Big Ten Bowl Tracker: Spartans, Hawkeyes Get League Off To Great Start
UPDATED, Saturday, 6 a.m.: The Big Ten kicked off its bowl season in style on Friday with Michigan State and Iowa both recording victories against Power 5 opponents.
The Spartans got the league off off to a good start when they beat Wake Forest 27-21 Friday afternoon in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York. Links to the complete game story and coach Mark Dantonio's postgame interview are below.
The Hawkeyes closed out a great first night with a dominating performance over USC in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half to roll to a 49-24 victory. It got the Hawkeyes to 10 wins, something that's happened only twice this decade. Link to the complete game story and coach Kirk Ferentz's postgame interview are below.
There are nine Big Ten teams playing in bowl games this season. Two of those spotlight games are on Saturday, with the College Football Playoff meeting between Big Ten champion Ohio State and defending national champion Clemson, and a New Year's Six game in the Dallas area between Penn State and Memphis. Links to the preview stories for Ohio-State and Clemson are below.
Here is our tracker of all the games, and we'll update it daily. Bowl games involving Big Ten teams run through Jan. 2.
Here are the games:
THE GAMES SO FAR
Pinstripe Bowl: Michigan State 27, Wake Forest 21
- When: Friday, Dec. 27
- Where: Yankee Stadium, New York
- Records: Michigan State (7-6), Wake Forest (8-5)
- Line: Michigan State by 3.5 points
- The skinny: Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke threw for 320 yards and a touchdown as Michigan State pulled out a much needs win over Wake Forest of the ACC. The Spartans trailed 21-20 at halftime, but Lewerke hit Cody White for a 10-yard score with 10:16 to go in the third quarter and the vaunted Spartans defense took it from there, pitching a shutout in the second half. Lewerke was 26-for-37 passing and this was his fourth 300-yard passing game of the year.
- FULL GAME STORY FROM si.com/college/michiganstate
- WHAT MARK DANTONIO SAID AFTER THE GAME
- BIG TEN BOWL RECORD: 1-0
- BIG TEN TEAMS VERSUS SPREAD: 1-0
Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke accepts the Pinstripe Bowl trophy from former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly after the Spartans beat Wake Forest on Friday. (Mandatory credit: USA TODAY SPORTS)
Holiday Bowl: Iowa 49, USC 24
- When: Friday, December 27, 8 p.m. ET
- Where: SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
- Records: Iowa (10-3), USC (8-5)
- Line: Iowa by 1.5 points
- The skinny: The Hawkeyes might have had their most complete game of the season in smashing USC of the Pac-12 Conference. The 49 points were a season high and their most in a bowl game since 1984. The rout included a 98-yard kickoff return for a score by Izmir Smith-Marsette, and rushing and receiving touchdown by Smith-Marsette. It's the first time someone pulled that triple in a bowl game since Deuce McAllister for Ole Miss back in 1998. Iowa also had a pick-six late to close out the game. USC scored just a minute into the third quarter to make it 28-24, but then Iowa's defense shut them out from there, leading to the rout. Iowa's defense allowed only 22 yards rushing on 18 USC carries to get to double-digit wins for the first time since 2015 and only the second time this decade.
- FULL GAME STORY FROM si.com/college/iowa
- WHAT KIRK FERENTZ SAID AFTER THE GAME
- BIG TEN BOWL RECORD: 2-0
- BIG TEN TEAMS VERSUS SPREAD: 2-0
Iowa's Ihmir Smith-Marsette returns a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. (Mandatory credit: USA TODAY SPORTS.)
THE GAMES STILL TO COME
Cotton Bowl: Penn State vs. Memphis
- When: Saturday, Dec. 28, Noon ET
- Where: AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas
- TV: ESPN
- Records: Penn State (10-2), Memphis (12-1)
- Line: Penn State by 7 points
Fiesta Bowl (Playoff): Ohio State vs. Clemson
- When: Saturday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET
- Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
- TV: ESPN
- Records: Ohio State (13-0), Clemson (13-0)
- Line: Clemson by 2 points
- Gameday preview from si.com/college/ohiostate: Buckeyes must win to prove they are elite.
- Ohio State offense from si.com/college/ohiostate: Fields not impressed with his own record numbers.
- Ohio State defense from si.com/college/ohiostate: Best effort needed to corral Lawarence, Clemson's high-scoring offense.
Redbox Bowl: Illinois vs. California
- When: Monday, Dec. 30, 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
- TV: FOX
- Records: Illinois (6-6), California (7-5)
- Line: California by 6 points
Outback Bowl: Minnesota vs. Auburn
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET
- Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
- TV: ESPN
- Records: Minnesota (10-2), Auburn (9-3)
- Line: Auburn by 7 points
Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Alabama
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET
- Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
- TV: ABC
- Records: Michigan (9-3), Alabama (10-2)
- Line: Alabama by 7 points
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 1, 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
- TV: ESPN
- Records: Wisconsin (10-3), Oregon (11-2)
- Line: Wisconsin by 3 points
Gator Bowl: Indiana vs. Tennessee
- When: Thursday, Jan. 2, 7 p.m. ET
- Where: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
- TV: ESPN
- Records: W Indiana (8-4), Tennessee (7-5)
- Line: Tennessee by 1.5 points
