Saturday bowl tracker: Texas Tech overcomes rough start, beats Cal in Independence Bowl

The first few seconds of the game couldn't have gone worse for Texas Tech.

But despite fumbling away the opening kick return and immediately giving up a touchdown, the Red Raiders cruised to a 34-14 victory on Saturday night in the Independence Bowl to cap off the first day of bowl season.

After trailing early, QB Behren Morton and the TTU offense kicked it into high gear with three straight touchdown drives to take control. Morton threw TD passes to cap off all three drives, and that gave TTU a 24-14 halftime lead.

Morton finished the day with 256 passing yards and the three TD tosses along with one interception.

Cal started off hot, with QB Fernando Mendoza finding Monroe Young for a 25-yard touchdown pass on the opening offensive play of the game. Jadyn Ott's TD run gave the Bears a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, but Cal's offense fizzled after that. Three interceptions and a lost fumble by Mendoza didn't help the cause. He was also sacked six times.

Texas Tech finishes 7-6 while Cal ends the season 6-7.

UCLA pulls away from Boise State in LA Bowl

UCLA used a big third quarter to surge ahead of Boise State and win the LA Bowl 35-22.

The Bruins trailed 16-7 at halftime and scored 21 points in the third quarter as QB Ethan Garbers had to enter the game to replace the injured Collin Schlee. Garbers didn’t start the game because he wasn’t healthy enough, but was forced into action after Schlee had to exit the game.

Schlee threw for a TD and ran seven times for 127 yards before his injury. Garbers came in and was on fire as a passer as the Bruins quickly turned the game around. Garbers threw a TD to Kyle Ford to cut Boise State’s lead to two early in the third quarter and then two TD runs by TJ Harden gave UCLA a 12-point lead by the end of the quarter.

After a TD pass to J. Michael Sturdivant, Boise State cut UCLA’s lead to 13 in the fourth quarter. However, an onside kick with just over five minutes to go was recovered by the Bruins and UCLA was able to run out the clock the rest of the way.

The win means UCLA finishes the season at 8-5 while the Mountain West champion Broncos end the season at 8-6.

Fresno State easily wins New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State spoiled New Mexico State’s quest for 11 wins during the New Mexico Bowl.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-3 lead at halftime and then closed the door in the fourth quarter on the way to a 37-10 win. Mikey Keene threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns and added another on the ground.

Keene — who was 31-of-39 passing — hit Josiah Freeman for Fresno State’s first touchdown and then found Jaelen Gill in the second quarter. That was enough for the Bulldogs as New Mexico State couldn’t muster much of a pass game and had two punts and two turnovers on its first four possessions of the game.

The Aggies entered the game at 10-4 and looking for the program’s first 11-win season since 1960. Fresno State, meanwhile, stumbled down the stretch and had lost its last three games of the season by a combined 47 points.

The Bulldogs won the game without head coach Jeff Tedford. He missed the game because of health reasons as defensive coordinator Tim Skipper served as the team’s interim coach.

App State wins wet Cure Bowl filled with 13 fumbles

Appalachian State took down Miami (Ohio) 13-9 in a soggy and fumble-filled Cure Bowl.

The entire game was played in a Florida downpour and the two teams combined for 13 fumbles. Each team had three turnovers — App State threw an interception — and somehow eight of those fumbles were recovered by the fumbling team.

Miami’s final fumble ended their chances of a win. Keyon Mozee fumbled while fighting for additional yards just past midfield with 2:39 to go. App State recovered and was able to run out the clock thanks to two big runs by Anderson Castle.

Castle finished the game with 20 carries for 119 yards. Mozee's fumble was the 12th of the game. Castle fumbled on his first carry after Mozee's fumble, but was able to recover the ball himself.

App State QB Joey Aguilar scored his team’s only TD with 4:46 to go in the third quarter. That gave the Mountaineers a 13-3 lead. Miami responded with a TD less than three minutes later, but never threatened to take the lead after that.

Appalachian State finishes the season at 9-5 while the MAC champion RedHawks end the season at 11-3. Rashad Amos rushed 33 times for 180 yards and a TD, while Miami passed for just 44 yards.

Jacksonville State wins New Orleans Bowl in OT

Jacksonville State got a bowl game win in its first season at the top level of college football.

The Gamecocks somehow gave up three defensive touchdowns to Louisiana and still beat the Ragin’ Cajuns 34-31 in overtime. Jacksonville State turned the ball over four times in total, but got a game-tying score with less than two minutes to go in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Garrison Rippa then kicked the winning field goal after Louisiana missed its field goal attempt in overtime.

Louisiana opened the scoring in the first quarter with a fumble return for a TD and also had two pick-6s. The second came in the fourth quarter with 5:32 to go as Tyree Skipper put Louisiana up 7 after picking off a pass and running 43 yards for a score.

But Zion Webb found Perry Carter with 1:46 to go to tie the game and send it to overtime for Jacksonville State.

The Gamecocks finish 2023 at 9-4 under former Michigan and West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. It was their first season at the top level of college football and only made the New Orleans Bowl because there weren’t enough bowl-eligible teams with six wins or more. Teams in their first or second seasons at the FBS level are ineligible for bowl games.

Louisiana finishes the season at 6-7.

Ohio wins Myrtle Beach Bowl

Ohio jumped to a 27-0 lead on the way to a 41-21 win over Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Saturday.

The Bobcats led 20-0 after the first half of the first game of bowl season, despite playing without QB Kurtis Rourke and other key offensive pieces. Rourke announced earlier in the week that he is transferring to Indiana. He was the 2022 MAC offensive player of the year.

QB Parker Navarro started in Rourke's place, and running back Rickey Hunt rushed 17 times for 115 yards and four touchdowns as the Bobcats finished the season 10-3. The victory gives Ohio back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

In fact, Ohio has won 10 games in just four seasons. It’s an incredible feat for coach Tim Albin after the Bobcats were 3-9 in his first season replacing Frank Solich in 2021.

Georgia Southern finishes the season at 6-7. QB Davis Brin threw three interceptions as the Eagles committed five turnovers. Those turnovers meant GSU was forced to attempt a last-ditch comeback that had little hope after Ohio was up by four scores early in the third quarter.