Wake Forest wins shootout
CHARLOTTE, N.C.» John Wolford threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns, and Matt Colburn ran for 150 yards and the go-ahead score with 2:18 left in Wake Forest’s 55-52 victory over Texas A&M on Friday in the Belk Bowl.
The teams combined for 1,260 yards and 107 points, making it one of the highest-scoring games in bowl history.
Wolford, a four-year starter and the game’s MVP, threw all four TD passes in the first half for Wake Forest (8-5). Colburn had a 1-yard touchdown with 2:18 left in the game to give the Demon Deacons the lead for good.
Wake Forest’s defense stopped the Aggies on downs on their final drive to seal the win, which was no easy task considering Texas A&M’s potent offense. Aggies quarterback Nick Starkel threw for a Belk Bowl-record 499 yards and four touchdowns — three of those to wide receiver Christian Kirk, who caught 13 passes for 189 yards.
“It was a crazy game” Wolford said. “We got up early and then fell behind. But I never had a doubt. This team has been through a lot, so a close game wasn’t going to faze us. And we got it done. That is what mattered most.”
Wake Forest spotted Texas A&M (7-6) a 14-point first quarter lead following a pair of special teams miscues, but rattled off 31 straight points in a span of 11 minutes, 16 seconds to take a 31-14 lead in the second quarter.
But Texas A&M battled back to take the lead late in the third quarter, propelled by Starkel and Kirk.
Music City Bowl.
TENN.» Justin Jackson ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 20 Northwestern (10-4) held off Kentucky (7-6) 24-23.
Both starting quarterbacks left in the first half with injuries, though Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson returned early in the third quarter. Kentucky lost running back Benny Snell Jr. to an ejection for contact with an official early in the second quarter, and Northwestern lost leading tackler and linebacker Paddy Fisher before halftime when he was ejected for targeting.
Johnson ran for his second touchdown of the second half with 37 seconds left. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops went for the 2-point conversion, but Johnson couldn’t connect with Tavin Richardson on the pass.
Sun Bowl.
Nyheim Hines had three 5yard touchdown runs to help North Carolina State (9-4) beat Arizona State (7-6) 52-31.
Arizona State played its final game under fired coach Todd Graham, with former NFL coach Herm Edwards taking over the program.
Arizona Bowl.
Larry Rose III scored on a 21-yard run in overtime and New Mexico State (7-6) won in its first bowl game in 57 years, beating Utah State (6-7) 26-20.
Alamo Bowl.
Kenny Hill passed for two touchdowns, ran for another and even caught one as No. 13 TCU (11-3) rallied from an early 18-point deficit to beat 15th-ranked Stanford (9-5) 39-37 in the Alamo Bowl on Thursday night. Stanford running back Bryce Love, a Heisman Trophy finalist, rushed for 145 yards and finished the season with 2,118 yards, the school’s singleseason record.
Holiday Bowl.
Brian Lewerke threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns, and LJ Scott ran for 110 yards and two scores for No. 18 Michigan State (10-3), which took advantage of Luke Falk’s absence to rout No. 21 Washington State 42-21.