2019 // week 15
WEEK 15 WHAT’S NEW QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You can’t build a consistent conference or national contender unless you own your state. You have to win your division before you can win the conference championship.” Virginia Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall after snapping 15-game losing streak against Virginia Tech Photo credit of AP Photo/Steve Helber
TEAM TO WATCH: CLEMSON No. 3 Clemson may be one of the most balanced teams in college football. The Tigers closed the regular season in dominating fashion, defeating SEC opponent South Carolina, 38-3, in Columbia last Saturday. The sixth straight win against the Gamecocks marked the 27th consecutive victory for Clemson and eighth undefeated regular season in program history. Junior running back Travis Etienne scored two rushing touchdowns in last Saturday’s season finale. With the two touchdowns, Etienne broke the ACC record for career rushing touchdowns (53) previously held by Pittsburgh’s James Conner (52). Quarterback sensation Trevor Lawrence was also impressive, completing 26-of-36 passes, including 18 consecutive completions to post a new school and ACC (tied) record. Under the primetime spotlight, No. 3 Clemson kicks off against No. 23 Virginia in the ACC Championship this Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on ABC. A fifth consecutive ACC Championship title would likely guarantee the Tigers a spot in this season’s College Football Playoff.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: AUBURN In one of the most exciting rivalry games to close out the regular season, No. 11 Auburn took down then-No. 5 Crimson Tide, 48-45, during the Iron Bowl at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday. On the sixth anniversary of Auburn’s Chris Davis’ Iron Bowl winning kick return, sophomore duo Smoke Monday and Zakoby McClain each returned an interception for a touchdown, while sophomore kicker Anders Carlson kicked four long field goals in a wild Iron Bowl victory. A dual-threat quarterback, freshman Bo Nix rushed for a 7-yard touchdown to put the Tigers on the board and threw a 14-yard pass to senior wide receiver Sal Cannella to tie the game, 24-24, with a 1:06 before the half. Nix sealed the deal for Auburn with a pass to sophomore wide receiver Shedrick Jackson for a two-point conversion to put the Tigers on top 48-45 with 8:08 remaining. No. 11 Auburn is now 7-0 all-time at home against Alabama when both teams are ranked in the AP poll. Auburn await its fate this weekend as Bowl team announcements will be made live on Selection Sunday, Dec. 8, starting at 10:15 a.m. on ESPN.
WEEK 15 CFP RANKINGS 1. Ohio State 2. LSU 3. Clemson 4. Georgia 5. Utah
6. Oklahoma 7. Baylor 8. Wisconsin 9. Florida 10. Penn State
For full rankings, click here.
BOWL PREDICTIONS ESPN Bonagura: LSU vs. Clemson
ESPN Bonagura: Air Force vs Liberty
CBS: LSU vs. Clemson
CBS: Liberty vs. San Diego State
Stadium McMurphy: LSU vs. Clemson
Stadium McMurphy: Iowa State vs. Air Force
USA Today: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
USA Today: Washington State vs. Nevada
247 Sports: LSU vs. Clemson
247 Sports: Air Force vs. San Diego State
The Athletic Mandel: LSU vs. Clemson
The Athletic Mandel: Iowa State vs. Air Force
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 15
WEEK 15 WHAT’S ON TAP GAMES OF THE WEEK PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP
#5 UTAH VS #13 OREGON 12.6 | 6 PM | ABC
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
#7 BAYLOR VS #6 OKLAHOMA 12.7 | 10 AM | ABC
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
#4 GEORGIA VS #2 LSU 12.7 | 2 PM | CBS
MWC CHAMPIONSHIP
HAWAI’I AT #19 BOISE STATE 12.7 | 2 PM | ESPN
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
#23 VIRGINIA VS #3 CLEMSON 12.7 | 5:30 PM | ABC
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: ANDY DALTON While still in the Mountain West Conference (MWC), Andy Dalton led TCU to a perfect 12-0 regular season regular, a MWC Championship, No. 7 rank in the AP Poll and the program’s only Fiesta Bowl berth. In a non-Power Five battle, TCU fell short to a Chris Petersenled Boise State, 17-10, in the Horned Frogs only Fiesta Bowl appearance. In the game, Dalton passed for 272 yards to become TCU’s career leader with 7,457, breaking Max Knake’s previous mark of 7,370 yards (1992-95). A second round draft pick in 2011, the 6-foot-2, 220 pound multiple Pro Bowler made his return to the field this past weekend and led Cincinnati to its first win of the season. An emotional home victory, the Bengals beat the New York Jets, 22-6. Dalton was 22-for-37 passing for 243 yards and his touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd was his 196th passing touchdown in his career. Dalton set a new team career passing touchdown record, previously held by Bengals legend and 1981 NFL MVP Ken Anderson.
HEISMAN WATCH: CHASE YOUNG Two weeks ago, Chase Young reinserted himself into the Heisman Trophy race with three sacks, four tackles for loss and a career-high nine tackles overall in then-No. 2 Ohio State’s 28-17 victory over Penn State. Young’s 16.5 sacks on the season broke the program’s single-season sack record of 14 set by Fiesta Bowl alum Vernon Gholston in 2007. At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Young is also second on the program’s career sacks list with 30.5, sitting behind Mike Vrabel (36). Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame have the most Heisman trophy winners with seven each. The last Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy was quarterback Troy Smith in 2006. The Big Ten Championship this weekend will provide Young one last time to make a statement to Heisman voters. Kickoff against top-10 Wisconsin begins on Saturday at 6 p.m. on FOX.
WHERE IS COLLEGE GAMEDAY?
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
#8 WISCONSIN VS #1 OHIO STATE 12.7 | 6 PM | FOX
For a full schedule of Week 15 games, click here. (All times in AZ)
Two storied programs face off with College Football Playoff implications on the line as No. 2 LSU and No. 4 Georgia meet in Atlanta for the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The second-ranked Tigers closed the regular season with an undefeated 12-0 record, while Georgia finished 11-1. Last year, LSU upset a then-second-ranked Georgia in a hostile Death Valley environment, 36-16. This will be the first time these two teams have met in the SEC Championship since they played in 2011. Eight years ago, the Tigers won their 15th conference championship after overwhelming the Bulldogs in the second half, 42-10, in Atlanta. LSU has a slight lead in the all-time series over Georgia, 17-13-1. Kickoff on Saturday, December 7, is 2 p.m. on CBS.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 15
FIESTA BOWL FACTS BCBSAZ VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: TIM BROWN
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Most college football fans remember the 2007 Fiesta Bowl classic between Boise State and Oklahoma well, but not many remember it better than 16-year Fiesta Bowl volunteer Tim Brown. “I have a lot of great memories from my time with the Fiesta Bowl but watching that game- that comebackwith my three boys is something I will never forget,� Brown said. For Brown, that was just one of the many rewarding moments he got to experience as a Fiesta Bowl volunteer. READ MORE
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT: OPERATION SANTA With the Holidays around the corner, Santa was able to bring some Christmas miracles to a group of special and deserving children in the West Valley area.
SHORT AND TWEET The third episode of the Fiesta Bowl Football Focus podcast has dropped, featuring a conversation with @Big12Conference Commissioner @BobBowlsby!
On Tuesday evening, Fiesta Bowl Charities partnered with USAA and Dick’s Sporting Goods to provide 40 Valley children with an active, deployed parent in the military a holiday shopping spree inside Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale, Arizona.
Just search “Fiesta Bowl� in your preferred podcast app to download, listen and subscribe today.
The 40 children were selected as part of the Fighter Country Foundation, a local organization that focuses on the supporting programs and services at Luke Air Force Base that aid, support and honor Airmen and their families.
More from our playground build with @kaboom and @BHHSLegacy at Fort Mohave Community Park last month.
VIEW ALBUM
đ&#x;“¸
3 DAYS ‘til Selection Sunday! Who do you want to see in the @CFBPlayoff Semifinal at this year’s @PlayStation #FiestaBowl?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 15
FOLLOW US Stay connected with the Fiesta Bowl! “Like” us so you don’t miss a beat. FIESTABOWL.ORG
DECEMBER 27, 2019 CHASE FIELD
/FiestaBowl
DECEMBER 28, 2019 STATE FARM STADIUM
@Fiesta_Bowl @CheezItBowl