The 2024 bowl season has hit high gear, with games coming fast and furiously.
Our college football experts provide their thoughts on all 36 bowl matchups, including key storylines to follow and a player to keep an eye on in every game, followed by a takeaway and the MVP as games conclude.
Get ready, because it's the best time of the year!
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Takeaways
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Missouri 27, Iowa 24
Takeaway: Quarterback Brady Cook's record-setting career ended appropriately with a one-score win and an impressive comeback. Missouri faced a talented Iowa defense without wide receiver Luther Burden III, who declared for the NFL draft, and starting tight end Brett Norfleet (knee surgery). The Tigers also lost leading receiver Theo Wease Jr. to an injury in the first half. But Cook, who became only the fourth Missouri player to eclipse 10,000 career yards of offense -- joining Chase Daniel (13,485), Brad Smith (13,088) and Drew Lock (12,630) -- led three straight scoring drives in the second half after Iowa took a 24-14 lead with 5:19 left in the third quarter. After a tough start on special teams that included a 100-yard kick return touchdown by Iowa's Kaden Wetjen, Missouri held the edge there thanks to Blake Craig field goals of 51 and 56 yards, the latter marking his fourth go-ahead make from 50 yards or more this season, most in the FBS. Six of Missouri's 10 wins this season came by seven points or fewer, a testament to Cook, who had 287 passing yards and two touchdowns and added a team-high 54 rushing yards. The Tigers' defense also deserves credit for limiting Iowa to 32 yards in the fourth quarter and stuffing a quarterback sneak to seal the win.
MVP: Cook is the pick after accounting for 341 yards of offense in his final college game, but mentions also go to kicker Craig and wide receiver Marquis Johnson, who stepped up for injured teammates to post career highs for receptions (7) and receiving yards (122) and had a 7-yard touchdown catch. -- Adam Rittenberg
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6
Takeaway: After Sun Belt champion Marshall dropped out of this game following the departure of its coach, Charles Huff, and a mass exodus to the transfer portal, a bowl matchup with Louisiana Tech -- which went 5-7 during the regular season -- wasn't exactly a fitting end for AAC champion Army. So, considering the mismatch, it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to see the overwhelming win by the Black Knights.
Army quarterback Bryson Daily capped a brilliant season by running for 127 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. He broke the single-season FBS record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 32. Only Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (37) and Wisconsin's Montee Ball (33) ever rushed for more scores in a campaign. Hayden Reed added 114 rushing yards and a touchdown as Army set a single-season school record with its 12th win.
MVP: Daily wrapped up one of the best seasons in college football history with another standout performance. -- Kyle Bonagura
Valero Alamo Bowl: BYU 36, Colorado 14
Takeaway: What started as "the people's Big 12 championship," as BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff called it this week, turned into a BYU blowout. The Cougars took out a month of frustration after a 9-0 start -- including a win over College Football Playoff pick SMU -- that gave way to an Alamo Bowl berth, after successive losses to Kansas and Arizona State by a total of eight points knocked them out of contention for the Big 12 title game.
Colorado arrived with the star power of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter as well as quarterback Shedeur Sanders, but the BYU defense held the Buffaloes scoreless until midway through the third quarter, with BYU already leading 27-0. Sanders threw two interceptions, the Buffaloes gave up a 64-yard punt return touchdown to Parker Kingston and LJ Martin ran for two touchdowns for the Cougars. Both teams had remarkable seasons after being picked at the bottom of the conference, but they will head into the offseason on different notes.
MVP: Linebacker Isaiah Glasker had eight tackles (one for a loss), an interception and was the face of a defense that frustrated Colorado's high-flying offense that came in averaging 34.5 points. -- Dave Wilson
Go Bowling Military Bowl: East Carolina 26, NC State 21
Takeaway: What had been a thrilling game ended in a melee that left one official bleeding as coaches for NC State and East Carolina struggled to get their players back to their respective sidelines with less than a minute remaining. Frustrations boiled over after NC State's potential game-winning drive ended with an interception with under a minute to play. It was a significant blow to the ACC, which is currently 1-9 in its bowl games. With NC State's loss, the league went 0-4 on Saturday, with Miami, North Carolina and Boston College also losing.
In what was a dreary, rainy day in Annapolis, Maryland, the two teams located 83 miles apart in North Carolina battled to the bitter end for bragging rights, but the fight that broke out overshadowed what had otherwise been a seesaw game. NC State has lost five straight bowl games, the longest streak in team history, and Dave Doeren suffered his third losing season (along with 2013 and 2019) in his 12th overall campaign as the Wolfpack's head coach. East Carolina won consecutive bowl games for the second time in school history, along with the 2022 Birmingham Bowl.
MVP: With 44 seconds left and NC State driving in ECU territory, ECU defensive back Dontavius Nash snagged an interception that was intended for Hollywood Smothers but was tipped, sealing the win for the Pirates as he held onto it while hitting the ground. -- Heather Dinich
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) 43, Colorado State 17
Takeaway: Miami-Ohio's defense had been dominant during the latter half of the season and was again the difference against Colorado State.
Miami-Ohio has earned 20 wins over a two-year span, the program's most since winning 21 games from 2003 to 2004 (13 and 8 respectively). Miami overcame a 1-4 start this season and won seven straight games before losing to Ohio in the Mid-American Conference championship game. During that span, it allowed just 12.9 points per game -- the second best in the FBS behind Notre Dame. The RedHawks were again stifling, snagging three turnovers in the first three quarters. Sixth-year quarterback Brett Gabbert threw for 184 yards, and his 10-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter put the RedHawks up 22-3. Miami has won at least nine games in back-to-back seasons for just the third time in school history (1973, 1974 and 1975.) Colorado State, which was appearing in its first bowl in seven seasons, dropped to 6-12 in bowl games, including five straight losses.
MVP: Running back Kevin Davis scored on a 97-yard touchdown run -- the second longest in program history and the school's longest play of any kind in a bowl game -- with 6:46 remaining in the third quarter to give the RedHawks a commanding 29-3 lead. He finished with 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just eight carries. -- Dinich
Pop-Tarts Bowl: Iowa State 42, Miami 41
Takeaway: The "It was a tale of two halves" cliché is tired and dreadfully overused, but the Pop-Tarts Bowl was literally a tale of two halves. The first was a track meet in which the teams combined for 625 total yards, Cam Ward threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns and Miami outscored Iowa State 31-28.
The second, with Ward having arranged to play only one half in his final collegiate game, was a rock fight in which ISU topped the Hurricanes 14-10 thanks to a late 15-play touchdown drive and a scoring plunge by quarterback Rocco Becht. Add the two halves up, and the Cyclones won by a cumulative 42-41. Miami's Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. combined for 241 rushing yards and two scores to nearly fend off the Cyclones. But in the end Matt Campbell's Cyclones made a late defensive stop, lifted the glorious Pop-Tarts Trophy and, of course, cannibalized the giant, cinnamon roll-flavored pastry.
MVP: Becht earned easy player-of-the-game honors with 270 passing yards -- 117 of those went to wideout Jaylin Noel -- plus three passing downs, a number of key scrambles and the game-winning touchdown run. -- Bill Connelly
Isleta New Mexico Bowl: TCU 34, Louisiana 3
Takeaway: TCU averaged nine wins per season in Sonny Dykes' first two years in charge, but the Horned Frogs did it in just about the wildest possible way, surging to 13-2 in 2022 and then plummeting to 5-7 in 2023. This year they took the direct route, wrapping up a 9-4 season with an easy 34-3 win over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl. Josh Hoover threw touchdown passes to four different receivers, but the story of this one was a dominant defense. Louisiana gained just 113 yards in the first three quarters and didn't top 200 yards until the final 30 seconds of the game. After allowing 30.8 points per game in its first six games under new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos, TCU gave up just 19.3 per game over the past seven.
This bowl season has been loaded with close games, but this one was over quickly. The four TD passes by Hoover and two field goals gave TCU a 34-0 lead barely five minutes into the second half, and UL didn't get on the board until early in the fourth quarter.
MVP: Hoover was awesome, but you have to go with someone on the defensive side here, and with more pass breakups (3) than tackles (2) -- you can't make a tackle if your guy doesn't catch the ball -- corner LaMareon James was one of the main reasons UL's Ben Wooldridge went just 7-for-20 passing. -- Connelly
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Nebraska 20, Boston College 15
Takeaway: Matt Rhule has led Nebraska to its first winning season since 2016 and its first bowl victory since 2015. The Cornhuskers secured the win on a rainy day inside Yankee Stadium in dramatic fashion, holding on in the final minutes of what turned into a tight one-score game. Nebraska took a 20-2 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to its stout defense, which delivered four fourth-down stops in the Huskers' first game since losing defensive coordinator Tony White to Florida State. But the Eagles answered in the final six minutes with a 64-yard touchdown drive, then a blocked punt to set up an easy 2-yard touchdown with 4:18 remaining. Dylan Raiola and Nebraska's offense managed to run out the clock from there, driving 45 yards in nine plays with a clutch fourth-down conversion by running back Rahmir Johnson. It was a fitting finale and a big step in the right direction after the Huskers had lost 10 of 12 games decided by one-score margins over Rhule's first two seasons.
MVP: Johnson clinched the win on a fourth-and-1 conversion, breaking tackles on an inside run for an 11-yard gain. The senior from Harlem made the most of his homecoming game with 69 total yards on 11 touches and his first rushing touchdown since 2021.
Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn 27, North Carolina 14
Takeaway: Jim Mora has achieved one of the more impressive turnarounds in college football at UConn, taking the program from 1-11 to 9-4 in just three years. He closed out the Huskies' first nine-win season since 2007 with a dominant performance against North Carolina. UConn's defense had no trouble shutting down the Tar Heels, allowing just 67 yards through three quarters with seven drives ending in three-and-outs. North Carolina went 0-for-9 on third downs and got 86 passing yards from backup quarterback Michael Merdinger. The Huskies pulled away quickly in the first half, with quarterback Joe Fagnano leading them to scores on five of their first seven possessions to power the program's first bowl win since 2009. UConn also secured its second victory over a Power 4 opponent since 2017. Both wins have come under Mora's leadership. North Carolina endured a 6-7 finish for the second time in four years, but it has plenty of reason for optimism now that the Bill Belichick era is officially underway. Belichick did not attend the game while he focuses on roster building for 2025.
MVP: UConn defensive lineman Pryce Yates earned defensive MVP honors after recording six tackles, including a team-high three tackles for loss and a sack of Merdinger that helped stop the Tar Heels' final drive of the day.
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: USC 35, Texas A&M 31
Takeaway: Just when it looked as if USC was going to limp to the finish line in coach Lincoln Riley's third season, the Trojans found some late magic for an improbable comeback win in Las Vegas. Both teams struggled to find a rhythm on offense in the first half, but Texas A&M blew things open with 17 straight points to start the third quarter for a 24-7 lead. At that point, it seemed unlikely the stagnant USC offense would bring the Trojans back. But it did.
Ja'Kobi Lane's third touchdown reception of the game came with 4:30 left to put the Trojans up 28-24. Texas A&M quickly answered with a touchdown, only for the Trojans to put together a 75-yard winning touchdown drive, capped by a 7-yard pass from Jayden Maiava to Kyle Ford with 8 seconds left. The win prevented USC (7-6) from finishing with a losing record, which is a small consolation for what was an otherwise disappointing season in Los Angeles.
Riley has been mostly immune from serious hot-seat talk because of his pricey buyout, but if a third straight season of irrelevance comes next year, that could change. Meanwhile, Texas A&M's (8-5) once-promising season finished with four losses in the final five games.
MVP: USC's Lane turned in a memorable game with 7 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
DirecTV Holiday Bowl: Syracuse 52, Washington State 35
Takeaway: Washington State entered the game as depleted as any team in the country without its head coach, both coordinators, star quarterback and several other key players. And for much of the first half Friday, the Cougars were able to hang around thanks in large part to the inspired play of quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, who guided Washington State to a 21-14 first-quarter lead. But Syracuse scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter and continued to pile it on offensively (607 total yards) against a Washington State team that didn't quit fighting despite being down so many players. Eckhaus, who had attempted only seven passes all season (all in the season opener) as John Mateer's backup, threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. But Syracuse's quick-strike offense, with quarterback Kyle McCord passing for 453 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, was too much for Washington State to overcome. Syracuse ended the season on a four-game winning streak in Fran Brown's first year as coach, and the Orange won 10 games for only the second time in the past 23 seasons.
MVP: McCord became the ACC's single-season record holder for passing yards, and it was the 12th time in 13 games this season that he passed for 300 or more yards. The Ohio State transfer completed passes to seven different players and averaged 13.3 yards per attempt. -- Bonagura
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26
Takeaway: After a disappointing close to the regular season, Arkansas erupted with one of its best offensive showings in this meeting of old Southwest Conference rivals. The Hogs jumped to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter, but the Red Raiders pulled within 21-19 in the second quarter. The Hogs regained control in the second half and made some key adjustments on defense and shut out Texas Tech until the Red Raiders scored with 3:03 to play.
The win moved Arkansas to 7-6, helping to ease the pain from a 4-8 finish a year ago. The two teams combined for 1,056 total yards, and both rushed for more than 200. Texas Tech (8-5) was playing without Tahj Brooks, who opted out of the bowl game. Brooks is Texas Tech's all-time rushing leader.
MVP: Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 81 yards and a score. His 97-yard touchdown pass to Dazmin James with the Hogs backed up against their own goal line late in the first quarter changed the complexion of the game. -- Chris Low
Birmingham Bowl: Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27
Takeaway: Vanderbilt led 14-13 with a little over five minutes to go in the third quarter. But a string of questionable calls went against the Yellow Jackets, who then imploded with turnovers as the Commodores pulled away.
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following a controversial defensive pass interference call on Trenilyas Tatum. The two penalties gave Vanderbilt a first down and possession at the Georgia Tech 22-yard line. Diego Pavia finished off the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stowers.
Georgia Tech's Haynes King was intercepted on the ensuing snap, setting up another Pavia touchdown pass three plays later. Then, off a Georgia Tech fumble, Pavia put the Yellow Jackets away with a six-yard scoring run.
The Commodores led 35-13 with 7:17 to play when the game was delayed due to lightning. Play resumed almost an hour later. The Yellow Jackets scored two late touchdowns after the delay but failed to recover a late onside kick.
The victory snapped Vanderbilt's 13-game losing streak to Georgia Tech dating to 1941, when the Commodores last won 14-7.
MVP: Pavia totaled five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), the most by a Vandy player in a bowl game. -- Jake Trotter
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Navy 21, Oklahoma 20
Takeaway: The Sooners went for a 2-point conversion and the win after Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. found Jake Roberts for a 10-yard touchdown pass with six seconds remaining. But Navy's Justin Reed sacked Hawkins on the 2-point try, sealing the victory for the Midshipmen. With the bowl defeat, the Sooners finished with a losing record for the second time in three years under coach Brent Venables; until 2022, Venables' first season, OU had not had a losing record since 1998.
Quarterback Blake Horvath led the way offensively for Navy (10-3), which reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2019.
He sliced through the Oklahoma defense for a school-record 95-yard touchdown run to tie the score in the third quarter, then engineered the game-winning drive in the fourth.
Hawkins had his moments too after taking over for Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn earlier this month. But Hawkins got little help from his receivers, who dropped several passes. Though Hawkins is expected back, the Sooners are banking that transfer quarterback John Mateer -- who followed his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, from Washington State -- can elevate an OU offense that struggled in its first year in the SEC.
MVP: With his 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Horvath became the first FBS player since Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts in 2019 to reach 1,250 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns in a season, according to ESPN Research. -- Trotter
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Toledo 48, Pitt 46 (6 OTs)
Takeaway: The first bowl game after Christmas featured 17 lead changes, multiple scuffles, two pick-sixes, a handful of premature celebrations and the first six-overtime finish in FBS bowl game history. Pitt entered Thursday decimated at the quarterback position with starter Eli Holstein (leg) sidelined by injury and backups Nate Yarnell and Ty Dieffenbach in the transfer portal. The Panthers' remaining quarterbacks -- redshirt freshman walk-on David Lynch and true freshman Julian Dugger -- combined for just 137 passing yards and prompted Pitt to run the ball 60-plus times in a game for the first time in more than a decade, leaning heavily on junior Desmond Reid (33 carries, 169 yards, one touchdown). Dugger eventually settled in and delivered a gutsy performance in the loss, but the quarterback battle decidedly belonged to Toledo junior Tucker Gleason, who threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and accounted for five scores in overtime, including his winning connection with Junior Vandeross III in OT No. 6. Down 30-20 before Darius Alexander's 58-yard, fourth-quarter pick-six, Toledo stormed from behind to claim its second victory in seven bowl appearances under head coach Jason Candle. Meanwhile, Pitt, which opened the season 7-0, became the second bowl team in FBS history to end its season on a six-game losing streak.
MVP: Wide receiver Junior Vandeross III. On the day Gleason reached a career-high yardage total, he found the junior wide receiver on roughly 46% of his completions. Vandeross hit career bests with 12 receptions for 194 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown grab in regulation, before completing the game-sealing 2-point conversion. -- Eli Lederman
Rate Bowl: Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41
Kansas State ranked 16th nationally in rushing during the regular season (204.5 yards per game), and the Wildcats rode a dominant run game to erase a 14-point, second-half deficit in Phoenix. Dylan Edwards' searing speed was the platform as Kansas State exploded for 340 rushing yards Thursday night, representing the program's second-best total of the season and second-highest bowl game rushing tally. Missing star running back Kyle Monangai (opted out), Rutgers delivered an impressive rushing performance of its own, leaning on Antwan Raymond and Ja'shon Benjamin (25 carries, 146 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns combined) to build a 34-17 lead six minutes into the second half. But Kansas State clawed back with Edwards' pair of long rushing scores and two second-half passing touchdowns from Avery Johnson, scoring 27 second-half points to secure the program's largest comeback win since 2020. Wildcats coach Chris Klieman has back-to-back bowl wins and three straight nine-plus win seasons.
MVP: Running back Dylan Edwards, who averaged a whopping 10.9 yards per carry and bookended Kansas State's second-half scoring with electric rushing touchdowns of 65 and 35 yards, the second of which put the Wildcats ahead 44-41 with 4:15 remaining. Edwards' 196 yards on 18 carries were the most in a bowl game in Kansas State program history. -- Lederman
68 Ventures Bowl: Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31
Takeaway: Despite being outgained by more than 100 yards, Arkansas State emerged from Thursday night's bowl with the program's first eight-win season since 2019. The Red Wolves did not have a particularly explosive day on the ground or in the air, but they made plays in every facet of the game and were opportunistic in the face of the Falcons' mistakes. The Arkansas State defense forced a key fumble, made a crucial fourth-down stop in the second half and played a role in three missed field goals from Bowling Green. Special teams did its part, too, as Courtney Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter that put Butch Jones' team up 10 early and gave the Wolves the necessary momentum for the rest of the game. And when Arkansas State needed it most, the offense stitched together an eight-play, 68-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that ate up the clock and ended up being the difference. Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor was a steady presence, while running back Zak Wallace ran for 99 yards, including several clutch runs late in the game that kept the chains moving and ended any slim chance the Falcons had at a comeback.
MVP: It's not common to give this honor to a player on the losing side, but it's hard not to recognize Harold Fannin Jr., who capped his incredible season with a 17-catch, 213-yard, one-touchdown performance. The junior tight end finished his season with 117 catches for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns. -- Paolo Uggetti
Hawai'i Bowl: South Florida 41, San José State 39 (5 OTs)
Takeaway: The only football game (college or pro) on Christmas Eve did not disappoint, technically ending on Christmas Day in the Eastern time zone but not in Hawai'i, where South Florida prevailed in a record fifth overtime. No bowl game had exceeded three overtimes since the overtime rules were implemented in 1996. Coach Alex Golesh's team ultimately had the upper hand in key situations, especially on special teams, as the Bulls had a 93-yard kick return touchdown, connected on two field goals to extend the game and received a 72-yard punt from Andrew Stokes -- one of three that traveled 50 yards or longer -- that backed up San José State at the end of regulation. The Bulls scored on four of their five overtime possessions and could have won the game in the fourth extra session if wide receiver Michael Brown-Stephens had stayed in bounds on a creative 2-point conversion attempt. Quarterback Bryce Archie started strong, completing his first 12 pass attempts, before going cold and throwing a near pick-six that appeared to cost South Florida the game. But he responded well late in regulation and in overtime as the Bulls improved to 10-1 in overtime games, the best mark in FBS history. San José State received a career performance from Matthew Coleman (12 receptions, 119 yards), filling in for FBS receiving yards leader and Biletnikoff Award finalist Nick Nash. But some situational miscues ultimately doomed the Spartans.
MVP: South Florida linebacker Mac Harris had a big night for a playmaking defense, recording two tackles for loss, eight total tackles, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. -- Adam Rittenberg
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Northern Illinois 28, Fresno State 20 (2OT)
Takeaway: Never say the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl doesn't give you your money's worth. In the fourth quarter and overtime alone, we got two missed go-ahead field goals (one from each team), three quick overtime touchdowns, endless overtime trickery from NIU and, eventually, a crushing, game-winning fourth-down sack from Jordan Hansen to give the Huskies a 28-20 victory. And after the celebrations and french fry baths, we got the winning team lifting Spuddy Buddy on its shoulders. What else could you possibly want from your bowl experience?
The ending was worth it, but both teams had chances to seize the game in regulation. Fresno State led 13-3 at halftime, but NIU scored 10 points early in the second half -- including six on a beautiful 26-yard touchdown catch from Grayson Barnes -- to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter. NIU drove the length of the field late but settled for a 35-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-1 (violating the swashbuckling spirit of the Potato Bowl) and missed with 3:02 left. Then Fresno State missed a 34-yarder at the buzzer, too. Destiny demanded overtime, and the Huskies took all the potato glory.
MVP: Josh Holst. The freshman quarterback threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns, led NIU with 65 rushing yards and caught a 2-point conversion pass in the second OT. -- Bill Connelly
Myrtle Beach Bowl: UTSA 44, Coastal Carolina 15
Takeaway: With Coastal Carolina playing at home, and UTSA having lost each of its six road games this season, Monday's game between 6-6 teams figured to be competitive. But the Chanticleers were decimated by losses in the transfer portal, including their top two quarterbacks, as well as a few star players on defense. After a slow start in the first quarter, UTSA scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to take a 21-0 lead at the half. The Roadrunners added two field goals in the third quarter. After Coastal Carolina finally got on the scoreboard on Tad Hudson's 50-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Graves on the first play of the fourth quarter, UTSA answered with Chris Carpenter's 93-yard kickoff return for a score to make it 34-7. The highlight of the game came when UTSA players celebrated Jakevian Rodgers' interception on a fake punt by jumping into the makeshift beach at Brooks Stadium. They were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was one of 10 such penalties in the game. After starting 3-5, the Roadrunners won four of their past five games to finish 7-6. After starting 4-1, the Chanticleers dropped six of their last eight to finish 6-7.
MVP: UTSA quarterback Owen McCown accounted for touchdowns passing and running, completing 23 of 30 passes for 254 yards with one TD pass and one interception. He also ran four times for 37 yards with one touchdown, helping the Roadrunners set bowl records for points and total yards (513). -- Mark Schlabach
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Florida 33, Tulane 8
Takeaway: It took a while for Florida to get going on offense, as DJ Lagway struggled at times -- throwing two interceptions, including one in the red zone. Indeed, the early trips to the red zone ended in field goals -- keeping Tulane in the game. But once the Gators started converting their long drives into touchdowns in the second half, they put the game out of reach. Tulane struggled without quarterback Darian Mensah, who has already transferred to Duke. The Gators, meanwhile, rolled up 529 yards -- the most against an FBS team this year -- and Lagway ended up throwing for 305 yards, moving to 6-1 as the starter this season. The defense was stellar, with three interceptions and a near shutout, giving up a touchdown with 29 seconds left. Florida finishes the season with eight wins for the first time since 2020 -- a somewhat unexpected result considering the way the season began. But since athletic director Scott Stricklin announced Billy Napier would return for 2025 in early November, Florida went 4-1 -- including a four-game winning streak to end the season. Lagway returns next season, along with his top receivers and young running backs, too. There should be reason for optimism in Gainesville based on the way the season ended and who is set to come back.
MVP: Desmond Watson. The 449-pound defensive lineman had multiple viral moments -- lifting Tulane's running back in the air to make a tackle, then later in the game, carrying the ball and gaining a yard on third-and-1 to pick up the first down. -- Andrea Adelson
StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Ohio 30, Jacksonville 27
Takeaway: The Bobcats took a 20-point lead at the half and then held on in the final two quarters for their seventh straight victory. After the Gamecocks pulled within a field goal with about 3½ minutes left, Ohio ran out the rest of the clock with a long drive. It was an impressive debut for Ohio coach Brian Smith, who was promoted from offensive coordinator on Wednesday after Tim Albin left for Charlotte. The Bobcats captured 11 victories in a campaign for the first time in the 63-year history of the program. They've also won six straight bowl games; their last loss was at the 2016 Dollar General Bowl. After punting on each of its first two possessions in the Cure Bowl, Ohio scored touchdowns on four of its next five to grab a 27-7 lead at the half. The Bobcats piled up 309 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes, including 153 rushing. Jacksonville State, which won a Conference USA title in its second season as an FBS member, didn't put up much of a fight in the first half. The Gamecocks were led by interim coach Rod Smith, after former coach Rich Rodriguez agreed to return to West Virginia. Jacksonville State is hiring Auburn defensive coordinator Charles Kelly to replace Rodriguez, sources told ESPN on Friday. The Gamecocks had only 8 rushing yards and five first downs in the first half. They had more than a dozen players enter the transfer portal after Rodriguez's departure, including top edge rusher Reginald Hughes (Colorado) and safety Zechariah Poyser (Miami), who didn't play against Ohio.
MVP: Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro, who was the offensive MVP of the MAC championship game, accounted for four touchdowns in the first half against Jacksonville State, scoring on three runs and throwing an 11-yard pass to running back Anthony Tyus III. -- Mark Schlabach
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26
Takeaway: Sam Houston captured its first bowl victory as an FBS team. The Bearkats nabbed three first-half interceptions that they turned into 14 points. QB Hunter Watson had 14 straight completions at one point in the first half, tying the New Orleans Bowl record previously set by Louisiana's Terrance Broadway in 2014. Sam Houston's defense and special teams continued to overwhelm Georgia Southern in the second half, intercepting JC French a fourth time and forcing a fumble on a punt return. The Bearkats put the finishing touches on what would become a 10-3 season with a strong defensive performance against one of the better teams in the Sun Belt this season.
MVP: Sam Houston DB Jaylon Jimmerson had his first and second interceptions with the Bearkats in this game, and it's part of what helped them build a 21-7 lead in the first half. He also had nine total tackles and a TFL. -- Harry Lyles Jr.
Art of Sport LA Bowl: UNLV 24, Cal 13
Takeaway: It would have been easy for UNLV to not show up for this one. After finishing off a 10-3 season during which two of their losses came to the same team (Boise State) with the second one preventing them from making the College Football Playoff, plus watching their head coach Barry Odom take the Purdue job, not many would have blamed the Rebels for being beaten by a feisty Cal team. Instead, interim head coach Del Alexander stepped up and kept UNLV rolling as it forced two turnovers and limited the Bears to only 13 points. The Rebels had the seventh-best turnover margin in the nation this season and looked the part of a top-25 team all year long. Incoming head coach Dan Mullen will have a lot to live up to after an 11-win season and the program's first bowl win since 2000.
Toledo holds on to defeat Pittsburgh in a sixth overtime to win the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
MVP: UNLV's Marshall Nichols punted the ball eight times Wednesday night, but he'll be remembered for his arm after pulling off an incredible fake-punt pass play that was drawn up and executed to perfection. -- Paolo Uggetti
Boca Raton Bowl: James Madison 27, Western Kentucky 17
Takeaway: Taylor Thompson hauled in the winning touchdown with superhero flair, and Khairi Manns finished off the Hilltoppers with the defensive play of the night. With the score tied in the fourth quarter, Thompson capped off JMU's 75-yard drive by snagging a pass in the end zone over the top of Western Kentucky linebacker Terreance Ellis. After keeping his body in bounds, Thompson slapped his own helmet three times, then jumped and flashed his hands as if he were shooting Spider-Man webs. The acrobatic score gave JMU a 24-17 lead. Later in the fourth quarter, Manns ended Western Kentucky's last chance to tie the score. He beat the blocker off the edge, swatted the ball out of the hands of quarterback Caden Veltkamp and recovered the fumble himself. The Dukes finished 9-4 including their first bowl win, an impressive accomplishment for a program that lost coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana and several key players from last season's team.
MVP: JC Evans. According to ESPN Research, the freshman quarterback became the first FBS player since Washington's Richard Newton (2019) to rush for a touchdown and also throw a touchdown on his only passing attempt in a bowl game. -- Trotter
Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl: Memphis 42, West Virginia 37
Takeaway: A game that began with three straight drives resulting in punts turned into an offensive shootout as the Tigers and Mountaineers combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense and 79 points.
While 10-2 Memphis looked to be in control, going up by as many as 18 in the third quarter, West Virginia scored back-to-back touchdowns to get back in it. The Tigers added another touchdown to go up five points in the fourth. That's when the fun began. A 50-yard field goal that would have sealed the result for Memphis missed with under a minute left. Then, WVU quarterback Garrett Greene threw what looked to be a game-deciding interception, but Elijah Herring appeared to fumble the ball giving interim coach Rod Smith one last chance to give West Virginia the improbable win before the Rich Rodriguez era begins again. Not so fast. A replay review then determined Herring was sliding and thus, ruled down before the fumble, put an end to the madness and gave Memphis' head coach Ryan Silverfield an 11-win campaign and a bath of iced coffee his players joyously dumped on him. This is what bowl season is all about!
MVP: Memphis wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee. The senior had one of the best games of the season, totaling a game-high 120 receiving yards, including an 89-yard chunk play, an 18-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion. -- Uggetti
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl: South Alabama 30, Western Michigan 23
Takeaway: After picking up their first bowl win in school history a year ago, the Jaguars added No. 2 with a convincing win against Western Michigan to cap their first season under coach Major Applewhite. Early in the season, it didn't seem like this was likely. South Alabama went 2-4 to open the season before winning four of five -- with a win against Louisiana -- to reach bowl eligibility.
Shortly before the game began, it was reported that South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez would not play against Western Michigan as he continues to deal with a turf toe injury. This gave Bishop Davenport the opportunity to make his second start of the season and first since a 27-20 loss to Ohio in the second week of the season. The Jaguars got off to a slow start, falling behind 10-0, but they went on a 23-3 run to take control.
MVP: Davenport. The fill-in starter completed 15 of 24 passes for 271 yards with two scores and ran for 85 yards on 11 carries with a 50-yard touchdown run. -- Kyle Bonagura
Cricket Celebration Bowl: Jackson State 28, South Carolina State 7
Takeaway: Things looked promising early for Jackson State despite running back and SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Irv Mulligan having just 29 yards on 13 carries (with a touchdown) in the first half, and two other touchdowns wiped off because of penalties. The Tigers took a 14-0 lead into the break, with South Carolina State unable to find a rhythm on offense. It was much of the same in the second half, as the Bulldogs came out flat, perhaps a product of rust, having not played a game since Nov. 23. Jackson State's defense was stout throughout the game, holding South Carolina State's offense to just 212 total yards.
Despite Chennis Berry leading South Carolina State to a Celebration Bowl appearance in his first year, replacing the legendary Buddy Pough, it was T.C. Taylor's team that came out with more vigor in avenging its 2021 loss in this same football game to the Bulldogs. The win was also Jackson State's first in the Cricket Celebration Bowl, after losing consecutive appearances during the Coach Prime era in 2021 and 2022.
MVP: Sophomore WR Joanes Fortilien had seven receptions for 55 yards, including two great touchdown grabs and one last catch to seal the game for Jackson State. -- Lyles Jr.
Previews
ReliaQuest Bowl
Tampa, Florida
Dec. 31, Noon ET (ESPN)
Alabama
Season storyline: Kalen DeBoer finished his first regular season with the Crimson Tide at 9-3 and outside the playoff, which might make the Alabama faithful a bit restless considering all the success they were used to under Nick Saban. The Tide's ugly 24-3 loss at Oklahoma in November (as a double-digit favorite), perhaps the biggest reason Alabama just missed a playoff spot, is also a big source of frustration for the fan base. While there was a big win against SEC champion Georgia and a nice road win at LSU, this season will more than likely be remembered for not only the Tide's loss to Oklahoma, but also their first loss to Vanderbilt in 40 years.
Player to watch: WR Ryan Williams. All season long, Williams has dazzled Alabama and college football fans with his spectacular and often jaw-dropping catches as an 18-year-old true freshman. His presence alone makes the Alabama offense appointment viewing, even if the unit as a whole has struggled with consistency this season. You just never know when Williams might do something extraordinary that he makes look like another day on the football field. In the regular season, Williams had 857 yards receiving with eight touchdowns and averaged 19 yards per catch. He finished the season with five straight games with at least one catch that went 40 yards or longer.
Michigan
Season storyline: Let's be honest. The season was saved thanks to a 13-10 win at rival Ohio State that stunned not only the Buckeyes but just about every college football observer. Up to that point, the defending national champions had a season they would rather forget -- as the offense struggled with ineffective quarterback play for the bulk of the season. Michigan first-year coach Sherrone Moore found it difficult to replace the production of so many players the team lost to the NFL draft. As a result, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell has already been fired. But Moore is now 2-0 vs. the Buckeyes (he was the Wolverines' interim coach in last year's game while Jim Harbaugh was serving his three-game suspension) and delivered one of their most memorable wins in the series. Perhaps just as satisfying, Michigan's win prevented Ohio State from playing for a Big Ten title.
Player to watch: K Dominic Zvada. While we concede it is a bit unusual to choose a kicker as a player to watch, Zvada has provided the lion's share of the Michigan offense this season -- and is the reason for the win over Ohio State, when he kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left. The Bakken-Andersen Big Ten Kicker of the Year, Zvada is the first kicker in school history with four or more field goals for 50-plus yards in one season (he has a whopping seven). His only miss on the season was a 28-yard attempt against Illinois that was blocked. -- Adelson
ESPN BET early line: Alabama -11.5
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas
Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET (CBS)
Louisville
Season storyline: For the most part, Louisville is a good example of how uneven scheduling can make an impact as these power conferences get larger. The Cardinals drew conference games against SMU, Clemson and Miami, in addition to the nonconference game against Notre Dame scheduled by the ACC. The Cardinals went 1-3 in those games, leaving little doubt about where they belonged in the conference pecking order. Louisville was competitive in all those games, which makes its 38-35 loss to Stanford that much harder to comprehend.
Player to watch: WR Ja'Corey Brooks. After three years at Alabama, Brooks transferred to Louisville in the offseason and immediately became one of the Cardinals' most important players. The former five-star recruit finished the season with 61 catches for 1,013 yards with nine touchdowns and was a first-team All-ACC selection.
Washington
Season storyline: After reaching the national title game last season, this season always figured to be a step back in Seattle. The loss of coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama and significant roster turnover -- due to departing seniors and the transfer portal -- resulted in what amounted to a reset for new coach Jedd Fisch. It was clear after losing the Apple Cup in September, this wasn't a team that was going to be a serious challenger in its first Big Ten season, and it remained mediocre the rest of the way.
Player to watch: LB Carson Bruener. Bruener committed to UW in 2019, when Chris Petersen was still the coach, then played for Jimmy Lake, DeBoer and Fisch during a standout career. He led the Huskies this season with 93 tackles and three interceptions and was the only player on the team that received higher than honorable mention all-conference honors (he was a third-team selection). -- Bonagura
ESPN BET early line: Louisville -4.5
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Orlando, Florida
Dec. 31, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
South Carolina
Season storyline: South Carolina closed the season as one of the hottest teams in the country, with six straight victories -- including three at the time its opponents were ranked (Texas A&M, Missouri and at rival Clemson). The Gamecocks thought that should have been enough to at least get them into the conversation for the 12-team playoff, but they finished No. 15 in the final CFP selection committee standings. Putting the playoffs aside, South Carolina had a terrific season, and it has an opportunity to win 10 games for the first time since going 11-2 in 2013. The fact it was able to push past heartbreaking losses to LSU and Alabama and end the season as one of the best teams in the country speaks to the job Shane Beamer has done this season.
Player to watch: QB LaNorris Sellers. If you have not watched Sellers play yet this season, make sure to tune in because boy is he fun to watch. At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, Sellers has the size to run through people but also the speed to run by people -- a combination that has gotten the best of many good defenses this season. That includes Clemson in the regular-season finale as the Tigers had a hard time wrapping Sellers up and tackling him. His 20-yard run through the heart of the Clemson defense with 1:08 left delivered a 17-14 win. He delivers a pretty ball, too, and completed nearly 65% of his passes while throwing for 2,274 yards, 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
Illinois
Season storyline: What a season it has been for Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, who have gone 9-3 in one of the biggest surprises not just in the Big Ten but the entire country. Indiana might have Illinois beat for best turnaround, but that does not diminish the job Bielema has done, as Illinois has won nine games for the first time since 2007. The last time the Fighting Illini won 10 games? That would be 2001. While they did not beat any teams ranked in the top 25 at the time, there were still several solid wins on the schedule, including Kansas, Michigan and Nebraska.
Player to watch: QB Luke Altmyer. The junior emerged as one of the most efficient passers in the country, throwing 21 touchdown passes to just five interceptions, while adding another four scores and 219 yards on the ground. Altmyer threw for 2,543 yards and completed nearly 61% of his passes, but beyond the numbers he's as clutch as they come. According to Illinois, he's the only quarterback in the nation with three game-winning touchdown passes in the final two minutes or overtime this season -- in overtime wins over Purdue and Nebraska, and with 4 seconds left in a win over Rutgers. -- Adelson
ESPN BET early line: South Carolina -11
Kinder's Texas Bowl
Houston
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Baylor
Season storyline: Dave Aranda came into the season fully on the hot seat after the Bears went 3-9 and ranked 101st in offense (23.1 PPG) and 116th in defense (allowing 33.3 PPG). Aranda, who arrived from LSU after the 2019 national championship season where he served as defensive coordinator, took over the playcalling duties for the defense and hired Jake Spavital to spread the field on offense. Baylor started 2-4, with losses to BYU, Iowa State, Colorado and Utah, but suddenly put it together, beating Texas Tech 59-35, the start of a six-game winning streak, finishing the season averaging 34.7 points per game, 21st nationally.
Player to watch: Redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington had 10 carries for 45 yards in three games as a freshman in Waco and had 21, 31 and 28 yards in Baylor's three early-season losses, and did not play against Utah. But against Texas Tech, he had 10 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He went on to average 136 yards per game when Baylor got hot, including 196 yards and four TDs in a 3-point win over TCU and finishing the season with 192 yards and two scores against Kansas.
LSU
Season storyline: The Tigers, breaking in new offensive and defensive coordinators this season, opened with what looked like a heavyweight bout with USC, losing to the Trojans 27-20 at the Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sept. 1. They rattled off six straight wins, including an OT victory over No. 9 Ole Miss to climb back to No. 8 in the country. But three straight losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida knocked them out of the SEC race before finishing with home wins against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.
Player to watch: Garrett Nussmeier skipped the Texas Bowl in 2022 after the 2021 season to preserve his redshirt amid the coaching change from Ed Orgeron to Brian Kelly. He said recently he will play in this year's game while he's still deciding if he's going to return to LSU or enter the NFL draft after throwing for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns with 11 interceptions this season. Nussmeier was MVP of LSU's ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin last season, throwing for 395 yards with three TDs. -- Wilson
ESPN BET early line: LSU -2
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Florida
Jan. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Duke
Season storyline: When Mike Elko left at the end of the 2023 season to take the Texas A&M job, it appeared as though the sky might be falling at Duke. A host of big-name talent left after him, including Riley Leonard, RJ Oben and Aeneas Peebles. Manny Diaz was hired to rebuild the ship, and most doubted it could be done quickly. Instead, Diaz landed a prized QB transfer in Maalik Murphy and bolstered the line of scrimmage with transfers from smaller schools at lower levels. The unlikely alchemy worked, and Duke rolled to a surprising 9-3 season, led largely by explosive plays from Murphy and an attacking defensive front that finished the regular season with the second-most tackles for loss in the country, trailing only its bowl game opponent, Ole Miss.
Player to watch: Duke right tackle Brian Parker is one of the top edge blockers in the ACC, and transfer Bruno Fina has handled himself well at left tackle. The pair will be critical in giving Duke any hopes at pulling off a win against a ferocious Ole Miss pass rush. The key to Duke's offense is the big play downfield, but giving Murphy time to throw will be a concern.
Ole Miss
Season storyline: If Duke's season is one marked by surprising success, Ole Miss enters its bowl game wondering what might have been. The Rebels lost three games, all by a touchdown or less, including defeats at the hands of Kentucky and Florida. Win either of those games, and the Rebels are likely in the College Football Playoff. So, what does that mean for the bowl game? Lane Kiffin's team might justifiably view this as an unwanted consolation prize, and given the amount of veteran talent that was expected to help propel Ole Miss toward a championship, it wouldn't be a shock if the roster for the bowl game looks a good bit different than the one Kiffin had at his disposal during the season. Still, Ole Miss remains an incredibly talented team, and with all due respect to Alabama and others, the Rebels could rightly claim the title of best team not in the playoff.
Player to watch: Sophomore Suntarine Perkins was a standout performer on the Ole Miss defensive front this season, racking up 10.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight QB hurries and an interception. Just how many of his teammates on the Rebels' D-line will be joining him in this game is an open question, but Perkins is enough of a handful on his own to warrant ample attention from the Duke coaching staff, which will be desperate to protect its quarterback. -- Hale
ESPN BET early line: Ole Miss -11.5
SERVPRO First Responders Bowl
Dallas
Jan. 3, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)
North Texas
Season storyline: The Mean Green started 5-1 with only a loss to Texas Tech, then suffered eight-point losses to two of the AAC's best, at Memphis and home against Tulane. They lost 14-3 against Army, followed by losses at UTSA and against East Carolina. The Mean Green rebounded with a road win at Temple to end the five-game skid and become bowl eligible for the first time under second-year coach Eric Morris.
Player to watch: Damon Ward Jr.'s North Texas career is about perseverance. He tore his ACL his senior year of high school, and UNT honored his scholarship. He didn't play in 2019 or 2020, and the Denton Record-Chronicle reported he has had 12 knee surgeries since then. He missed three games this season with an ankle injury but opened the campaign with 12 catches for 230 yards and two TDs against South Alabama and finished the season with 36 catches for 622 yards and four touchdowns. After starting quarterback Chandler Morris went into the transfer portal, Ward, the most experienced offensive player on the roster with 32 career starts, will be counted on to steady whoever emerges as the starting quarterback for the bowl game.
Texas State
Season storyline: The Bobcats return to the First Responders Bowl after beating Rice 45-21 last year in the first bowl win in school history. It was a breakthrough season in coach G.J. Kinne's first year after the Bobcats had won four or fewer games in each of the previous eight seasons. Expectations were high, and they started 2-0 and in Week 3 almost upset Arizona State, the eventual Big 12 champ and No. 4 seed in the CFP, which escaped with a 31-28 win. Close losses would become a theme: The Bobcats finished 7-5, with those five losses by an average of 5.6 points.
Player to watch: Senior Jordan McCloud was the Sun Belt player of the year at James Madison last season, transferring in to take the reins of Kinne's offense. He's experienced and well-traveled, making 43 career starts at Arizona, South Florida, James Madison and Texas State, throwing for 9,828 yards and 87 TDs with 37 INTs and running for 984 yards and 20 scores. This year, he has thrown for 2,920 yards and 29 TDs, and the Bobcats are averaging 37.1 points per game, 10th in the nation. -- Wilson
ESPN BET early line: Texas State -7.5
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Minnesota
Season storyline: PJ Fleck's eighth season in charge at Minnesota was as up-and-down as any he has had. The Gophers started with a disappointing 2-3 record with home defeats to North Carolina and Iowa, but they rallied, upsetting USC and Illinois, nearly doing the same to Penn State and pummeling Wisconsin 24-7 in a game that returned Paul Bunyan's Axe to Minneapolis and prevented the hated Badgers from reaching bowl eligibility.
Player to watch: CB Ethan Robinson. The Bucknell transfer earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, and you could make the case that he deserved even better than that: He led the Gophers with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups and allowed just one touchdown pass. Robinson and a sticky secondary could make things awfully difficult for the Virginia Tech offense.
Virginia Tech
Season storyline: Entering the season with Top 25 expectations following last season's late surge, Tech instead began the year 2-3 with disappointing losses to Vanderbilt and Rutgers. The Hokies played brilliantly in a last-second loss to Miami and seemed to be peaking just in time for injuries to wreck their offensive backfield. Still, a midseason three-game winning streak and a late-season pummeling of Virginia salvaged bowl eligibility.
Player to watch: The quarterback, whoever it is. With so many senior stars -- running back Bhayshul Tuten, edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, nickelback Keonta Jenkins -- who might choose to opt out in the coming weeks, it's hard to figure out which Hokies will definitely see the field in Charlotte. But whether it's Kyron Drones' swan song after an injury-plagued season or it's freshman William Watson III attempting to continue a pretty solid audition for the 2025 starting job, Tech will have someone pretty intriguing behind center. -- Connelly
ESPN BET early line: Minnesota -4.5
Bahamas Bowl pres. by Atlantis Resorts
Nassau, Bahamas
Jan. 4, 11 a.m. ET (ESPN2)
Buffalo
Season storyline: The Bulls rebounded nicely from a 3-9 season in 2023 under first-year coach Pete Lembo, who returned to the MAC and helped Buffalo to its highest wins total since 2019. Buffalo recorded notable MAC wins against Northern Illinois (in overtime on the road) and Toledo, and after several blowout defeats, it won its final four regular-season contests. Lembo's team has a balanced offense that limits turnovers and a defense with some star power but some inconsistent play. The Bulls boast one of the nation's most prolific linebacker tandems in Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock, who have combined for 302 tackles to lead the MAC, including 30.5 for loss and eight quarterback hurries.
Player to watch: Dolac. The senior linebacker won MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the FBS in total tackles with 159, while leading the conference in both tackles for loss (16.5) and interceptions (five). He also led the league in tackles last season with 147, which ranked second nationally. Dolac earned MAC defensive player of the week honors five times, a program record, and had two interceptions (including a pick-six) in a late-season win against Eastern Michigan. Liberty will need to craft its offensive game plan around identifying the 6-1, 225-pound Dolac, who is all over the field for coordinator Joe Bowen's defense.
Liberty
Season storyline: The Flames won a team-record 13 games and reached the Fiesta Bowl in 2023, and returned star quarterback Kaidon Salter and other key pieces for coach Jamey Chadwell. But after a 5-0 start, Liberty saw its nation-leading win streak end against previously winless Kennesaw State, marking the first time in 23 years -- and just the sixth time in the AP poll era -- that a team 5-0 or better fell to an opponent 0-5 or worse. The Flames would drop two more games and failed to qualify for the Conference USA championship game. Led by Salter and running back Quinton Cooley, Chadwell's offense remained solid but didn't reach its standard productivity level.
Player to watch: Cooley. After a 1,400-yard season in 2023, Cooley continued to consistently pile up yards, even for a less-potent Liberty offense. He had eight 100-yard rushing performances and four multi-touchdown games, finishing the regular season with 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 contests (Liberty's game against Appalachian State was canceled). A bowling ball at 5-7 and 220 pounds, Cooley averaged at least 4.1 carries in every game and 6 yards per carry in six games. He will be a challenge for a Buffalo team that ranks 62nd nationally in defending the run. -- Rittenberg
ESPN BET early line: Liberty -2