BOISE, Idaho – Zach Wilson set a BYU record and tied the NCAA bowl mark with 18-for-18 passing, throwing for 317 yards and four touchdowns in the Cougars’ 49-18 victory over Western Michigan on Friday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Selected the game’s MVP, Wilson tied the NCAA bowl record for completion percentage set by Wake Forest’s Riley Skinner at 11-for-11 in the 2008 EagleBank Bowl against Navy.
“I’ve been trying to let Zach loose for a long time now,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “I think an aggressive style of offense is what we need. This was really good for us to see that we could win a game when a team commits to stopping the run against us.”
Down 10-7 at halftime, BYU (7-6) scored 28 points in the third quarter. Wilson connected with Aleva Hifo for a 70-yard scoring strike, and Riley Burt had a 37-yard touchdown run in the quarter.
Western Michigan (7-6) rolled up 192 yards of offense in the first half, then managed only 41 yards on 18 plays in the decisive third quarter.
“I thought our defense did a great job of keeping us in it,” Western Michigan coach Tim Lester said. “Once they got a lead on us, they got after our secondary pretty good. We knew this game was going to be about which quarterback could get into a rhythm – we said that all week – and (Wilson) got comfortable.”
After taking over as the starter midway through the season, Wilson finished his freshman campaign with 1,587 passing yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 221 more yards.
FIU 35, Toledo 32
NASSAU, Bahamas – Florida International University fumbled away the opening kickoff, gave up a touchdown 23 seconds into the game and found itself trailing by double digits by the end of the first quarter of the Bahamas Bowl.
The Panthers needed a comeback – and Anthony Jones might know more about comebacks than anyone on their roster.
Jones, one of two FIU players who were victims of a drive-by shooting in September, rushed for three touchdowns, including the clincher with 41 seconds remaining as the Panthers (9-4) topped Toledo (7-6) and set a school record for wins in a season.
Jones tied a school record with his three scores.
“I’m extremely happy for my teammates, these seniors, all my coaches, the support staff at FIU, they were all behind me the whole time,” Jones said. “I’ve been extremely blessed by the man above.”
Jones and offensive lineman Mershawn Miller were shot in the city of Opa-locka – just north of downtown Miami – on the afternoon of Sept. 6. The alleged gunman is in custody and faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder. Miller was hit in the arm, while Jones was shot in the back and the bullet exited just under his eye. He lost about 20 pounds in the days afterward, during which he was fed by tube.
“This is a gift from God,” FIU coach Butch Davis said.
Eli Peters had three touchdown passes and threw for 264 yards for Toledo, which fell in a bowl game for the third consecutive year. Jon’Vea Johnson had two of those touchdown catches, and Diontae Johnson had six catches for 98 yards and a score for the Rockets.
It was FIU’s second bowl victory. The other came in 2010, also against Toledo.
Marshall 38, South Florida 20
TAMPA, Fla. – Isaiah Green completed 17 of 25 passes for 221 yards and ran for a first-quarter touchdown, and teammate Keion Davis ran for two scores as the Thundering Herd rolled in the Gasparilla Bowl late Thursday night.
Davis scored on runs of 5 and 16 yards, with the latter coming with 6:24 to play and – with Justin Rohrwasser’s extra-point kick – providing the final margin. Davis finished with 94 yards on 14 carries, while Brenden Knox gained 93 on 12, all during the first half.
The Bulls’ Blake Barnett, slowed by shoulder and ankle injuries, replaced Chris Oladokun at quarterback 10 minutes into the game and completed 11 of 23 passes for 212 yards. Barnett, a transfer from Arizona State who also started one game for Alabama in 2016, sat out two of the Bulls’ previous three games.
South Florida (7-6) lost the bowl game played on its home field to end the season by losing six in a row.