2023 ReliaQuest Bowl

2023 ReliaQuest Bowl
2023 ReliaQuest Bowl
37th ReliaQuest Bowl
Mississippi State Bulldogs	Illinois Fighting Illini
(8–4)	(8–4)
SEC	Big Ten
19	10
Head coach: ; Zach Arnett	Head coach: ; Bret Bielema
Date	January 2, 2023
Season	2022
Stadium	Raymond James Stadium
Location	Tampa, Florida
MVP	Justin Robinson (WR, Mississippi State)
Favorite	Miss. State by 3.5
Referee	Adam Savoie (ACC)
Attendance	35,797
Payout	US$6,666,667
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2
Announcers	Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline) (ESPN2)
ReliaQuest Bowl
< 2022	2024 (Jan.) >

The 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2023, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 37th annual ReliaQuest Bowl (previously known as the Outback Bowl from 1996 through 2022), the game featured the Mississippi State Bulldogs from the Southeastern Conference and the Illinois Fighting Illini from the Big Ten Conference. The game began at 12:03 p.m. EST^[4] and was aired on ESPN2.^[5] It was one of the 2022–23 bowl games concluding the 2022 FBS football season. Cybersecurity company ReliaQuest was the game's title sponsor.

Teams

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game featured teams from the Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The bowl also has a tie-in with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) when the ACC's opponent in the Orange Bowl is a Big Ten team, in which case an ACC team is selected for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

This was the third meeting between the two teams; in their two prior matchups, Illinois won in 1923 and Mississippi State won in 1980.^[6]

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State compiled an 8–4 record during the regular season, finishing with a 24–22 win over rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. In five games against ranked opponents, the Bulldogs defeated Texas A&M and Ole Miss while losing to Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia. The team was coached during the regular season by Mike Leach. Following Leach's death on December 12, Zach Arnett was elevated to head coach, including for the team's bowl game.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois finished the regular season with an 8–4 record, losing three of their final four games. Their only contest against a ranked FBS opponent was a loss to Michigan.

Game summary

2023 ReliaQuest Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 22 Mississippi State	0	3	0	16	19
Illinois	0	7	3	0	10

at Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida

Date: Monday, January 2, 2023
Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 76 °F (24 °C) • Wind: 6 mph (9.7 km/h) west
Game attendance: 35,797
TV announcers (ESPN2): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline)
Box score

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	Mississippi State	Illinois
2	2:49	10	77	4:45	Illinois	Tommy DeVito 2-yard touchdown run, Caleb Griffin kick good	0	7
2	0:09	8	55	2:40	Miss. State	38-yard field goal by Massimo Biscardi	3	7
3	6:57	11	45	5:13	Illinois	52-yard field goal by Caleb Griffin	3	10
4	14:54	13	75	7:03	Miss. State	Justin Robinson 8-yard touchdown reception from Will Rogers, Massimo Biscardi kick good	10	10
4	0:04	9	68	1:46	Miss. State	27-yard field goal by Massimo Biscardi	13	10
4	0:00				Miss. State	Fumble recovery returned 60 yards for touchdown by Marcus Banks, kick not attempted	19	10
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							19	10

The final play of the game, a desperation lateral pass play by Illinois, resulted in Mississippi State intercepting a lateral for the game-clinching touchdown. This play was compared to a similar play between the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders during the NFL's regular season that year and was noted to benefit bettors who had picked Mississippi State to cover the spread.^[7]

Statistics

Team statistical comparison^[4]
Statistic	Mississippi State	Illinois
First downs	21	19
First downs rushing	4	7
First downs passing	17	9
First downs penalty	0	3
Third down efficiency	6–14	3–11
Fourth down efficiency	1–1	0–0
Total plays–net yards	67–390	62–215
Rushing attempts–net yards	22–116	28–22
Yards per rush	5.3	0.8
Yards passing	274	193
Pass completions–attempts	30–45	23–34
Interceptions thrown	2	0
Punt returns–total yards	2–10	2–10
Kickoff returns–total yards	0–0	4–70
Punts–average yardage	5–42.0	6–47.7
Fumbles–lost	1–0	1–1
Penalties–yards	6–55	3–25
Time of possession	28:11	31:49

Mississippi State statistics^[4]
Bulldogs passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Will Rogers	29–44	261	1–2
Jaden Walley	1–1	13	0–0
Bulldogs rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Simeon Price	7	68	0
Jo'Quavious Marks	10	50	0
Will Rogers	3	7	0
Team	2	-9	0
Bulldogs receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Justin Robinson	7	81	1
Lideatrick Griffin	5	53	0
Jaden Walley	5	43	0
Rufus Harvey	3	33	0
Austin Williams	2	22	0
Jo'quavious Marks	3	14	0
Will Rogers	1	13	0
Caleb Ducking	2	10	0
Simeon Price	1	5	0
J.J. Jernighan	1	0	0

Illinois statistics^[4]
Fighting Illini passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Tommy DeVito	23–34	253	0–0
Fighting Illini rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Reggie Love III	12	53	0
Josh McCray	7	17	0
Tommy DeVito	10	-35	1
Fighting Illini receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Isaiah Williams	9	114	0
Casey Washington	8	74	0
Tip Reiman	2	18	0
Griffin Moore	1	17	0
Michael Marchese	2	10	0
Reggie Love III	1	7	0
Tommy DeVito	0 †	-47	0

† Tommy DeVito's receiving yardage occurred on the final play of the game, following an initial pass from DeVito to Casey Washington. After several laterals, DeVito fumbled the ball, which was returned by Mississippi State for a touchdown. Statbroadcast credits DeVito with -47 receiving yards, while ESPN credits DeVito with 13 receiving yards.

References

^ "ReliaQuest Bowl MVP Justin Robinson". reliaquestbowl.com. ASAP Sports. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
^ Austro, Ben (December 4, 2022). "2022–23 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^ "2022 Bowl Schedule". College Football Poll. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "2023 ReliaQuest Bowl Final Stats" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
^ "2022 College Football Bowl Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
^ "Winsipedia - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini football series history games list". Winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
^ "Mississippi State miraculously covered the spread against Illinois on a Raiders-esque lateral return to end the game". For The Win. USA Today. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024. Remember the New England Patriots' embarrassing lateral failure against the Las Vegas Raiders a few weeks ago? Yeah, Illinois did the same thing.

[1] "ReliaQuest Bowl MVP Justin Robinson". reliaquestbowl.com. ASAP Sports. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.

[refs-2] Austro, Ben (December 4, 2022). "2022–23 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 16, 2022.

[3] "2022 Bowl Schedule". College Football Poll. Retrieved December 26, 2022.

[finalstats-4] "2023 ReliaQuest Bowl Final Stats" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.

[5] "2022 College Football Bowl Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved November 1, 2022.

[6] "Winsipedia - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini football series history games list". Winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 24, 2022.

[7] "Mississippi State miraculously covered the spread against Illinois on a Raiders-esque lateral return to end the game". For The Win. USA Today. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024. Remember the New England Patriots' embarrassing lateral failure against the Las Vegas Raiders a few weeks ago? Yeah, Illinois did the same thing.

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