Kickoff – Bowl Season Official Newsletter, January 2023

BOWL SEASON OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2023

MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME Bowl Season Once Again Proves to be a Tradition Like No Other

By KEVIN McNAMARA

T

he Troy Trojans will certainly remember the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl for a very long

“To hold those guys to 12 points, I don't know what to say,” Sumrall said. “We stayed together all year,

time.

and I could not be more

Matched up against

proud. I just hope they

nationally-ranked Texas-

keep us in the Top 25."

San Antonio, the Trojans

Don’t worry about that,

traveled to Orlando’s

coach. The Associated

Exploria Stadium chasing

Press voters rewarded

a bucket-load of history.

the Trojans with the 19th

A win would extend a

spot in their final poll, just

fabulous winning streak

behind Notre Dame and

to 11 games, tie the

ahead of programs like

program’s record of 12 victories in a season and secure the team’s fifth consecutive Bowl Season victory.

“ We stayed together all year, and I could not be more proud.

I just hope they keep us in

Who says bowl games don’t matter?

After leaving with

UCLA and South Carolina.

Pretty heady stuff.

Stories like Troy’s unfolded throughout Bowl Season. The

the Top 25.”

opportunity to leave

– JON SUMRALL

a program-changing

a hard-fought 18-12

Troy Head Coach

a legacy behind with victory is just one benefit

win, Troy coach Jon Sumrall knew his team had

bowl games offer. Seeing high-profile matchups,

cemented itself into Troy football history.

catching the emergence of next year’s new stars and BOWL SEASON | January 2023

1

honoring goodbyes to some college football heroes

time we did some things this year that haven’t been

check a lot of boxes as well.

done in a long time… I just know, and I’ve been doing

Consider two games on Bowl Season’s first

this for 26 years as a head coach, that when we live

weekend. After two failed attempts due to Covid

our (team) theme it ends up being a special season.

restrictions, the inaugural Wasabi Fenway Bowl

So we just called ourselves bowl champions!”

kicked off and just happened to match long-time

The untimely death of Mississippi State coaching

rivals who haven’t crossed paths in nine seasons. That

legend Mike Leach was certainly felt during Bowl

put the Keg of Nails at stake in Boston and Louisville

Season. At the TaxAct Texas Bowl in Houston,

got the job done, besting Cincinnati, 24-7.

Texas Tech honored its former coach by lining up

On the same day down in Atlanta, Jackson State

in his trademark Air-Raid formation and taking an

and Deion Sanders were heavy favorites and playing

intentional delay of game penalty on the game’s

for an undefeated season against North Carolina

first play. Opponent Ole Miss responded with class,

Central in the Cricket Celebration Bowl. But the

declining the penalty.

Eagles, playing with a chip on their shoulder pads,

And then on Jan. 2 at the ReliaQuest Bowl in

scored a 41-34 overtime upset to end JSU in Sanders’

Tampa, the Mississippi State marching band spelled

final game before he hopped to Colorado.

out “LEACH” and a portrait of the coach looked onto

While many programs plan on a bowl trip every

the field from a perch atop the stadium’s iconic pirate

season, the opportunity for Bowl Season success is a

ship. After a fourth quarter rally led to a 19-10 win over

thrill for many others. Eastern Michigan, a team that

Illinois, MSU interim coach Zach Arnett said “I know

battles in the balanced Mid-American Conference,

there’s a cowbell ringing down from heaven.”

hadn’t won a bowl game since the 1987 California

You want exciting games? How about the San

Raisin Bowl. That streak ended with a 41-27 win over

Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl, a long-

San Jose St. in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

standing game that had been cancelled each of the

“We do have goals and we wanted to with the MAC

previous two seasons due to Covid issues. Trailing

championship, so we failed at our primary goal,” said

All-American Drake Maye and North Carolina 24-14

Eagles coach Chris Creighton. “While at the same

early in the fourth quarter, Oregon got busy behind

2

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

its own QB star as Bo Nix threw two fourth quarter

television or streaming device is only growing.

touchdown passes. His second to Chase Cota came

Bowl games at all levels attracted record-setting TV

with just 19 seconds left, but the game wasn’t won

ratings this past season. The Union Home Mortgage

until Camden Lewis’ point-after kick bounced off the

Gasparilla Bowl featuring Wake Forest and Missouri

left upright and through for a wild 28-27 win.

attracted 3.53 million viewers, making it the most-

How about a vote for the single best individual performance, the Best Actor of Bowl Season? Here’s a

watched TV program on any channel on Dec. 23.

While the College Football Playoff semifinals

vote for Southern Mississippi back Frank Gore, Jr. who

hit home runs with an average of 22 million TV

happened to rush for 329 yards in the Golden Eagles’

households tuning in, other bowls opened a lot of eyes.

38-24 win over Rice in the LendingTree Bowl. That’s a

The Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando recorded its highest

new record for most rushing yards ever in a bowl game.

rating (5.4 million) in 10 years. The TaxSlayer Gator

Of course the excitement throughout Bowl Season

Bowl shootout matching Notre Dame and South

reached a crescendo on New Year’s Eve with the

Carolina pulled in 5.7 million, its highest number in six

thrilling, back-and-forth CFP semifinal games at the

years. In all eight bowls eclipsed five million viewers

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Anyone

and four raced past 10 million.

longing for memorable playoff battles after a few too

Bowl Season Executive Director Nick Carparelli

many uncompetitive semifinal games certainly saw the

spent his month hopping from one bowl game to

best college football can offer. As Georgia coach Kirby

another and telling anyone who would listen that

Smart said after his eventual National Championship

the major changes in the sport — and especially to

team out-lasted Ohio State (42-41) at Mercedes-Benz

the College Football Playoff — will incorporate much

Stadium, “This was an emotional roller coaster. It was a

of the current bowl system. Conference affiliations,

heck of a back-and-forth game. It was who’s going to

scheduling, Name/Image/Likeness and other aspects

blink, just two really good teams fighting.”

of the business of Bowl Season promise that change

While experiencing a classic bowl game like that one in person delivers one of the unique thrills in sports, the appeal of watching at home on your

will be the only constant.

And so will stories like those at Troy, Mississippi State and the two-time National Champions from Georgia.

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

3

Q&A with Bowl Season Executive Director Nick Carparelli Millions of fans once again attended or watched

attended bowl games live in person. Bowl Season

bowl games on TV this year. What’s your overall

is clearly still very meaningful to a lot of people and

view of Bowl Season and its continuing role as the

remains an annual celebration of college football.

culmination of the college football season?

CARPARELLI: Bowl Season occupies a very important

The College Football Playoff (CFP) has announced

place on the American sports calendar every year.

that it will go to 12 teams beginning with the 2024

As sports fans, we are driven by the calendar. We

season. Bowl games will continue to be part of the

know when the major sporting events take place

overall plan to crown a national champion. What is

throughout the year, and we look forward to

Bowl Season’s position in supporting the College

watching them. Bowl Season is played over a three-

Football Playoff’s efforts and its continuing role in

week period from mid-December through early

the postseason?

January and fans of college football are trained to

CARPARELLI: College football’s postseason consists

turn on the TV during that stretch to look for a bowl

of the CFP and Bowl Season, and both are equally

game to watch. They might not even know which one

important. We need a great mechanism to crown a

they will find; they just know that they will find one

national champion for our great sport. The new CFP

and they will watch it. This year over 3 million people

format will accomplish that while generating a lot

on average watched the 43 bowl games — 30 games

of excitement for the fans, but Bowl Season is more

had more than two million viewers, 14 had more than

important to a greater number of institutions and

three million, 10 had more than four million and nine

student-athletes than the CFP alone. The majority

games had more than five million people watching.

of football programs across the country cannot

That outrates any alternative sports television

realistically challenge for a spot in the CFP on a regular

programming (other than the NFL) during December

basis. With 130+ FBS institutions, we need more than

and January. In addition, more than 1.5 million people

12 postseason opportunities to reward deserving

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BOWL SEASON | January 2023

student-athletes at the end of each year. Like I’ve said

college football history have been in bowl games where

many times before, anyone who says there are too

two fan bases fill half of the stadium each and provide

many bowl games needs to take a deep breath and

a truly unique experience for both schools. It might

understand that bowl games do not need to factor into

sound like a good idea now, but if a football program

the National Championship equation to be meaningful

ends up being the visiting team due to a debatable

to those programs and their fanbases who participate

seeding, I am certain they will not think it is fair and

in them. Bowl Season and the CFP collectively make

appropriate. One of the things that makes college and

up college football’s postseason. They complement one

NCAA postseason competitions unique is that the

another and are not mutually exclusive. College football

pinnacle event to crown the national champion has

needs bowl games as much as it needs the CFP.

always been held in a neutral site environment. There are too many reasons

There has been a lot of

why college football

debate about the first

should maintain this

round of the CFP being

tradition, and there

played on the campus

are bowl organizations

site of the higher-

across the country that

rated team vs. being

are equipped to provide

played in a neutral site

the easiest and best

bowl game. There are

solution to do so.

certainly pros and cons to both. What is your

There have been so

position on this issue?

many changes in

CARPARELLI: Bowl

college football with

games have been

NIL and the transfer

providing competitively fair, neutral site environments for a very long time. They are uniquely positioned to have all the hospitality components set up in advance — such as hotels, practice sites, dinner venues, etc.

“ I don’t think there has ever been as many major changes occurring in intercollegiate athletics at one time as there is now.”

– NICK CARPARELLI Bowl Season Executive Director

Many college towns

portal. No matter what happens in the sport, what will bowl games continue to provide student-athletes and fans when it comes to tradition, but also most importantly — celebration.

CARPARELLI: I don’t think there has ever been

will struggle to have the hotel inventory necessary for

as many major changes occurring in intercollegiate

hosting a game of this magnitude, especially when

athletics at one time as there is now. Managing the new

the participants are determined so close to game day.

NIL landscape and the new unrestricted free agency

Bowl organizations are adept at the "quick turnaround"

known as the transfer portal are difficult enough

that will be necessary for all playoff games. Most

on their own, but the combination of the two being

Bowl venues are either in warm-weather climates or

introduced into the world of college athletics at the

are played in domed stadiums — and therefore can

same time has created a completely unmanageable

take "weather" out of the equation in determining a

situation for football coaches and their programs. That

National Champion. In addition, a lot has been said

being said, Bowl Games continue to provide a unique

of the home game atmosphere — which only serves

and meaningful experience for the student-athletes,

one fan base. Some of the most memorable games in

something that remains important to the people in BOWL SEASON | January 2023

5

charge of college athletics. Let’s not forget, every other NCAA sport gets to go on a foreign tour in the summer.

Basketball programs play in early season tournaments

Partnership Spotlight

at destinations like Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York, Florida and the Bahamas. The only similar experience that college football has to offer its players is the bowl game experience. Bowl games have been providing life-long memories for players, coaches and fans for over 100 years and will continue to do so well into the future.

Rosters have been depleted in recent years due to COVID, the transfer portal as well as players opting

BUILT BY BOWL GAMES, FOR BOWL GAMES: Satisfi Labs is the most trusted

out to prepare for the NFL draft. How big of an

conversational AI platform for bowl games

issue is this for football programs as they prepare

and sporting events. Our AI Chat product

to play in bowl games in early December?

allows bowl games to have automated,

CARPARELLI: I think people pay too much

consistent, scalable, and on-brand

attention to opt-outs when there are relatively

conversations with their fans. By combining

so few individuals who choose to do so, and the

our AI Chat and Live Chat, brands can save

transfer portal is a problem that is not unique to

staff hours and influence revenue across

bowl games. The reality is, on average less than 10

conversational channels.

percent of players choose not to participate in their

Our platform continuously learns and

team’s bowl game. With 85 scholarships and the

updates from shared knowledge seen across

average roster totaling 125 players, there are plenty

over 400 clients, including 20+ bowl game

of underclassmen who can’t wait for an opportunity

events and major events for NFL, NBA, and

to get more playing time. The NCAA is also in the

NHL. We call this the "network effect." Each

process of amending their red-shirt rules which

client benefits from industry contributors

will allow all players to participate in bowl games

before them and adds to the intelligence and

without losing their red-shirt year, regardless of

training today and in the future.

how many games they’ve played during the regular season. But more importantly, bowl games have always been about opportunities. An opportunity to

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY: 20+ bowl games events are already

play another game, against a team you might not

part of our community, including the

normally schedule, at a destination you might not

College Football Playoff, Peach Bowl,

normally go to. They also give players who are next in

Cotton Bowl Classic, Sugar Bowl, Charlotte

line on the depth chart a chance to step up and see

Sports Foundation, Armed Forces Bowl,

more time on the field. Fans of each team are given a

Birmingham Bowl, Gator Bowl, ReliaQuest

chance to get a sneak peek at the young players who

Bowl, New Mexico Bowl, Gasparilla Bowl,

they will be cheering on next year. College football

Cure Bowl, First Responder Bowl, Texas

fans root for their school first — and the players

Bowl, Independence Bowl, Frisco Bowl, Las

who are on the team at that point in time — just

Vegas Bowl, Fenway Bowl, Celebration Bowl,

like they rooted for the players from years prior and

Rose Bowl Game, MEAC/SWAC Challenge,

will root for the players in the years ahead. Let’s not

Clearwater Invitational.

forget, Bowl Season still provides an opportunity for roughly 10,000 student-athletes each year to enjoy a memorable experience while playing in one more football game with their teammates.

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BOWL SEASON | January 2023

LEARN MORE

Ep 15

P.J. Fleck

Ep 17

Deion Branch

Ep 18

Dave Clawson

Ep 19

Joey McGuire

2022-23 BOWL SEASON STORIES RECAP Catch up on guests you may have missed Kym Adair • Nick Akrap • Jamal Anderson • Dan Barrett • Steve Beck • Bill Belichick Lynn Boggs • Deion Branch • Thaddeus Bullard • Callie Bundy • Jackson Burnett Amanda Christovich • Dave Clawson • Ross Dellenger • David Eads • Steve Ehrhart Billy Ferrante • P.J. Fleck • Nick Florence • Pat Forde • Matt Fortuna • Jason Gannon Daryl Garvin • Stephon Gilmore • Frank Gore Jr. • Scott Hanson • Jay Hertwig Jacob Hester • Laine Higgins • Steve Hogan • Mark Holtzman • Jeff Hundley Shehan Jeyarajah • Sean Johnson • Blake Lawrence • Rachel Lindsay • EJ Manuel Greg McGarity • Ryan McGee • Molly McGrath • Joey McGuire • Don McPherson Mark Meadows • Brad Michaels • Lea Miller-Tooley • Doug Mosley • Greg Nortman Brady Quinn • Pat Ryan • David Saphirstein • Jeff Siembieda • Jerry Silverstein Ben Skowronek • Tre Stallings • Rob Steeger • Kordell Stewart • Gary Stokan Jean-Jacques Taylor • Charlie Ward • Johnny Williams • Roy Williams

#BOWLSEASON

@BOWLSEASON

BOWLSEASON.COM

The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium has been a success since debuting in 2009.

You were a part of helping create the Bad Boy

ever forget. The team photos that are taken with

Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium a few

the Yankee Stadium sign in the background in New

years ago, and 2022 saw the debut of the Wasabi

York and the Green Monster behind them in Boston

Fenway Bowl. What has been the reactions from

will undoubtedly be positioned on the walls of many

the teams and fans around these bowl games in

people’s homes & offices for a very long time.

iconic baseball venues?

CARPARELLI: It is no secret that I am particularly

How do you assess the second season for the

prideful of what the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

organization’s official podcast — Bowl Season

has grown to become after 12 years in existence. My

Stories? What were some of your personal

passion for the Yankees organization since I was

highlights and where do you want to take the

a kid coupled with my role in creating the bowl

series next year?

game back in 2009 gives me great reasons to have

CARPARELLI: A big part of our mission at Bowl

interest in their success. I am also so happy that

Season is to promote the game of college football

the Wasabi Fenway Bowl was finally able to kick-off

in general and the bowl system specifically. We

their inaugural game after two very difficult years

realized early on that in order to do this we needed

that resulted in it being canceled. Bowl games are

to be better storytellers. I think our website,

about providing meaningful experiences for everyone

newsletters and social media channels do a good

involved and creating memories that last a lifetime.

job of promoting Bowl Season and shining a light

Spending four-to-five days in two iconic cities —

on all of the great things that bowl games have to

New York and Boston — and playing a football game

offer, but I believe our podcast helps tell our stories

in two iconic venues — Yankee Stadium & Fenway

better than anything else. We recorded 21 episodes

Park — are certainly experiences that no one will

in 2021 and over 40,000 people listened. This year we

8

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

recorded 20 episodes and are on pace to surpass last

Bowl Season celebrated bowl-eligible teams when

year’s listenership. We heard from college football

they reached their sixth win with exclusive “Bowl

players and coaching legends, members of the media

Bound” T-shirts, which are sustainable for the

as well as bowl game executive directors. They all

environment. How did that effort grow in 2022

spoke about how meaningful bowl games were to

and what was the overall reaction from student-

them and their teammates and recount memories

athletes and teams? Will it continue in 2023?

from those experiences that they will never forget. I

CARPARELLI: One of the first major goals of every

encourage anyone who has not yet listened to one of

college football team each year is to win six games

our podcasts to do so.

and become bowl-

We have had so many

eligible. Most programs

great guests; I am sure

have goals beyond that

at least one of them will

but getting that sixth

be interesting to you.

win is a big moment for them, and one

In its second season,

that has always been

Bowl Season Radio

celebrated. Our Bowl

provided national

Bound shirt program

coverage for 18 bowl

really took off this year.

games in 2022-23. How

College football coaches

impactive has this

and teams had gained

partnership been in

familiarity with it last

amplifying the games?

year, and many of them

CARPARELLI: The most

reached out to us this

exciting part about

year in advance of their

Bowl Season Radio to

sixth win to make sure

me is the value we are demonstrating when bowl games choose to work together collectively. I think as Bowl Season the

“ The Bowl Bound shirt has quickly become a tradition that everyone looks forward to.”

their shirts would arrive in time for their next game. Some coaches chose to hand them out in the locker room

– NICK CARPARELLI

right after the win,

Bowl Season Executive Director

association continues

some handed them out

to evolve, we are going to see more bowls come

at their next team meeting a day or two after the

together to create organizational efficiencies that can

game, while others chose to wait until the end of

generate more value to them as a whole instead of

the season and distribute them at the beginning of

doing things independently. Bowl Season Radio is a

Bowl Season itself. The Bowl Bound shirt has quickly

partnership with First Team Ventures that grew to 18

become a tradition that everyone looks forward

broadcasts this year. Those broadcasts were cleared

to. The program was enhanced this year through

on over 100 terrestrial stations and could be heard

our partnership with Vapor Apparel who provided

on Sirius/XM satellite radio by over 34 million people.

the shirts made from REPREVE — a fabric created

During these games, we had the opportunity to recap

entirely from recycled water bottles. These shirts not

prior games, promote upcoming games and speak

only helped celebrate each team as it became bowl

about Bowl Season in its entirety. We are hoping to

eligible, but also contributed to a very important

expand the number of bowl games we broadcast

sustainability effort. We are excited to design next

next year as we look forward to the 2023 edition of

year’s shirt soon and anticipate many more Bowl

Bowl Season Radio.

Bound celebrations in 2023.

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

9

2 02 2-23

Note s

43 BOWL GAMES

EXPERIENCED BY:

10K+

STUDENT-ATHLETES PARTICPATED

1.56M 179M FANS IN ATTENDANCE

Bowl Season Viewership Strong

TELEVISION VIEWERS

The average bowl game on ESPN had 13 percent more viewers than the average regular season game on the network. Compared to other sports, bowls also brought in a higher average than regular season NBA, MLB and NHL averages on ESPN last season.

10

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

BOWL SEASON 2022-23 Notes

MOST-WATCHED NON-CFP BOWLS The 39 non-CFP bowl games across ESPN networks, ABC, FOX and CBS averaged 3.03M viewers. → Seven bowl games posted their best audiences in at least five years, while eight games had their best audience in at least four years.

1

2

3

4

5

10.19M 9.14M 8.69M 5.77M

5.4M

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

Jan. 2 ESPN

Dec. 31 ESPN

Dec. 30 ESPN

Dec. 30 ESPN

Dec. 29 ESPN

6

7

9

10

8

4.78M 4.17M 3.97M 3.91M 3.54M VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

Dec. 29 ESPN

Jan. 2 ESPN

Dec. 28 FOX

Dec. 28 ESPN

Dec. 23 ESPN

11

12

14

15

3.33M

3M

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

Jan. 2 ABC

Dec. 31 ABC

13

2.76M 2.75M 2.68M VIEWERS

VIEWERS

VIEWERS

Dec. 30 CBS

Dec. 29 ESPN

Dec. 30 ESPN

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

11

Bowl Viewership Notes 2022-23 CFp Semifinals The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on ESPN were the most-watched non-New Year’s Day Semifinals of the CFP era with 22.1M viewers.

Max

DUGGAN

• The bowls were the two most-viewed individual Semifinals since 2017-18 and rank as the fourth and fifth best, respectively.

• Both games are among the top-five non-NFL telecasts on broadcast or cable since the start of 2022, and reached more than 42M total viewers between them, 11 percent year-overyear growth.

• The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl secured 22.4M viewers, the mostwatched primetime CFP Semifinal since Year 1 and a top-20 cable telecast of all-time.

Adonai

MITCHELL

• The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl scored 21.7M viewers the third-most watched afternoon CFP Semifinal of the CFP era.

Bryce

Tennessee Shines

YOUNG

Bryce, Bryce BaBy! The Allstate Sugar Bowl between Alabama and Kansas State drew 9.1M viewers, the best audience for a noon game leading into the CFP Semifinals on record. 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, earning MVP honors.

12

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

1

Orange The Capital One Tennessee and Bowl between ed Clemson averag on s er w vie 8.7M U, ESPN and ESPN ed ch at t-w os m the non-Semifinal ce Orange Bowl sin / 2017 (Wisconsin e Th i). m Mia e audience for th up as w w do win 14 percent year r. ea -y er ov Joe

MILTON

BOWL SEASON 2022-23 Notes

Inside the Competition Fiesta Classic

No. 3 TCU downed No. 2 Michigan, 51-45 in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 as a College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinal, sending TCU to play for its first National Title since 1938. Michigan and TCU combined for 1,015 yards, including 591 in the second half. The Horned Frogs gave up 45 points, but that also came on 18 Wolverines’ drives. TCU exceeded or matched several previous seasonhighs for Michigan opponents, including: most points, most rushing yards (263), and longest run given up (69 to Emari Demercado). TCU became the first Big 12 team to appear in the CFP National Championship the following week.

Tops in the ACC

Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman completed 23 of 36 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-17 win over Missouri Sam in the Union Home HARTMAN Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23. Hartman passed Clemson’s Tajh Boyd to set an ACC record for most career touchdowns at 110. He came up just 33 yards short of joining NC State’s Philip Rivers as the only quarterbacks in ACC history to reach 13,000 career passing yards.

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

13

Bowl Season Gameday Live returned for its second season in 202223 — the best way for college football fans to follow all the bowl games. A landing page at BowlSeason.com, s Gameday Live gave fan live a chance to access coverage of each and every bowl game. The adcasts, radio and realpage included live tv bro l game in action that time stats for every bow wl Season. day and throughout Bo

Sportradar is the trusted partner to more than 65 leagues and federations across the globe, including Bowl Season. Sportradar helps ensure the highest quality data at the fastest speeds, helping track stats in real time so that fans can learn of numbers like what was seen at the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando.

Florida State and Oklahoma combined for 1,083 yards and four second-half lead changes in a 35-32 Seminoles victory on Dec. 29 at the Cheez-It Bowl. FSU’s Jordan Travis threw for 418 yards and two scores in the Noles’ first bowl win since 2017.

Oklahoma got a good chunk of their yardage on the ground with 253 yards of rushing despite missing four starting offensive linemen. It was OU’s 24th straight bowl appearance.

Just Peachy

Stetson

BENNETT

14

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

Georgia returned to the CFP National Championship after defeating Ohio State, 42-41 in the Chickfil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31. Stetson Bennett completed 23-of-34 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The two teams combined for exactly 1,000 yards (UGA 533, OSU 467). The Bulldogs went on to become the first repeat champion in the CFP era.

Birmingham Bomber East Carolina’s Holton Ah lers threw a Birmingham Bo wlrecord five touchdown passes and accounted for a gam e-record six TDs to help the Pirates beat Coa stal Carolina 53-29 in the TicketSmarter Birmi ngham Bowl on Dec. 27. Selected as the game’s MVP, Ahlers threw for 300 yards on 26-of-38 passing, rushed for 37 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for 14 yards for the Pirates.

Liberty Milestones Arkansas withstood a furious Kansas comeback with a 55-53 win in three overtimes on Dec. 28 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The two teams KJ met for the first time JEFFERSON in 116 years, and Liberty Bowl records fell. KU quarterback Jalon Daniels passed for 544 yards and five touchdowns, setting Liberty Bowl records for passing yards, TD passes, completions (37), and total TDs scored (6). Arkansas gained 394 of its 681 yards on the ground (a Razorback record for a bowl game for total yards). The 108 total points were the fourth-most ever in a bowl game. “We got lucky at the end, but we're Liberty Bowl champs and I'm pretty excited,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said afterwards.

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

15

Like Father, Like Son Frank

GORE JR.

21 16

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

Southern Miss running back Frank Gore Jr. ran for a bowl-record 329 yards and accounted for three touchdowns on Dec. 17 at the LendingTree Bowl in Mobile, AL. Gore, the son of former NFL star Frank Gore, had a 64-yard TD run, threw for an 18-yard TD pass, and ran for another 55-yard score in the fourth quarter. The former record (317 yards) was previously held by Appalachian State’s Camerun Peoples in the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. North Texas.

BOWL SEASON 2022-23 Notes

Turning Things Around

Fresno State completed the biggest in-season turnaround in FBS history by defeating Washington State 29-6 in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel on Dec. 17.

The win gave Fresno State the distinction of being the first team to get to 10 wins after starting the season 1-4 (winning their final nine games). Jordan Mims accounted for 232 all-purpose yards, outgaining Washington State (182 offensive yards) on his own. It was Fresno State’s fourth consecutive bowl win.

Bowl Season and First Team Ventures came together again to host Bowl Season Radio, which provided exclusive live national radio/audio play-by-play coverage for 18 college bowl games in 2022-23. Bowl Season Radio aired on terrestrial radio stations throughout the country, as well as Sirius XM satellite radio.

In addition, the games streamed live on Tune-In, Audacy and The Varsity Network apps.

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

17

Airing it Out in NOLA

four touchdowns and Austin Reed passed for eans Bowl-record 497 an R+L Carriers New Orl tucky to a 44-23 win Ken yards, leading Western 21. Reed’s numbers c.

De over South Alabama on 40 touchdowns gave him 4,744 yards and on the season, both which led the nation. The Hilltoppers also set a New Orleans Bowl record with 522 teamyards passing.

Both teams combined for 74 completions, tying a bowl record.

18

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

BOWL SEASON 2022-23 Notes

2022-23 BOWL SEASON TOP PERFORMERS PASSING 1 Jalon

DANIELS Kansas

544 yard s

2 Austin

REED

Western Kentucky

497 yard s

3 Jordan

4

5

Stetson

TRAVIS

BENNETT

418 yard s

398

Florida State

Georgia

yard s

Chevan

CORDEIRO

San Jose State

366 yard s

CFP Semifinal

RUSHING 1 Frank

Tanner

GORE JR.

MORDECAI

329 yard s

218 yard s

Southern Miss

me a ll-t i l w bo d r ec o r

2

3 Jordan

MIMS

4

5

Ashton

TURNER

178 yard s

160 yard s

SMU

Fresno State

Boise State

2

3

4

209 yard s

Maurice

JEANTY

Louisville

RECEIVING 1 Johnny

WILSON

Florida State

202 yard s

Jerreth

Trea

5

Luke

Quentin

STERNS

SHROPSHIRE

GRIMM

JOHNSTON

184 yard s

183 yard s

167 yard s

163 yard s

Western Kentucky

UAB

Kansas

TCU

CFP Semifinal

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

19

2022-03 CHAMPIONS

UAB Miami (OH)

24 20

Fresno State 29 Washington State 6

DEC. 20

Louisville Cincinnati

Southern Miss Rice

DEC. 23

27 17

Toledo Liberty

24 7

DEC. 17

38 24

DEC. 20

Eastern Michigan 41 San Jose State 27

20

18 12

DEC. 17

DEC. 17

Wake Forest Missouri

Troy UTSA

BYU SMU

41 34

DEC. 17

24 23

DEC. 21

21 19

NC Central Jackson State

Western Kentucky 44 South Alabama 23

Boise State North Texas

35 32

Marshall UCONN

28 14

DEC. 23

30 15

DEC. 24

DEC. 26

DEC. 27

Middle Tennessee 25 San Diego State 23

New Mexico State 24 Bowling Green 19

Buffalo 23 Georgia Southern 21

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

30 3

DEC. 19

DEC. 22

Air Force Baylor

Oregon State Florida

Houston Louisiana

23 16

DEC. 27

Memphis Utah State

38 10

DEC. 27

East Carolina Coastal Carolina

DEC. 27

53 29

DEC. 28

Texas Tech Ole Miss

42 25

37 35

28 20

Notre Dame South Carolina

45 20

63 7

TCU Michigan

30 13

Florida State Oklahoma

45 38

Ohio Wyoming

35 32

Georgia Ohio State

30 27

42 41

CFP Semifinal

JAN. 2

JAN. 9

35 21

Georgia TCU

Washington Texas

Tennessee Clemson

Mississippi State Illinois

Oregon North Carolina

28 27

DEC. 30

27 20

Maryland NC State

16 12

DEC. 31

31 14

JAN. 2

CFP Semifinal

Penn State Utah

55 53

DEC. 30

DEC. 31

51 45

Arkansas Kansas

DEC. 28

DEC. 29

DEC. 30

DEC. 31

JAN. 2

LSU Purdue

Minnesota Syracuse

Duke UCF

DEC. 28

DEC. 29

DEC. 30

DEC. 31

Alabama Kansas State

24 17

DEC. 29

DEC. 30

Pittsburgh UCLA

Wisconsin Oklahoma State

DEC. 28

Iowa Kentucky

21 0

JAN. 2

19 10

Tulane USC

46 45

65 7

BOWL SEASON | January 2023

21

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