Bowl Season Delivers Thrills: Underdogs Prevail and Stars Shine
Miami's Dominant Upset in the Cotton Bowl Quarterfinal
The Miami Hurricanes, ranked as the No. 10 seed, caused a significant upset in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl quarterfinal by overcoming the No. 2 seed and reigning champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, with a final score of 24-14. Quarterback Carson Beck was instrumental in Miami's victory, contributing 138 passing yards and a touchdown.
Crucial Plays Propel Hurricanes to Victory
The Hurricanes established a commanding 14-0 lead by halftime, thanks to Mark Fletcher Jr.'s 9-yard touchdown reception and a remarkable 72-yard pick-six by Keionte Scott. Fletcher also demonstrated his versatility with 90 rushing yards. Despite a late push from the Buckeyes, including a 14-yard touchdown catch by Jeremiah Smith from Julian Sayin, Miami sealed their win with CharMar Brown's 5-yard touchdown run, leaving only 55 seconds on the clock. Sayin concluded the game with 287 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, while Smith recorded 157 receiving yards on seven catches.
Path Forward for Miami in the College Football Playoff
With this impressive win, Miami (12-2) advances to face either No. 3 Georgia (12-1) or No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1) in a semifinal matchup at the Fiesta Bowl on January 8 in Glendale, Arizona. Historically, the 12-team CFP playoff has seen all five first-round bye recipients eventually lose, adding an intriguing layer to Miami's continued journey.
Texas Triumphs Over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl
In another exciting bowl game, the No. 13 Texas Longhorns defeated the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines 41-27 in the Citrus Bowl held in Orlando, Florida. Arch Manning, named the Citrus Bowl MVP, led Texas with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, accumulating 221 passing yards and 155 rushing yards. Christian Clark stepped up in the absence of several running backs, adding 105 rushing yards and a touchdown. For Michigan, Bryce Underwood threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns, along with three interceptions.
Iowa Secures Victory Against Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl
The No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes emerged victorious against the No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores with a score of 34-27 in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. Quarterback Mark Gronowski, who also earned MVP honors, was a key player for Iowa, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another. He finished with 212 passing yards and 54 rushing yards, extending his NCAA wins record to 58. Despite a strong second-half surge from Vanderbilt, led by Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia, Iowa held on for the win.
Utah Dominates Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl
The No. 15 Utah Utes showcased a dominant performance in the Las Vegas Bowl, defeating Nebraska 44-22. Devon Dampier was a standout, accounting for five touchdowns and 458 yards of total offense, leading Utah to score 37 consecutive points. This victory marked the end of Utah's five-game bowl losing streak and was a successful coaching debut for Morgan Scalley, who recently took over as head coach. Nebraska struggled, losing their third consecutive game and fourth out of five after a strong start to the season.
Duke Outlasts Arizona State in a High-Scoring Sun Bowl
In the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, Duke secured a thrilling 42-39 victory over Arizona State. Darian Mensah's fourth touchdown pass of the day, a 17-yard pass to Que'Sean Brown, proved to be the game-winning play with just over two minutes remaining. Brown had a stellar performance with 10 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while Nate Sheppard contributed 170 rushing yards. Arizona State's Jeff Sims had an impressive game with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, accumulating 375 passing yards, but it wasn't enough to overcome Duke's offense.