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Bowl season has begun, and our reporters are breaking down all of it.

Below you’ll find takeaways from every game as well as game MVPs and the top moments from social media.

At the end of each day, we’ll crown the current MVP of bowl season. The leader after Day 1 is Ohio freshman running back Rickey Hunt, who scored five touchdowns in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Full schedule | Results

Dec. 16

Ohio secured consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in program history, and extended its bowl game winning streak to five, behind a stifling first-half defensive effort against Georgia Southern. The Bobcats (10-3) intercepted Georgia Southern quarterback Davis Brin three times (twice in the first half) from the safety position — by sixth-year senior Jeremiah Wood, sophomore Adonis Williams Jr. and sixth-year senior Walter Reynolds. The Eagles (6-7) were held to 35 total yards in the first half, turning the ball over three times as the Bobcats jumped out to a 20-0 advantage by halftime. Bobcats freshman running back Rickey Hunt broke out by recording 133 total yards (115 rushing) and five total touchdowns (four rushing), tying the NCAA bowl record for touchdowns from scrimmage (the 12th player in history) and establishing a new Ohio bowl game record. Ohio fifth-year senior quarterback Parker Navarro, taking over the reins of the offense after Kurtis Rourke entered the transfer portal, managed the game effectively, despite the team being outgained 383-352 in total yards. Navarro completed 11 of 16 passes for 120 yards and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Hunt. — Blake Baumgartner

MVP: Running back Rickey Hunt, Ohio. The freshman scored five touchdowns and had 133 all-purpose yards.

Florida A&M senior quarterback Jeremy Moussa didn’t hang his head long after throwing a fourth-quarter pick-six that allowed Howard to reclaim the lead. Moussa recovered quickly, utilizing the flea flicker to connect with sixth-year senior wide receiver Jah’Marae Sheread for a 38-yard game-winning score. In guiding the Rattlers (12-1) to their first HBCU/FCS national championship since 1998, Moussa completed 19 of 32 passes to nine different receivers for 289 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Howard (6-6) scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, and didn’t trail until Moussa found senior running back Kelvin Dean (three receptions for 87 yards and two scores) for a 21-yard score early in the fourth quarter. Senior defensive back Carson Hinton had a fumble recovery and a 27-yard interception return for a Bison touchdown, which took Howard’s upset bid of the heavily favored Rattlers down to the wire. The Rattlers’ defense made life difficult for Bison quarterback Quinton Williams, intercepting him three times — resulting in 14 points — and holding the Bison to 187 total yards (106 passing). Howard was up at halftime despite being outgained 107-98 and passing for only 41 yards. — Baumgartner

MVP: Wide receiver Kelvin Dean, Florida A&M. Scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 53-yarder.

All Jacksonville State wanted was an opportunity. Afforded the chance to play in a bowl game during its FCS to FBS transition because not enough teams qualified for bowls, coach Rich Rodriguez and his Gamecocks took advantage. Freshman Garrison Rippa’s 27-yard field goal — his second career attempt – completed a win over Louisiana in overtime. Jacksonville State (9-4) ran 109 plays, the second most in a bowl game since major classification started in 1937. The Gamecocks held a 526-247 edge in total yardage but nearly lost because they couldn’t take care of the ball. Three of the team’s four turnovers were returned for touchdowns, including redshirt sophomore safety Tyree Skipper‘s 43-yard pick-six with 5:32 left in regulation, which gave Louisiana its last lead of the game at 31-24. The Ragin’ Cajuns (6-7) became the first team in the last 20 years to score three defensive touchdowns in a bowl game. With Jacksonville State quarterbacks Zion Webb (leg) and Logan Smothers (arm) both sustaining injuries during the game and rotating in and out, junior running back Ron Wiggins churned out 126 yards and a touchdown to carry the Gamecocks — Baumgartner

MVP: Cornerback Jalen Clark, Louisiana. Even in a losing effort, it’s worth recognizing Clark, who returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown and an interception 16 yards for another score.

Little went Appalachian State’s way during the first half of 2023. The Mountaineers lost in overtime at North Carolina, blew a 19-7 lead at Wyoming, lost to Coastal Carolina on a field goal as time expired and to Old Dominion on a touchdown with 48 seconds to play. The Mountaineers were 3-4 through seven games, and the season looked lost. And then, something clicked. App State won its final five of the regular season, got a shot at the Sun Belt title game thanks to James Madison being ineligible, and ended things on a high note in the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl. Anderson Castle carried 20 times for 119 yards, and Kaedin Robinson caught eight balls for 118 yards despite difficult rainy conditions. The Mountaineers have now hit the nine-win mark in eight of 10 seasons since moving up from the FCS level, and they’re 7-1 in bowl games as an FBS member. For Miami, it was a brutal way to cap an otherwise remarkable season. The Redhawks finish 11-3 — the most wins by the program since 2003, when Ben Roethlisberger was the team’s quarterback. Their lone regular-season losses came to Miami (Florida) and Toledo, a defeat the Redhawks avenged on Dec. 2 to claim the MAC championship. — David Hale

MVP: Mother Nature. The game was played in a downpour from start to finish, causing nonstop mishaps. But if we’re picking a player, it’s Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar, who somehow managed to pass for 211 yards and rushed for his team’s only touchdown.

Fresno State was without head coach Jeff Tedford in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, but the Bulldogs didn’t miss a beat in a win over New Mexico State. Tedford stepped aside from bowl prep and coaching due to health concerns, though he is expected to return for the 2024 season. In his absence, the Bulldogs snapped a three-game skid and showcased their share of vintage Tedford offensive fireworks. Quarterback Mikey Keene completed 31 of 39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns, adding a fourth score on the ground, while seven different Fresno State receivers caught at least three passes each. In all, the Bulldogs racked up an impressive 491 yards of offense. For New Mexico State, it was a disappointing end to a magical season. The Aggies opened the 2023 campaign with an embarrassing home loss to UMass, then turned things around and finished with 10 wins — including a road victory at Auburn — and a berth in the Conference USA title game. The 10-win season was just the second in program history, and through two years at the helm, head coach Jerry Kill has just one fewer victory (17) than the Aggies had in the six seasons preceding his arrival. — Hale

MVP: Quarterback Mikey Keene, Fresno State. Completed 31 of 39 passes for 380 yards and had four overall scores.

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Gronk sings special rendition of national anthem for the LA Bowl

NFL legend Rob Gronkowski shows off his vocals as he sings the national anthem ahead of the Starco Brands LA Bowl.

After ending their regular season with a disappointing 33-7 loss to Cal that made many Bruins fans anticipate Chip Kelly’s firing, UCLA bounced back in the LA Bowl, beating Boise State not too far away from the Bruins’ home stadium. With Kelly still at the helm after UCLA announced they would retain him, the Bruins compiled 510 yards of offense and ran the ball for 280 yards thanks to quarterback Collin Schlee‘s 128 yards on the ground. After transferring from Kent State last offseason, Schlee saw limited time behind Ethan Garbers and Dante Moore (who is now in the transfer portal), but against the Broncos, Schlee showed exactly what he does best, leading the Bruins’ rushing attack while also throwing for two touchdowns. Many questions remain for Kelly’s team as they head to the Big Ten, but Saturday night’s bowl win was a strong finishing note after an up and down season. — Paolo Uggetti

MVP: Quarterback Ethan Garbers, UCLA. The Bruins turned to Garbers trailing 16-7 to start the second half, and he completed his first eight passes, resulting in three consecutive touchdown drives.

On the heels of his announcement that he would return to Cal next season, Cal star running back Jaydn Ott struggled against the Texas Tech defense. Ott, who totaled 1,260 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season, could only account for 45 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown in the bowl game. The Texas Tech offense, meanwhile, scored four touchdowns thanks to three touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Behren Morton. Morton spread the ball around to seven different receivers — three of whom averaged more than 12 yards per catch. The Texas Tech defense stepped up in its own way, picking off Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza three times and forcing him into two fumbles that proved too much to overcome. — Uggetti

MVP: Quarterback Behren Morton, Texas Tech. The sophomore tossed three first half touchdowns.

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Source: Florida fires Napier after 3-4 start in ’25

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October 19, 2025

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Source: Florida fires Napier after 3-4 start in '25
Oct 19, 2025, 12:22 PM ET

Florida has fired coach Billy Napier with the Gators off to a 3-4 start this season, a source told ESPN amid multiple reports.

Napier, 46, finishes his time at Florida with a 22-23 record in four seasons.

The Gators have a bye this week before playing Georgia on Nov. 1.

Votes of confidence, which Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin gave to Napier at midseason last year, are often bad signs for coaches. But Napier validated his with how Florida finished last season, one that once appeared like his last in Gainesville. Napier navigated a brutal schedule, ending with wins over LSU, Ole Miss, Florida State and Tulane in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. And with a top 10 recruiting class in tow, the Gators opened 2025 with a Top 25 ranking and a swamp full of optimism.

But a disheartening loss to South Florida in Gainesville in Week 2 quickly thrust Napier right back onto the hot seat, with Florida’s athletic department and boosters knowing full well that opponents — much tougher than the in-state Bulls — were ahead on the SEC trail for Florida. Most around college football thought Florida would lose some games this season. What they didn’t think was the South Florida game might be one of them.

The Gators struggled to bounce back from that home defeat. A week later, in the SEC opener vs. LSU, penalties and turnovers ruled the day, as the Gators fell, 20-10, to the Tigers in Baton Rouge. The following week, Florida was limited to just seven first downs in a 26-7 loss at Miami, a game that included an 0-13 effort on third downs.

A rousing 29-21 win over Texas at home on Oct. 4 quieted the critics for a week in Gainesville, but last week, that momentum floated away when the Gators were handled by Texas A&M 34-17 in College Station in front of a primetime audience. And on Saturday, in front of a grouchy home crowd at The Swamp, where fans loudly chanted “Fire Billy!,” Florida narrowly squeaked by Mississippi State, 23-21.

“I think I’m built for it; I’m made for it,” Napier said Saturday when asked about his job status. “I chose the coaching profession; I was called to coach. The good comes with the bad. The bad comes with the good. The game’s about the players, and I’m proud of the way they played.”

“I love the game of football,” he added, choking back tears. “I love the game.”

There was a thought that — with a top-tier quarterback in DJ Lagway and some success in the transfer portal — Napier had some additional runway this season as the Gators chased their first bid into the College Football Playoff. There was also the matter of whopping buyout total — an eye-popping at $20.4 million — with no offset or mitigation on the deal. But as the losses piled up, and with rivals like Georgia and Miami having top-10 seasons, the breaking point was reached in Gainesville.

Florida hired Napier in 2021 after he went 40-12 in four seasons as Louisiana’s coach.

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Dabo touts ‘credibility’ after Clemson’s latest loss

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October 19, 2025

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Dabo touts 'credibility' after Clemson's latest loss

  • ESPN News Services

Oct 19, 2025, 06:25 AM ET

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, trying to salvage what’s left of this season after Saturday’s loss to SMU, said there is “no quit” in his team and touted his “credibility” after 18 years at the school.

The Tigers, who started the season with a No. 4 ranking and national championship aspirations, fell to 3-4 with their 35-24 home loss to the Mustangs.

“We hopefully have earned a lot of credibility around here,” said Swinney, who has won two national championships and nine ACC titles in his time at Clemson. “There’s been a lot of great years, a lot of great years. But this is a tough one.

“We’re going to try to fight our way and finish this thing the very best that we can. And then we’ll start over just like we do every year. You know, that’s what we do every year. We have a great year, we have a tough year, you know, we start over and then you go back to work.”

Clemson has had only one losing season since 1998, when the Tigers were 3-8 under Tommy West. That came in 2010, when Swinney and the Tigers finished 6-7 after losing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

The loss to SMU on Saturday was the Tigers’ fifth straight against power conference teams — the first time that’s happened at Clemson since the 1970-71 seasons.

“I take the good with the bad,” Swinney said. “I don’t like it, but that’s just my perspective. And I know something good will come from it. I promise you, though, I’ve never worked harder. And I’m going to continue to do everything I can, and we’ll be back.

“We’ll win more championships. We’ll win more championships. All right? I promise you that. May not happen this year, but we’re going to win more championships. That’s all I can say. And I think we have a track record that demonstrates that.”

Swinney, who has an 183-51 overall record, is in the midst of a 10-year, $115 million extension and would command a $60 million buyout if the program were to make a change. He understands fans’ frustrations and wants to fix it.

“I don’t blame them [fans]. I’m disappointed too. We’re all disappointed. We’re incredibly frustrated,” Swinney said. “But that’s where we are, and I take full responsibility for that. But all I can do is keep working and see if we can find a way to win the next game.

“… We got to pick ourselves up and keep going. That’s what we’re going to do. There ain’t no quit in this bunch. That’s one thing I’ll say about this team. It hurts, but there’s no quit. We’re going to fight our butts off to the end. And then we’ll count them all up, and then we’ll — you know, it’s a season. And right now it’s not been anywhere near the season that we want.”

Clemson, which played SMU without first-team preseason All-America quarterback Cade Klubnik (ankle), was outgained 139-35 on the ground by the Mustangs. Christopher Vizzina made his first start Saturday, but Swinney expects Klubnik to return after the bye week.

“It’s jarring, and it’s disappointing,” Swinney said. “We have to get better.

“… Me personally, I feel like I’m kind of living 2010 all over again. That’s what I feel like. We just can’t seem to quite put it together and get out of our way. But it’s football. It’s football. But we’ll keep going, we’ll bounce up, we’ll pick ourselves up.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Miami, CFP mulling plans for Hard Rock conflict

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October 19, 2025

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Miami, CFP mulling plans for Hard Rock conflict

The University of Miami and the College Football Playoff are working on a contingency plan to account for a possible Hard Rock Stadium scheduling conflict if the Hurricanes make the playoff and earn a first-round home game.

LaLiga, Spain’s top-flight soccer league, officially announced its plans last week to hold the Barcelona-Villarreal game in Miami on Dec. 20 — the same day as the first round of the CFP.

The CFP’s top four seeds earn a first-round bye, and the Nos. 5-8 seeds host a first-round home game. With Miami’s loss to Louisville on Friday night, the Hurricanes’ chances of earning a bye dropped significantly, while the possibility of hosting a home game increased.

Miami provided a statement to ESPN on Sunday about the ongoing conversations.

“Hard Rock Stadium developed an operational plan should the stadium host both a LaLiga game and a University of Miami CFP first-round game the weekend of December 19th and 20th,” the school said. “We will continue to refine and review the plan and ultimately meet the needs and objectives of the CFP pending final scheduling of both events.”

With the soccer game scheduled for a potential 10:15 a.m. ET kickoff, the Hurricanes could host the CFP game at Hard Rock Stadium later that night. The playoff game also could move to a different day, but both of those options would require some assistance from ESPN to find a television window that works.

The CFP management committee, which is composed of the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, has to approve the final plan, but that’s not expected for a few weeks.

CFP officials are expecting Miami to provide them with an alternate location this week, and sources told ESPN the university is considering Orlando, Florida — but that would be the worst-case scenario.

“We are aware of reports regarding a La Liga match and the potential for a University of Miami CFP First-Round playoff game to be scheduled on the same weekend at Hard Rock Stadium,” the CFP said in a statement. “We will continue to review operational plans with all parties involved, pending final scheduling of both events.”

There are still more questions than answers. LaLiga players have recently protested the league’s decision to hold a regular-season game in Miami, and of course, the Hurricanes have yet to make the playoff.

This isn’t the first time a school has had to come up with a playoff contingency plan. In 2024, the first year of the 12-team field, Kansas athletic director Travis Goff said that if the Jayhawks earned a first-round home game, it would have to be played at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium because of construction at the school’s on-campus stadium.

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