TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — CJ Bailey threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, and scored another on the ground as NC State took down Memphis 31-7 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday.
The Wolfpack concluded their season at 8-5 (4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) and won a bowl game for the first time since the 2017 Sun Bowl.
Jayden “Duke” Scott racked up 108 rushing yards to pace the NC State offense. Wesley Grimes led with 48 receiving yards and a score on three catches and six targets.
NC State struck first on their opening drive as Bailey scampered for a 14-yard rush. The Wolfpack scored on all but two of their first-half drives to take a 31-7 lead into halftime.
Grimes hauled in a 31-yard touchdown, Teddy Hoffman took his only catch for a 40-yard score, and Will Wilson tacked on a 1-yard rushing touchdown before time expired in the first half.
The Tigers (8-5, 4-4 American Conference) got on the board with Jamari Hawkins’ 28-yard reception. Hawkins had four catches for 32 yards.
MYRTLE BEACH BOWL
WESTERN MICHIGAN 41, KENNESAW STATE 6
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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Jalen Buckley ran for 174 yards, and Western Michigan scored on a fumble recovery and a pick-6 on its way to rolling Kennesaw State in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
The Broncos finished their season at 10-4 and became the first team in program history to win a conference championship and a bowl game. They reached 10 wins for the second time, joining the 13-1 2016 team.
Western Michigan jumped ahead early on its first play of the game, as Buckley broke free for a 65-yard rushing touchdown for his only score of the game. They scored again less than a minute later as defensive lineman Kershawn Fisher scored on a 47-yard fumble recovery.
Blake Bosma and Mareyohn Hrabowski each caught touchdowns before the end of the first quarter and Devin Miles added a rushing score in the second. Western Michigan led 34-0 at halftime.
Joey Pope’s 75-yard pick-6 to start the third quarter completed the scoring for the Broncos.
Javon Rogers caught an 82-yard touchdown pass from Amari Odom to get Kennesaw State (10-4) on the board. Odom was 18-of-35 passing for 209 yards, and was intercepted twice.
The Myrtle Beach Bowl was the only bowl game this season, outside of the College Football Playoff, to feature two conference champions. Western Michigan beat Miami (Ohio) to win the Mid-American Conference and Kennesaw State beat Jacksonville State to win Conference USA.
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