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CFB: Liberty Bowl Preview – Kansas Jayhawks (6-6) at Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6)

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CFB: Liberty Bowl Preview – Kansas Jayhawks (6-6) at Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6)

KANSAS JAYHAWKS NOTES:

KANSAS TAKES ON ARKANSAS IN THE 64TH AUTOZONE LIBERTY
BOWL
For the first time since beating Minnesota 42-21 in the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football
when they travel to Memphis to take on Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28. Both teams will be playing for a winning season as The Jayhawks and Razorbacks both enter with a 6-6 mark on the season. The two programs have met twice before, but not since a two-game series in 1905 and 1906 where Kansas won both matchups. Arkansas finished 3-5 in the SEC, dropping its final game of the season at Missouri, 29-27. Coach Sam Pittman’s team is led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed 185 of 271 passes this season for 2,361 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Sophomore running back Raheim Sanders was also a standout on offense, rushing for 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Overall, the Arkansas offense is ranked No. 26 in the country in total offense and the defense is ranked No. 123. On the flip side, Kansas enters ranked No. 38 in total offense, No. 28 in scoring offense and No. 122 in total defense. Kickoff for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl is set for 4:30 p.m., on ESPN with Dave O’Brien, Dan Mullen and Taylor McGregor on the call.

JAYHAWK QUICK HITS
• The Jayhawks enter their final regular season game, averaging 7.01 yards per play this season, which ranks tied for fifth nationally. The program record for yards per play in a season is 6.40, set in 1950.

• Kansas boasted one of the most improved offenses in the country during the 2022 season. The Jayhawks averaged 424.9 yards per game this year, after averaging 324.2 last year. The 100.7-yard improvement ranks fourth in the country and third among Power 5 teams. In addition, Andy Kotelnicki’s offense improved its scoring offense by 13.4 points per game, which ranked fifth in the country and fourth among Power 5 teams.

• The Jayhawks also improved their third down conversion percentage by 15 percent, which ranks second in the country behind Florida State.

• Entering the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Kansas ranks among the Top 30 nationally in several offensive categories. The Jayhawks rank fifth in team passing efficiency and seventh in fewest sacks allowed at 0.75 per game.

• Kansas is also ranked seventh in third down percentage at 50.4 percent and 28th in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game. The team’s rushing offense is just outside the Top 30, sitting 32nd at 194.7 rushing yards per game.

• Running back Devin Neal posted the 17th 1,000-yard rushing season in Kansas history earlier this season when he topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season with a 51-yard performance against Texas in the team’s final home game of the season.

• The Lawrence native then rushed for 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Kansas State and enters the bowl game with 1,061 rushing yards on the season. He is tied with Pooka Williams Jr., for 16th all-time in single-season rushing in program history.

• Defensive end Lonnie Phelps enters the postseason with seven sacks, which is the most by a Kansas player since Dorance Armstrong Jr., had 10 in 2016. Now a Dallas Cowboy, Armstrong has eight sacks this year in his fifth season in the NFL.

• First-Team All-Big 12 cornerback Cobee Bryant ranks fifth in the conference in passes defended at 11 and tied for sixth in interceptions with three. Bryant also had an interception return for a touchdown this season and a blocked field goal return for a score.

• Since 2000, only three Kansas teams have posted 2,500+ passing yards and 2,000+ rushing yards in the same season. This year’s team has 2,763 passing yards and 2,336 rushing yards. The only other teams since 2000 to top both marks were the 2003 and 2007 teams.

• Kansas quarterbacks this season are 205-for-315 for 2,763 yards. The completion percentage of 65.1 would be the second-best mark by the program since at least 1950. The only season that ended in a higher completion percentage was 2008 at 66.6.

• Both Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean are completing at least 64 percent of their passes. Since 2000, only Todd Reesing in 2008 had a completion percentage north of 64 with at least 125 attempts. Now, both Daniels and Bean have done it.

BY THE NUMBERS
13 – Kansas’ appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl marks Kansas’ 13th bowl appearance in school history, including its first since the 2008 season. Kansas holds a 6-6 record in Bowl games all-time. This year’s game marks Kansas’ first bowl game against an SEC team since the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl that Kansas dropped 10-0 to Mississippi State.

7.01 – Kansas enters its final regular season game averaging 7.01 yards per play this season, which ranks tied for fifth nationally and is on pace to break the school’s record for yards per play in a season of 6.40, set in 1950.

56 – The Kansas offense has scored 56 touchdowns this season, which is the most in single season since 2008, while the most over the last 10
seasons by a KU team was 36 (2019).

A KU WIN WOULD …
• Move Kansas to 595-675-58 all-time, including 9-16 under head coach Lance Leipold. Leipold’s career record would improve to 155-55.

• Give Kansas seven wins for the first time since 2008, when the Jayhawks finished 8-5 and won the Insight Bowl.

• Give Kansas its first Bowl victory since Dec. 31, 2008, when the Jayhawks defeated Minnesota in the Insight Bowl, 42-21.

• Make Kansas 7-6 in Bowl games all-time, while it would make Kansas 1-1 in the Liberty Bowl all-time.

• Make head coach Lance Leipold 3-1 in Bowl Games all-time, including his first Bowl victory since 2020 while at Buffalo.

• Make Kansas 3-0 against the Arkansas Razorbacks all-time. In a series that dates back to 1905 (W, 6-0) it would be Kansas’ first win over Arkansas since 1907 (W, 37-5).

• Make Kansas 64-71-10 all-time against the Southeastern Conference.

• Make Kansas 1-0 in games played on December 28 all-time.

BOWL MUST KNOWS
• This year’s appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl marks the 13th all-time bowl game in Kansas history.

• The Jayhawks have picked up wins in:

o 1961 BlueBonnet Bowl (Kansas 33, Rice 7)

o 1992 Aloha Bowl (Kansas 23, BYU 20)

o 1995 Aloha Bowl (Kansas 51, UCLA 30)

o 2005 Fort Worth Bowl (Kansas 42, Houston 13)

o 2008 Orange Bowl (Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21)

o 2008 Insight Bowl (Kansas 42, Minnesota 21)

• Laverne Smith holds the Kansas bowl game record with 118 rushing yards, which he did on 16 carries in the 1975 Sun Bowl versus Pittsburgh.

• Todd Reesing’s 313 passing yards against Minnesota in the 2008 Insight Bowl mark the Kansas bowl game record for passing yards.

• Of course, 201 of those yards went to Dezmon Briscoe, who holds the Kansas bowl game record with 201 receiving yards.

• This year’s appearance is the second all-time appearance for Kansas in the Liberty Bowl. The Jayhawks fell to NC State 31-18 in the 1973 Liberty Bowl.

• David Jaynes threw for 218 yards and a touchdown for the Jayhawks in his final game at KU. At the time, his 218 yards and 24 completions established a new Liberty Bowl record.

• This year’s game marks Kansas’ first bowl game against an SEC team since the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl that Kansas dropped 10-0 to Mississippi State.

PLAYING FOR HADL
• On November 30th, Kansas Football lost a legend when College Football Hall of Famer John Hadl passed away at the age of 82.

• Hadl earned first-team AP All-American honors in 1960 and 1961 and is one of two Jayhawks – with Gale Sayers being the other – to be named a two-time first-team AP All-American.

• Hadl then enjoyed a 16-year professional football career, earning six Pro Bowl appearances and being named the 1971 NFL Man of the Year.

• After his playing career, Hadl spent more than 30 years working at Kansas as a coach and then administrator.

• His No. 21 is one of three Kansas football numbers to be retired, along with No. 48 for Gale Sayers and No. 42 for Ray Evans.

• Statement from Head Football Coach Lance Leipold: “Upon my arrival, I heard instantly from people across the state about John’s impact to this department, not just as a studentathlete and coach, but as someone who dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to the University of Kansas. His desire to enhance KU and make it as special as possible truly resonated with me. To be the head coach of this program and see his statue every day outside Anderson Family Football Complex, is a firm reminder of the passion and love that John had for this program. Kelly and I send our condolences to the Hadl family and his loved ones.”

SKY’S THE LIMIT
• Kansas has continued to have a strong season offensively in 2022 under the direction of Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, whose offense returned nine starters from a season ago.

• The Jayhawks rank 28th in the country in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game. The Jayhawks averaged 20.8 points per game last season, ranking 111th of 130 teams. The 34.2 points per game are the most by a Kansas team since the 2007 squad averaged 42.7 points per game.

• Over the last 10 seasons, the highest scoring average for the Jayhawks was 23.5 in 2019.

• The Jayhawks are up to 56 touchdowns this season after not having more than 36 in any season over the last 10 years. The balance has been impeccable, with 27 rushing touchdowns and 27 passing touchdowns on the season.

• Kansas has rushed for 2,236 yards in 12 games, an average of 194.7 yards per game. That total ranks fifth in the Big 12 and No. 32 nationally. The Jayhawks are averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 412 attempts. Kansas ranked 58th in rushing offense last season.

• KU has continued to execute at a high-level on third downs this season. The Jayhawks lead the Big 12 in third-down percentage, converting on 71-of-141 (50%) attempts this season. That number also ranks seventh nationally.

• The Kansas offensive line did not allow a sack in the first three games of the season and the Jayhawks enter the bowl game of the season ranked seventh nationally with just nine sacks allowed. KU didn’t allow a sack against Oklahoma State or Texas in its final two home contests

• Kansas has topped the 500-yard mark five times this season and three times in conference play. From 2010 to 2018, Kansas topped the 500-yard mark just once in a conference game when the Jayhawks totaled 514 yards versus Iowa State in 2014.

DAZZLIN’ DANIELS
• Quarterback Jalon Daniels started the final two games of the season, marking his first game action since exiting the TCU game on Oct. 8 right before halftime.

• In his first game back against Texas, Daniels threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Against Kansas State in the regular season finale, he threw for 168 yards, while rushing for 51 yards and a touchdown.

• Daniels is completing 65.7 percent of his passes (115-175), and has thrown 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions on the season. He is also averaging 6.4 yards per carry and ranks second on the team with 404 rushing yards. Daniels is also second on the team with six rushing touchdowns. Only Devin Neal (nine) has more rushing scores.

• Against Duke, Daniels threw for a career-high 324 yards, topping the 300-yard mark for the first time in his career.

• Daniels had a streak of eight-straight games with a touchdown pass snapped against Iowa State, but the junior from Lawndale, Calif., did rush for a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter against ISU. Daniels has accounted for 18 total touchdowns this season, which is tied for fifth in the Big 12.

• In back-to-back weeks, Daniels surpassed his career long completion. Against Houston, Daniels hooked up with Torry Locklin for a 60-yard touchdown pass to establish a new long. But against Duke, he eclipsed that with a 73-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Hishaw.

• With 13 touchdown passes on the season, Daniels is just one shy of entering the Top 10 for single-season touchdown passes in school history.

KEEN BEAN
• With Daniels out, Jason Bean stepped into the starting quarterback role in more than an effective way for his four starts.

• Against TCU, Bean threw for 262 yards on 16 of 24 passing and four touchdowns in just one half. The 262 yards marked the second-most Bean has ever thrown for at Kansas. Last year against Duke, Bean threw for 323 yards. The four touchdown passes did establish a new career high for the Texas native.

• Bean then matched that four-touchdown mark again against Oklahoma, throwing for 265 yards and four touchdowns against the Sooners.

• Against Baylor, Bean and the Kansas overcame a slow start to score 20 second-half points against the Bears. Bean finished that game with 232 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown.

• The senior then led the Jayhawks to a 37-16 win over Oklahoma State last time out at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Bean threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards and another score.

• In his most recent start, Bean threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns to one interception.

• The Texas native now has 14 touchdown passes this season. He had six all of last season. He’s been intercepted just four times in 135 attempts after throwing six picks last year.

• Last season, in nine games at quarterback, Bean had multiple touchdown passes in a game just twice. He has four such games this season.

• Bean had six pass plays of 20 yards or longer against TCU. His \long pass of the game came on his first attempt when he found Tanaka Scott for a 52-yard gain. He also found Mason Fairchild for 20 yards, Lawrence Arnold for 26, Quentin Skinner for 38 and 29 and Luke Grimm for 31.

• For his Kansas career now, Bean has completed 189 of 316 passes for 2,532 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

• The North Texas transfer has 3,839 passing yards in his collegiate career with 37 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions.

REAL DEAL DEVIN NEAL
• After a true freshman season that saw Devin Neal rush for 707 yards on 158 carries – an average of 4.5 yards per carry – the Lawrence native is back and having a banner sophomore season.

• In 12 games this season, Neal has rushed for 1,061 yards on 171 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He ranks third in the Big 12 and 20th in the nation in yards per carry.

• In November, Neal had the best two-game stretch by a Jayhawk in more than 25 years. After rushing for 224 yards on 32 carries (and 110 receiving yards) against Oklahoma State, Neal rushed for 190 yards on 24 carries against Texas Tech.

• Neal is the first Power 5 running back this season to rush for at least 190 yards in back-to-back games. He’s the first Jayhawk to do it since June Henley in 1996.

• Neal is third in the Big 12 this season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

• Neal’s 32 carries against Oklahoma State established a new career high.

• Neal posted six games last year where he received 15 or more carries. He posted three 100-yard games and scored the first touchdown of his career in the team’s first road test of the season at Coastal Carolina.

• Neal finished his freshman season with eight rushing touchdowns, marking the most by a Kansas freshman since James Sims in 2010. His career total is up to 10 after the two touchdowns Friday.

• The running back also became the first Kansas player since at least 2000 to have three rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in a game when he did that at Texas in a November win.

• Perhaps the most impressive and encouraging sign for Neal last year was his success against big-time opponents. The freshman rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries against Texas. Against No. 3 Oklahoma, he went for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He also rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries at Iowa State.

BIG 12 2022 SEASON NOTABLES
• The Big 12 is sending a nation-high 80 percent of its teams to bowl games, including No. 3 TCU making the Conference’s fifth appearance in the CFP Semifinals. Kansas State, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech also advanced to the postseason.

• The Big 12 has eight bowl teams for the first time since 2017 and the 12th season in Conference history. It is the fourth time since the Big 12 has competed as a 10-team league.

• The Big 12 has made 184 previous bowl appearances with a 51.1 (94-90) win percentage.

• The Big 12 has the best bowl win percentage of any conference over the last two seasons (.833).

• The Big 12 is one of just two leagues (SEC) in which every team had at least four wins in 2022.

• The Big 12’s average home attendance this season was 59,134, up over 4,100 from the final 2021 season average of 55,017.

• The Big 12 concluded regular season non-conference games with a .833 (25-5) win percentage, which is second in the FBS. Every Big 12 team finished with a winning record and the win percentage is the highest since going .900 (27-3) in 2011.

BIG BOYS UP FRONT
• The offensive production this season for Kansas has been fueled by its excellent play on the offensive line, under coach Scott Fuchs.

• The Jayhawk started the same five up front in all 12 games, going with left tackle Earl Bostick Jr., left guard Dominick Puni, center Mike Novitsky, right guard Michael Ford Jr., and right tackle Bryce Cabeldue.

• The group has surrendered nine sacks on the season. Kansas didn’t allow a sack over its first three games of the season and then held Oklahoma State without a sack and then again against Texas. The Jayhawks are seventh in the country in fewest sacks allowed, just two years removed from giving up 47 sacks in nine games during the 2020 season.

• Not only has the pass blocking been stellar, the offensive line has also paved the way for 194.7 rushing yards per game through 12 contests this season.

• Puni is a transfer from Central Missouri, who has proven to be a strong addition for the Jayhawks. He has teamed up with Bostick on the left side of the line to protect quarterbacks Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean and pave holes for the running backs.

• Bostick has started 28 straight games and 31 overall for his career. Cabeldue has started 26 straight, while Novitsky is at 24 and Ford is at 23. Puni has started all 12 games of his Jayhawk career. Bostick’s 31 career starts are the most by any Kansas offensive player.

HE’S BAAAAAAAAACK
• Safety Kenny Logan Jr., has settled in for his fourth season with the Jayhawks and brings as accomplished of a resume as any safety in the Big 12 Conference.

• An All-Big 12 Second-Team pick last season, Logan led the conference with 113 tackles, which also led all safeties nationally. The St. Augustine, Florida native had 79 solo stops, which also led the Big 12 and ranked third nationally among all players.

• This season, Logan earned honorable mention honors and ranked sixth in total tackles with 96. He averaged 8.00 tackles per game and his 65 solo tackles were tied for second most in the conference.

• Against Texas in the team’s final home game, Logan had 10 tackles, including nine solo stops. Against Texas Tech, Logan collected 11 tackles. He now has 11 games with 10+ tackles in his career, including five times this year.

• Against Oklahoma State, he led the team with eight tackles. Against Baylor, Logan also had eight tackles and a pass breakup. Logan was one tackle off his career-high at Oklahoma, finishing with 14 stops, seven each of the solo and assist variety.

• Logan recorded his second interception of the season at Oklahoma, returning it 17 yards. He got first interception of the 2022 season at Houston, picking off Cougar QB Clayton Tune and returning it 26 yards to set up the game-tying score late in the first quarter. Against TCU, Logan forced and recovered a fumble early in the second half, his first recording of either stat this season. He is one of four Jayhawks to record an interception this season and his two pass breakups ranks second on the team.

• With his 14-tackle, 1-tackle-for-loss, 1-interception performance, Logan Jr., became the first player nationally this year to register those totals in one game.

• Logan totaled a team-high 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assist) against TCU for his eighth career game with 10+ tackles. He also reached double figures against West Virginia, finishing with 10 tackles (3 solo, 7 assist) for his fourth 10+ tackle game in five outings, dating back to last season. Against Iowa State, Logan had four solo tackles and one pass breakup against Iowa State, with the PBU coming in the end zone as he erased a potential score for the Cyclones.

• For the year, Logan leads the team with his 96 tackles. Linebacker Rich Miller is second at 83 stops.

• Last year, Logan proved how valuable and diverse he can be. He was the only player in the country to have at least 113 tackles, six pass breakups and multiple forced fumbles on the season.

Q, THAT’S WHO
• A former walk-on, who earned a scholarship in the offseason, wide receiver Quentin Skinner has been one of the biggest factors in the passing game for the Jayhawks this season.

• Skinner caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jason Bean against Texas Tech. The touchdown was his fifth of the season, which ties him with tight end Mason Fairchild for most on the team.

• Against Texas, Skinner tied his career high with four receptions and 98 yards, including a 55-yard catch from Jalon Daniels.

• The game prior, Skinner finished with three catches for 29 yards against the Red Raiders.

• Skinner had one reception at Oklahoma after establishing new career-highs with four catches for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns the week prior against TCU. Against Baylor, Skinner had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

• For the season, Skinner has 25 catches for 436 yards and five touchdowns. His 25 catches rank fourth and his 436 yards rank third on the team behind Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm.

• Skinner is averaging 17.4 yards per reception, which is the most by anyone who has five or more catches on the season • Skinner, a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the best player who began his career as a walk-on, has played in all 11 games for the Jayhawks this season.

CALL HIM DIRK
• Center Mike Novitsky is in his second season with the Kansas, but good luck getting him to respond, if you call him “Mike.” Nicknamed “Dirk” after the former Dallas Mavericks star, Novitsky, who transferred to Kansas from Buffalo following the 2020 season, was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the third straight season this year.

• Novitsky was consistently stellar for Kansas last season. According to PFF, Novitsky played 799 total snaps last year and did not commit a penalty or allow a sack.

• Novitsky earned second-team All-Big 12 honors for his efforts this season.

• Novitsky helped transform the Kansas offensive line into one that drastically improved its pass protection. Kansas allowed 47 sacks in just nine games in 2020, while surrendering just 16 last year in 12 games. Novitsky started all 12 games for the Jayhawks at the center spot.

• Novitsky and Kansas did not allow a sack through the first three games of 2022, making KU one of just four programs in NCAA Division I FBS who made that claim. The Jayhawks still rank seventh nationally in sacks allowed with nine in 12 games. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are averaging 194.7 rushing yards per game, and KU has scored 27 rushing touchdowns through 12 games.

• A native of Victor, N.Y., Novitsky was a standout lacrosse player at Victor High School and had a scholarship offer from Maryland. He opted instead to commit to Coach Lance Leipold at Buffalo, where he redshirted in 2018 and played for current Kansas Offensive Line Coach Scott Fuchs in 2019 and 2020.

A RICH SITUATION
• One year after ranking second on the team in tackles, senior linebacker Rich Miller has returned to the lineup in 2022 and picked up where he left off. Through 12 games of the 2022 season, Miller is second on the Jayhawks and ranks 10th in the Big 12 with 83 tackles, an average of 6.92 per game. Miller has totaled 53 solo tackles and 30 assists through 12 games this season.

• Against Oklahoma State, Miller had six tackles, one sack and an interception he returned 37 yards. He became the first KU player since 2015 to have a sack and a pick in the same game.

• He followed that up with six tackles out against Texas Tech and four tackles against Texas.

• In the overtime win at West Virginia in September, Miller had 12 tackles (7 solo, 5 assist) to finish two shy of his career-high of 14, set at Duke in 2021. The WVU game was also the second 10+tackle game for Miller as a Jayhawk.

• Following that game, Miller added a team-high nine stops in the Jayhawks win at Houston and, most recently, finished with seven tackles against Iowa State. He has had at least four stops in each game this season and he’s also totaled 3.0 tackles for loss.

• In his first season as a Jayhawk, Miller was second on the team with 79 tackles and five tackles-for-loss, while adding two sacks and two pass breakups.

• A newcomer to the linebacker position, redshirt-junior Craig Young, is third on the team in tackles with 58 stops (42 solo, 16 assists) this season. Young transferred to Kansas from Ohio State and he’s one of several newcomers producing for the Jayhawks at linebacker. Young recorded his third sack as a Jayhawk at Oklahoma and he also has 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries
to his credit in his first season in Lawrence. He had ½ a sack against Oklahoma State.

• Other newcomers contributing at linebacker include Louisiana transfer Lorenzo McCaskill. McCaskill set a new career-high with 11 tackles at Oklahoma, which matched his output from the first six games of the season. He has made 29 solo tackles and 17 assists along with a 0.5 tackle for loss this season. He added a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry against Oklahoma State, in addition to five tackles

LOVIN’ LONNIE
• Defensive end Lonnie Phelps transferred to Kansas from Miami (OH) in December and the redshirt-junior from Cincinnati, Ohio has quickly made an impact for the Jayhawks. Following his first game in a KU uniform, Phelps was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the first Jayhawk to earn the award since Joe Dineen (Nov. 12, 2018). He was also the first Kansas defensive end to win the award since
Dorance Armstrong, Jr. (Nov. 19, 2016).

• Phelps had three sacks, four tackles-for-loss and a teamleading seven tackles in the Jayhawks’ season opener against Tennessee Tech. He has since followed that performance with two tackles at West Virginia and five (one solo, four assist) at Houston while also recording 1.0 tackle for loss.

• Phelps picked a sack in three-straight games, against Duke, Iowa State and TCU. For the year, Phelps has seven sacks on the season.

• The defensive end picked up another tackle-for-loss against Texas Tech and now leads all Jayhawks with 10.5 tackles-forloss on the season. The next closest is Jereme Robinson at 6.5.

• Phelps came to Kansas after totaling 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks for Miami (OH) in 2021. Those numbers netted him a Second Team All-MAC selection.

BETTER THAN FAIR
• Tight end Mason Fairchild has emerged as a serious threat for the Kansas offense this season, especially near the goal line.

• Fairchild has 29 catches for 363 yards and five touchdowns, which is tied for the team lead this season with Lawrence Arnold and Quentin Skinner.

• He had the best game of his college career against Oklahoma in October with six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

• He became the first Kansas tight end since Jimmay Mundine in 2014 to record a 100-yard game.

• Against Texas, Fairchild had five catches for 48 yards. The five catches led the team. He then had four catches for 41 yards against Kansas State.

LAWRENCE THRIVING IN LAWRENCE
• Wide receiver Lawrence Arnold continues to improve as his career at Kansas continues with a pair of 100-yard efforts this season.

• Arnold hauled in five receptions for a career-high 113 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in Norman in October. He averaged 20.6 yards per reception, including a career-long 39 yard catch. Arnold then had three catches for 53 yards against Baylor.

• Against Oklahoma State, Arnold had a pair of highlight reel catches, including an 8-yard touchdown catch from Jason Bean.

• Against Texas Tech, Arnold again topped the 100-yard mark, catching four passes for 110 yards. Against Texas, Arnold had one catch for 42 yards, before posting four catches for 26 yards against K-State.

• Arnold now leads the team with 597 receiving yards on 36 receptions, which is the second-most on the team. He caught his first touchdown of the season against Duke when Jalon Daniels found him for a 36-yard score in the third quarter to make it 28-13 before adding scoring receptions of 39 and 28 yards at Oklahoma.

• Arnold is averaging 16.6 yards per catch.

• Arnold has had at least three receptions in 9-of-12 games this season and his 84 yards on four catches against Duke marked a career-high until the Oklahoma game.

• Last year, as a redshirt freshman, Arnold had 27 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns.

• For his career, Arnold has 69 catches for 956 yards and seven scores.

A FIRST FOR SAM
• There were very few ‘firsts’ left for super-senior defensive lineman Sam Burt to accomplish with the Abilene, Kansas, native now in his sixth season as a Jayhawk. Burt did just that against Iowa State, however, as he recorded his first career sack. Against ISU, Burt totaled two tackles, one solo and one assist, while finishing with 1.5 sacks that led to 12 yards of lost ground. He also added one quarterback hurry in the win.

• Burt now has 18 tackles on the year and 1.5 tackles for loss, giving him 47 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in his 57-game Kansas career.

• On September 28, Burt was named a semifinalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy, college football’s premiere scholar-athlete award. Burt is one of 156 semifinalists for the award, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

• Burt is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team member, Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. He has also received recognition as a nominee on the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team and for the Wuerffel Trophy.

• He had three tackles against Texas Tech and two against K-State

• The 57 games Burt has played in are the most by any current Kansas player.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS NOTES:

THE RUNDOWN
• Arkansas makes its 44th bowl appearance in history when it takes on Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn. The Hogs and Jayhawks kick off at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• Arkansas is playing in the Liberty Bowl for the sixth time in history, and for the first time since a 45-23 victory over Kansas State on Jan. 2, 2016. The Hogs, who are 16-24-3 all-time in bowl games, are 2-3 all-time in the Liberty Bowl.

• The Razorbacks are making their second straight bowl appearance under head coach Sam Pittman. With Pittman, the Hogs have been invited to a bowl game in three straight seasons. Pittman is one of only four Arkansas coaches in history to start their tenures with three consecutive bowl berths, joining Lou Holt, Ken Hatfield and Houston Nutt.

• Arkansas and Kansas have clashed just twice before, with the most recent meeting between the programs coming 116 years ago. The Jayhawks won, 6-0, in Fayetteville, Ark., in 1905 before snagging a 37-5 win in Lawrence, Kan., in 1906.

• QB KJ Jefferson does his damage through the air and on the ground. Jefferson has completed 185-of-271 passes (68.3%) for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions while rushing for 510 yards and seven scores in 10 games. Despite missing two games, he is one of only
two SEC quarterbacks (Georgia QB Stetson Bennett) with 20 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores this season.

• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher, totaling 1,426 yards and 10 scores on 219 carries (6.5 avg.) through 12 games. Sanders, who currently ranks second in the SEC in both rushing yards (1,426) and rushing yards per game (118.8), rushed for 100 yards on the ground in six games during the regular season. He also chipped in 28 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns, leading the SEC in total all-purpose yards (1,697) this season.

• WR Matt Landers, a transfer from Toledo, has logged 40 catches for a team-leading 780 yards (17.7 avg.) and a team-high seven touchdowns in 12 games. Landers, one of two Razorback pass catchers to finish the regular season with over 700 receiving yards, has 16 catches of 20 or more yards, tied for third-most among all SEC receivers this year.

• DB Dwight McGlothern, a transfer from LSU, leads the Arkansas defense with his ball-hawking prowess, recording a team-high three interceptions and breaking up nine passes during the regular season. His 12 passes defended lead the Razorbacks and are tied for sixth-most in the SEC.

INSIDE THE SERIES
All-Time Record: Kansas leads, 2-0
In Fayetteville: Kansas leads, 1-0
In Lawrence: Kansas leads, 1-0
Most points scored by Arkansas: 5 (1906)
Most points scored by Kansas: 37 (1906)
Largest margin of victory by Arkansas: N/A
Largest margin of victory by Kansas: 32 (1906)
Longest win streak by Arkansas: N/A
Longest win streak by Kansas: 2 (1905-pres.)

SERIES HISTORY
Date UA/Opp Rank Site Result
Oct. 7, 1905 Fayetteville, Ark. L, 6-0
Oct. 13, 1906 Lawrence, Kan. L, 37-5

RAZORBACK NOTEBOOK
PITTMAN’S PROGRAM
• Third-year head coach Sam Pittman leads Arkansas in 2022 on the heels of the program’s best season in a decade.

• The Hogs went 9-4 and won four trophies for the first time in school history last season, capturing the Southwest Classic (Texas A&M), the Battle of the Golden Boot (LSU), the Battle Line Rivalry (Missouri) and the Outback Bowl (Penn State).

• Arkansas’ win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl was the first for the program since a Liberty Bowl victory in 2016 as well as the program’s first January bowl win since 2012.

• In year three, Pittman has now led the Razorbacks to six wins for the second season in a row and to bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season.

• The Liberty Bowl against Kansas marks his 36th game as the head coach at Arkansas. Of those 36 games, 32 have been against an opponent from the SEC, a Power 5 foe and/or an opponent ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.

• Arkansas has beat five ranked FBS opponents in the Pittman era. Since his first season in 2020, 25 of Arkansas’ 34 FBS foes have been ranked or receiving votes in the national polls.

QB1
• QB KJ Jefferson, the unquestioned leader of Arkansas’ offense, is set to make his 26th career start under center in the Liberty Bowl against Kansas. Of his 25 career starts to date, 11 have come against top-25 teams in the AP Poll.

• The Razorbacks have scored 30 or more points in 15 of Jefferson’s 25 career starts at quarterback.

• In less than two full seasons as the starting quarterback, Jefferson ranks in the program’s top 10 for: completions (417 – No. 7), passing yards (5,529 – No. 7), 300-yard passing games (5 – No. 3), 300-yard passing games against SEC teams (2 – No. 5), touchdown passes (46 – No. 7), total yards of offense (6,828 – No. 6), touchdowns responsible for (63 – No. 4).

• Jefferson has led the Hogs to a bowl game in back-to-back seasons, highlighted by a nine-win season in 2021 – their most wins in a year since 2011. He led the Razorbacks to their first bowl game win since the 2016 Liberty Bowl and their first New Year’s Day bowl game win since the 2000 Cotton Bowl.

• This season, the Sardis, Miss., native has started 10 games at quarterback, missing two games due to injury, and completed 185-of-271 (68.3%) passes for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions on the year. Jefferson’s completion percentage is currently the highest single-season completion percentage in school history with at least 250 pass attempts.

• Jefferson has also run for 510 yards and seven scores on 144 carries. He is the first Arkansas quarterback to rush for 500 yards in back-to-back seasons since QB Matt Jones (2003-04).

• Jefferson has run for a touchdown in six games this season, including a two-touchdown effort at Auburn (Oct. 29).

• He has thrown and rushed for a touchdown in the same game six times in 2022 and nine total times in his career.

• Jefferson threw for a career-high five touchdowns against BYU (Oct. 15), becoming the first Arkansas quarterback with 5+ passing touchdowns in a game since QB Brandon Allen threw for a school-record seven against Mississippi State in 2015.

• Since 2000, Jefferson is one of seven SEC QBs — Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel (2012), Miss. St. QB Dak Prescott (2015), Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly (2015), LSU QB Joe Burrow (2018), Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (2021), LSU QB Jayden Daniels (2022) — to throw for 3+ scores and rush for 3+ scores in the same game.

• In order of rushing yards, Jefferson is one of seven FBS quarterbacks to throw for more than 2,300 yards with at least 20 passing touchdowns while also running for more than 500 yards with at least five rushing scores this season.

RUNNIN’ RAZORBACKS KEEP IT 100
• The Razorback rushing attack remains as explosive as ever. Arkansas enters the Liberty Bowl ranked second in the SEC and ninth nationally in rushing, averaging 223.4 yards per game for a total of 2,681 rushing yards this year.

• Arkansas has totaled 200 rushing yards in eight games this season, led by a 100-yard rusher in nine of 12 games.

• The Hogs’ eight 200-yard rushing games lead the SEC and are tied for third-most nationally.

• Arkansas had a 100-yard rusher in a program-record nine straight games before the streak was snapped vs. Liberty (Nov. 5):

ROCKET MAN
• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher through 12 games, running for 1,426 yards on 219 carries (6.5 avg.) with 10 scores on the ground. His 1,426 rushing yards, which rank second in the SEC, are fourth on Arkansas’ single-season list.

• Sanders is one of only two SEC rushers to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on the ground and total double-digit rushing touchdowns this season. Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins, the SEC’s leading rusher, has also accomplished the feat.

• Sanders has also contributed 28 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the SEC in both total yards from scrimmage (1,697) and total yards from scrimmage per game (141.4). He ranks sixth nationally in total yards from scrimmage.

• He is the only SEC player and one of four FBS players with 1,400 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards this season:

• Sanders has rushed for 100 yards eight times in his career, including in seven of the Hogs’ 12 games this year. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of the first three games of the 2022 campaign, becoming the first Arkansas rusher to run for 100 yards in each of the first three games of a season since 2013.

• Sanders ran wild in the win over Missouri State (Sept. 17), totaling 167 rushing yards and a score on 22 carries (7.6 avg.). He also hauled in two passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, becoming one of only two SEC players (Florida WR Percy Harvin) since 2000 to record 150+ rushing yards with a rushing score and 70+ receiving yards with a receiving score in a game.

• Sanders became the second Arkansas player in the past 25 seasons to have 200 rush yards and three rush touchdowns against a ranked opponent after exploding for 232 yards and three touchdowns against No. 14 Ole Miss (Nov. 19). RB Darren McFadden did so in a 50-48 win over No. 1 LSU in 2007.

• The Rockledge, Fla., native burst onto the scene a year ago, earning SEC All-Freshman honors from the league’s coaches after rushing for 578 yards (5.2 ypc) and five scores in 13 games.

• In 2021, he was one of four Razorbacks rushers to run for 500 yards — a feat that had not happened at Arkansas since 1975.

• For his career, Sanders has totaled 2,004 rushing yards in 25 games. He is one of 19 rushers in program history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark on the ground for their careers

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
• It took RB Raheim Sanders only eight games this season to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, matching RB Madre Hill’s school-record eight games set in 1995 for the quickest to 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

• The table below shows Sanders’ production after eight games compared to all of Arkansas’ 1000-yard rushers since 1995

CATCH THIS
• With the departure of WR Jadon Haselwood, who has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, Arkansas will enter the Liberty Bowl with only two players on the roster who have caught at least 30 career passes: WR Matt Landers and RB Raheim Sanders.

• Haselwood boasted a team-leading 121 career receptions for 1,438 yards and 10 touchdowns in 40 career games played. He tallied at least one reception in 28 consecutive games played dating back to his 2019 season at Oklahoma.

• Haselwood had a team-best 59 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games this season. He caught at least three receptions in all 12 games he played in during his one and only year as a Razorback.

• Landers spent the first three seasons of his career at Georgia before transferring at Toledo, where he had 20 catches for 514 yards and five touchdowns last year. He has 76 career receptions for 1,426 yards and 13 scores in 49 career games.

• Landers is the Hogs’ top pass-catching with 44 receptions for a team-leading 780 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games.

DREW IT UP
• It took just one season for LB Drew Sanders to leave his mark as one of the top playmakers in Razorback history.

• A consensus All-American, Sanders, who transferred to Arkansas after beginning his career at Alabama, has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft and is projected to be a top pick.

• In 12 games, Sanders led Arkansas in total tackles (103), tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (3).

• With the help of Sanders, who finished the regular season second among all SEC defenders in sacks, Arkansas leads the SEC in total sacks (39), three more than the next closest team (Alabama – 36) and one shy of matching the school record.

• Sanders’ 9.5 sacks are the most by a Razorback defender since DE Chris Smith totaled 9.5 sacks in 2012. Sanders is tied with Smith for seventh-most in a season in school history.

• Sanders is only the second FBS defender since 2000 (Buffalo LB Khalil Mack in 2013) with 100 or more total tackles and at least 13.0 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception in a season.

• Since 2000, two SEC defenders have recorded double-digit tackles with two sacks, two forced fumbles and at least one pass breakup in a game: Sanders vs. South Carolina in 2022 & Greg Hardy (Ole Miss) vs. Alabama in 2007.

PICK CITY
• Since the start of the 2020 season, the Razorbacks have totaled 33 interceptions in 35 games. Arkansas tallied 13 interceptions in 10 games in 2020, 13 interceptions in 13 games in 2021, and has seven in 12 games in 2022.

• DB Dwight McGlothern, a transfer from LSU, leads the Razorbacks with three interceptions this season.

• The Hogs’ ball-hawking prowess since 2020 has been led by DB Jalen Catalon (5) and DB Hudson Clark (4). DB Latavious Brini (1), DB Malik Chavis (1), DL Eric Gregory (1), DB Quincey McAdoo (1) and LB Drew Sanders (1) have each picked off passes.

CAM KICKS FOR A CAUSE
• For every field goal hit, K Cam Little donates $20 to Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas. In 24 games over two seasons, he has raised $400 in made field goals.

• Little donated $10 per made field goal to DSCNWA last season in the midst of turning in one of the best freshman campaigns in program history, earning Freshman All-America praise from the Football Writers Association of America.

• In his first year on campus, Little connected on 20-of-24 (83.3%) field goal attempts, was a perfect 46-for-46 on point after attempts and led the Razorbacks with 106 points — just the sixth 100-point season by an Arkansas kicker in history.

• Little’s stellar freshman campaign etched his name into the Arkansas record books as his 20 made field goals tied K Todd Wright (20 field goals in 1989) for third most in a single season.

• Nationally, Little’s 20 made field goals were second most among all FBS freshman kickers last season, and his field goal percentage (83.3%) was the best among all FBS freshman kickers with a minimum of 20 field goal attempts.

• Little, who has drilled 12-of-15 field goal tries in 2022, is a perfect 9-for-9 on field goals inside 40 yards this season.

• For his career, Little is 32-of-39 on field goal attempts, including a 22-of-23 (95.7%) mark on field goals inside 40 yards, with a pair of career-long makes from 51 yards.

• His career field goal percentage (82.1%) currently ranks first all-time in Arkansas history (minimum 20 made field goals).

CFB: Military Bowl Preview – UCF Knights (9-4) at Duke Blue Devils (8-4)

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Military Bowl Preview – UCF Knights (9-4) at Duke Blue Devils (8-4)

CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS NOTES:

• For the first time in history, the UCF football team is headed to the Military Bowl. UCF will meet Atlantic Coast Conference representative Duke at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, in 34,000- seat Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, in the Military Bowl presented by Peraton, benefiting the USO. The game will be televised by ESPN.

• It’s a program-record seventh consecutive postseason bowl appearance for the Knights, the 10th in 11 seasons and the 14th in 18 years. UCF also previously played in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1987 and in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 1990 and 1993.

• UCF is looking for its seventh bowl win in program history and second consecutive after the Knights defeated Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. A win against the Blue Devils would give UCF a bowl win in consecutive years for just the second time (2012-13).

• The Knights are also in search of their ninth 10-win season in program history and their fourth in the last six seasons. UCF last won 10 games in 2019 with a 10-3 mark, after compiling a 12-1 record in 2018 and a 13-0 mark in 2017.

• UCF just completed its final season in the American Athletic Conference. In 10 seasons as a member of the AAC, the Knights compiled a 57-23 (.713) mark in regular-season conference games.

• UCF accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference on Sept. 10, 2021, then-Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, UCF director of athletics Terry Mohajir, and UCF President Alex Cartwright announced in a release. The Knights athletics program has now moved from Division III, Division II, the FCS level, the FBS level that included time in the MAC, Conference USA, the AAC, and now to the Big 12 Conference.

• UCF’s red zone defense continues to rank among the best in the country at No. 5 nationally, as opponents have scored on 68% of their trips to the red zone, converting on 37-of-54 attempts. The Knights have allowed 24 touchdowns in the red zone in 54 trips for opponents, a 44% rate. UCF has forced at least one red zone stop in 10 of its 13 games this season, headlined by a season-high five red zone stops against Georgia Tech.

• The Knights’ rushing attack ranks eighth nationally, averaging 236.1 rushing yards per game. UCF has rushed for 200 or more yards in nine of its 13 games this season, headlined by a season-high 345 rushing yards in the win over South Florida. The Knights’ 33 rushing touchdowns this season are tied for 10th nationally and lead the conference.

• UCF’s offense has been ranked among the nation’s best throughout the season, as the squad is 11th with 480.6 yards per game. The Knights are one of just four teams (Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee) nationally to surpass 650 yards of total offense in two games this season. UCF had a season-high 737 yards against Temple, the second most by any team in a single game this year, and 653 yards against Florida Atlantic.

A WIN WOULD…
• Give UCF 10 wins for the ninth time in program history and eighth time in the FBS era of the program

• Give UCF its seventh bowl win in program history

• Give the Knights bowl wins in consecutive seasons for the second time

• Give Gus Malzahn and the Knights their first win against Duke in the first meeting for both

• Be better than a loss

SERIES BREAKDOWN
The Military Bowl matchup will be the first meeting between the programs, as the Knights and Blue Devils have never met on the gridiron. Duke and UCF share two common opponents this season, as both teams defeated Temple (UCF: 70-13, Duke: 30-0) and the Knights defeated Georgia Tech (27-10), while the Blue Devils were edged in overtime by the Yellow Jackets (23-20).

THE OPPONENT
• After winning just three games overall last season and zero conference games, first-year Duke head coach Mike Elko has put together one of the best turnarounds in college football. The Blue Devils are 8-4 overall and 5-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, which resulted in Elko earning ACC Coach of the Year honors.

• Duke is coming off a 34-31 win against Wake Forest in its most recent game of the season on Nov. 26. The Blue Devils own a 6-8 all-time record in bowl games and the squad is making its first appearance in a bowl since 2018.

• The Blue Devils have committed very few turnovers this season, as they rank 10th nationally and first in the ACC in fumbles lost with four and they are No. 1 nationally for most fumbles recovered with 15.

KNIGHT NOTES
SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE BOWL APPEARANCE
For the first time in history, the UCF football team will play in the Military Bowl. UCF (9-4) will meet Atlantic Coast Conference representative Duke (8-4) at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, in 34,000-seat Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, in the Military Bowl presented by Peraton, benefiting the USO. The game will be televised by ESPN. It’s a program-record seventh consecutive postseason bowl appearance for the Knights, the 10th in 11 seasons and the 14th in 18 years. UCF also previously played in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1987 and in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 1990 and 1993. The Knights previously have played twice each in the Fiesta Bowl (following 2014 and 2018 seasons), Liberty Bowl (2007 and 2010), St. Petersburg Bowl (2009 and 2014) and Gasparilla Bowl (2019 and 2021) and once each in the Hawaii Bowl (2005), Beef O’Brady’s Bowl (2012), Cure Bowl (2016), Peach Bowl (2017) and Boca Raton Bowl (2020). The Military Bowl has been played since 2008—the first two seasons as the EagleBank Bowl and then as the Military Bowl beginning with the 2010 campaign. The game benefits the USO and Patriot Point, the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat for wounded, ill and injured service members, their families and caregivers.

Here are details of UCF’s previous postseason appearances (6-7 in bowl games, 6-10 overall):
— 1987–Troy defeated UCF 31-10 in NCAA Division II Playoffs
— 1990—Georgia Southern defeated UCF 44-7 in NCAA FCS Playoffs
— 1993–Youngstown State defeated UCF 56-30 in NCAA FCS Playoffs
— 2005—Nevada defeated UCF 49-48 in Hawaii Bowl
— 2007—Mississippi State defeated UCF 10-3 in Liberty Bowl
— 2009—Rutgers defeated UCF 45-24 in St. Petersburg Bowl
— 2010—UCF defeated Georgia 10-6 in Liberty Bowl
— 2012—UCF defeated Ball State 38-17 in Beef O’Brady’s Bowl
— 2013—#15 UCF defeated #6 Baylor 52-42 in Fiesta Bowl
— 2014—NC State defeated UCF 34-27 in St. Petersburg Bowl
— 2016—Arkansas State defeated UCF 31-13 in Cure Bowl
— 2017–#12 UCF defeated #7 Auburn 34-27 in Peach Bowl
— 2018–#11 LSU defeated #7 UCF 40-32 in Fiesta Bowl
— 2019—UCF defeated Marshall 48-25 in Gasparilla Bowl
— 2020–#13 BYU defeated UCF 49-23 in Boca Raton Bowl
— 2021—UCF defeated Florida 29-17 in Gasparilla Bow

UCF VERSUS THE ACC
UCF will face its third ACC opponent of the season when it takes on Duke in the bowl game. The Knights fell to Louisville, 20-14, but defeated Georgia Tech, 27-10. Duke and UCF share two common opponents this season, as both teams defeated Temple (UCF: 70-13, Duke: 30-0) and the Knights defeated Georgia Tech (27-10), while the Blue Devils were edged in overtime by the Yellow Jackets (23-20).

WRAPPING UP THE AMERICAN
UCF wrapped up play in the American Athletic Conference by playing for its fifth conference championship on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Knights won the title in the first year of the conference in 2013, again in 2014, 2017 and 2018. UCF’s four AAC Championships are the most of any school.
UCF compiled a 57-23 (.713) mark in regular-season conference games in 10 seasons as a member of the American Athletic Conference, which is the most wins and best winning percentage of any team.

WELCOME TO THE BIG 12
Effective July 1, 2023, UCF will be one of 14 members of the Big 12 Conference. The Knights will join the league along with BYU, Cincinnati and Houston. UCF participates in every sport sponsored by the Big 12 except equestrian, gymnastics, swimming & diving and wrestling. The Big 12 sponsors every sport UCF competes in except men’s soccer, which will join the Sun Belt Conference. This marks the second time in the Conference’s 26-year history that new members were added. Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech have been members since the Big 12 began in 1996, with TCU and West Virginia joining in 2011.

MATCHUP TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Both teams love to run the football. In fact, UCF has rushed for 200 or more yards in nine of its 13 games this season and Duke has surpassed the 200 rushing yards mark in six games. The Knights are seventh nationally and second in the American Athletic Conference with 236 rushing yards per game, while the Blue Devils are 40th in the nation and third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 184.8. Defensively, UCF has allowed 156.2 rushing yards per game and opponents have averaged 121.1 against Duke.

PLUMLEE CHASING HISTORY
With 11 rushing touchdowns this season, UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is one rushing touchdown shy of tying for the most by a quarterback in a single season in program history. Daunte Culpepper holds the record with 12 rushing touchdowns in a single season set in 1998.

DUKE BLUE DEVILS NOTES:

OPENING KICKOFF
• Duke is set to make it’s 15th bowl appearance when it faces off against UCF on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium … the game will be televised live by ESPN.

• Wednesday will mark the first meeting on the gridiron between these two programs … they do have two familiar foes from the 2022 regular season schedule in Georgia Tech and Temple … the Blue Devils went 1-1 against those opponents, while the Knights finished 2-0.

• The Blue Devils have won three-straight bowl games, which entered the bowl season tied for the 10th longest active streak nationally … among ACC teams, only Syracuse has a longer active streak at four wins.

• Duke head coach Mike Elko and nine Blue Devils were honored with ACC recognition at the conclusion of the regular season … Elko was tabbed the league’s Coach of the Year, joining Bill Murray (1954, 1960, 1962), Steve Spurrier (1988, 1989), Fred Goldsmith (1994), and David Cutcliffe (2012, 2013) as the Duke coaches to receive the honor … Elko was later tabbed a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award and a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award.

• Duke has recorded 200-plus rushing yards on six different occasions this year and ranks third in the ACC and 39th nationally with 184.75 ground yards per contest.

• Duke and Florida State are the only two teams in the ACC to be averaging 184.00-plus rushing and 235.00-plus passing yards per game on the season.

• This season, sophomore quarterback Riley Leonard is 231-of-364 (.635) passing for 2,794 yards with 20 touchdowns and has rushed 114 times for 636 yards with 11 scores … for that effort he ranks third in the ACC in total offense (285.83), trailing North Carolina’s Drake Maye (366.77) and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman (321.36) … in addition, he is one of three quarterbacks nationally with 11-plus rushing and 20-plus passing scores on the year, joining Oregon’s Bo Nix and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson … Leonard became the first player in Duke history with 10-plus rushing and 20-passing scores in a single season.

• Senior wide receiver Jalon Calhoun is 189 receiving yards shy of reaching 1,000 on the year … he would become the 10th Blue Devil to achieve the feat and first since current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Jamison Crowder did so in 2014 with 1,044 … Calhoun has 197 career receptions and 2,298 receiving yards to his name to rank fifth and ninth in program history, respectively.

Wednesday’s game will mark the first on the gridiron between the two schools … the Blue Devils are coming off a 34-31 victory over Wake Forest in their regular season finale, while the Knights dropped a 45-28 decision to No. 18 Tulane in the AAC Championship Game during their
last outing.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
Duke’s single-game record for pass completion percentage was set in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium … on October 30, 2010, Sean Renfree completed 28-of-30 (.933) pass attempts to establish the new Blue Devil standard as Duke defeated Navy, 34-31 … the previous record of .852 (23-of-27) was set by Spence Fischer on October 1, 1994 against Navy – also at Navy-Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium. The Duke men’s lacrosse program has enjoyed postseason success at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, winning three NCAA Tournament quarterfinal games in
2007 (19-11 over North Carolina), 2009 (12-11 over North Carolina) and 2018 (14-9 over Johns Hopkins).

GOING BOWLING
After earning their sixth win of the year against Boston College on Nov. 4th, the Blue Devils became bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 when they beat Temple in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl … Mike Elko becomes just the second head coach in school history to lead his team to bowl eligibility in his first season (Fred Goldsmith, 1994). Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State and Wake Forest are expected to play in a bowl game in the same season for the first time ever.

OUTSCORING OPPONENTS
The Blue Devils are outscoring their opponent 397-274 … they are also outscoring their opponents in three-of-four quarters this year. Duke has recorded points in 43-of-48 quarters played in regulation, with its lone blemishes being the first quarter against Georgia Tech and Miami as well as the third quarter against Kansas, North Carolina and Pittsburgh. Three of Duke’s eight wins on the year have come against Virginia Tech, Miami and Virginia, who outscored the Blue Devils by a combined 143-27 just a year ago … Duke flipped the script this season and defeated the trio by a combined 107-45.

REGULAR SEASON FINISH
The last time Duke played a regular season and did not lose at least one game by 10-plus points was 1953 … that team went 7-2-1 with losses to Army (14-13) and Georgia Tech (13-10).

MARGIN OF DEFEAT
Duke has four losses on the year by a combined 16 points … of the 12 Power 5 schools with four losses, the Blue Devils’ 16-point margin is the lowest … Duke is followed by Texas (18), Illinois (20), Notre Dame (29) and N.C. State (41).

NON-CONFERENCE WINS
Over the last 10 years, Duke holds a 29-7 (.806) regular season and 32-9 (.780) overall record against non-conference opponents … in its last 25 non-conference games, Duke is 19-6 (.760).

SCORING FIRST
Duke is 6-0 this season when scoring first … in five of those six games, the Blue Devils registered a touchdown to begin the scoring and four were on their opening drive.

OFFENSIVE LINE UNIT
One of Duke’s most veteran groups heading into the year was its offensive line … led by team captain Jacob Monk, the Blue Devils have been able to use a consistent rotation of upperclassmen in graduate students Jack Burns, Brian Foley, Andre Harris, and Chance Lytle as well redshirt junior John Gelotte and junior Graham Barton. Duke’s offensive line currently ranks first in the ACC and tied for 31st nationally in sacks allowed with just 17 on the year … the unit also is first in the league and tied for 10th nationally in tackles for loss allowed relinquishing just 4.00 per outing.

DUKE AND THE RUN GAME
Duke is third and fourth in the ACC in rushing offense (184.75) and rushing yards (2,217), respectively … four players have been at the forefront of that attack in RBs Jaylen Coleman, Jaquez Moore and Jordan Waters as well as QB Riley Leonard. All four have 420-plus rushing yards on the year, led by Leonard’s 636 yards on 114 carries with 11 scores … Waters follows closely with 561 yards on a team-high 120 rushes with eight touchdowns … Ja. Moore and Coleman have chipped in with 465 and 427 rushing yards with four touchdowns each … prior to 2022, the Blue Devils had never had four players with 300-plus rushing yards in the same season. The quartet make Duke the only school in the ACC with four players with 400-plus rushing yards.

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Duke ranks tied for third in the ACC and tied for 23rd nationally with 28 rushing scores on the year … the 28 rushing touchdowns tie with the 2013 team for the second-most in program history … the Blue Devils are one rushing score away from tying the program record of 29
achieved during the 1954 season.

Duke’s foursome of Riley Leonard (11), Jordan Waters (8), Jaylen Coleman (4) and Jaquez Moore (4) make up the Blue Devils first quartet to register four-plus rushing scores in a season since 1948 when the stat was first tracked by the school.

BIG GAINS AND QUICK STARTS
Through 12 games in 2022, sophomore QB Riley Leonard has registered 45 passes of 20-plus yards. Leonard is strong out of the gate as well … the Fairhope, Ala., native is a combined 120-of-177 (.678) passing in Duke’s first half, including a 55-of-74 (.743) mark in the first quarter.

SCORING DRIVES
The Blue Devils have produced 14 scoring drives of 10- plus plays this season, after recording two (11-43 yards and 10-60 yards) against Wake Forest during their last outing.

YARDS PER RUSH
As a team, the Blue Devils rank second in the ACC with a 4.99 yards per rush average … Jaquez Moore and Riley Leonard are first and eighth in the conference with a 6.94 and 5.58 yards per rush mark, respectively.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
VETERAN LEADERS
DT DeWayne Carter and LB Shaka Heyward both bring a wealth of experience with them and over 38 career games played and 1,900 career snaps … Carter leads a youthful defensive line, while Heyward anchors the linebacker unit for the third consecutive season.

ETCHING HIS NAME
In 51 career games (41 starts), redshirt senior LB Shaka Heyward has compiled 339 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries, nine pass breakups, and 12 quarterback pressures … after recorded a game-high 13 tackles during Duke’s regular season finale against Wake Forest, Heyward im- proved to 13th all-time on Duke’s career tackles chart … he has also added 32.5 career tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks to rank 12th and tied for 14th in Blue Devil lore. While playing 3,400 career snaps, he has 12 double-digit tackle games, including a career-high 16 stops against North Carolina A&T in 2021 … Heyward currently has 36 career games with five-plus tackles.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES
Duke is tied for leading the nation with 15 fumble recoveries on the year … 11 different Blue Devils have accounted for those recoveries … redshirt junior DeWayne Carter (3), redshirt senior Shaka Heyward (2) and sophomore Brandon Johnson (2) make Duke one of three schools in the ACC with three players with two-plus recoveries on the year (Georgia Tech and Louisville). Duke’s 38 fumble recovery yards rank fourth in the ACC.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Throughout Duke’s 12 games, it has scored 51 points off of nine opponent turnovers … Duke scored a sea- son-high 31 points off of five Miami turnovers on Oct. 22.

RACKING UP THE SACKS
Over Duke’s last six games, it has recorded 20 of its 30 total sacks on the year … the Blue Devils currently rank tied for seventh in the ACC in sacks and compiled a season-best six against Miami on Oct. 22 … redshirt junior DT DeWayne Carter and sophomore DB Brandon Johnson
lead the team with 5.5 sacks on the year, followed by redshirt junior DE R.J. Oben with 3.5. Johnson is 0.5 sacks away from breaking into Duke’s top-15 for a single-season … he would be the only defensive back on the list.

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE
Duke has recorded 62 tackles for loss to just 48 for its opponents … leading the way for the Blue Devils is red- shirt junior defensive tackle DeWayne Carter with 11.0 tackles for loss on the year … Brandon Johnson (7.5), Darius Joiner (7.0), Shaka Heyward (6.0), and R.J.
Oben (5.5) have each recorded 5.5-plus tackles for loss to help Duke’s cause. In addition, the Blue Devils have registered 46 quarterback pressures to 32 for their opponents … Oben leads the team with nine, while Carter and junior Aeneas Peebles follow closely with six.

LIMIT THE SCORING
In 2021, the Blue Devils finished last in the ACC in scoring defense (39.8) and 127th nationally … this season, they rank sixth in the ACC and tied for 36th nationally in scoring defense, limiting their opponents to just 22.83 points per game.

FOURTH DOWN DEFENSE
The Blue Devil fourth down defense has limited opponents to just 9-of-22 conversions for a .409 percentage … that mark ranks fifth in the league, which is up from their .692 percent mark in 2021 (9-of-13).

STAND YOUR GROUND
Duke has nine players with 40-plus tackles on the year, led by redshirt senior Shaka Heyward (93), graduate student Darius Joiner (90), and junior Jaylen Stinson (69) … the trio make Duke one of three schools in the ACC with at least three student-athletes with 69-plus tackles on the year (Boston College and N.C. State).

RUSHING DEFENSE
Duke currently ranks fourth in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing just 121.08 yards per outing … it has held five of its 12 opponents to under 100 yards rushing on the season … opponents are averaging 3.73 yards per carry with just eight rushing scores. Since 1970, there have only been five Duke teams that have held its opponents to less than 15 rushing scores in a single-season.

DUKE SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING TDS ALLOWED SINCE
1970
Rank Year Number

  1. 1971 11
  2. 1972 12
    1985 12
  3. 1973 14
  4. 1994 15

TURNOVER MARGIN
After finishing the 2021 season last in the ACC in turnover margin, the Blue Devils are tied for second nationally in the category with +1.17 turnovers per game … they trail Southern California (+1.69) … Duke has six offensive interceptions and four fumbles compared to its 24 turnovers gained … those turnovers gained are tied for 11th in the country and second in the ACC behind Louisville (30).

CARTER FINDING HIS RHYTHM
Redshirt junior DT DeWayne Carter has recorded 84 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, five pass breakups, 12 quarterback pressures, three fumble recoveries and seven caused fumbles in his Blue Devil career … he is 0.5 sacks away from breaking into Duke’s top-15 in the category. In 2022, Carter is tied for third nationally in fumble recoveries (3) and tied for 11th in forced fumbles (3) … Carter’s seven career forced fumbles rank tied with Bob Grupp and Matt Daniels for fourth all-time on Duke’s career chart.

DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
The starting defensive secondary is compiled of sophomore Brandon Johnson, graduate student Darius Joiner, sophomore Joshua Pickett, freshman Chandler Rivers, junior Jaylen Stinson, and graduate student Datrone “Speedy” Young. This unit has compiled 55 pass breakups on the year to
rank fourth in the league, trailing only Clemson (66), Pittsburgh (65), and Wake Forest (63) … 14 of those 55 pass breakups came in Duke’s victory at Northwestern … over the last 10 years, the Blue Devils have registered double-digit pass breakups in a single game on three other occasions (10 vs. Virginia in 2014; 11 vs. Miami in 2013; 10 at Virginia Tech in 2013). Duke is one of two schools in the ACC with five players with six-plus pass breakups on the year, joining Pittsburgh.

DEFENSIVE MINDSET
Head coach Mike Elko is known for his successful defenses … the former defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Texas A&M helped lead the Aggies to a 34-14 (.708) record and four consecutive bowl games during his four-year tenure … in his final season, he mentored the group to the No. 3 national ranking in scoring defense, allowing just 15.92 points per game, as well as the No. 9 pass efficiency defense (112.00) and No. 7 red zone defense (.710) … Texas A&M also ranked seventh in the country by allowing just 4.66 yards per play, tied for 10th in fourth down defense (.353), tied for 12th in total sacks (39.0) and defensive touchdowns (3), 16th in third down defense (.328) and 20th in total defense (327.5).

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SPECIAL TEAMS SCORING POINTS
Since 2018, Duke has registered points on special teams on 10 different occasions … in 2018, RB Deon Jackson posted a kickoff return for a touchdown against Miami on the game’s opening drive … in 2019, S Javon Jackson registered his lone career touchdown when he returned a blocked punt 14 yards for the score against Georgia Tech. 2020 was filled with five point-scoring plays on special teams — WR Damond Philyaw-Johnson earned two kickoff returns for a touchdown against Wake Forest, while LB Shaka Heyward and S Jaylen Stinson recovered muffed punts for touchdowns against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, respectively … LB Dorian Mausi added a recovered blocked punt for a score against NC State that season as well … last season, Stinson broke free for two kickoff returns for touchdowns against Pittsburgh and Miami. During Duke’s contest with Georgia Tech earlier this season, redshirt freshman Sahmir Hagans scored his first special teams touchdown with an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown.

BLOCK PARTY
During Duke’s outing against Pittsburgh, freshman Chandler Rivers blocked the Blue Devils’ second punt on the year … junior Ryan Smith also blocked a punt for Duke this season against Virginia on Oct. 1 … the pair join teammates Isaiah Fisher-Smith, Darrell Harding Jr., and Rocky Shelton II with at least one blocked kick in their Duke career … Fisher-Smith leads the group after compiling three career blocked punts … he’s also added a recovery of a blocked punt during Duke’s game against Charlotte in 2020.

NET PUNTING
After 12 games in 2022, the Blue Devils are fourth in the ACC in net punting with a 39.98 mark.

SNAP IT BACK
Graduate student long snapper Evan Deckers joined the Blue Devils during the spring after an impressive career at Massachusetts,
He lettered four years at Massachusetts, playing in 40 career games … Deckers earned Second Team All-Independent honors by Phil Steele just a season ago … the Avon, Conn., native helped the Minutemen kickers convert 27-of-36 field goals and 102-of-106 PATs during his tenure … he also assisted the punting unit on 226 punts for 9,290 yards (41.11), including 57 punts downed inside the 20. In his first year in a Blue Devil uniform, Deckers has helped the Duke kickers convert on 14-of-21 FGs and 49- of-49 PATs … in addition, he’s assisted P Porter Wilson on 42 punts for 1,813 yards.

HOLD ON
For the fifth consecutive season, Duke relies on graduate student Jackson Hubbard to handle the holding responsibilities on placement kicks.

THE RETURN GAME
Junior Jaylen Stinson has been Duke’s primary punt return specialist in 2022 … the Opelika, Ala., native has registered 15 kick returns for 380 yards (25.3) … his kick return yardage and kick returns rank him third in the ACC in both categories. As a team, Duke’s 30 kick returns rank tied for second in the ACC, while its 623 kick return yards rank third. Duke’s punt return unit of senior WR Jalon Calhoun and redshirt freshman WR Sahmir Hagans has the Blue Devils’ first in the ACC with 259 combined punt return yards … Hagans is fourth in the league with 146 return yards on the year, while Calhoun is ninth with 113. During Duke’s game against Georgia Tech, Hagans broke free for a career-long 81-yard punt return for a touchdown … that return marked Duke’s first since Jamison Crowder did so against Arizona State in the 2014 Sun Bowl. The 81-yard punt return for a touchdown was the eighth-longest single-game total in Duke history, while the total punt return yardage (139) ranks as the second-highest single-game total in Duke history

PELINO STEPPING UP
Freshman K Todd Pelino saw action in his first career game during Duke’s outing against Miami … since then, he’s converted on 25-, 28-, 32-, 39- and 42-yard field goals as well as all 21 of his PAT attempts.

PUNTING EXPERIENCE
Redshirt junior Porter Wilson has been Duke’s starting punter for the last three seasons … he has punted 156 times for 6,821 yards (43.72) with 56 boots downed inside the opponent 20-yard line against eight touchbacks in 35 career games … he has 39 punts of 50-plus yards
and registered a career-long 70-yard punt against Georgia Tech in 2020. His career punting yards rank 11th on Duke’s all-time chart … he is 411 yards award from breaking into Duke’s top-10.

PATs and FGs
The Blue Devils kicking unit comprised of Charlie Ham and Todd Pelino have converted on all 49 of their PAT attempts … that mark ranks Duke fifth in the ACC for total PATs.

KICKING WITH HAM
Redshirt junior Charlie Ham is back as Duke’s primary kicker … last year, he recorded a team-high 74 points on 14-of-20 (.700) field goals and 32-of-32 (1.000) PATs … he also tallied 55 kickoffs for 3,211 yards (58.38) with 22 touchbacks against two boots out of bounds. During his Blue Devil tenure, Ham has totaled 199 points on 36-of-50 (.720) FGs and 91-of-93 (.978) PATs … in addition, he has kicked off 136 times for 8,298 yards (60.01) with 71 touchbacks against three boots out of bounds.

He’s currently sixth on Duke’s all-time scoring ledger and is one point away from becoming the sixth player to reach 200-plus points in their career … Ham is also tied with Doug Peterson for fourth on Duke’s career charts for most field goals, fourth in PATs and has converted 75 consecutive PATs … the 75 consecutive PATs place him third all-time in program lore.

ALL-PURPOSE FOR CALHOUN
Senior WR Jalon Calhoun has registered 950 all-purpose yards on the year from 811 receiving, 113 punt and 26 kick return yards … the Greenville, S.C., native earned a career-best 24-yard kick return and 43-yard punt return against the Cavaliers earlier this season.

ALL-ACC PRAISE FOR CALHOUN
At the conclusion of the regular season, senior WR Jalon Calhoun was honored with Third Team All-ACC nods as a return specialist … in addition, Calhoun garnered Honorable Mention All-ACC accolades as an all-purpose player.

LIMITING RETURNS
The Blue Devils have held opponents to just 74 punt return yards on the season … an average of just 5.7 yards per return … the longest return Duke allowed was a 16-yarder against Kansas.

NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (9-24) at Portland Trail Blazers (17-16)

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NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (9-24) at Portland Trail Blazers (17-16)

The Charlotte Hornets experience nothing but trouble in Portland and they aim to end a 14-game skid in the Rose City when they visit the Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Charlotte last won in Portland on March 29, 2008 when the team was known as the Bobcats and Emeka Okafor was the squad’s high scorer with 21 points. Trail Blazers icon Damian Lillard was a high school senior.

The Hornets will take another shot at ending the skid during the fifth contest of a six-game road trip that ends Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.

Charlotte is 2-2 on the excursion after outlasting Los Angeles Lakers 134-130 on Friday. The Hornets have won two of their last three games after losing their previous eight contests.

Gordon Hayward scored the tiebreaking points with 6.3 seconds left and P.J. Washington added two free throws to seal it.

Washington led the Hornets with 24 points while Rozier and LaMelo Bell scored 23 points apiece. Ball also had eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals.

Charlotte coach Steve Clifford also liked the play of Hayward, who scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Portland is returning home from a 2-4 road trip in which it dropped its last three games.

The Trail Blazers lost a pair of games to the Oklahoma City Thunder before finishing the trip with a 120-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Lillard was not pleased with the team’s performance on the excursion.

The Trail Blazers were outscored 35-16 in the third quarter to trail by 13 points and the Nuggets extinguished their attempts to get back in the game in the final stanza.

Coach Chauncey Billups is frustrated with the in-game inconsistency of his squad.

Lillard had 34 points and eight assists to continue his strong month. Lillard is averaging 29.9 points and 7.2 assists in 10 games since returning from a calf injury.

Lillard contributed 26 points and seven assists when Portland posted a 105-95 victory in Charlotte on Nov. 9. Ball missed that contest with a left ankle injury.

The Hornets are reportedly working toward a deal with restricted free agent Miles Bridges, who averaged a team-high 20.2 points last season in his fourth campaign with the team. Once Bridges signs, he will likely receive a league suspension after recently pleading no contest to a domestic violence charge.

NBA Preview: Utah Jazz (19-16) at San Antonio Spurs (10-22)

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NBA Preview: Utah Jazz (19-16) at San Antonio Spurs (10-22)

The Utah Jazz will bring a two-game winning streak into play when they begin a three-game road trip with a stop in San Antonio to face the slumping Spurs on Monday.

The Jazz (19-16) travel to the Alamo City for the first time this season after a three-day break and on the heels of a 120-112 win at home over Washington on Thursday. Malik Beasley led Utah with 25 points off the bench while Jordan Clarkson added 23, Lauri Markkanen hit for 21 and Walker Kessler scored 12.

The Jazz trailed by six at halftime but scored 13 straight points midway through the second half to flip the script. Collin Sexton scored five points in the final 11 seconds of the third quarter and finished with 18 points in 17 minutes.

Sexton returned to the Jazz lineup after missing seven games with a hamstring injury. The Jazz played without Kelly Olynyk, who’s been out three straight games with a sprained left ankle.

Despite Beasley’s big game on the offensive end, the talk of the Jazz’s locker room after the win was about his defense.

Thursday’s game was the only home contest for Utah in a stretch of six of seven games away from home. The Jazz’s three-game road trip includes stops in San Francisco and Sacramento to play the Warriors and Kings on Wednesday and Friday.

The Spurs (10-22) head home after a 133-113 loss at Orlando on Friday. The game was tied at halftime before San Antonio surrendered a 20-8 run over the final four and a half minutes of the third quarter that erased the Spurs’ seven-point lead.

San Antonio ran out of gas in the fourth and trailed by as many as 26 points while losing for the fourth time in five games.

The Spurs allowed Orlando to score 72 points in the second half.

Keldon Johnson returned from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss two games and led the Spurs with 17 points in the loss. Tre Jones added 16, Devin Vassell had 14 and Jeremy Sochan and Doug McDermott had 13 points apiece.

NBA Preview: Indiana Pacers (17-16) at New Orleans Pelicans (20-12)

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NBA Preview: Indiana Pacers (17-16) at New Orleans Pelicans (20-12)

The New Orleans Pelicans have been missing some of their best players, but the quality of their depth has shown.

The Pelicans have won their last two games without leading scorer Zion Williamson (illness), second-leading scorer Brandon Ingram (toe contusion) and key reserve Larry Nance Jr. (Achilles soreness).

The Pelicans will be healthier, but not back to full strength, when they host the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

Williamson cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Sunday and is available to play against Indiana. Nance was listed as questionable, but Ingram was ruled out for a 14th consecutive game.

An opportunity came for seldom-used forward/center Jaxson Hayes on Friday, and he responded in a 128-125 overtime win at Oklahoma City. Hayes had scored just 16 points all season and scored 21 (on 8-of-9 shooting) against the Thunder. He played 28 minutes, more than doubling his previous high of 13.

The Pelicans almost let the game slip away, though, even after leading by 21 points in the second quarter, as they fell behind by nine in the fourth.

CJ McCollum led a comeback that forced overtime, Trey Murphy III made a 3-pointer to give the Pelicans the lead for good and Hayes had five points in the extra period.

Indiana, like the Pelicans, won their last game despite squandering a significant lead Friday night.

The Pacers led by 12 points early in the fourth quarter at Miami before watching the Heat tie things with 14.9 seconds remaining.

Tyrese Haliburton made a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining to produce a 111-108 win.

Haliburton finished with a career-high 43 points and made a team-record 10 3-pointers. His performance was much different than the one he had against the Heat on Dec. 12, when he finished with one point.

Haliburton, who made 14 of 20 field-goal attempts, including 10 of 16 3-pointers on Saturday, had 33 points in a victory at Boston on Wednesday, making six 3-pointers.

Against Miami, Buddy Hield finished with 21 points on seven 3-pointers, and Indiana made 21 of 47 shots from beyond the arc as a team.

The Pacers defeated the visiting Pelicans 129-122 on Nov. 7 behind a season-best 37 points from Myles Turner.

This is the last game of a three-game road trip for Indiana, and it starts a three-game homestand for New Orleans.

NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (9-23) at Chicago Bulls (14-18)

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NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (9-23) at Chicago Bulls (14-18)

There was an opportunity facing the Houston Rockets two weeks ago, with the start of a seven-game homestand offering a glimmer of hope and a chance to build momentum as the midpoint of the schedule approaches.

Instead, the Rockets followed two surprising victories over the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns with a five-game losing skid capped by a 112-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Now the Rockets will head back out on the road, opening a three-game trip on Monday against the Chicago Bulls, the first of eight road games in a 12-game stretch through Jan. 16.

Mired in last place in the Western Conference, Houston must evaluate what undermined that opportunity. Of late, fourth-quarter turnovers have been a glaring weakness, with the setback against Dallas marred by lost possessions after the Rockets cut an eight-point deficit to one.

The assumption was that Houston would generate and maintain that energy while at home. But the second-youngest roster in the league continues to struggle with consistency, offering snapshots of promise yet seemingly unable to sustain those moments of elevated play.

Distractions are aplenty during the course of a long season, and Smith pinpointed the holiday season as just another mental obstacle for the Rockets. They will carry a losing streak on the road with them, hopeful that the solitude might provide a chance to regroup.

The Bulls have been ensnarled in conversation centered on a complete teardown. That was before Chicago won three straight games capped by consecutive buzzer-beating wins, including a 118-117 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday.

For all their shortcomings and erratic play, the Bulls entered the weekend just a half-game out of a postseason play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, even as reports emerged that the team is deciding whether Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan can iron out on-court chemistry.

Optimal health would advance any hopes the Bulls harbor of making a second-half run. They have been without Lonzo Ball all season and were without Alex Caruso, Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. against the Knicks. If that trio returns soon, perhaps the Bulls can build on their recent success.

NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (16-17) at Miami Heat (16-17)

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NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (16-17) at Miami Heat (16-17)

The Minnesota Timberwolves continue a four-game road swing on Monday, visiting the Miami Heat in a matchup of teams aiming to get on the right side of .500 before the new year.

Miami, entering the latter half of a four-game homestand, dropped its last two games to fall to 16-17 — 113-103 last Tuesday to Chicago and 111-106 to Indiana on Friday.

All-NBA wing Jimmy Butler, who has played sporadically since early November due to injury, missed the Chicago loss then exited Friday’s defeat with a sprained ankle.

Butler keys the Heat on both sides of the floor, leading the team in scoring at 21.8 points per game and steals with 1.9 per game. His 6.8 rebounds per game are second only to Bam Adebayo’s 9.8, and Butler’s 5.8 assists a night trail only Kyle Lowry’s 5.9 per game among all Miami players.

The Heat are 5-7 with Butler out of the lineup this season, a record that includes a 105-101 loss to Minnesota on Nov. 21.

Their first meeting with Miami came during a season-best five-game winning streak for the Timberwolves. Since that streak concluded with the final victory on Nov. 23, Minnesota has gone 6-9, including losses in each of its last two outings.

The Timberwolves opened their current road swing on Friday in a 121-109 loss at NBA-leading Boston.

Anthony Edwards scored 30 points, giving him 117 over Minnesota’s last four games, and D’Angelo Russell finished with 21 points and 10 assists, but the void of Karl-Anthony Towns from the lineup with a right calf sprain loomed as the Timberwolves surrendered a 53-45 rebounding disparity.

Towns is averaging 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and has been a key distributor for the Minnesota offense with 5.3 assists per game. Towns has been sidelined since Nov. 30.

Minnesota ranks in the lower-third of the NBA with 42.6 rebounds per game. Miami, meanwhile, has been even less effective on the glass overall at 40.8 rebounds per game. When the teams met last month, Miami out-rebounded Minnesota, 46-40, but the Timberwolves shot 43.5 percent from the floor to the Heat’s 38.9.

Minnesota’s 49 percent shooting from the field on the season is the third-best in the league through games played on Saturday. Miami is shooting 45.1 percent, one of the five-lowest averages in the NBA and a factor in the Heat’s 108.0-points per game output.

Only the Los Angeles Clippers are scoring less on average than Miami.

NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers (19-15) at Detroit Pistons (8-27)

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NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers (19-15) at Detroit Pistons (8-27)

The Los Angeles Clippers headed into Christmas lamenting a second-half collapse at the start of a five-game road trip.

They’ll aim for a more complete performance on Monday when they visit the Detroit Pistons, the team with the league’s worst record.

Los Angeles led by as much as 20 in the early going and 12 at halftime against Philadelphia. The Clippers gave up 68 second-half points in the 119-114 loss on Friday. Prior to the trip, the Clippers had won five of their last six games.

The star forward duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 50 points, but the other starters contributed just 22. Except for Norman Powell (21 points), the bench wasn’t productive, either.

Defensively, the Clippers had no answers for the Sixers duo of Joel Embiid (44 points) and James Harden (20 points, 21 assists, 11 rebounds).

Leonard (six) and George (16) combined for only 22 points in the first meeting with Detroit this season but the Clippers pulled out a 96-91 victory on Nov. 17. Jackson led the offense with 23 points and the defense held the Pistons to the second-lowest point total by a Clippers opponent this season.

The Pistons have lost five straight, including a 130-105 thumping at Atlanta on Friday. The Hawks outscored them 70-42 after halftime.

It’s been a familiar pattern for Detroit during the slide. The Pistons keep it close or lead at the break, then the opponent tilts the game in its direction during the third quarter. Detroit is starting two rookies, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, and two third-year players.

That might change soon.

The Pistons have given up at least 122 points in six of the last seven games. In the other contest, Philadelphia beat them by 20 points.

NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (21-12) at Cleveland Cavaliers (22-12)

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NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (21-12) at Cleveland Cavaliers (22-12)

The Brooklyn Nets earned seven straight wins by beating mostly losing teams and often getting it done down the stretch.

Their eighth straight win, however, was a decisive 18-point defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The Nets will seek their ninth consecutive victory Monday night when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, another top-tier team in the Eastern Conference.

Before leading for the final 42:56 of the 118-100 win over the Bucks, the Nets had only two wins in the streak vs. teams with winning records: Atlanta and Indiana, both 17-16.

After leading by as many as 44 in a 30-point win over Golden State on Wednesday, the Nets held Milwaukee to 44 percent shooting from the field and 24.3 percent from 3-point range.

Because of what unfolded Friday night, the Nets can match the Bucks and Celtics for the NBA’s longest winning streak of the season. Brooklyn also can get its first nine-game winning streak since a franchise-record 14-game run in 2006.

Brooklyn’s two most recent wins also did not require heavy lifting from Kevin Durant. Durant scored 24 points Friday after finishing with 23 Wednesday but also had plenty of help. Irving scored 14 of his 18 in the fourth when the Nets kept Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scoreless.

The Nets are 12-1 in their past 13 games and Cleveland has been nearly as hot lately. Since their five-game losing streak last month, the Cavaliers are 14-6 in their past 20 but are also attempting to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since that skid.

On Friday, Cleveland saw its five-game winning streak stopped with a 118-107 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland shot 51.3 percent but despite shooting over 50 percent for the 15th time, it allowed a season-high 19 3-pointers to the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting team and trailed by as many as 26 early in the third when coach J.B. Bickerstaff benched his starters.

Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 17 points while Isaac Okoro added 15. Star Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 28.9 points, was held to 12 on 4-of-16 shooting after scoring 36 in Wednesday’s win over Milwaukee.

Brooklyn won four of five meetings with Cleveland last season. The Nets also earned a seven-point home win over the Cavaliers on April 12 to win the play-in game ahead of the playoffs.

CFB: First Responder Bowl Preview – Memphis Tigers (6-6) at Utah State (6-6)

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CFB: First Responder Bowl Preview – Memphis Tigers (6-6) at Utah State (6-6)

MEMPHIS TIGERS NOTES:

SETTING THE SCENE
• The University of -Memphis football team will face Utah State in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 2:15 p.m. in Dallas, Texas. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

• The bowl marks the ninth-straight year that the Tigers have been bowl eligible, which ranks ninth amongst all NCAA teams and is the best stretch of any non-Power 5 team.

• Memphis is 6-8 all-time in bowl games, with the 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl being canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai’i program last year.

• Ryan Silverfield has led the program to bowl games in all three seasons as head coach and has been on staff for the past seven years, with Memphis earning bowl berths each season.

• The Tigers had six players earn All-American Athletic Conference accolades following the season, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard earning first-team honors.

• Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens earned second-team All-AAC accolades, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named Honorable-Mention All-AAC.

• The Tigers have forced at least one turnover in 14 of their last 17 games, piling up 31 takeaways over that span.

SCOUTING UTAH STATE
• Utah State comes in to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl with an overall record of 6-6 on the season and a mark of 5-3 in Mountain West play.

• The Aggies defeated three bowl teams during the year – Air Force, San Jose State and UConn.

• Utah State has earned a bowl berth in five of the last six seasons and 10 out of the last 12 years.

• The Aggies had nine players earn All-MWC honors, led by first-team selection OL Alfred Edwards who was named First-Team.

• Utah State ranks 25th in passing yards allowed (198.4), 31st in tackles for loss (6.7), 43rd in passes intercepted (11).

• DB Ike Larson leads the nation with three blocked kicks and is 17th in nation with four interceptions.

• RB Calvin Tyler Jr. is 31st in the nation with 1,043 rushing yards.

INSIDE THE SERIES
• The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will mark the eighth all-time meeting between Memphis and Utah State. The Tigers hold a 4-3 advantage over the Aggies in the series.

• The teams first met on the field in 1965 and played seven times from then until the 1977 season.

• The two programs have never met in a bowl game before.

ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 77 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.

• The 77 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.

• The Tigers also rank 19th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 77-38 (.670) mark.

BOWL STREAK
• The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl marks the ninth-straight year that the Tigers have been bowl eligible, which ranks ninth amongst all NCAA teams and is the best stretch of any non-Power 5 team.

• Memphis is 6-8 all-time in bowl games, with the 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl being canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai’i program last year.

• Ryan Silverfield has led the program to bowl games in all three seasons as head coach and has been on staff for the past seven years, with Memphis earning bowl berths each season.

JOHNSON, HOWARD HEADLINE ALL-AAC HONOREES
• The Tigers had six players earn All-American Athletic Conference accoladesfollowing the season, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard earning first-team honors.

• Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens earned second-team All-AAC accolades, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named Honorable-Mention All-AAC.

• Memphis has had 17 student-athletes earn All-AAC honors under head coach Ryan Silverfield.

SILVERFIELD SECURES ANOTHER TOP-5 RECRUITING CLASS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
• For the third-straight year, head coach Ryan Silverfield hasrecruited one of the top-5 classes in program history.

• The 2023 class, which includes 22 student-athletes, is ranked No. 61 by Rivals, making it the fifth-best class in program history. It ranks as the second-best class among Group of Five programs.

• The 2022 class was the best class in program history (No. 47), while the 2021 class is the second-best in school history (No. 49).

• Both classes were ranked No. 2 in the AAC those seasons behind only Cincinnati.

• Prior to Silverfield, Memphis has never had a top-50 recruiting class in Rivals rankings.

DISCIPLINED TEAM
• Memphis is ranked fifth in the nation in both total penalties (48) and in fewest penalties per game (4.00).

• The team is also ranked ninth in the country in both fewest penalty yards (424) and fewest penalty yards per game (35.33).

• The Tigers did not have any penalties at No. 25/25 Tulane on Oct. 22, marking the first time since 2020 against Houston the team accomplished that feat.

FORCING TURNOVERS
• Dating back to the 2021 season, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in 14 of the last 17 games.

• Over that stretch, the Tigers have totaled 21 interceptions and 10 fumbles.

• Memphis has forced multiple turnovers in 10 of the last 17 contests.

DEFENSE SHINES IN SHUTOUT WIN OVER NORTH ALABAMA
• The 59-0 shutout win over North Alabama on Nov. 19 was the first for Memphis since 2015 against SMU (63-0) and was the largest margin of victory (59) since the Tigers beat Bowling Green 77-13 in 2016 (64).

• The Tiger defense did not allow the Lions to cross midfield for the entire game. The furthest UNA moved the ball was to its own 44-yard line.

• The Memphis defense allowed just 24 yards passing – the fewest since allowing 20 against Navy in 2017.

HENIGAN IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• In just 23 career games, quarterback Seth Henigan has moved into the Memphis record books.

• The sophomore ranks fifth all-time at Memphis in attempts (809), completions (500), yards (6,597) and touchdown passes (44). Additionally, Henigan’s numbers for attempts (416), completions (275) and passing yards (3,275) rank ninth, fourth and seventh, respectively, for a single season at Memphis.

RUSHERS SHOW OUT AGAINST NORTH ALABMA
• The Tigers rushed for a season-high 246 yards in a 59-0 win over North Alabama on Nov. 19.

• Memphis ran for five scores on the day, with both Asa Martin and Jevyon Ducker rushing for two and true freshman Sutton Smith getting the fifth.

• Running back An’Darius Coffey had his best game as a Tiger, rushing for a game-high 83 yards on 14 carries. Smith ended the contest with a career-high 55 yards to go with his score, while Ducker racked up 54 yards on 10 carries.

SPREADING THE BALL AROUND
• A total of 14 players have at least one catch this season for the Tigers.

• Seven players have at least one touchdown reception and nine players have at least 11 receptions.

• Memphis has had three games this year that at least 10 players had at least one reception – Temple (11), No. 25/25 East Carolina (10) and Tulane (10).

TIGER PLAYERS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Tight end Caden Prieskorn is tied for seventh in the nation amongst all tight ends with six receiving touchdowns.

• Linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens ranks second in the country with his four fumble recoveries.

• Defensive back Quindell Johnson ranks 17th in the NCAA in interceptions with four.

• Kicker Chris Howard ranks ninth in the country in field goals per game (1.67), 22nd in field goal percentage (.870), and 17th in total points scored (105).

• Punter Joe Doyle ranks fifth in the NCAA in punting (46.7) and is tied for the AAC lead.

MEMPHIS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Entering bowl season, the Tigers rank in the top-25 nationally in 11 statistical categories.

• Memphis ranks fifth in fewest penalties (48) and fewest penalties per game (4.0), ninth in fewest penalty yards (424) and fewest penalty yards per game (35.33), tenth in defensive touchdowns (3), 12th in kickoff-return average (23.11), 20th in passes intercepted (13) and 22nd in scoring offense (35.1) and passing yards per game (278.8).

• The Tigers, along with most of the country, are tied for first in blocked kicks allowed (0) and blocked punts allowed (0).

• Memphis leads the AAC in kickoff-return average (23.11) and passes intercepted (13). Additionally, the Tigers rank second in the AAC in defensive touchdowns (3) and turnovers gained (19).

TOUGH SCHEDULE
• Four of the Tigers’ losses this season came to teams that were either ranked at the time or were ranked during the season.

• Houston (as high as No. 24/25), Mississippi State (No. 22 currently), Tulane (currently No. 16 currently) and UCF (as high as No. 17/18) were those teams.

• Four of Memphis’ six losses on the year also came by seven points or less this season.

BEST AGAINST THE BEST
• Since 2015, Memphis has posted a record of 8-11 (.421) against top-25 ranked opponents.

• The winning percentage is the best mark for any non-Power 5 team in the country.

MADE IN MEMPHIS
• Since 2015, 13 Memphis players have been drafted by the National Football League.

• OL Dylan Parham was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, while WR Calvin Austin III was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round.

• With the selections, Memphis has had at least one player selected in nine-straight NFL Drafts, with 15 players being taken over that span.

• On current NFL rosters, four former Tigers are listed at running back (Antonio Gibson, Tony Pollard, Kenneth Gainwell and Patrick Taylor Jr.).

• Currently, 16 Tigers are on NFL rosters – RB Tony Pollard (Dallas), RB Patrick Taylor Jr. (Green Bay), PK DB Jacobi Francis(Houston), DB Chris Claybrooks(Jacksonville), Riley Patterson (Jacksonville), OL Dylan Parham (Las Vegas), DL Bryce Huff (New York Jets), K Jake Elliott (Philadelphia), RB Kenneth Gainwell (Philadelphia), WR Calvin Austin III (Pittsburgh), CB Arthur Maulet (Pittsburgh), WR Anthony Miller (Pittsburgh), LB Genard Avery (Tampa Bay), LB JJ Russell (Tampa Bay), RB Antonio Gibson (Washington) and DB Bobby McCain (Washington).

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• Memphis has had a great home field advantage at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, posting a record of 41-7 (.854) since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the staff in 2016.

• As head coach, Silverfield is 16-4 (.800) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

• With the win over Tulsa on Nov. 10, the Tigers became just the fourth FBS team since 2014 to win 50 games at home, joining Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State.

UTAH STATE AGGIES NOTES:

KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State (6-6, 5-3 MW) is playing in a bowl game for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons and for the 16th time in school history, as it faces Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:15 p.m. (MT). USU is 6-9 in its previous 15 bowl games, which includes an 0-1 record against current members of the American Athletic Conference.

• Utah State posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and will be looking to win back-to-back bowl games for just the second time in school history, joining the 2012-14 teams that won a school-record three-straight bowls. USU also played in five-straight bowl games from 2011-15, which is a school record, as well.

• Utah State’s Blake Anderson is just the second head coach in school history, along with Matt Wells (2013-14), to lead the Aggies to bowl games in each of his first two seasons. Overall, Anderson is the fifth head coach in school history to coach in multiple bowls, along with E. Lowell Romney (1946-47), John Ralston (1960-61), Gary Andersen (2011-12, 2019) and Wells (2013-15, ‘17). Anderson could also join Wells as the only head coaches in school history to win consecutive bowl games in their first two seasons.

• Utah State graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has rushed for 2,051 yards in his collegiate career, which includes 1,927 yards in his two seasons as an Aggie, and is just 73 yards shy of becoming the 11th player in school history to rush for 2,000 yards in a USU career. Tyler, who has rushed for 1,043 yards this season, is one of 15 players in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season 19 total times.

• Utah State graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards will be starting his 53rd career game this week, which will set the school record, breaking the previous mark of 52 career starts by Tyler Larsen (2009-13). Edwards will also be starting in his school-record fourth bowl game, breaking the previous record of three bowl game starts by Kyler Fackrell (2012-13, ‘15), Nick Vigil (2013-15), Zach Vigil (2012-14), Nevin Lawson (2011-13) and Larsen (2011-13). Edwards will also join Jordan Nielsen (2012-15) and Frankie Sutera (2011-14) as the only Aggies to ever play in four bowl games.

SCOUTING MEMPHIS
• Memphis is 6-6 on the season and tied for eighth in the American Athletic Conference with a 3-5 record. The Tigers enter the bowl game after losing their season finale at SMU, 34-31. The Tigers are led by sophomore QB Seth Henigan, who is 265-of-416 (.637) passing for 3,275 yards (272.9 ypg) with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Redshirt sophomore RB Jevyon Ducker leads the team in rushing with 461 yards on 97 carries (4.8 ypc/38.4 ypg) with five touchdowns, and redshirt junior TE Caden Prieskorn has 46 receptions for 593 yards (12.9 ypr/49.4 ypg) with six touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB Xavier Cullens has a teambest 104 tackles, which includes 7.5 tackles for loss, to go along with four fumble recoveries. As a team, UM is averaging 35.1 points and 420.7 yards of offense per game (278.8 passing, 141.9 rushing), and allowing 27.3 points and 371.9 yards of offense (250.2 passing, 121.8 rushing). Ryan Silverfield is 20-16 in his third season as a collegiate head coach.

AGGIES AND TIGERS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State trails 4-3 in the all-time series against Memphis. The first meeting in the series was in 1965 with UM winning at home 7-0. USU then won three of the next four games, followed by consecutive wins by the Tigers in the last two matchups. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Memphis posted a 31-26 home win in 1977. This will be the second neutral-site game in the series as USU posted a 28-14 win in Salt Lake City in 1967.

UTAH STATE vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• Utah State is 4-7 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with a 3-4 record against Memphis, a 1-0 record against UCF, and 0-1 records against Cincinnati, Houston and South Florida.

• The last time Utah State played a current member of the AAC was during the 2001 season when it lost at South Florida 34-13, and defeated UCF at home, 30-27.

• This will be Utah State’s second meeting against a current AAC team in a bowl game as it lost to Cincinnati 35-19 in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl, in Boise, Idaho. The Bearcats were a member of Conference USA at the time, while USU played in the Big West Conference.

ANDERSON vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson is 0-1 all-time against Memphis and 2-3 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference, which includes a 31-13 win against UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl. In 2020, Anderson’s Arkansas State team open the season with a 37-24 loss at Memphis.

THE MOUNTAIN WEST vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• The Mountain West is 15-11 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference, including a 6-0 record in bowl games. In the 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Nevada defeated Tulane, 38-27. In the 2020 New Mexico Bowl, Hawai’i defeated Houston, 28-14. In the 2017 Hawaii Bowl, Fresno State defeated Houston, 33-27. In the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl, San Diego State defeated Houston, 34-10. In the 2015 Hawaii Bowl, San Diego State defeated Cincinnati, 42-7. And in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl, Air Force defeated Houston, 47-27

DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State is 4-5 all-time against teams from the state of Tennessee with a 3-4 record against Memphis, a 1-0 record against Tennessee Tech and an 0-1 record vs. Tennessee. USU last played a team from the Volunteer State in 2018 when it posted a 73-12 home win against the Golden Eagles.

• Utah State has 33 players on its roster from the state of Utah and Memphis has 39 players on its roster from the state of Tennessee.

SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND MEMPHIS
• Memphis has outscored Utah State 148-105, for an average score of 21.4 to 15.0.

• The team that scores first is 4-2 in the series, as USU has a 2-2 record and UM has a 2-0 record. Furthermore, the team that leads at the half is 6-0 in the series as USU is 2-0 and UM is 4-0.

• The team with more rushing yards and more yards of total offense has won four of the six games in the series where stats are available.

• The team with more penalties has won five of the six games in the series where stats are available.

• Utah State has committed more turnovers in all but one game in the series.

• Utah State has had two 100-yard rushers, one 100-yard receiver and two 200-yard passers in series history, and Memphis has had three 100-yard rushers, one 100-yard receiver and no 200-yard passers

AGGIES WITH BOWL GAME EXPERIENCE
• Utah State has 37 players on its roster that have played in at least one bowl game in graduate senior QB Logan Bonner, graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs, graduate senior PK Connor Coles, graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards, graduate senior OL Chandler Dolphin, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, graduate senior DT Phillip Paea, graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate senior OL Jacob South, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., senior CB Michael Anyanwu, senior OL Wyatt Bowles, senior CB Ajani Carter, senior RB Cooper Jones, senior DT Hale Motu’apuaka, senior WR Justin McGriff, senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh, graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak, junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr., junior P Stephen Kotsanlee, junior OL Calvin Knapp, junior QB Cooper Legas, junior ILB Kaleo Neves, junior OL Jackson Owens, junior CB Jaden Smith, junior TE Josh Sterzer, junior OLB Anthony Switzer, junior DT Poukesi Vakauta, junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen, junior DE Byron Vaughns, junior RB Jordan Wilmore, sophomore LS Jacob Garcia, sophomore OL Cole Motes, sophomore CB Jamie Nance, sophomore PK Elliott Nimrod, sophomore WR Kyrese Rowan and sophomore QB Levi Williams.

• Of the 37 players that have played in bowl games for Utah State, nine have appeared in multiple bowl games (Carter, Edwards, Grzesiak, Joyner, Motu’apuaka, Neves, Reynolds, Rowan, Williams) and one has played in three bowls (Edwards).

• Utah State also has 13 players that have started in bowl games (Anyanwu, Bonner, Dolphin, Edwards, McGriff, Motes, Motu’apuaka, Reynolds, Tyler, Vaughns, Vongphachanh), while Edwards is the only player that has started in two bowl games. In fact, Edwards has started in all three bowl games he has played in during his career.

AGGIES IN OVERTIME
• Utah State is 6-6 all-time in overtime, winning three of its last five. USU is 4-3 in one overtime, 2-2 in double overtime, and 0-1 in triple overtime. USU’s last overtime game was a 26-20 loss against New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017.

TEAM NOTABLES
UTAH STATE FACES MEMPHIS IN SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
• Utah State (6-6, 5-3 MW) will play Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:15 p.m. (MT). The game will be nationally televised on ESPN (Xfinity Ch. 35/668HD, DISH Ch. 140, DirecTV Ch. 206) with Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst) and Nicole Rigoni (reporter) on the call. The game can also be heard nationally on ESPN radio with Brian Estridge (play-by-play), Justin Fuente (analyst) and Chris Mykoskie (reporter).

UTAH STATE NOTABLES HEADING INTO THE BOWL GAME
• Utah State is playing a 13th game for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons after not playing in more than 12 games prior to its current run. The school record for games played in a season is 14 set in 2013, and tied in 2014 and 2021.

• Utah State is 18-19 (.486) all-time in games played during the month of December and 0-0 all-time in known games played on Dec. 27.

• Utah State will be playing on a Tuesday for the first time since the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, when it lost to Akron, 23-21.

• Utah State is playing a game in the state of Texas for the first time since 2019 when it lost to Kent State in the Frisco Bowl, 51-41.

A LOOK AT UTAH STATE
• Utah State is 6-6 on the season and finished tied for second place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 league record following its 42-23 loss at Boise State in its regular season finale. Offensively, USU is led by junior QB Cooper Legas, who is 128-of-209 (.612) passing for 1,465 yards (162.8 ypg) with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. leads the team in rushing with 1,043 yards on 237 carries (4.4 ypc/86.9 ypg) with seven touchdowns, and graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs has a team-best 70 receptions for 844 yards (12.1 ypr/70.3 ypg) and four touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB AJ Vongphachanh leads the team with 92 tackles, which includes 8.0 tackles for loss, while graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds has 88 tackles, which includes 2.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 23.3 points and 362.3 yards of total offense (200.2 passing, 162.1 rushing), and allowing 30.6 points and 396.6 yards (198.4 passing, 198.2 rushing).

UTAH STATE WINS SIX GAMES FOR 39TH TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State has won at least six games 39 times in school history and 10 times in the past 12 seasons. With a victory in its bowl game, USU will finish the season with seven or more wins for the eighth time in the past 12 years, joining the 2011 (7 wins), 2012 (11 wins), 2013 (9 wins), 2014 (10 wins), 2018 (11 wins), 2019 (7 wins) and 2021 (11 wins) teams, and for the 28th time in school history.

• Utah State also finished Mountain West play with a 5-3 record, marking the ninth time in the last 12 years that it has won at least five league games. Overall, USU has now won five or more conference games 19 times in school history.

UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 43 of its last 53 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 5-1 record this year, and 49 of its last 57 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 5-2 record this year. USU has also won 66 of its last 71 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 4-0 record this season.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2023
• Heading into the 2023 season, Utah State will return 15 starters (O-5, D-10) and 45 letter-winners (O-20, D-22, S-3) from this year’s team. USU will lose seven starters (O-6, D-1) and 11 letter-winners (O-6, D-4, S-1).

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
• Utah State has won or shared 13 league titles in school history (1921, 1935, 1936, 1946, 1960, 1961, 1978, 1978, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2012, 2021).

DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has only had eight players (5 offense, 3 defense) start all 12 games this year in graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs, graduate senior OL Chandler Dolphin, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., senior
ILB AJ Vongphachanh, graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak and freshman OL Weylin Lapuaho.

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