Boise State rips bungling Ducks in Vegas Bowl
Troy overwhelms North Texas; N.C. A&T wins HBCU crown
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Cedrick Wilson caught 10 passes for 221 yards and a TD, and Kekaula Kaniho returned an interception 53 yards for a score as No. 25 Boise State beat Oregon 38-28 in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday afternoon.
Brett Rypien threw for 362 yards and two touchdown passes — with two interceptions — to help the Broncos (11-3) break a three-game losing streak against Power 5 opposition. Ryan Wolpin rushed for two touchdowns.
Troy Dye and Tyree Robinson each scored a defensive touchdown, and Justin Herbert was 26-for-36 passing for 233 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Ducks (7-6) in new head coach Mario Cristobal’s debut.
Boise State forced four turnovers in the first half, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Wolpin’s 1-yard touchdown run and Rypien’s 26-yard scoring pass to Wilson. Haden Hoggarth added a 39-yard field goal before an off-balance Herbert heaved a pass toward the sideline that was easily picked off and run back by Kaniho, who also had a strip-sack.
“I thought the defense was dominating today,” Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said.
“We spotted them a few points, otherwise the score is completely different. I thought our offense moved the ball up and down the field, and Oregon had a very tough time stopping it.”
NEW ORLEANS BOWL: In the Superdome, Brandon Silvers passed for four touchdowns and ran for another, and Troy produced five turnovers as the Trojans beat North Texas 50-30.
Josh Anderson, filling in for injured starter Jordan Chunn, rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns, and Silvers also scored on a short run to help Troy (11-2) win for the 21st time in two seasons.
CURE BOWL: In Orlando, Fla., Conner Manning threw for 276 yards and a touchdown to lead Georgia State a 27-17 victory over Western Kentucky.
The Panthers (7-5) finished with a winning record with the first bowl win in Georgia State’s eight-year football history.
CAMELLIA BOWL: In Montgomery, Ala., Brent Stockstill passed for 232 yards and two touchdowns and Middle Tennessee came up with some key stops to hold off Arkansas State 35-30.
CELEBRATION BOWL: In Atlanta, Lamar Raynard scored on a 1-yard sneak with 38 seconds left as unbeaten North Carolina A&T won its second Celebration Bowl in three years, beating Grambling, 21-14.
N.C. A&T (12-0) won its fourth Historically Black College and University national championship.
FCS semifinals
JAMES MADISON 51, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 16: In Harrisonburg, Va., Marcus Marshall broke loose on a pair of long TD runs and Jimmy Moreland made three interceptions as defending national champion James Madison returned to the title game with a victory over South Dakota State, which had 10 turnovers.
The top-seeded Dukes (14-0) won their FCS-tying 26th straight game and next will face No. 2 seed North Dakota State in the championship game scheduled for Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
D-II championship
TEXAS A&M COMMERCE 37, WEST FLORIDA 27: In Kansas City, Mo., Luis Perez threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns to lead A&M (14-1) past West Florida (11-4).
NAIA championship
ST. FRANCIS (IND.) 24, REINHARDT 13: In Daytona Beach, Fla., Justin Green rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns to lead St. Francis (14-0) past Reinhardt University (12-1) of Georgia.