Monday, January 19, 2015

Bowls in Review: 2014-15

Few expected a champion to emerge from Columbus, Ohio
earlier this season. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Another season of college football has passed and another champion has been crowned. Sadly, we won't see another major college football game until South Carolina takes on North Carolina on the first Thursday of September. In the meantime, we wait for National Signing Day and then the spring scrimmages. Let's look back on how each bowl team fared at the end of the season.

About a month ago, the bowl season began with Louisiana-Lafayette taking care of Nevada in New Orleans. The win completed the Ragin' Cajuns' run of four consecutive nine-win seasons. The Utah State defense kept UTEP at bay while Utah's offense blew away Colorado State. Air Force downed Western Michigan, winning their tenth game of the season. Bowling Green needed a late touchdown to beat South Alabama.

Memphis earned their tenth victory in an incredible overtime thriller against BYU. Marshall stampeded past Northern Illinois, finishing their season with 13 wins. A late missed field goal sunk San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl against Navy. The inaugural Bahamas Bowl turned out to be one of the most extraordinary games ever played. Central Michigan rallied from a 35-point fourth quarter deficit, scored a touchdown on a 75-yard, three-lateral play to bring the point margin to one with no time left, but ultimately lost to Western Kentucky on a failed two-point conversion. Rice battered Fresno State on Christmas Eve.

Michigan State needed to block a field goal in order to stun
Baylor in Arlington, Texas. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports


The new year began with Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin beating Auburn in overtime. It took an incredible, improbable fourth-quarter comeback and a blocked field goal for Michigan State to defeat Baylor in the Cotton Bowl. The Missouri ground-game won the day against Minnesota. Five devastating turnovers spoiled Florida State's efforts against Oregon in the first-ever playoff game. Ohio State overcame an early deficit to upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

The Gators made just enough plays to get past East Carolina.
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Houston scored three touchdowns in the final four minutes to shock Pittsburgh. Tennessee had few problems dispatching Iowa. UCLA built a big halftime lead, but barely held on to top Kansas State. Oklahoma State bested Washington in the Cactus Bowl. Florida was outgained 536 to 339, but fortuitous turnovers secured a Gator victory against East Carolina. Adam Lane rushed for 109 yards while Dante Fowler recorded three sacks. A pick-six by Brian Poole gave the Gators' their first touchdown while an 86-yard dash by Ahmad Fulwood gave them their last. A late interception by Vernon Hargreaves in the endzone repulsed the Pirates' final scoring attempt. Toledo rocketed past Arkansas State in the season's penultimate game.

At last came the grand finale, the first-ever playoff championship game. In it, the Ohio State Buckeyes proved themselves superior to the Oregon Ducks. Ezekiel Elliot and the Buckeye offensive line overpowered the Oregon defense while Cardale Jones impressed many in his third start. Marcus Mariota did not play poorly, but did not receive nearly enough help from his teammates to challenge the Buckeyes. Despite receiving four turnovers, the Ducks were beaten by 22 points. And even though they lost to Virginia Tech earlier this season, the Ohio State Buckeyes demonstrated themselves worthy to the title of champion.

  • Nevada (7-6) over Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4), 35-24 16-3
  • Utah State (10-4) over UTEP (7-6), 38-20 21-6
  • 22 Utah (9-4) over Colorado State (10-3), 24-20 45-10
  • Air Force (10-3) over Western Michigan (8-5), 34-27 38-24
  • South Alabama (6-7) over Bowling Green (8-6), 23-20 33-28
  • Memphis (10-3) over BYU (8-5), 34-31 55-48 (OT)
  • Marshall (13-1) over Northern Illinois (11-3), 38-34 52-23
  • San Diego State (7-6) over Navy (8-5), 31-27 17-16
  • Western Kentucky (8-5) over Central Michigan (7-6), 44-41 49-48
  • Fresno State (6-8) over Rice (8-5), 35-31 30-6
  • Louisiana Tech (9-5) over Illinois (6-7), 34-26 35-18
  • North Carolina (6-7) over Rutgers (8-5), 38-34 40-21
  • UCF (9-4) over NC State (8-5), 30-27 34-27
  • Cincinnati (9-4) over Virginia Tech (7-6), 27-24 33-17
  • 15 Arizona State (10-3) over Duke (9-4), 34-27 36-31
  • South Carolina (7-6) over Miami (6-7), 45-42 24-21
  • Boston College (7-6) over Penn State (7-6), 23-16 31-30 (OT)
  • 24 USC (9-4) over Nebraska (9-4), 38-24 45-42
  • Texas A&M (8-5) over West Virginia (7-6), 41-38 45-37
  • 17 Clemson (10-3) over Oklahoma (8-5), 27-23 40-6
  • Arkansas (7-6) over Texas (6-7), 37-13 31-7
  • 23 LSU (8-5) over Notre Dame (8-5), 38-21 31-28
  • 13 Georgia (10-3) over 21 Louisville (9-4), 38-31 37-14
  • Stanford (8-5) over Maryland (7-6), 21-14 45-21
  • 9 Mississippi (9-4) over 6 TCU (12-1), 31-24 42-3
  • 10 Arizona (10-4) over 20 Boise State (12-2), 48-45 38-30
  • 12 Georgia Tech (11-3) over 7 Mississippi State (10-3), 35-30 49-34
  • 19 Auburn (8-5) over 18 Wisconsin (11-3), 42-20 34-31 (OT)
  • 5 Baylor (11-2) over 8 Michigan State (11-2), 37-34 42-41
  • 16 Missouri (11-3) over 25 Minnesota (8-5), 35-17 33-17
  • 2 Oregon (13-1) over 3 Florida State (13-1), 45-38 59-20
  • 1 Alabama (12-2) over 4 Ohio State (13-1), 37-17 42-35
  • Pittsburgh (6-7) over Houston (8-5), 34-27 35-34
  • Iowa (7-6) over Tennessee (7-6), 24-17 45-28
  • 14 UCLA (10-3) over 11 Kansas State (9-4), 31-28 40-35
  • Washington (8-6) over Oklahoma State (7-6), 30-20 30-22
  • Florida (7-5) over East Carolina (8-5), 27-20 28-20
  • Toledo (9-4) over Arkansas State (7-6), 52-45 63-44
  • 2 Oregon (13-2) over 4 Ohio State (14-1), 43-38 42-20
Bowl Record: 21-18 (54%)
Season Record: 220-106 (67%)
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