The Massachusetts football team is set to join the Mid-American Conference next fall and a handful of its future competitors participated in bowl games.
Salute to Veterans Bowl: Western Michigan vs. South Alabama
In Montgomery, Alabama, the South Alabama Jaguars played the MAC’s very own WMU Broncos in a thrilling game. The first quarter was a quiet one, but the Broncos struck first blood with running back Jalen Buckley. He scored a one-yard rushing touchdown, giving WMU a 7-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Broncos scored the first points of the second quarter with a 37-yard field goal kicked Luka Zurak. WMU was in front 10-0 early in the second quarter.
The Jaguars put together a great offensive drive to match the Broncos’ field goal, making their own 24-yard field goal courtesy of their kicker Hamilton DiBoyan. South Alabama’s defense held strong and the momentum started to shift in favor of the Jaguars.
South Alabama quarterback Bishop Davenport threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremiah Webb, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The score tied the game at ten apiece.
After WMU’s offense failed to muster any points on their next drive, the Jaguars seized their opportunity to be explosive on offense yet again.
A 45-yard touchdown pass from Davenport to Webb gave South Alabama the lead. After being down 10-0, the Jaguars found themselves out in front 16-10 after the missed PAT.
WMU did find its rhythm again before halftime on a nice offensive drive. Zurak hit a 29-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the half to cut the deficit down to only three.
The third quarter started off with no scoring for a while, until Davenport rushed for a 50-yard touchdown. The Jaguars took a larger 23-13 lead with just under five minutes left in the third quarter. Davenport put on a clinic as the Broncos defense couldn’t stop his explosive 50-plus yard plays.
WMU quarterback Hayden Wolff’s seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anthony Sambucci gave the Broncos some hope and cut the lead to 23-20 with under seven minutes left in the fourth.
South Alabama running back Kentrel Bullock rushed in a 22-yard touchdown to just about close the game, giving the Jags a 30-20 lead with 2:42 remaining.
WMU was in hurry-up mode to score quickly and did so with a 48-yard Zurak field goal, creating a 30-23 one-score game. The Broncos tried to get the ball back but ultimately could not as the Jaguars emerged victorious, winning 30-23 after being down two scores early on.
Cure Bowl: Ohio University vs. Jacksonville State
The MAC champion OU Bobcats had a tall task in playing the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The Bobcats started the first quarter strong with two rushing touchdowns from quarterback Parker Navarro. The Gamecocks refused to go into the second quarter down two scores.
JSU answered OU’s second touchdown in one play as quarterback Tyler Huff threw a 75-yard touchdown to wide receiver Cam Vaughn. The score became 14-7 after one, in favor of the Bobcats.
The second quarter was scoreless until just under five minutes were left. Navarro ran a 7-yard touchdown, his third rushing touchdown of the game. The PAT was botched but OU now led 20-7.
The Gamecocks defense couldn’t find a way to get clicking on offense and the ball went right back to the Bobcats. Running back Anthony Tyus lll caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Navarro. OU went into halftime feeling very good about their play up 27-7.
JSU didn’t waste much time and found its way into the endzone quickly to start the third quarter. Huff ran in a 7-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 13. The score stayed the same until the fourth.
The Bobcats gained some cushion in their lead, connecting on a 38-yard field goal by Gianni Spetic. Their lead grew to 30-14.
The Gamecocks put an efficient drive together, leading to a Tre Stewart 3-yard rushing touchdown. JSU tried the two-point conversion to make it a one score game but failed.
The Gamecocks defense held their ground and did not give up any points. JSU’s offense scored another touchdown, making it a close 30-27 score after a Stewart one-yard rushing touchdown. The Gamecocks didn’t have enough juice to get the win and lost 30-27.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State
The MAC’s legendary Northern Illinois Huskies made their presence known this season after upsetting a powerhouse program, the No. 5 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 16-14 in early September. The Huskies took on the Fresno State Bulldogs in what was a truly spectacular game
Running back Bryson Donelson found the endzone first with a one-yard rushing touchdown. A very risky gamble was taken by Fresno State head coach Matt Entz by going for two on the first touchdown of the game. The risk didn’t pan out but the Bulldogs had a lead 6-0 early on
With 2:45 left in the first, Huskies kicker Kanon Woodill made a 29-yard field goal, making it a 6-3 ball game.
The Bulldogs offense did not take NIU scoring lightly and immediately put together a touchdown drive, capped by a Joshua Wood 13-yard rushing touchdown. The score was now 13-3 after the PAT was good.
No scoring happened at all in the second quarter as it was a defensive showdown. The score remained 13-3 Fresno State on top at the half.
The second half was all Huskies. NIU quarterback Josh Holst connected with tight end Grayson Barnes on a 26-yard touchdown pass. The Huskies scored quickly again with a Woodill 34-yard field goal, tying the game at 13.
Both defenses showed up for the remaining third quarter and all of the fourth as the score remained 13-13 going into overtime.
The Bulldogs started with the ball in OT and Wood threw a clutch 9-yard touchdown pass to Donelson to take the lead.
NIU punched back with its very own Holst three-yard touchdown pass to Barnes, tying the game 20-20.
The Huskies dialed up a trick play 25-yard touchdown pass thrown by freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos to wide receiver Dane Pardridge.
In double OT, teams are required to go for a two-point conversion and NIU successfully converted it on a Holst pass to Dimopoulos, making it 28-20. The true freshman showed grit. Fresno State couldn’t score in double OT and lost 28-20 to the Huskies.
The GameAbove Sports Bowl: Toledo Rockets vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
This thrilling game was a shootout and is a game of the year candidate in college football.
The MAC’s Toledo Rockets scored the first touchdown on a 2-yard pass, thrown by quarterback Tucker Gleason to tight end Anthony Torres. The PAT was blocked by the Panthers and taken to the house by linebacker Kyle Louis to make the score 6-2.
The second quarter saw Pitt running back Desmond Reid punch in a 3-yard rushing touchdown. The score was 9-6 after the PAT. The Panthers got the ball back again quickly but could not find the end zone. Kicker Ben Sauls hit a tremendous 57-yard field goal to increase the lead to 12-6.
Not long after, Rockets’ quarterback Gleason threw a 67-yard dime to wide receiver Junior Vandeross III to take the lead by one at 13-12.
Pitt’s quarterback Julian Dugger threw a 42-yard pick six to Toledo’s Braden Awls, who took it to the house and made it a 20-12 score. The score stayed this way going into the half.
Halfway through the third quarter, the Panthers found life again as Dugger redeemed himself after the pick six, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Overman. Pitt went for two and succeeded thanks to quarterback David Lynch’s pass to tight end Gavin Bartholomew. The game was tied at 20 apiece.
The Panthers’ defense was able to get off the field fast, bringing the offense back out onto the field. Pitt drove down the field but eventually settled on a 37-yard field goal by Sauls to reclaim the lead at 23-20.
A couple minutes into the fourth, Dugger threw a 16-yard strike to Raphael Williams Jr. to extend their lead to 30-20.
Lynch threw a 58-yard pick six to Rockets’ defensive tackle Darius Alexander, making the score 30-27. Toledo was able to get the ball back on offense yet again and kicker Dylan Cunanan hit a clutch 51-yard field goal with 1:45 left in the game.
Pitt did not score again, which meant another MAC Bowl game was going into OT.
It was the Panthers’ Dugger who ran in a 2-yard touchdown to take the first lead in OT at 37-30.
The Rockets’ Gleason matched Pitt with his very own 1-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 37. In the second OT, both teams made field goals.
After the second OT, triple OT and onwards became a two-point conversion shootout. Both teams still got opportunities with the ball.
Pitt’s Dugger successfully completed a pass to wide receiver Kenny Johnson for the two-point conversion, making the score 42-40.
Toledo now had a chance to score a two-point conversion and succeeded with a Gleason pass to wide receiver Terrell Crosby Jr. The game was tied up at 42-42 after the third OT.
The Rockets started with the ball in the fourth OT. Gleason fired the ball to Torres with a pass and Toledo scored two more points. The Rockets were up 44-42 with a chance to win.
Dugger’s quarterback keeper tied the game at 44. The game entered a fifth OT.
The Panthers started with the ball and Dugger connected with Bartholomew to take the lead at 46-44.
Gleason found wide receiver Jerjuan Newton to tie the game again at 46 apiece. The Rockets and Pitt headed into a sixth OT.
Toledo started with the ball in the sixth OT and Gleason fired it to Vandeross III to take the lead at 48-46.
Under pressure, Dugger’s final pass was incomplete. The Rockets won 48-46 after what was considered by many to be the game of the year.
Brennan McGrevy can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @BMcgrevy.
