Chanticleers slip by Huskies in game that saw 1,030 yards
CURE BOWL
COASTAL CAROLINA 47, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 41
ORLANDO, Fla. — Grayson McCall threw four touchdown passes and Coastal Carolina held off Northern Illinois 47-41 in the Cure Bowl on Friday night, with the game ending with the Huskies at the Chanticleers’ 4.
McCall was 22 for 30 for 315 yards, and Braydon Bennett ran for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns on 6 carries to help Coastal Carolina (11-1) win 11 games for the second consecutive year. Bennett also caught four passes for 47 yards and a TD.
“He just operates, he’s a smooth operator,” Coastal Carolina Coach Jamey Chadwell said about McCall. “As a coach, if he misses a play, you’re like, ‘What in the world is wrong with him’ because he makes so many good [plays].”
Chadwell said while there is speculation about McCall’s future, “we’re confident that he loves Coastal and he’s going to be here with us and finish out his career.”
It was also Coastal Carolina’s first bowl victory. The Chanticleers lost in their first bowl appearance last year, 37-34 in overtime to Liberty.
“Pretty cool,” McCall said. “Definitely a team effort. I don’t think I played by best game but but all my teammates propelled me forward.”
Jay Ducker ran for 146 yards on 24 carries, and Antario Brown added 105 yards and 12 attempts for Northern Illinois (9-5). Rocky Lombardi completed 20 of 33 passes for 181 yards and 2 scores.
“Couldn’t be more proud of their fight,” NIU Coach Thomas Hammock said. “This could be a launching pad for us into the 2022 season.”
NIU’s roster has just seven seniors, and includes 71 players who graduated from high school in 2020 or 2021. The Huskies are the first team in FBS history to win its conference championship game one season after going winless (0-6).
Lombardi also had picked up 66 yards including a touchdown on eight carries.
Northern Illinois (516) and Coastal Carolina (514) combined for 1,030 yards. Northern Illinois picked up 335 yards on the ground.
After Northern Illinois wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 run at the Huskies 34, McCall threw a shovel pass from the option to Bennett for a TD on the next play. He then connected with Isaiah Likely on a two-point conversion to make it 47-41 with 6:40 left.
NIU converted 4 of 5 fourth-down plays in the game and ended the season successful of 26 of 31 attempts.
Northern Illinois got the ball back at its own 13 with 21/2 minutes to play. Lombardi hit Miles Joiner for a 4-yard gain on fourth down to the Coastal Carolina 4 with 2 seconds remaining, but the Huskies couldn’t off another play.
Likely’s second touchdown reception got Coastal Carolina within two at 41-39 with nine minutes left, but McCall’s threw an incomplete pass on the two-point try.
BAHAMAS BOWL MIDDLE TENNESSEE 31, TOLEDO 24
NASSAU, Bahamas — Freshman Nick Vattiato threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, including a 59-yard scoring pass to Jarrin Pierce with 6:24 left, and Middle Tennessee beat Toledo.
Two plays after Toledo’s 32-yard punt, Vattiato connected with a wide-open Pierce along the right side for a 28-17 lead. The 59-yard play was the longest completion in Middle Tennessee’s bowl history.
On Toledo’s next possession, quarterback Dequan Finn was pressured by Jordan Ferguson and defensive lineman Zaylin Wood intercepted a tipped pass, leading to a 35-yard field goal for a 3117 lead.
Toledo got within seven points with 1:08 remaining, but Thomas Cluckey recovered an onside kick to secure it.
“Winning a bowl game, you’re a champion, you’re Bahamas Bowl champion and these seniors, these guys, they can take that with them the rest of their lives ,” Middle Tennessee Coach Rick Stockstill said after his 101st victory with the program.
Pierce caught four passes for 114 yards and Ferguson had a sack to reach nine on the season for Middle Tennessee (7-6), which was a 10-point underdog. Mike DiLiello rushed for 44 yards, including a 17-yard score to put the Blue Raiders ahead for good at 21-17.
Wood’s interception was Middle Tennessee’s 17th of the season, extending their national lead in turnovers gained to 32.
Finn was 18-of-39 passing for 212 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception for Toledo (7-6). Finn broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run on fourth and 1 to tie it at 7.
Matt Landers, a Georgia transfer, set a Bahamas Bowl record with a 90yard touchdown catch to put Toledo ahead 14-7. On first down at the 10, Finn threw it deep over the middle that Landers tipped to himself with an outstretched left arm and coasted into the end zone.