LOS ANGELES—Eric Henderson, a Super Bowl Champion and award-winning coach, has been named USC’s co-defensive coordinator/run game coordinator/defensive line coach, head coach Lincoln Riley announced today (Jan. 15).
“I’m excited to welcome the final member of our defensive staff, Eric Henderson,” said Riley. “A Super Bowl Champion coach who has been recognized nationally for being the top in his field, Eric will bring immeasurable knowledge and experience to our program. We have put together a defensive staff that is second to none. We’re ready to get to work.”
Henderson most recently served as the defensive line coach/run game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.
In the 2023 season, the Rams finished the season ranked No. 8 in run defense with a 70.2 grade per PFF. The Rams finished the regular season with 41.0 sacks with 4 players recording 6.0+ sacks. This was the first time since 1985 that the Rams have had 4 players with 6.0+ sacks on the season. DT Aaron Donald was named a Pro Bowler and earned First Team All-Pro. This marks his 10th Pro Bowl appearance and eighth First Team All-Pro recognition. In 2023, Donald tallied 56 tackles, including 8 sacks, and 3 PBUs. Henderson tutored DT Kobie Turner, who was arguably the best rookie pass rusher in the NFL in 2023 and is a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He led the Rams with 9 sacks. Turner recorded 58 tackles, including 9.5 sacks on the season. That sack total tied Donald’s mark for the franchise’s rookie record. Turner won NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for January. He recorded 5 sacks, 15 tackles and 4 TFLsin the final 6 games of the year, helping elevate the performance of the entire defense.
In 2022, the Rams rush defense ranked among the best in the NFL. Henderson’s defensive line helped the Rams finish third in fewest missed tackles on rush plays (51), eighth in percentage of opponent rushes that resulted in first downs (23.3%), ninth in defensive total rush EPA (42.97), ninth in opponent rushes for touchdowns (37.92), tied for 10th in total rushing touchdowns allowed (12) and finished 12th in total rushing first downs allowed (106). According to PFF, the Rams defense concluded the season with the highest grade against the rush (87.0) and only allowed two players to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark on the season. The Rams were 1 of 4 teams to enter Week 17 without allowing a 100- yard rusher due to strong performances on the defensive line. The Rams defense also finished 13th in total rush yards allowed (1,956), opponent rush yards per game (115.1), and successful play rate on defensive rushes (61.5%).
In 2021, the Rams defense ranked third in sacks (50.0) and fifth in tackles for loss (85) during the regular season. Henderson also helped the Rams’ defense finish fifth in yards per rush (3.96) and sixth in opponent rushing yards per game (103.2). The Rams’ defense held opponents to a 51.8% red zone efficiency rate, which ranked eighth-best in the NFL. In the playoffs, the Rams tied a Super Bowl record with seven sacks in their 23-20 win over the Bengals at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13 and had 12 overall during that postseason run.Henderson’s leadership allowed perennial All-Pro DT Aaron Donald to continue stacking career accolades while also helping players such as Greg Gaines, A’Shawn Robinson and Marquise Copeland emerge as steady contributors. Gaines had a career season in 2021 with 13 starts and 55 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, 14 quarterback hits and 34 pressures (including postseason). Henderson also elevated the play of A’Shawn Robinson, who had a stellar performance in Super Bowl LVI with six tackles (five solo), 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss, three pressures and one quarterback hit. Robinson finished the 2021 regular season with 89 tackles (45 solo), 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and 17 pressures.
After the season, Henderson was nationally recognized by winning the 2021 John Teerlinck Defensive Line Coach of the Year award, as voted by his peers. The award is given out annually at the NFL Combine and is named after John Teerlinck who is widely regarded as one of the top defensive line coaches in NFL history.
In his second season in 2020, the Rams finished second in the league in sacks (53.0). The defensive front helped the No. 1 ranked defense finish third in the NFL in rush defense, while giving up the fewest points per game (18.5), passing yards per game (190.7) and total yards per game (281.9).
Under Henderson’s tutelage, the Rams ranked top 5 in sacks back-to-back years (2019 and 2020). DT Aaron Donald became the third player in league history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times. He was also named the PFWA Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time. Donald finished the season with a team-high 13.5 sacks, his fourth-straight season with at least 11.0 sacks.
In Henderson’s debut season in 2019, the Rams rushing defense allowed only 3.74 yards per rush, the sixth-best average in the league. This improvement marked a more than 1.0 yard per rush improvement from the 4.86 yards per rush allowed during the 2018 season, prior to Henderson’s arrival. The defensive front tallied 50.0 sacks, the fourth-highest in the league. The unit also featured Donald, who recorded double-digit sacks (12.5) for the third-consecutive season and earned Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors.
Prior to coaching with the Rams, Henderson served as an assistant defensive line coach for the Chargers for 2 seasons (2017-2018). In 2018, the defense finished with 38.0 total sacks and DE Melvin Ingram led the team with (7.0). Ingram was selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl marking his second consecutive appearance.
During Henderson’s first season with the Chargers in 2017, the defense finished fifth in the NFL in total sacks with 43.0. DE Joey Bosa ended the season with a career-high 12.5 sacks, which ranked seventh in the league.
Henderson spent the 2016 season at the University of Texas – San Antonio as the defensive line coach. The Roadrunners went on to play in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl against New Mexico. Henderson coached junior DE Marcus Davenport, who recorded a team-high 6.5 sacks and a program-record 8 QBHs during the 2016 season. Davenport went on to be the 2017 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and was selected No. 14 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2018 NFL Draft, the highest Roadrunner ever drafted and just the second draft selection ever from UTSA.
Prior to joining the Roadrunners, Henderson spent three seasons at Oklahoma State from 2013-15. He spent his first two years in Stillwater working as a graduate assistant before transitioning to a defensive quality control coach in 2015. He was regarded as one of the Cowboys’ top recruiters during his tenure. During his three years at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys posted a combined 27-12 record and made three bowl appearances. Henderson helped tutor DE Emmanuel Ogbah, who earned All-American accolades, was named 2015 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was drafted in the second round (32nd overall) by the Cleveland Browns.
Henderson made his coaching debut in 2012 as a defensive assistant at Georgia Military College, where he coached the linebackers and secondary. The Bulldogs finished with a 7-4 record and made an appearance in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl.
Henderson played three years in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2006-08 after being signed as an undrafted free agent. He also spent three years (2009-11) with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League, helping the team win a pair of league championships.
Henderson was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive end at Georgia Tech from 2003-05. He set the school’s career record for tackles for loss with 59.5 and finished with 175 tackles, 25 sacks (No. 4 in program history), 8 PBUs and 7 forced fumbles.
Henderson, a native of New Orleans, La., earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Georgia Tech and is working toward a master’s degree in educational psychology. He and his wife, Shanea, were married in 2021.
With the addition of Coach Henderson, USC’s coaching staff is now complete. He joins the defensive staff comprised of Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who will be calling the defense, Assistant Head Coach for Defense / Linebackers Coach Matt Entz, Secondary Coach Doug Belk and Defensive Ends Coach Shaun Nua.
Henderson’s hiring is contingent upon completion of a successful University background screening.
Eric Henderson Named Co-Defensive Coordinator / Run Game Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach
Goff Gets Revenge Against The Rams
DETROIT, MI– It was a Playoff game straight out of a Hollywood script, an abundance of storylines between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions at Ford field on Sunday night. A battle of quarterbacks, It lived up to expectations as Jared Goff outdueled Matthew Stafford in a 24-23 victory in Super Wild Card Weekend on January 14.
The streak is over: The Detroit Lions have won a playoff game for the first time since January 5 1992. Lions quarterback Jared Goff got sweet revenge over Rams head coach Sean McVay, who unloaded him three years ago in an historic trade in NFL history.
Thanks to a strong offensive first half and a stout defensive second half. The Lions survived a Rams comeback to earn their first playoff win in over thirty years.
The Lions will host either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Philadelphia Eagles next week in the divisional round.
Detroit started with the ball and started fast. The Lions went 75 yards in 10 plays, with David Montgomery scoring a 1-yard touchdown to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.
Matthew Stafford and the Rams responded when the quarterback found rookie Wide Receivers Puka Nacua for a 50-yard touchdown down the left sideline, cutting a high-scoring affair to 14-10.
Goff was methodical, spreading the ball to five receivers in the first quarter alone, and making checks at the line. Goff finished 22 for 27 for 277 yards, one touchdown and a 121.8 passer rating.
What cost the Rams was their inability to score touchdowns in the Red Zone. 0 for 3, incluiding a controversial decision with 8:10 remaining in the 4th quarter. Trailing 24-20 on the 13-yard line, McVay opted to kick yet another field goal to bring them within a point at 24-23. Alas, the Rams would never score again.
Stafford and rookie sensation Puka Nacua were brilliant in defeat. The former Lion, Stafford returned to the confines in which he spent the first 12 seasons of his career.
Nacua caught 9 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown in his Playoff debut. While Stafford was magnificent in his Homecoming- 25 of 36 for 367 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
He is the Lions all-time leader in touchdowns and passing yards, it was an emotional moment for himself, wife Kelly and theirfour daughters on the sidelines.
The Lions drafted him No. 1 overall in 2009. The Lions traded Stafford for Goff and a bevy of draft selections in January 2020.
Both running backs, David Montgomery and 2023 first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs found the end zone. The Lions running attack is a key reason the Motor City is moving on to play and live another week.
The Rams will be left to stomach elimination all off-season following a loss to their former quarterback.
USC wins round 2 in the Battle of LA
Los Angeles, CA – The No. 9 USC Trojans (13-1) defeated their crosstown rival No. 2 UCLA Bruins (14-1) 73-65, handing them their first loss of the season in front of a sold-out record-breaking attendance of 10,657 at the Galen Center.
The women of Troy avenged their lone loss of the season and broke a 9-game losing streak to the Bruins. Freshman sensation Juju Watkins led all scorers with a 32-point performance to go along with 10 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.
Head Coach Lindsay Gotlieb spoke about what this win means to the program “ It took a while for us to get this win since I’ve been here but it’s really meaningful for our program. It’s not the last good thing that will happen but we are going to appreciate this day for what it means for women’s basketball in Southern California and for the USC Trojans.’
In the first half, USC shot 36% from the field, making 12 of 33 attempts from the field. The Trojans’ defense was more of the story in the first half, they applied pressure to the UCLA guards and scored 16 points off of the 15 UCLA turnovers.
Mckenzie Forbes, the Harvard transfer, fueled the Trojans’ 11-0 first-quarter surge with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Juju Watkins scored 10 of her aforementioned 32 points in the second quarter to help spark a 15-0 run and allow USC to reach their largest lead of the game at 16 points.
The Bruins shot 30% from the field in the first half, struggling only making 7 of 23 attempts. UCLA starters Jones, Osborne, and Dugalic were held scoreless throughout the first half.
The Trojans led 34-19 at halftime.
In the second half, Charisma Osborne put her squad on her back scoring 25 second-half points for the Bruins. UCLA made 15 of 32 shots from the field for 46% and outscored the Trojans 46-39.
Mckenzie Forbes was the second-leading scorer for the Trojans with 18 points. “We showed so much what we’re capable of, not just to fans but to ourselves,” Forbes said.
The Trojans shot 50% from the field in the second half connecting on 10-20 attempts.
The Bruins cut a 13-point USC lead down to 4 points after manufacturing a 9-0 run but a jumper from Juju Watkins with 2:22 to go put the Trojans back in control before they finished the game at the charity strike.
Juju continues to leave her mark on the program and her mark on the game of women’s basketball. “She cares so much about the team, about the program, about winning,” Gottlieb said.
The team is set to face No. 19 Utah, with a matchup against former Trojans star Alissa Pili scheduled for Friday.
Chiefs Ice The Dolphins At Arrowhead
KANSAS CITY, MO– The Kansas City Chiefs crushed the Miami Dolphins, 26-7 at frozen Arrowhead Stadium in their Playoff matchup on Saturday, January 13. Taylor Swift was dancing in the frigid -4 degree temperatures, as the Chiefs defense was dominant in overwhelming Miami s woeful offense.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs handled the conditions better than the Dolphins.
Mahomes connected primarily with rookie wideout Rashee Rice to the tune of eight receptions for 130 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown reception. The Chiefs quarterback threw for 262 yards with a 83.6 passer rating.
For the second year in a row, the Dolphins hopes ended in the divisional round, it was their worst performance of the year. Miami Quarterback Tua Tagaviola played terrible in the embarrassing loss. With five games left in the regular season, the Dolphins had a 3 game lead in the AFC East, before the wheels came off as the season unraveled tragically.
To be fair, the Dolphins suffered too many injuries down the stretch, including Linebackers Jalen Phillips and Bradley Chubb. It still is a disappointing way to close a season which held such hope.
The Dolphins ended their season with three consecutive losses to the top three seeds in the AFC: The Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, Buffalo Bills in Week 18 and the Chiefs in the wild-card round. Miami’s once-potent offense continued its late-season downward trend. Tyreek Hill scored the Dolphins’ lone touchdown on a 53-yard reception in the second quarter.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went 20-of-39 passing for 199 yards with one touchdown and one interception resulting in a 63.9 passer rating. Peacock paid the NFL $110 million to televise the first-ever exclusive, live-streamed NFL playoff game. Peacock currently has 30 million subscribers and a host of sports properties.
Next week, the Chiefs either face the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park or the Houston Texans. It was a great way to start a Super Bowl repeat.
Nick Saban RETIRES From Alabama
Tuscaloosa, ALA– Nick Saban, Alabama’s legendary Head Coach abruptly retired on Wednesday afternoon. The seven-time National Champion is on a short list of the greatest coaches in the history of Sports.
Saban, 72, spent the last seventeen years leading the Crimson Tide to a dynasty spanning nearly two decades. On New Year’s Day, Alabama lost the Rose Bowl to Michigan, 27-20 in a thrilling Overtime which became an instant classic.
Saban got his college start at Toldeo, where he spent one season in 1990. He then spent five seasons at Michigan State and another five at LSU, where he won his first national championship in 2003.
He briefly jumped to the NFL and led the Miami Dolphins for two seasons before he landed at Alabama ahead of the 2007 season. Saban restored Alabama’s pride and legacy by winning six National Titles in his tenure.
Pacing the sidelines with his slicked back hair on pristine Saturday afternoons, Saban struck fear into the hearts of opponents with his fierce desire to win and his coaching brilliance.
Bama won its first title since 1992 in 2009 and went on to win two more titles after the 2011 and 2012 seasons before the implementation of the College Football Playoff.
Alabama won the second College Football Playoff at the end of the 2015 season and then won the national title again in the 2017 and 2020 seasons. The title game in January of 2018 featured one of the greatest endings in college football history when Tua Tagovailoa hit DeVonta Smith for a national title-winning touchdown in overtime over Georgia.
His remarkable career puts him in the conversation as the greatest coach in college football history. Luminaries such as Bear Bryant, John Robinson, Barry Switzer and Woody Hayes are on that list alongside Saban.
Saban ends his illustrious career with a 297-71-1 record, which included 11 SEC titles and seven national championships — six with Alabama and one with LSU — to his name.
Saban hearkens back to an era where head coaches were given reign over their programs
Rams Beat 49ers, Puka Makes NFL History
SANTA CLARA– Rams rookie Wide Receiver Puka Nacua established an NFL rookie record for catches and yards receiving in a season in the Los Angeles Rams 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, January 7. Next Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams will visit the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs.
Since the Rams and 49ers playoff position had already been cemented, nearly every star rested. That includes Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey for San Francisco. Wheras Rams Head Coach Sean McVay sat Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford.
Rams and Lions-so many storylines surrounding this playoff matchup in the Motor City. Rams Quarterback Matthew Stafford returns home in the first playoff game hosted by Detroit in 30 years against the Lions team that drafted him first overall in 2009.
Stafford was dealt to Los Angeles before the 2021 season in a deal that sent Rams’ former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff to the Lions. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl that season, while the Lions have turned into a winning team thanks in part to Goff.
“Exciting for this team just to get back to where we are right now, to be honest with you,” Stafford said. “The opportunity happens to be in Detroit, which is fun for me on a personal level.”
Another intriguing detail is Jared Goff versus Sean McVay. Goff, who was also drafted first by the Los Angeles Rams, has rejuvenated his career with the Lions. Rams Head Coach Sean McVay and the fanbase, whether fairly or unfairly, blamed Goff singlehandedly for losing Super Bowl LII to the New England Patriots.
McVay was so pleased once Goff was gone, he rubbed it in just a little too deep for comfort. Of course there were half-hearted apologies afterward, but they meant nothing.
Which means this will be an intense, physical game. Perhaps the best matchup in Super Wildcard Weekend.
Oh yeah, I was supposed to be writing about the Rams 49ers outcome. Backup QB Carson Wentz helped make it happen when he scored on a 12-yard run with 4:56 to play and then converted a 2-point conversion pass to Tutu Atwell to put the Rams ahead 21-20.
The biggest drama was Nacua’s chase of the rookie records for catches and yards receiving. Nacua caught a 19-yard TD pass from Wentz in the first quarter to tie Bill Groman’s record of 1,473 yards that had stood since 1960.
He then broke the mark with a 7-yard catch on the opening drive of the third quarter. Nacua stayed in the game for one more play and caught a 6-yard pass to give him 105 catches – one more than the record set by Miami’s Jaylen Waddle in 2021.
In an extremely sweet moment, and he went to the sideline to get a hug from his mother. Every Rams fan let out a collective sigh of relief once Puka was removed.
It has been a rebound season for the Rams, who had a dreadful Super Bowl hangover last season.
Los Angeles will travel to Detroit to take on the Lions on Super Wild Card Weekend. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 14 on NBC.
USC protects its home court and completes the conference sweep over the weekend
Los Angeles– In a total team effort the No. 9 USC Trojans (12-1) withstand the Oregon Ducks (9-7) and secured a late 68-54 victory at the Galen Center.
Freshman sensation Juju Watkins led the women of Troy in scoring with 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 7 of 18 scoring.
USC received huge contributions from their junior center Rayah Marshall, who added 16 points, and nine rebounds. Graduate transfer Mckenzie Forbe scored 16 points and had four assists as well.
“I was super happy that we shared the ball, “Head Coach Lindsay Gotlieb said. “25 assists on 28 made baskets is terrific. I thought that we got contributions from a ton of different people. We got great contributions off of the bench and when it came down to it our go-to players acted like they are some of the best players in the conference”.
The Trojans made 13 of 27 attempts from the field for 48% in the first half.
The Ducks struggled with their shooting, managing a 37% field goal percentage in the first half. They went 9 of 24 from the field and trailed 30-23 at halftime.
Grace VanSlooten had a game-high 18 points for the Ducks on 6 of 16 shooting. Oregon shot 43% in the second half and managed to cut USC’s lead down to one early in the fourth quarter.
The Trojans shot 50% in the second half, shooting 15-30 from the field and 5-11 from three-point range for 45%.
Juju Watkins scored eight of her 17 in the fourth period and helped put the game away for the Trojans.
USC advanced to 2-1 in conference play after defeating both the visiting schools from Oregon over the weekend. USC now prepares to avenge their only loss of the season, which came at the hands of their crosstown rivals the No.2 UCLA Bruins.
UCLA and their size beat them on the rebound margin 48-37 last game and present a tough matchup for the Trojans. Gottlieb gave some insight into USC’s game plan for next Sunday’s showdown. “They are an incredibly great rebounding team, the best in the nation. Obviously the game plan doesn’t change. Box the heck out, be the tougher team, and try to keep them off of the boards”.
USC goes down to the wire as they defeat OSU in a close contest
Los Angeles, CA- In a nail-biter, the No. 9 USC Trojans (11-1) secured a hard-fought victory, overcoming the previously undefeated Oregon State Beavers (12-1) with a final score of 56-54, handing them their first loss of the season.
Freshman guard Juju Watkins carried the load offensively for the Trojans scoring 28 points on 11 for 33 shooting and set a new career high in blocks with 5.
Watkins is the second leading scorer in the nation averaging 27.0 points per game but stepped her defense in critical moments for the Women of Troy.
“Just making sure I’m trying to impact the game in other ways with the blocks,” Watkins said. “I wouldn’t consider myself an all offensive player, I think that when it comes down to it I’m able to make plays defensively and do whatever I need to do to come out with the dub for the team.”
It wasn’t a pretty win for the Trojans but a win is a win. Coach Gottlieb described the victory as a “gritty win” which she accredited the Beavers for imposing their will on the game and making it feel more like an Oregon State game versus a USC game.
Watkins accounted for USC’s initial nine points, yet the Beavers outplayed the Trojans in the early stages, establishing a 28-25 halftime lead for Oregon State. USC struggled with a 29.4% shooting percentage in the first half. OSU shot 33.3 percent from the field in the first half and nailed 5 of 17 attempts from deep.
USC concluded the third quarter with an impressive 7-0 run, all courtesy of JuJu Watkins, propelling them to their first lead of the night with a 43-42 advantage as they entered the fourth quarter.
Watkins went out for about four minutes early in the fourth due to cramping issues. USC held their largest lead of the night at 45-42.
Kayla Padilla made two of her four three-pointers in the fourth quarter, none bigger than the three-pointer she made with 2:15 left on the clock to give USC a 56-51 point lead. Padilla finished the game with 14 points for the Trojans.
“I think one of the best parts of our team is everyone who steps onto the floor is a threat both offensively and defensively,” said Padilla. “So when someone is struggling, the next person steps up and that person happened to be me in terms of a shooting tonight.”
OSU narrowed the Trojans’ lead down to two after converting a three-point play with 1:34 to go setting up a dramatic finish at the Galen Center.
Raegan Beers had an opportunity to force overtime in the final seconds for the Beavers but was blocked by Rayah Marshall. USC’s defense successfully thwarted the Beavers’ efforts, ultimately securing a hard-fought 56-54 comeback victory.
Talia von Oelhoffen led Oregon State in scoring with 18 points on 7-15 shooting.
USC prepares to host the Oregon Ducks in a noon matchup on Sunday at Galen Center.
Michigan comes back to defeat Alabama in overtime
Pasadena, CA- Alabama faced a fourth-and-goal in overtime and needed a touchdown to send the game into a second overtime. The call was a quarterback run by Jalen Milroe but he was stopped short by the Michigan defense. The Wolverines completed the 27-20 comeback win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Monday at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
Michigan running back Blake Corum scored on a 17-yard run for the go ahead touchdown in overtime to help the Wolverines become Rose Bowl Champions and advance to the College Football Playoff Championship game.
“It was a team effort, team effort. We’re going to deal with adversity here,” Corum said. “We had some adversity today, a little sloppy, but we came together as one. I’m my brothers’ keeper, and I know my brothers had my back, and I told them, if we score this thing and go to overtime, we’re going to win, and we came out on top, and I’ll see you in Houston.”
Michigan held the Alabama offense to 288 yards of total offense and recorded six sacks. Milroe finished 116 yards passing a zero touchdowns.
“Well, obviously we’re very disappointed about the outcome of the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “I don’t think we played great in the first half, but I was really, really proud of the way our players played in the second half. We just didn’t finish the last four minutes of the game like we would like to, and we’re all very disappointed, and the players are disappointed, as well.”
Alabama got on the board first with a 34-yard touchdown run from Jase McMcClellan. The score was setup by a Michigan turnover after the punt returner muffed the punt.
Michigan tied it 7-7 when J.J. McCarthy hit running back Blake Corum out of the backfield for an 8-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, McCarthy connected with Tyler Morris for a 38-yard touchdown to give Michigan a 13-7 lead. The extra point attempt failed after the ball got passed the place holder.
Alabama kicker Will Reichard nailed a 50-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter to give the Crimson Tide 13-10 lead into halftime. The Michigan defense recorded four sacks in the first half and held Alabama’s offense to just over 100 yards of total offense.
Both teams went scoreless in the third quarter. Alabama used an 8-play, 55-yard scoring drive that was capped by a McClellan 3-yard touchdown run. The Crimson Tide took a 17-13 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Michigan recovered a fumble at midfield but wasn’t able to capitalize on the turnover as the kicker missed a 49-yard field goal. Alabama extended the lead 20-10 on Reichard’s 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing drive, McCarthy drove Michigan down the field and hit Roman Wilson for a 4-yard touchdown to tie the game 20-20 with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“Great way to start the new year off,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Glorious. That was glorious. It was a tremendous football game. Congratulate Alabama on a terrific game and their great players and coaching staff and their fans. It was an epic game. Glorious is how I feel. That was a tremendous win.”
Bo Nix’s record-breaking 5-touchdown 363-yard performance leads Oregon past Liberty
In a thrilling showdown at the Fiesta Bowl, the No.8 Oregon Ducks (12-2) defeated the No. 18. Liberty Flames (13-1) 45-6 behind a record-breaking 5-touchdown 363-yard performance from their Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Bo Nix.
“We said this season, and really this game was about unfinished business,” Oregon’s Head Coach Dan Lanning said. “We said we we’re writing the last chapter to our book, and we had the pen. I thought our guys wrote a phenomenal chapter.”
Both teams came into the game with impressive seasons. Oregon came up short of their College Football Playoff aspirations and was the Pac-12 runner-up. Liberty was attempting to complete an undefeated season in the debut season of their Head Coach Jamey Chadwell, setting the stage for an exciting battle in Glendale, Arizona.
In the first quarter, Liberty led by their sophomore quarterback Kaidon Salter capped off their opening drive in the endzone. Salter connected on a 17-yard pass to Bently Hanshaw and gave Liberty the early 6-0 lead after failing to make the extra-point attempt. Oregon’s high-powered offense, led by Nix, in the final game of his elongated career, responded with a field goal of their own.
Liberty led 6-3 at the end of the first period.
The second quarter brought out the fireworks as Bo Nix and Oregon’s offense gave Liberty’s defense headaches. Oregon scored 28 unanswered points, led by Nix who completed 19 of his 25 attempts and threw 257 yards and four touchdowns before halftime.
Oregon’s offense gained 111 rushing yards and 257 passing yards in the first half. Oregon’s defense held Liberty’s offense to only 95 rushing yards and 85 passing yards in the first half.
The Ducks held a 31-3 lead over the Flames at the end of the first half.
As the second half kicked off, Nix and the Ducks kept the momentum rolling as he connected on a 24-yard touchdown to Tez Johnson who had a monster performance with 11 catches for 172 yards and helped push Oregon’s lead to 38-6.
In the fourth and final quarter, Bucky Irving rushed for a 1-yard touchdown to expand Oregon’s lead to 45-6.
Bo Nix exited the contest early in the fourth but left the game with the NCAA single-season completion percentage record (77.45%, breaking Mac Jones’ record of 77.37%), Oregon’s single-season passing yards record (4,508) and single-season passing touchdowns record (45), which were set previously by Marcus Mariota during his 2014 Heisman run.
With the NFL in his sights and the popular trend of players electing to sit out of bowl games, Nix said “My decision was simple. I wanted to go out and compete one more time. I wanted to go out and play another game. I don’t think you’re promised many opportunities to play the game of football, and with the year that we had, it would have been a shame if I didn’t go out there and finish with the guys who made it all possible.”
Oregon finished the game with 584 total yards, 401 passing yards, and 183 rushing yards.
The Ducks held a Liberty team that came into the game leading the nation in rushing offense with 302 yards a game to only 294 total yards and 168 of those yards on the ground.
Final Score: Oregon Ducks 45, Liberty Flames 6
Oregon reaches 12 wins in a season for only the 5th time in their program’s history and now prepares for their move to the Big 10. “I think Oregon has cemented itself as a premier program. in college football,” Lanning said. Excited about what’s happening in the future for us, where we’re headed, the direction we’re headed.”
Oregon’s blowout victory of 39 points notched Nebraska’s 38-point victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl 1995 season, making it the largest margin of victory in Fiesta Bowl history.
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