2018 Outback Bowl
32nd Outback Bowl
Michigan Wolverines South Carolina Gamecocks
(8–4) (8–4)
Big Ten SEC
19 26
Head coach: 
Jim Harbaugh		 Head coach: 
Will Muschamp
1234 Total
Michigan 63100 19
South Carolina 031310 26
DateJanuary 1, 2018
Season2017
StadiumRaymond James Stadium
LocationTampa, Florida
MVPJake Bentley (QB, South Carolina)[1]
FavoriteMichigan by 9
RefereeStuart Mullins (ACC)
Attendance45,687[2]
PayoutUS$$6,308,560[3]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN2
AnnouncersAdam Amin, Dusty Dvoracek, Molly McGrath
Outback Bowl
 < 2017  2019 > 

The 2018 Outback Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on January 1, 2018, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 32nd annual Outback Bowl was one of the 2017–18 NCAA football bowl games concluding the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game was nationally televised on ESPN2, and its title sponsor is the Outback Steakhouse restaurant franchise.

Teams

The game featured the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference in their fourth meeting against each other, and second meeting in the Outback Bowl.[4]

Michigan

Main article: 2017 Michigan Wolverines football team

After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Wolverines were selected to their sixth Outback Bowl appearance, the most Outback Bowl appearances by any team. This was their 46th bowl game appearance, the 11th-highest total all-time among FBS schools.[5]

South Carolina

Main article: 2017 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Gamecocks were selected to their fifth Outback Bowl appearance, tying them with four other teams for the second-most Outback Bowl appearances. This was their 22nd bowl game appearance. South Carolina won the previous meeting against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2013 Outback Bowl, by a score of 33–28.[6]

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP MICH SCAR
1 3:42 8 29 3:37 MICH 35-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 3 0
1 0:09 6 23 2:16 MICH 26-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 6 0
2 8:45 5 45 1:36 SCAR 45-yard field goal by Parker White 6 3
2 0:00 8 33 1:18 MICH 45-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 9 3
3 9:56 7 72 7:34 MICH Ben Mason 1-yard touchdown run, Quinn Nordin kick good 16 3
3 5:42 4 2 1:10 MICH 48-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 19 3
3 2:25 6 77 3:17 SCAR Rico Dowdle 18-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, 2-point pass failed 19 9
3 0:51 1 21 0:06 SCAR Bryan Edwards 21-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good 19 16
4 11:33 6 81 2:12 SCAR Shi Smith 53-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good 19 23
4 3:47 4 9 1:55 SCAR 22-yard field goal by Parker White 19 26
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 19 26

Statistics

1 2 3 4 Total
Wolverines 6 3 10 0 19
Gamecocks 0 3 13 10 26
Statistics MICH SCAR
First downs 17 13
Plays–yards 78–277 58–302
Rushes–yards 33–74 26–61
Passing yards 203 239
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–45–2 19–32–1
Time of possession 34:17 25:43
2018 FryinNanni signs
Team Category Player Statistics
MICH Passing Brandon Peters 20/44, 186 yds, 2 INT
Rushing Karan Higdon 17 car, 65 yds
Receiving Kekoa Crawford 5 rec, 61 yds
SCAR Passing Jake Bentley 19/32, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Rico Dowdle 6 car, 45 yds, 1 TD
Receiving Bryan Edwards 5 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD

Mascot

The 2018 Outback Bowl marked the first appearance of SB Nation sportswriter and mixed martial artist Ryan Nanni as the Bloomin' Onion mascot.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Outback Bowl MVP Jake Bentley". outbackbowl.com. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "Bentley leads South Carolina past Michigan 26-19 in Outback". ESPN. Associated Press. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  3. ^ "Bowl Payout". collegefootballpoll.com. December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  4. ^ "Michigan and South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl". outbackbowl.com. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "Michigan, South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl on New Year's Day". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  6. ^ "Gamecocks Accept Outback Bowl Bid". gamecocksonline.com. CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  7. ^ Diaz, Hector (December 5, 2017). "Local man achieves his dreams, becomes Bloomin' Onion mascot thanks to 10,000 retweets". SB Nation. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  8. ^ Rock, Taylor (December 8, 2017). "Outback Bowl Bloomin' Onion costume hijacked by persistent sportswriter". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
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