2018 Cheez-It Bowl

2018 Cheez-It Bowl
30th Cheez-It Bowl
California Golden Bears TCU Horned Frogs
(7–5) (6–6)
Pac-12 Big 12
7 10
Head coach: 
Justin Wilcox		 Head coach: 
Gary Patterson
1234OT Total
California 70000 7
TCU 00703 10
DateDecember 26, 2018
Season2018
StadiumChase Field
LocationPhoenix, Arizona
MVPSewo Olonilua (RB, TCU)
Jaylinn Hawkins (S, California)
FavoritePick (even)[1]
RefereeMarc Curles (SEC)
Attendance33,121
PayoutUS$1,037,000 [2]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN & ESPN Radio
AnnouncersJason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer and Olivia Dekker (ESPN)
Kevin Brown, Andre Ware and Shelley Smith (ESPN Radio)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
Cheez-It Bowl
 < 2017 2019 > 

The 2018 Cheez-It Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 26, 2018 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.[3] It was one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. It was the 30th edition of a bowl game that has gone by various names, and was called the Cactus Bowl for its previous four playings. The bowl was sponsored by Cheez-It crackers.

Tied 7–7 at the end of regulation, it was the first 2018–19 bowl game to go into overtime; TCU defeated California in the first overtime period, 10–7. The two teams combined for six interceptions in the first half, more than any game during the 2018 season, with a total of nine for the entire game. It became the fourth bowl game in NCAA history with nine or more interceptions, joining the 1942 Orange Bowl, 1968 Sun Bowl, and 1982 Liberty Bowl.[4] It is jokingly referred to on social media and by broadcast media as the “Cheez-Int Bowl”.[5]

Teams

The game was played between the TCU Horned Frogs from the Big 12 Conference and the California Golden Bears from the Pac-12 Conference.[6] This was the first meeting between the two programs.[7]

TCU Horned Frogs

Main article: 2018 TCU Horned Frogs football team

TCU received and accepted a bid to the Cheez-It Bowl on December 2.[6] The Horned Frogs entered the bowl with a 6–6 record (4–5 in conference).

California Golden Bears

Main article: 2018 California Golden Bears football team

California received and accepted a bid to the Cheez-It Bowl on December 2.[6] The Golden Bears entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (4–5 in conference).

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP CAL TCU
1 4:33 2 34 0:29 CAL Chase Garbers 4-yard touchdown run, Greg Thomas kick good 7 0
3 0:03 7 33 3:59 TCU Sewo Olonilua 1-yard touchdown run, Jonathan Song kick good 7 7
OT 10 15 TCU 27-yard field goal by Jonathan Song 7 10
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.

Statistics

1 2 3 4OT Total
Golden Bears 7 0 0 00 7
Horned Frogs 0 0 7 03 10
Statistics CAL TCU
First downs 14 16
Plays–yards 63–264 80–290
Rushes–yards 30–100 59–262
Passing yards 164 28
Passing: comp–att–int 17–33–5 8–21–4
Time of possession 25:13 34:47
Team Category Player Statistics
California Passing Chase Garbers 12/19, 93 yds, 3 INT
Rushing Christopher Brown Jr. 14 car, 57 yds
Receiving Nikko Remigio 5 rec, 21 yds
TCU Passing Grayson Muehlstein 7/20, 27 yds, 4 INT
Rushing Sewo Olonilua 32 car, 194 yds, 1 TD
Receiving Jaelan Austin 1 rec, 15 yds

References

  1. ^ Fawkes, Ben (December 3, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Bowl Schedule". CFP.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018-19 College Football Playoff and bowl schedule". ESPN. May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  4. ^ "TCU Horned Frogs beat Cal Golden Bears in overtime of wacky Cheez-It Bowl game". USA Today. AP. December 27, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  5. ^ @azcsports (December 27, 2018). "More like the CHEEZ-INT BOWL" (Tweet). Retrieved December 27, 2018 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b c Texas Christian University Star Telegram (Subscription required)
  7. ^ "TCU Horned Frogs vs. California Golden Bears football series history". winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.