2016 Cactus Bowl (December)

2016 Motel 6 Cactus Bowl
28th Cactus Bowl
1234 Total
Boise State 0606 12
Baylor 71437 31
DateDecember 27, 2016
Season2016
StadiumChase Field
LocationPhoenix, Arizona
MVPOffensive: Baylor WR K. D. Cannon
Defensive: Baylor DE Tyrone Hunt
FavoriteBoise State by 8[1]
RefereeMike Roche (American)
Attendance33,328
PayoutUS$3,325,000[2]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN/ESPN Radio
AnnouncersTV: Rece Davis, Joey Galloway, David Pollack, Molly McGrath
Radio: Clay Matvick, Dusty Dvoracek, Dawn Davenport
Cactus Bowl
 < 2016 (Jan) 2017

The 2016 Cactus Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on December 27, 2016 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. This was the 28th edition of the Cactus Bowl, although only the third played under that name. Sponsored by the Motel 6 chain of budget motels, the game is officially known as the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl.

The bowl featured the Baylor Bears of the Big 12 Conference against the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference, and was the concluding game of the season for both teams.

Teams

The game features tie-ins from the Big 12 Conference and the Mountain West Conference.

Baylor Bears

Baylor opened the year 6–0 to become bowl eligible. They raised in the polls to as high as #8 in the AP poll and a tie for #6 in the coaches poll. However, the Bears would finish the season on a six-game losing streak to finish in the season 6–6. The team had to also deal all season with the ongoing Baylor University football scandal.

Boise State Broncos

Boise State opened the season 7–0 and climbed to #13 in the AP and coaches poll before losing to Wyoming and dropping in the polls. The Broncos won their next three games and rose back up to #19 in the polls and were in position to be the highest ranked team from the Group of 5 until a season ending loss to Air Force which dropped them out of the polls, the Mountain West Championship Game, and contention for the Group of 5 spot in a New Years Six bowl. They were selected for the Cactus Bowl after the Pac-12 Conference failed to have enough bowl eligible teams to fill their spot in the game and the Mountain West Conference received a backup spot.

Game summary

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 6 0 6 12
Bears 7 14 3 7 31

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP BSU BU
1 5:53 6 81 2:21 Baylor K. D. Cannon 30-yard touchdown reception from Zach Smith, Chris Callahan kick good 0 7
2 13:40 17 57 7:13 Boise St. 24-yard field goal by Tyler Rausa 3 7
2 12:14 5 81 1:20 Baylor KD Cannon 68-yard touchdown reception from Zach Smith, Chris Callahan kick good 3 14
2 4:19 15 99 4:21 Baylor JaMycal Hasty 5-yard touchdown run, Chris Callahan kick good 3 21
2 0:11 15 56 4:08 Boise St. 26-yard field goal by Tyler Rausa 6 21
3 3:18 21 78 5:55 Baylor 34-yard field goal by Chris Callahan 6 24
4 10:03 12 71 3:38 Baylor Ishmael Zamora 14-yard touchdown reception from Zach Smith, Chris Callahan kick good 6 31
4 1:20 5 70 0:53 Boise St. Cedrick Wilson Jr. 28-yard touchdown reception from Brett Rypien, 2-point pass failed 12 31
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 12 31

Statistics

Statistics Boise St. Baylor
First Downs 25 29
Plays-yards 89–388 83–515
Third down efficiency 8–19 8–15
Rushes-yards 38–83 (2.2) 43–140 (3.3)
Passing yards 305 375
Passing, Comp-Att-Int 32–51–2 29–40–1
Time of Possession 32:55 27:05
Team Category Player Statistics
Boise St. Passing Brett Rypien 32/51, 305 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing Jeremy McNichols 19 car, 46 yds
Receiving Cedrick Wilson 6 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD
Baylor Passing Zach Smith 28/39, 375 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Terence Williams 25 car, 103 yds
Receiving KD Cannon 14 rec, 226 yds, 2 TD

References

  1. ^ "College Bowl Game Odds". ESPN. December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. ^ Bowl payout