WEEK 15 // 2024
“He’s a magician. LaMagic, LaComeback, whatever you want to call him.”
- Linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. on teammate LaNorris Sellers, who capped a game-winning 75-yard scoring drive with a TD in No. 15 South Carolina’s 17-14 rivalry upset of No. 12 Clemson
Penn State clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game with a 44-7 victory over Maryland. The Nittany Lions’ conference title game path cleared when Michigan beat then No. 2 Ohio State, 13-10.
The Nittany Lions scored touchdowns on four of their five possessions in the second quarter and the Penn State defense forced four punts, a turnover on downs and had two interceptions before halftime. Additionally, Penn State recorded six total sacks.
Tyler Warren set a Big Ten record for receptions by a tight end in the first quarter. He also became Penn State’s all-time leader in touchdown catches by a tight end with his 17th on a 7-yard pass from Drew Allar.
No. 3 Penn State heads to Indianapolis to face No. 1 Oregon with the Big Ten title and a firstround bye in the College Football Playoff at stake.
The Big Ten Championship is set to kickoff on Saturday, December 7, at 6 p.m. PHX on CBS.
Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State, 13-10, ending the Buckeyes’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left to secure the Wolverines’ fourth consecutive win against their bitter rival.
Kalel Mullings was Michigan’s primary weapon, rushing for 116 yards and the Wolverines’ only touchdown of the game. After a 77-yard drive ended with a red zone interception by Davis Warren, the Michigan defense forced a three-and-out to get the ball back for its offense.
The offense drove 57 yards, including a 27-yard gain by Mullings on third down to set the Wolverines up in the red zone. Michigan ran the ball a few more times and forced Ohio State to burn through its remaining timeouts before Zvada sealed the win.
Michigan (7-5) learns its Bowl Season fate on Sunday, December 8.
7 DEC 7
For a full schedule of Week 15 games, click here. (All times in PHX)
No. 16 Iowa State and No. 15 Arizona State meet for the first time ever with high stakes, including a spot in the College Football Playoff – and possible berth in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones enter with a pass-heavy attack behind Rocco Becht, while the Sun Devils aim to outpace them on the ground with Cam Skattebo.
Arizona State is on a five-game win streak that includes victories against ranked Kansas State, BYU and last weekend’s 49-7 Territorial Cup win against Arizona. The Sun Devils have increased their win total by six from last season in large part due to the play of Skattebo, who has rushed for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns.
For the Cyclones, Becht continues to be a threat with his arm. With a dynamic group of receivers, Becht comes into this game having thrown for 3,021 yards and 20 touchdowns. Iowa State has won a school record 10 games and has two 1,000-yard receivers (Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins) for the first time as well.
Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PHX on Saturday, December 7, on ABC.
ESPN (Schlabach) – No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Boise State
Action Network – No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Arizona State
Athlon Sports – No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 4 Boise State
247 Sports – No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Boise State
College Football News – No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Arizona State
Sporting News – No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 4 Boise State
ESPN (Bonagura) – Nebraska vs. Texas Tech
ESPN (Schlabach) – Rutgers vs. Texas Tech
Action Network – Rutgers vs. TCU
247 Sports – Rutgers vs. Baylor
CBS – Rutgers vs. Texas Tech
College Football News – Rutgers vs. TCU
In Tampa Bay’s 26-23 OT win over the Carolina Panthers, rookie running back Bucky Irving generated 152 rushing yards on 25 carriesboth career highs-with a touchdown.
Over his last two games, he has 337 total offensive yards, increasing his season total to 1,017 total yards and six touchdowns. Against the Panthers, Irving scored a go-ahead touchdown on a 6-yard run with 8:58 on the clock to give the Buccaneers a 17-16 edge. He later added a 43-yard run on a field goal drive in the fourth quarter.
Irving recorded 14 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown for Oregon in the 2023-24 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Oregon wrapped up a stretch of six straight touchdown drives with a 1-yard Irving plunge across the goal line less than a minute into the fourth quarter in the 45-6 victory over Liberty.
Tampa Bay hosts the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, December 8, at 11 a.m. PHX on CBS.
Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher, ran for a season-high 188 yards and three touchdowns in his final home game, a 52-15 win over West Virginia. Two of Brooks’ touchdowns came on 2-yard runs from direct snaps, and the other was a 37-yard breakaway.
Brooks ran for at least 100 yards in all 11 regular-season games he played this season, breaking the single-season school record for 100-yard games. Entering Bowl Season, Brooks has 17 rushing touchdowns this season and 45 for his career, in addition to a school-record 4,557 career yards.
Hawaii true freshman Micah Alejado completed 37-of-57 passes for 469 yards and five touchdowns in his first collegiate start, leading the Rainbow Warriors to a 38-30 win over New Mexico. Alejado added 54 yards rushing, giving him 523 total yards to break Cole McDonald’s previous school record of 514 total yards. Alejado also broke the program’s single-game mark by a freshman of 403 yards passing set by current Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang in 2000.
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 15:
• In CFP’s Week 15 rankings, No. 1 Oregon remains at the top. Penn State moved up to No. 3 followed by No. 6 Ohio State, No. 9 Indiana and No. 21 Illinois
• The Big Ten announced its football All-Conference teams and individual awards, here
• Indiana’s Curt Cignetti earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors after leading the Hoosiers to a program-record 11 wins
• Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year after leading the top-ranked Ducks to their first perfect regular season since 2010
• Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke recorded a career-high six touchdown passes, tying the most for an IU quarterback, in Indiana’s 66-0 win over Purdue. Rourke threw a career-long 84-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and leads the nation in passing efficiency at 181.4%
• Michigan’s Dominic Zvada connected on two field goals, including the go-ahead field goal with 0:45 in the fourth quarter in Michigan’s 13-10 win against Ohio State. Zvada is the first Michigan kicker to make five field goals of 50-plus yards in the same season
• Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai became the first offensive player in program history to be named a unanimous first-team all-Big Ten selection
• Arizona State advanced a spot to No. 15 in the CFP Week 15 rankings, followed by No. 16 Iowa State, No. 18 BYU and No. 23 Colorado
• The Big 12 announced its football All-Conference teams and individual awards, here.
• With four interceptions, 11 pass breakups and a record-breaking season on both sides of the ball, Travis Hunter became Colorado’s first Conference Defensive Player of the Year since Jordon Dizon in 2007
• A total of nine Big 12 teams are bowl eligible following the regular season with eight posting at least eight victories
• Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham was named Chuck Neinas Big 12 Coach of the Year after posting the largest single-year win improvement in school history, improving the Sun Devils’ record by seven wins
• Utah’s Zemaiah Vaughn recorded six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown against UCF. Vaughn also became the first Utah player with a pick six and a forced fumble in the same game since 2006
• TCU’s Ethan Craw was instrumental in winning the field position battle of TCU’s win in snowy Cincinnati with four of his five punts downed inside the 20. His longest punt of the day, a 65-yard boomer, was TCU’s longest punt in a decade
Beginning with the historic CFP Quarterfinal on December 31, 2024, REVELXP will bring an elevated hospitality experience through premium seating for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, VIP pregame experiences and added benefits. Offerings include options from premium ticket options to private loft suites, all incorporating access to an exclusive pregame party at Heritage on the Great Lawn outside of State Farm Stadium leading into the 5:30 p.m. kickoff. Packages also offer special on-field pregame access.
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Premium Hospitality Packages provided by REVELXP are aimed to create an unforgettable one-stop-shop experience for local fans in Arizona and fans traveling to the state following their favorite team competing in the firstever 12-team playoff.
To read the full release, click here
Fiesta Bowl Charities teamed up with DICK’s Sporting Goods and Fighter Country Foundation to spread holiday cheer with a festive shopping spree for 51 children from Luke Air Force Base with an active, deployed parent.
In the eighth annual Operation Santa partnership with Fighter Country Foundation, a nonprofit that is dedicated to supporting the Luke Air Force Base community, each child received a $300 DICK’s Sporting Goods gift card to spend at the Arrowhead Towne Center location in Glendale. Fiesta Bowl staff and volunteers accompanied the children to assist them in their shopping spree.
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