Boise State drops out of Arizona Bowl
Boise State has pulled out of the Arizona Bowl and shut down all team activities due to COVID-19 issues within the program.
The Broncos were scheduled to play Central Michigan at Arizona Stadium on Friday but instead joined numerous college basketball programs that have been hit with coronavirus issues coming out of the Christmas break.
Arizona Bowl organizers are seeking a replacement for Boise State. Washington State is available to play and would have relatively short travel after Miami pulled out of the
Sun Bowl in El Paso. Or Central Michigan could play the Cougars in the Sun Bowl.
Marshall reportedly inquired about filling the Sun Bowl spot but couldn’t work through logistics. SMU, Memphis and East Carolina, which had bowl games canceled because of COVID outbreaks among their scheduled opponents, have said they were ending their seasons.
West. Michigan wins Quick Lane
Kaleb Eleby threw two touchdowns and ran for another and Western Michigan recorded its
second bowl win in program history, rolling past Nevada 52-24 in the Quick
Lane Bowl at Detroit. Sean Tyler rushed for 146 yards on 14 carries and returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown for Western Michigan (8-5). Jaxson Kincaide, a Nevada transfer, rushed for 105 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.
The Broncos’ only other bowl victory came in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl against Middle Tennessee. Compared with that one, the Quick Lane Bowl was practically a home game for them.
“Doing it in Detroit is really special,” coach Tim Lester said. “To have fans here, so many alumni here. … tons of people from Kalamazoo made the trip. It was awesome to see the hotel alive last night.
And to play the way we did, in front of them with their support, it all came together. It’s a big deal.”
Nate Cox passed for 121 yards and a touchdown and Devonte Lee rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown for Nevada (8-5).
Ohio St.’s Wilson declares for draft
Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson is skipping the Rose Bowl to enter the NFL draft.
Wilson, a junior, is regarded as a potential firstround selection. He had 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.