“I’m up to my a– in bowls, bowls, all types bowls. Chips and mints and seashell bowls. My mom’s got bowls for everything. Potpourri and nuts and everything. Bowl on the toilet. Bowl on the shelf. Bowl of M&M’s and I can help myself …”
— “Back Home Baller,” Leslie Jones
With all due respect to Mom, no one loves bowls more than us. Since my beloved Myrtle Beach Bowl kicked off on the teal turf of Conway, South Carolina, three weeks ago, we’ve been bowling like Pete Weber, from New Orleans and New Mexico to the Big Apple and San Francisco. A Santa’s bag of college football filled with everything from touchdown passes and spiffy new uniforms to mind-blowing comebacks and intestine-blowing servings of sideline french fries dipped in mayonnaise.
Even for us, the folks who live for bowls, it can be a lot to track. After all, there were 42 games played over a span of 16 days. So now, as we await the last contest on the calendar Monday night, here’s a look back at the best and worst of the 2023-24 bowl season.
Yes, we are aware the Rose Bowl went to OT. Heck, I was standing on the sideline. However, when it comes to pure entertainment, it is difficult to top the show put on by the Tigers and Wildcats, who slugged through the first half but then scored a combined 42 points in the fourth quarter with five lead changes, including three in the final 4:20, ultimately won by Clemson with 17 seconds remaining.
If history looks back on the Dawgs’ demolition of TCU at the start of 2023 as the moment that spurred College Football Playoff expansion, then perhaps it will also remember their last game of the same year as the contest that validated that expansion. There’s no question Georgia deserved a spot among the nation’s best teams in the postseason, and there’s also no question Florida State’s mass exodus after the Seminoles were left out was a result of the same feelings. Either way, the Orange Bowl was over in 10 minutes and we were all forced to watch Hallmark holiday movies with our families whom we’d been ignoring all month.
In the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, aka the Hey, Didn’t You Both Used To Be In The Bottom 10 All The Time? Bowl, between Kansas and UNLV, the Jayhawks quarterback threw for 449 yards and six touchdowns after throwing only a dozen TD passes during the regular season. He locked up the 49-36 win over the Rebels even with a trio of INTs and a whopping 18 team penalties, including four personal fouls, adding up to 210 yards. He also added 21 yards rushing. It was the best holiday season performance for a Mr. Bean this side of the department store clerk in “Love Actually.”
Worst bowl performance by someone not named Florida State: Cure Bowl — Miami (Ohio) and Appalachian State
The RedHawks fell to the Mountaineers 13-9 in the midst of a Noah’s ark kind of rain. The teams combined for 13 fumbles, the most in any bowl game since the 1977 Independence Bowl. In related news, the football from the 2023 Cure Bowl declared independence from gloves.
Most explosive bowl performance: Independence Bowl
Speaking of the I-Bowl, that game ended with more fireworks than New Year’s Eve at Disney World. To be clear, that’s not a metaphor. I’m talking about actual fireworks.
Best bowl perk: Charlotte Motor Speedway NASCAR hot laps, Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Yeah, I know, I write this every year. But it’s still true.
This “Inception”-like trend started early as the Myrtle Beach Bowl teams went bowling. Then it peaked with the Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com. Speaking of the Military Bowl …
Best name from a bowl: Slade Nagle
Nagle was handed the interim head coach reins for the Military Bowl after Tulane head coach Willie Fritz bolted for Houston. Not only does Slade Nagle’s name sound like it belongs to someone who just suplexed Brock Lesnar to win the WWE world heavyweight championship, the dude is giant, has a fire-red beard and used to be the quarterbacks coach for the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors. When “Yellowstone” is done, I fully expect Taylor Sheridan to make a movie about Slade Nagle.
Best reminder that rivalries never stop: Jerry Kill’s post-New Mexico Bowl rant
The only aspect of bowl season more explosive than the Independence Bowl’s arsenal was Kill’s temper. The head coach of the New Mexico State Aggies took umbrage with what he believed was unfair treatment from bowl host and archrival New Mexico and used some curse words to express those feelings. The Rio Grande Rivalry never sleeps! In his tirade, Kill threatened to stop coaching and go to Mexico to “drink margaritas.” The next week he indeed stepped down. No word yet on the margarita situation.
THREAD At end of NM Bowl presser, NMSU head coach Jerry Kill went on rant discussing Diego Pavia’s incident @ UNM facility, saying he was punished for it. Kill then went on to call out UNM AD Eddie Nunez for not allowing NMSU to practice in indoor facility this week. pic.twitter.com/HlUhf6rT7b
Biggest temper WTH: Eastern Michigan after the 68 Ventures Bowl
EMU’s Korey Hernandez interrupted South Alabama’s post-victory alma mater moment when he ran across the field and decked Jags defensive back Jamarrien Burt. A brawl broke out as the band played on. Hernandez has since apologized. In the end, anyone ever thinking about fighting needs to thank Hernandez. Why? He gave us all a reminder that no matter how mad you are, you never start a fight when surrounded by 60 guys wearing the same uniform as the guy that you just sucker punched!
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Postgame fight breaks out after sucker punch from Eastern Michigan player
Eastern Michigan’s Korey Hernandez runs across the field and sucker punches South Alabama’s Jamarrien Burt in the back of the head.
Best postgame food bath: egg nog, Holiday Bowl
Thank or blame the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, but postgame food showers are now the postseason norm, from french fries and Frosted Flakes to UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, after being asked about his memories from the Roadrunners’ win over Marshall in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl, saying, “I’ll always remember that coffee running down my back.” But the new kid on the supermarket (dump the) bucket list has emerged from one of the oldest games, the Holiday Bowl, which unapologetically now dumps “nog on the noggin'” of the winning coach. When they posted a slo-mo video of Lincoln Riley’s splashdown, it ended up coming off like a scene from a “Saw” movie.
If you are mad that we slighted the OG water bucket food dump ceremony, don’t worry. These West Virginia fans have you covered. They also have their kids covered. In mayo.
Arizona upset Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl thanks in no small part to six takeaways — three fumbles and three interceptions. After every turnover, the Wildcats stack another flattened football with their opponents’ logo onto a cactus-shaped sword.
If you think that nog audio was bad, then whatever you do, DO NOT hit play on Rob Gronkowski singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk.
— Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk (@LABowlGame) December 17, 2023
The E. King Gill 12th Man award: Sam Mathews, Texas A&M
Just two years ago, Mathews was tailgating with his buddies in College Station when they convinced him to try out for the Aggies football team. Not only did he make the team but when he was pressed into service because of a flu outbreak in 2022, he recorded six tackles against Florida. So this season the team decided to bestow upon him the coveted No. 12, in honor of the school’s legendary 12th Man tradition. When these post-Jimbo Fisher Aggies showed up shorthanded for the Texas Bowl due to opt-outs, Mathews started. And even in a loss, his interception will go down in A&M 12th Man lore.
Best comeback: Western Kentucky, Famous Toastery Bowl
The Hilltoppers trailed Old Dominion by 28 points in the opening minutes of the second quarter and were down 21 at the start of the fourth, but came back to tie the game with 19 seconds remaining and won in OT. They were led to the toasted promised land by quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who had already decided to transfer at season’s end after being told by WKU coaches he should move to tight end. Instead, he came off the bench in Charlotte to throw for 383 yards and five TDs and was carried off the field by his teammates, a la Rudy. Now he’ll be back on the Hill overlooking Bowling Green, Kentucky, next season.
Best comeback of a different sort: Davis Brin, QB, Georgia Southern
Brin won the Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP in 2021 as the quarterback at Tulsa. Then he turned in a fantastic (albeit losing) effort in the 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl as QB of Georgia Southern, throwing for 350 yards and two touchdowns against Ohio. This marks the greatest return performance in Myrtle Beach since my high school classmate Dirty McCall won back-to-back shag dancing contests at the Magic Attic and earned two free airbrushed T-shirts and a bucket of saltwater taffy.
You the real MVP of bowl season MVP award: the Pop-Tart
The legacy of edible mascots during bowl season goes back to the Blooming Onion, who used to stalk the sidelines of the Outback Bowl, which is now the decidedly less greasy ReliaQuest Bowl. But with the greatest respect to Spuddy Buddy, the bushy-eyed jar of Duke’s Mayo, the Cheez-It who made it very clear he was not to be eaten, or any other would-be delicious furry football hero, no one stole hearts and headlines like the Pop-Tart. It danced, it performed, it descended into a giant toaster and was cooked so that it could be devoured by the Pop-Tart Bowl winning Kansas State Wildcats. RIP Pop-Tart. Thank you for your bowl season service.
Landeskog, who returned in Game 3 of this Western Conference first-round series after missing nearly three seasons while recovering from a knee injury, scored his first goal since June 20, 2022, in a multi-point performance that saw the Avalanche tie the series at 2-2 in Game 4 at Ball Arena. Game 5 is Monday in Dallas.
“It means a lot,” Landeskog told reporters after the win. “Obviously, I’ve envisioned scoring again for a long time. There obviously days when I didn’t know if I was ever going to score again. It obviously feels good. It’s a tight playoff series in a big game here at home. To get to do it here at home in front of our fans obviously means a means a lot. Super exciting. Hopefully more to come.”
A short-handed goal from Logan O’Connor midway through the first period followed by a late power-play goal from Nathan MacKinnon staked the Avalanche to a 2-0 lead entering the second period.
That set the stage for Landeskog, who was in the slot when Brock Nelson fed a pass that the 32-year-old winger launched for a one-timer that beat Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger for a 3-0 lead.
Landeskog, who was playing on the second line, was instantly mobbed by his teammates on the nice such as Samuel Girard, Valeri Nichushkin, Devon Toews and Nelson, who joined the Avalanche at the NHL trade deadline.
As Landeskog returned to the bench, he was congratulated by the entire team which also included a hug from a smiling MacKinnon, who along with Landeskog, have been with the franchise for more than a decade.
“I was just proud of him again,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told reporters after the game. “I was proud of him regardless of if he scores or not because I know what he’s gone through, and I know how difficult that was. I think that takes it to another level. You know he wants to come back and contribute like he did in the past and he’s off to a great start.”
Landeskog’s goal was the latest milestone in what’s been a lengthy recovery from a chronically injured right knee. He missed what amounted to 1,032 days since his last NHL game.
In that time, the Avalanche have remained in a championship window but have dramatically altered their roster. The Avs have nine players from that championship team who have remained with the franchise and have since reshuffled a roster that led to them re-acquiring defenseman Erik Johnson, one of Landeskog’s closest friends, in their bid for the fourth title in franchise history.
Even with all the changes, there were still questions about when they could see Landeskog return to the lineup. And if Landeskog did return, what he could look like?
His first professional game in three years came April 11 with the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate where he logged 15 minutes. Landeskog would then score a goal and get an assist in his second and final game.
And much like his AHL stint, all it took was two games for Landeskog to score and have another two-point performance.
While Landeskog’s goal became the most celebrated moment of the evening, what he did to help create the Avalanche’s fourth goal was an example of why he’s so crucial to their title aspirations.
Landeskog played a pass to Nelson who then found a Girard for a shot from the point that gave the Avs a 4-0 lead in the fourth. In the time Landeskog passed the puck, he anchored himself at the net front to gain position on 6-foot-7 Stars defensemen Lian Bichsel to screen goaltender Casey DeSmith, who replaced Oettinger for the third period.
Jockeying with Bichsel, who is six inches taller and 16 pounds heavier, allowed Landeskog to test both his strength and that right knee to gain leverage.
The result? Girard’s shot found space in traffic with Landeskog making it hard for DeSmith to see the puck.
“He’s a big boy,” Landeskog said with a smile. “He’s a big strong guy, a physical player and hard to play against. I was trying to get in front of their goal, and he was trying to get me out of there. It was a good battle.”
The Seattle Mariners placed right-hander Logan Gilbert on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right elbow flexor strain.
The All-Star pitcher left his start Friday night against the Miami Marlins after three perfect innings because of right forearm tightness.
An MRI revealed a Grade 1 flexor strain, the team said. Gilbert won’t throw for two weeks, at which point he’ll be reevaluated.
Gilbert, 24, entered Friday’s game with a 1-1 record, 2.37 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 20⅓ innings. He is 42-31 with a 3.55 ERA in five big league seasons, all with the Mariners.
In other moves announced Saturday, Seattle recalled left-hander Tayler Saucedo and right-hander Troy Taylor from Triple-A Tacoma, and designated righty Casey Lawrence for assignment.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
CHICAGO — Cubs manager Craig Counsell gave a blunt assessment of Ben Brown‘s start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday after the righty gave up six runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 10-4 loss.
“We need better, frankly,” Counsell said.
Brown cruised through the first three innings, striking out five, but then fell apart after hitting Kyle Schwarber to lead off the fourth. After Nick Castellanos hit an 0-2 pitch for a single to left field, the Phillies began piling on.
Brown went from getting ahead of hitters, inducing swings and misses and soft contact, to giving up six hits and six runs in the inning. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings, which has been a trend in his starts.
“It’s the length in the game that we need more from, and whether it’s pitches within innings that kind of get you in trouble or an inning like today as a starter, you got to be able to navigate and limit damage,” Counsell said. “Give up runs, yeah, it’s going to happen. But you got to be able to navigate the damage to get your way [through] the game.”
Brown has completed at least five innings in just two of his five starts this season. Counsell noted that the Cubs have had a lot of off days and so they’ve been able to navigate the shorter outings, but that won’t be the case all season.
Brown concurred.
“Even last week with the four innings against Arizona, the team needs better out of me,” he said. “The bullpen needs a break when they can get it, and I think I was cruising towards that today, and what happened just didn’t seem like there was an end in sight, which is unfortunate.”
Saturday’s outing raised Brown’s ERA to 6.04, though he has shown the ability to miss bats, especially with his curveball. He has 31 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings this season but simply isn’t going long enough into games.
“So there’s been some bright spots here and there,” Counsell said. “The inning just snowballed a little bit on him, and that’s where the big inning comes from.”
Brown was excited to face the Phillies, who traded him to the Cubs in the summer of 2023. It looked like he was in for a pitchers’ duel against Philadelphia starter Jesus Luzardo as the game was scoreless after two innings. Instead, a hit batter, five singles, a double and a sacrifice fly ended his afternoon.
The Phillies snapped a five-game losing streak.
“I’m not going to go out there and try to reinvent it myself and try to be someone else,” Brown said. “I’m going to go out there and just keep executing pitches.
“I have to wake up tomorrow and do my best to get out there in six days and give that length that the bullpen needs and that the team needs.”