College Football: A Recap of Every Bowl Game That Featured An AAC Team

The AAC had a great showing during bowl season. In eight games, the AAC was 6-2. Here is a recap of each bowl game involving an AAC team.

FRISCO BOWL

Score: Memphis 42, West Virginia 37

Final records: Memphis 11-2, West Virginia 6-7

Offensive standout: Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan completed 18 of 26 passes for 296 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions while rushing for 61 yards on eight carries in his 50th and final start for the Tigers. He was named the Offensive MVP. 

Defensive standout: Memphis linebacker Chandler Martin recorded a career-high 17 tackles, including seven solos and one tackle for loss. He was named the game’s Defensive MVP. 

West Virginia standout: Receiver Hudson Clement had 11 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. 

Fast fact: Ryan Silverfield is the only head coach in Memphis history with five bowl titles.

GASPARILLA BOWL

Score: Florida 33, Tulane 8

Final records: Florida 8-5, Tulane 9-5

Offensive standout: Florida freshman DJ Lagway completed 22 of 35 passes for 305 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He was named the game’s MVP. 

Defensive standout: Florida junior linebacker Shemar James had a team-high five tackles. 

Tulane standout: Wide receiver Mario Williams, a transfer from USC, had six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 60 receptions for 1,031 yards and six TDs. 

Fast fact: Tulane entered the game averaging 37.2 points and 421.1 yards per game. Florida limited the Green Wave to eight points and 194 yards.

MYRTLE BEACH BOWL

Score: UTSA 44, Coastal Carolina 15

Final records: UTSA 7-6, Coastal Carolina 6-7

Offensive standout: UTSA quarterback Owen McCown completed 23 of 30 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 37 yards and a score. He was named the Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP. 

Defensive standout: UTSA defensive lineman Brandon Brown had a career-high five tackles, including two sacks. 

Coastal Carolina standout: Making his first start, quarterback Tad Hudson completed 17 of 26 passes for 173 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. 

Fast fact: The margin of victory was the largest in Myrtle Beach Bowl history. 

HAWAII BOWL

Score: USF 41, San Jose State 39 (5OT)

Final records: USF 7-6, San Jose State 7-6

Offensive standout: USF’s John Cannon kicked field goals of 33, 41, and 36 yards. Cannon’s 41-yarder with two seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime. The kick caromed off the right post before falling through for the game-tying field goal. Cannon earned MVP honors for the game. 

Defensive standout: USF safety Tavin Ward had a career-high 10 tackles while also recording an interception. 

San Jose State standout: Matthew Coleman had 12 receptions for 119 yards and one touchdown. He also caught a two-point conversion to force a fourth overtime. 

Fast fact: USF wide receiver Sean Atkins caught a career-tying 11 passes for 104 yards. He ended his career with exactly 200 receptions for 2,167 yards, both school records. 

ARMED FORCES BOWL

Score: Navy 21, Oklahoma 20

Final records: Navy 10-3, Oklahoma 6-7

Offensive standout: Navy quarterback Blake Horvath rushed 18 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns, including a 95-yard run that set a school and bowl record. His 6-yard run with 4:34 left was the go-ahead score. Horvath also completed 7 of 12 passes for 92 yards while earning game MVP honors. 

Defensive standout: Navy defensive lineman Justin Reed had four tackles, including a sack, but his biggest play didn’t figure in the statistics. His sack of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. on a two-point conversion try preserved the win for Navy after Oklahoma had gotten to within 21-20 with six seconds left in regulation. 

Oklahoma standout: Hawkins completed 28 of 43 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also rushed for 61 yards on 17 carries. 

Fast fact: Navy beat an SEC team in a bowl game for the first time since a 21-0 win over Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day in 1955.

MILITARY BOWL

Score: East Carolina 26, North Carolina State 21

Final records: ECU 8-5, NC State 6-7

Offensive standout: ECU running back Rahjai Harris rushed for 220 yards and one touchdown, a game-winning 86-yard run with 1:33 left. 

Defensive standout: ECU defensive back Dontavius Nash had seven tackles and a game-sealing interception with 44 seconds left. 

NC State standout: True freshman quarterback CJ Bailey completed 19 of 26 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. 

Fast fact(s): Harris finished his career with 3,096 rushing yards, second in school history. There were eight ejections following a late-game brawl, five from NC State. 

INDEPENDENCE BOWL

Score: Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6

Final records: Army 12-2, Louisiana Tech 5-8

Offensive standout: Army quarterback Bryson Daily was the Offensive MVP after rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. His final rushing touchdowns broke the single-season record for most rushing TDs from a quarterback in FBS history. Daily finished with 32 rushing TDs in 2024. He scored on runs of 15, 8, and 3 yards. He also completed 2 of 9 passes for 65 yards

Defensive standout: Army linebacker Kalib Fortner was named the game’s Defensive MVP after recording a team-high seven tackles, including a third-down sack. He also had a pass breakup. 

Louisiana Tech standout: Linebacker Zach Zimos recorded 10 tackles. 

Fast fact: Army’s 12 wins is a single-season program record. 

FIRST RESPONDER BOWL

Score: Texas State 30, North Texas 28

Final records: Texas State 8-5, North Texas 6-7

Offensive standout: Texas State running back Lincoln Pare rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, including a 73-yard run in the fourth quarter that led to the winning margin. He also recorded four receptions for 32 yards and was named the First Responder Bowl MVP.

Defensive standout: Texas State cornerback Jordan Polk had a team-high nine tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. He also had a forced fumble and a quarterback hit. 

North Texas standout: True freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker, making his first start, completed 26 of 41 passes for 393 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for a 70-yard touchdown and gained 55 yards on nine carries

Fast fact: This was the second straight year that Texas State beat an AAC team in the First Responder Bowl. Last year, the Bobcats beat Rice 45-21.