 2023 season and Tar Heels phenom Drake Maye is also playing in the game that is being held at baseball venue Petco Park for the first time.

Nix was a big hit after transferring from Auburn and completed a Pac-12-leading 71.5 percent of his passes for 3,388 yards, 27 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Nix found no difficulty in staying with the Ducks (9-3) instead of leaving for the NFL.

“That was kind of easy for me,” Nix said. “I just really enjoy playing football, I enjoy playing for Oregon and I enjoy playing for Coach (Dan) Lanning. So any time I have that opportunity, I’m going to make the most of it.”

Maye, the ACC Player of the Year, faced different issues as coach Mack Brown revealed other colleges were tampering with his star who passed for 4,155 yards, 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season.

“It’s 100-percent tampering,” Brown said of schools trying to influence Maye to enter the transfer portal. “He decided to stay and he could’ve very well left. Most people would’ve left.”

When pressed, Brown declined to say which schools were offering million-dollar name, image, likeness packages to Maye.

“I can’t say that and don’t ask Drake,” Brown said. “You know who they are. Just look at all the ones who are getting all the top recruits.”

Maye added 653 yards and seven scores on the ground for the Tar Heels (9-4). Nix rushed for 504 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Ducks lost two of their past three games but average a robust 39.7 points per game. North Carolina averages 35.

The Tar Heels, who have dropped three straight games, won’t have star wideout Josh Downs, who recently declared for the NFL Draft. Downs caught 94 passes for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Linebacker Cedric Gray (137 tackles) announced he is returning to North Carolina for the 2023 season.

Oregon lost three key defenders leading up to the bowl — cornerback Christian Gonzalez (four interceptions), linebacker Noah Sewell (56 tackles) and defensive end DJ Johnson (six sacks).

The Ducks are looking to rebound from a demoralizing 38-34 loss to Oregon State. The Tar Heels also feel the urgency after being whipped 39-10 by Clemson in the ACC title game.

“Honestly, North Carolina had kind of a similar end of the season, if you really look at it,” Oregon center Alex Forsyth said. “We both are gonna have a bad taste in our mouth, and look to get that bad taste out.”

This will be the first Holiday Bowl since 2019. The 2020 game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s game between North Carolina State and UCLA at Petco Park was canceled due to COVID-19 issues in the Bruins’ program.

The former host stadium, best known as Jack Murphy Stadium or Qualcomm Stadium, was demolished during 2020 and 2021.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2021; San Diego, CA, USA; A general overall aerial view of the football field at Petco Park prior to the Holiday Bowl between the NC State Wolfpack and the UCLA Bruins. The game was cancelled because of COVID-19 protocols within the UCLA program. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Holiday Bowl officially off as efforts to replace UCLA fail

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Last-ditch efforts to save the 2021 Holiday Bowl officially ended Wednesday as organizers were unable to find a replacement team to face No. 18 NC State.

Due to COVID-19 issues, UCLA withdrew from Tuesday’s scheduled contest in San Diego less than six hours before kickoff at Petco Park.

“Sadly we are announcing that the 2021 SDCCU Holiday Bowl is cancelled,” read a statement posted to social media Wednesday by bowl officials. “… We look forward to coming back in 2022 and putting on one heck of a show!”

NC State, which finished 9-3, issued a statement from athletic director Boo Corrigan on social media along with a photo of Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren holding the Holiday Bowl trophy.

“After exhausting every possibility and contacting numerous schools personally and through the Holiday Bowl, we have no other option than to end our season,” Corrigan said. “As disappointing as this stunning turn of events was, we must not let it diminish the accomplishments of our 2021 football team or forget the moments of joy that they brought us.

“I commend Coach Doeren, his staff and especially our players for making great decisions and doing right things to ensure that they were ready to play every week and all the way until yesterday. I can’t wait to watch them run it back in 2022.”

The Holiday Bowl was the fifth game called off due to COVID-19 concerns, joining the Fenway Bowl, Military Bowl, Hawaii Bowl and Arizona Bowl.

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2021; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) runs for 17 yards and a first down against the California Golden Bears in the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Holiday Bowl canceled due to UCLA’s COVID protocols

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tuesday’s Holiday Bowl in San Diego was the latest bowl game to be called off amid the pandemic, with UCLA unable to compete against No. 18 North Carolina State due to COVID-19 protocols.

UCLA made the announcement roughly 5 1/2 hours before the game was scheduled to kick off at Petco Park.

The Bruins’ defensive line group was “decimated” by COVID-19 and did not have enough players able to play, according to a report from The Athletic.

“Heartbroken to not be able to compete one more time this season,” NC State football’s Twitter account posted Tuesday. “We were informed a short time ago that our opponent would be unable to play this evening.”

The Holiday bowl was the fifth game to be canceled due to COVID-19, following the Fenway Bowl, Military Bowl, Hawaii Bowl and Arizona Bowl. The Gator Bowl was in limbo after Texas A&M backed out, but Rutgers was added as a replacement to face Wake Forest.

Also, the Sun Bowl was in limbo after Miami pulled out. But when Boise State dropped out of the Arizona Bowl on Monday, Central Michigan moved from the Arizona to Sun to keep the latter bowl game intact.

–Field Level Media

Dec 27, 2016; San Diego , CA, USA; General overall view of the National Funding Holiday Bowl logo at midfield during the 2016 Holiday Bowl between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Washington State Cougars at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Holiday Bowl canceled due to pandemic

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The SDCCU Holiday Bowl, traditionally one of the biggest pre-New Year’s Day postseason football games, will not be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers of the San Diego-based game tweeted, “We look forward to coming back stronger than ever at the 2021 SDCCU Holiday Bowl!”

Holiday Bowl CEO Mark Neville added in a statement, “This has been the most difficult decision our board has ever had to make since our bowl game started in 1978. While it’s not the decision we wanted to make, it’s the right decision for our non-profit association and the community for the long term.”

The 2021 Holiday Bowl was due to match up teams from the Pac-12 Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Pac-12 said in a statement, “The Pac-12 shares in the Holiday Bowl’s disappointment that the current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the cancellation of this year’s game. The Holiday Bowl is a premier and historic post-season game loved by fans across the country, and we look forward to the 2021 and future editions of the game. We will continue to work with our Bowl partners on our 2020 lineup.”

The site of the Holiday Bowl moving forward is uncertain. The game’s traditional home, SDCCU Stadium (formerly known as Jack Murphy Stadium and Qualcomm Stadium), is due for demolition, leaving the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park a likely football destination.

Three other 2020 bowl games previously were canceled due to the pandemic: the Redbox Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif.; the Bahamas Bowl in Nassau; and the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu.

–Field Level Media