2023 Gasparilla Bowl

2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
15th Gasparilla Bowl
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets UCF Knights
(6–6) (6–6)
ACC Big 12
30 17
Head coach: 
Brent Key		 Head coach: 
Gus Malzahn
1234 Total
Georgia Tech 017310 30
UCF 14300 17
DateDecember 22, 2023
Season2023
StadiumRaymond James Stadium
LocationTampa, Florida
MVPJamal Haynes (RB, Georgia Tech)[1]
FavoriteUCF by 4.5[2]
RefereeCravonne Barrett (Pac-12)[3]
Attendance30,281
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersWes Durham (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), and Taylor Tannebaum (sideline)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes and ESPN Brazil
AnnouncersESPN Brazil: Vinicius Moura (play-by-play) and Eduardo Zolin (analyst)
Gasparilla Bowl
 < 2022  2024 > 

The 2023 Gasparilla Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 22, 2023, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 15th annual Gasparilla Bowl featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the UCF Knights from the Big 12 Conference. The game began at approximately 6:30 p.m. EST and was aired on ESPN.[4][5] The Gasparilla Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by mortgage loan company Union Home Mortgage and was officially known as the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.

Teams

This game features the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the UCF Knights from the Big 12 Conference.

This is the sixth meeting between Georgia Tech and UCF—entering the game, the Yellow Jackets led the Knights in the all-time series, 3–2.[6]

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Main article: 2023 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

The Yellow Jackets entered the game with a 6–6 record (5–3 in the ACC), having tied for fourth place in their conference.

This is Georgia Tech's first appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl.

UCF Knights

Main article: 2023 UCF Knights football team

The Knights entered the game with a 6–6 record (3–6 in the Big 12), having tied for ninth place in their conference. In their inaugural season in the Big 12, the Knights were the only one of the conference's four 2023 newcomers to become bowl-eligible.

This is UCF's sixth Gasparilla Bowl, extending their record for most appearances in the game. The Knights' record in prior Gasparilla Bowl appearances was 3–2, tied with Marshall for most Gasparilla Bowl wins by a team.

Game summary

2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Georgia Tech 0 17 31030
UCF 14 3 0017

at Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida

  • Date: Friday, December 22, 2023
  • Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 66 °F (19 °C) • Wind: 6 mph (9.7 km/h) NE
  • Game attendance: 30,281
  • Referee: Cravonne Barrett
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), and Taylor Tannebaum (sideline)
  • Box score
Game information
First quarter
  • (13:37) UCF – Javon Baker 23-yard pass from John Rhys Plumlee, Colton Boomer kick (Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:23; UCF 7–0)
  • (6:26) UCF – Kobe Hudson 17-yard pass from John Rhys Plumlee, Colton Boomer kick (Drive: 10 plays, 98 yards, 4:41; UCF 14–0)
Second quarter
  • (14:17) GT – Aidan Birr 36-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:00; UCF 14–3)
  • (8:23) UCF – Colton Boomer 27-yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 5:54; UCF 17–3)
  • (4:23) GT – Haynes King 5-yard run, Aidan Birr kick (Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 4:00; UCF 17–10)
  • (0:56) GT – Malik Rutherford 41-yard pass from Haynes King, Aidan Birr kick (Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:59; Tied 17–17)
Third quarter
  • (12:07) GT – Aidan Birr 29-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 54 yards, 2:53; Georgia Tech 20–17)
Fourth quarter
  • (13:37) GT – Dontae Smith 1-yard run, Aidan Birr kick (Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:51; Georgia Tech 27–17)
  • (4:52) GT – Aidan Birr 38-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 5:53; Georgia Tech 30–17)

Statistics

Statistics GT UCF
First downs 21 19
Plays–yards 69–371 69–424
Rushes–yards 53–284 34–169
Passing yards 87 255
Passing: comp–att–int 7–13–1 17–33–1
Time of possession 33:30 26:30
Team Category Player Statistics
Georgia Tech Passing Haynes King 7/13, 87 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Jamal Haynes 18 carries, 128 yards
Receiving Malik Rutherford 2 receptions, 40 yards, 1 TD
UCF Passing John Rhys Plumlee 16/29, 198 yards, 2 TD
Rushing RJ Harvey 15 carries, 120 yards
Receiving Javon Baker 9 receptions, 173 yards, 1 TD

References

  1. ^ @GasparillaBowl (December 22, 2023). "Congrats to the 2023 @unionhomemtg Gasparilla Bowl MVP, #11 @jamalhaynes16 !" (Tweet). Retrieved December 22, 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Parks, James (December 11, 2023). "College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Austro, Ben (December 3, 2023). "2023-24 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Straka, Dean (May 31, 2023). "2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Lewis, Barry. "2023-24 College Football Bowl Schedule, Dates, Times Announced". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "Winsipedia - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. UCF Knights". Winsipedia. Retrieved December 8, 2023.