San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Heralded Utah running back Jordan dies
Utah running back Ty Jordan, the Pac12’ s Offensive Freshman of the Year, has died, the school announced via Twitter on Saturday.
Jordan was in North Texas over the holidays, a friend and former coach told the Dallas Morning News, but details about his death were not immediately shared by authorities in the area.
Utah played in only five games this year in a conference shortened schedule, but Jordan made the most of it, rushing for 597 yards and six touchdowns on 83 carries. Jordan was the first player in school history to win the Pac12’ s Offensive Freshman of the Year award. He also earned secondteam allconference honors.
“Words cannot express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling right now upon learning of the tragic death of our teammate and brother, Ty Jordan,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement. “Ty’s personality and smile were infectious and he made a huge impact on our program in the short time he was with us. He leaves an indelible mark on each of us and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. From the bottom of our hearts, all of us in the Utah Football Family want to say we love you Ty and may you rest in peace.”
Cure Bowl: Elijah James blocked Massimo Biscardi’s 42yard field goal attempt in overtime to give No. 23 Liberty a 3734 victory over No. 9 Coastal Carolina on Saturday night in a wild finish in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl in Orlando.
Liberty ( 101) took the lead on Alex Barbir’s 44yard field goal on the first extra possession.
Coastal Carolina ( 111) got a huge break in regulation when Liberty’s Joshua Mack fumbled inside the 1 with 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Safety Alex Spillum recovered the fumble to end the long drive.
Malik Willis ran for 137 yards and four touchdowns for Liberty. The Flames’ only loss came to North Carolina State on a blocked field goal.
Coastal Carolina overcame an early 140 deficit, and drove 72 yards to tie it in the fourth quarter. Grayson McCall ran in a 2point conversion to make it 3434 after throwing a 5yard touchdown pass to Greg Latushko with 3: 01 remaining
Coastal Carolina had won 12 straight.
It was the first time any ranked team had played in the sixyearold bowl, which was moved to prime time after being scheduled in the early afternoon. The teams were scheduled to meet Dec. 5, but that game was canceled because of COVID19.
Willis led touchdown drives of 64 and 66 yards on the Flames’ first two possessions, running 7 yards for the first touchdown and 6 yards to make it 140 late in the first quarter.
Braden Matts’ interception turned the game in Coastal Carolina’s direction early in the second quarter. Biscardi’s 21yard field goal got the Chanticleers on the board, and McCall connected with tight end Isaiah Likely on a 25yard touchdown pass to make it 1410 with 2: 02 left in the half.
First Responder Bowl: Trey Ragas scored on a 1yard plunge with 7: 16 left and No. 16 LouisianaLafayette beat UTSA 3124 in the First Responder Bowl at SMU’s Ford Stadium in Dallas.
The Ragin’ Cajuns ( 101) drove 72 yards in 12 plays for the winning score after UTSA ( 75) overcame a 247 secondhalf deficit to tie it.
“We made it entertaining again,” LouisianaLafayette coach Billy Napier said. “It’s too late to have a rahrah speech. At that point you’ve either got the ownership, the character to regroup and make adjustments to compete and play through the ups and downs of the game or you don’t.”
UTSA associate head coach/ offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. directed the Roadrunners after firstyear coach Jeff Traylor twice tested positive for COVID19 this week and didn’t accompany the team. Lunney said the Roadrunners were missing 15 to 20 team members, including other assistant coaches and players.
“It could have easily gotten out of hand,” Lunney said. “Our guys came to life and turned the tide. We just couldn’t finish the game. We did just enough in all three phases to lose the game, but we also did just enough in all three phases to be in the game.”
LendingTree Bowl: Georgia State’s second trip to Mobile, Ala., this season was even more successful than its first.
The Panthers scored touchdowns on four consecutive firsthalf possessions Saturday in the LendingTree Bowl in a 3921 victory over Western Kentucky at LaddPeebles Stadium. Georgia State ( 64) beat Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama 3114 on Nov. 21, across town at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Redshirt freshman Cornelius “Quad” Brown threw for 226 yards and three secondquarter touchdowns. Destin Coates added 117 yards and a touchdown rushing, part of a 227yard day on the ground for Georgia State.
Brown threw an interception on the Panthers’ second possession, leading to a talkingto from coach Shawn Elliott.
“I told him, ‘ You can’t win the game on one play,’ ” Elliott said. “He settled down after that. On the third drive we started clicking.”