WEEK 14 // 2024
QUOTE
“I did not know if they were going to storm the field or not, and I turned around and some fan was smacking me in the head. That is when I was like, ‘Whoa, this is pretty sweet.’”
- Auburn’s Payton Thorne following the Tigers’ nail-biting 4OT win over No. 15 Texas A&M, 43-41
TEAM TO WATCH
TEAM of the week ARIZONA STATE OKLAHOMA
No. 16 Arizona State moved into a tie for the Big 12 Conference lead with one week remaining following its second win against ranked opponents in as many weeks. The Sun Devils held on in the final seconds to defeat then No. 14 BYU, 28-23, to complete an undefeated home slate (6-0) for the first time since 2004.
Javan Robinson’s interception with 1:04 left looked as if it would close it out for Arizona State, but the Sun Devils stalled on their ensuing offensive drive. Sam Leavitt attempted to run the clock out by throwing the ball out of bounds on fourth down, but officials ruled there was one second remaining. A final BYU Hail Mary from the Cougars’ 49-yard line fell short, sealing the Sun Devils victory.
Cam Skattebo carried the load once again for Arizona State, rushing for 147 yards and three touchdowns to take a 21-3 lead into halftime. Leavitt threw for 247 yards and a touchdown.
The Sun Devils will pay a visit to in-state rival Arizona this Saturday, November 30, at 1:30 p.m. PHX on FOX. With a win, ASU clinches a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Oklahoma clinched a bowl berth after defeating then No. 7 Alabama, 24-3, last Saturday. Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold ran for 131 yards, while true freshman running back Xavier Robinson ran for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Robinson’s 18-yard touchdown run with :37 left in the second quarter put the Sooners up 10-3 at halftime. Before the break, Oklahoma held a significant advantage in total offensive yards (242-97) over the Crimson Tide.
Eli Bowen intercepted Alabama’s Jalen Milroe on the third play of the second half and returned it 25 yards to Alabama’s 14-yard line. Robinson’s 1-yard touchdown run increased Oklahoma’s lead to 17-3. On the next possession, Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis intercepted Milroe and ran it back 49 yards for a touchdown to put the Sooners up, 24-3, with 8:05 left in the third quarter.
Oklahoma finishes the regular season at LSU on Saturday, November 30, at 5:00 p.m. PHX on ESPN.
GAMES Watch to
For a full schedule of Week 14 games, click here. (All times in PHX)
GAME OF THE WEEK
A classic college football rivalry resumes after more than a decade when No. 3 Texas travels to No. 20 Texas A&M on Saturday. The SEC has confirmed that whoever wins the game will face No. 7 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Texas A&M is coming off a four-overtime loss to Auburn and dropped to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in conference games. Texas A&M has done a good job of protecting the football this season; its 11 turnovers are the third-fewest in the SEC.
Meanwhile, Texas has forced 24 turnovers and is ranked second nationally in total defense. The Longhorns have converted those 24 turnovers into 83 points. Texas (10-1, 6-1) is coming off of a win over Kentucky, 31-14.
The Lone Star State battle is set for kickoff at 5:30 p.m. PHX on ABC.
(Bonagura) – No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Boise State
RATE BOWL
highlight alumni
SAQUON BARKLEY
Saquon Barkley is hurdling over career, Eagles and NFL records in addition to opposing defenders. Barkley became one of the frontrunners in the race for NFL MVP after rushing for 255 yards in a 37-20 Eagles victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
His 255 yards on the night were only 41 yards shy of Adrian Peterson’s NFL single-game record of 296 from 2007, and the ninth-most all-time in a game in NFL history. Barkley also added four catches for 47 yards, putting his all-purpose total at 302 yards-also a career-best. Barkley has rushed for 1,392 yards in 11 games. With six games left, Barkley is 215 yards away from breaking the Philadelphia’s single-season rushing record set by LeSean McCoy in 2013.
In the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, Barkley led Penn State to a 35-28 victory over Washington. Barkley set a Fiesta Bowl and Penn State record with a 92yard touchdown run.
The Eagles travel to face the Ravens on Sunday, December 1, with kickoff at 2:25 p.m. PHX on CBS.
notable performances
DEVIN NEAL– KANSAS
Kansas’ Devin Neal ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 37 carries and caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown leading Kansas to a 37-21 upset over then No. 16 Colorado.
Neal, the AP National Player of the Week, opened the scoring with a 51-yard touchdown catch and continually was the answer for the Jayhawks. Neal’s rushing total was the second highest of his career and made him the first player in program history to surpass 1,000 yards in three seasons.
Neal scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown in last year’s Rate Bowl, helping Kansas to a 49-36 win over UNLV.
JAMES DJONKAM – EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan linebacker James Djonkam recorded 22 tackles, the most this season in the FBS, in a 37-20 loss to Buffalo.
The junior recorded a career high in tackles and tied for the third-most in a game by an Eastern Michigan player since 1998. Djonkam, an Arizona State transfer, recorded two tackles-forloss and a quarterback hurry.
In addition to receiving MAC Defensive Player of the Week, Djonkam was also an honorable mention for AP National Player of the Week.
big news
The Rate Bowl will once again feature Bowl Season’s only Big Ten vs. Big 12 matchup at a new afternoon time of 3:30 pm on Thursday, December 26. As we eagerly await kickoff in downtown Phoenix, we’re bringing you weekly game highlights, player reports and other updates from the two conferences. Here’s the BIG news for Week 14:
BIG TEN BIG 12
• The Big Ten landed three teams in the Week 14 CFP top five, No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. Indiana is ranked No. 10 after a loss at Ohio State and Illinois follows at No. 23
• 12 Big Ten teams are bowl eligible, with two more one win away
• Oregon (11-0) is the final remaining undefeated team in FBS
• Pat Bryant of Illinois scored his third game-winning touchdown in the final minute or overtime this season, leading the nation
• Ohio State’s Cody Simon led the Buckeyes’ defensive effort against Indiana’s 15th-ranked offensive unit with a game-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble
• Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz earned his 203rd career win beating Maryland, 29-13, on Nov. 23. The 26-year leader is two victories behind the legendary Woody Hayes for most victories at a Big Ten Conference program
• Big 12 has five teams in the CFP’s Week 14 rankings. No. 16 Arizona State leads after defeating BYU last weekend. No. 18 Iowa State, No. 19 BYU, No. 24 Kansas State and No. 25 Colorado follow
• Nine Big 12 teams are now bowl eligible with two more just one win away
• The Big 12 currently has a four-way tie at 6-2 between Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State for first place in the conference
• Both the Big 12’s 27 fourth-quarter lead changes and its nine go-ahead scores in the final minute of games during conference play are the most in FBS
• Arizona State has increased its win total by six from last season, which is the largest single-season turnaround in program history
• Shedeur Sanders is the only quarterback in FBS to rank in the top 10 nationally in completion percentage, passing yards and touchdowns entering Week 14
• BYU’s defense is among the nation’s best at disrupting opposing quarterbacks with a Team Passing Defense Efficiency of 102.9, which is the fifth-best mark in FBS
news in the foundation news in the foundation Parade
Grand Marshal
FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH ARIZONA INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION
The Fiesta Sports Foundation, organizer of the annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Rate Bowl and Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade, has joined with the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) to elevate the experience for Arizona’s high school studentathletes, schools, families, fans and partners through a multi-year partnership.
This is the next step in a strategic alliance between the organizations that began with the introduction of the Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown in 2023, and followed with the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Showdown and the announcement of the inaugural Fiesta Sports Foundation Preseason All-State teams in 2024 to recognize some of the top players in boys tackle and girls flag football.
The Fiesta Bowl was the presenting partner of the AIA Flag Football Championship. The 4A, 5A and 6A Championship games were played at Chandler High School last Saturday.
To read the full release, click here.
52ND
ANNUAL Vrbo FIESTA BOWL PARADE PRESENTED BY LERNER AND ROWE
One of the most inspirational sports journeys in Arizona history will be celebrated at the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, as Anthony Robles, an Arizonan and 2011 NCAA Wrestling Champion, serves as the Parade Grand Marshal. The two-mile procession through Central Phoenix takes place on Saturday, December 28, at 10 a.m. PHX.
The Mesa High School and Arizona State graduate was born without his right leg. Robles began his career at Arizona State as a walk-on but overcame extreme obstacles to become a three-time All-American. He capped his Sun Devils career by winning the 2011 national championship in the 125-pound class, defeating the defending champion in the final match. He is an inductee in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and ASU Sports Hall of Fame.
Robles’ incredible story is captured in the new film “Unstoppable” by Amazon MGM Studios. The limited theatrical release is slated for December 6, 2024, and will be released globally on Prime Video January 16, 2025.
To view the full release, click here.
CFP QUARTERFINAL AT THE Vrbo FIESTA BOWL
DECEMBER 31, 2024 | 5:30 PM
RATE BOWL
DECEMBER 26, 2024 | 3:30 PM