2023 68 Ventures Bowl

Postseason college football bowl game

College football game

2023 68 Ventures Bowl

25th 68 Ventures Bowl
| South Alabama Jaguars | Eastern Michigan Eagles

|

(6–6) | (6–6)
Sun Belt | MAC
59 | 10
Head coach:
Kane Wommack | Head coach:
Chris Creighton
|  | 1| 2| 3| 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

South Alabama | 17| 21| 21| 0 | 59
Eastern Michigan | 0| 3| 0| 7 | 10
Date| December 23, 2023
Season| 2023
Stadium| Hancock Whitney Stadium
Location| Mobile, Alabama
MVP| Gio Lopez (QB, South Alabama)[1]
Favorite| South Alabama by 15.5[2]
Referee| Cal McNeill (Mountain West)[3]
Attendance| 20,926
United States TV coverage
Network| ESPN
Announcers| Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), and Alyssa Lang (sideline)
|  68 Ventures Bowl

< 2022 |  2024 >

The 2023 68 Ventures Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 23, 2023, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The 25th annual 68 Ventures Bowl (although the first edition played under that name) featured the Eastern Michigan Eagles from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the South Alabama Jaguars from the Sun Belt Conference. The game began at approximately 7:00 p.m. CST and was aired on ESPN.[4][5] The 68 Ventures Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. 68 Ventures—an Alabama-based company involved in Gulf Coast development, investment, and construction—was the title sponsor of the game.[6]

## Teams

[edit]

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the bowl featured the Eastern Michigan Eagles of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the South Alabama Jaguars of the Sun Belt Conference.

This was the first time that Eastern Michigan and South Alabama played each other.[7] While Hancock Whitney Stadium is the regular-season home stadium of South Alabama, Eastern Michigan was designated the home team for the bowl.

### Eastern Michigan Eagles

[edit]

Main article: 2023 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

The Eagles entered the game with a 6–6 record (4–4 in the MAC), finishing in third place in their conference's West Division.

This was Eastern Michigan's second 68 Ventures Bowl; they previously appeared in the 2021 LendingTree Bowl (when the bowl operated under a different name), which they lost.

### South Alabama Jaguars

[edit]

Main article: 2023 South Alabama Jaguars football team

The Jaguars entered the game with a 6–6 record (4–4 in the Sun Belt), tied for second place in their conference's West Division.

This was South Alabama's first 68 Ventures Bowl.

## Game summary

[edit]

2023 68 Ventures Bowl

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

South Alabama | 17 | 21 | 21| 0| 59
Eastern Michigan | 0 | 3 | 0| 7| 10

at Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, Alabama

* Date: Saturday, December 23, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 64 °F (18 °C) • Wind: 4 mph (6.4 km/h) SE
* Game attendance: 20,926
* Referee: Cal McNeill
* TV announcers (ESPN): Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), and Alyssa Lang (sideline)
* Box score

Game information

First Quarter

* (10:50) USA – Diego Guajardo 46 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 4:10; South Alabama 3–0)
* (7:37) USA – DJ Thomas-Jones 3 yard pass from Desmond Trotter, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 2:19; South Alabama 10–0)
* (3:30) USA – Jamaal Pritchett 5 yard pass from Gio Lopez, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 2:38; South Alabama 17–0)

Second Quarter

* (14:50) EMU – Jesus Gomez 49 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:10; South Alabama 17–3)
* (10:15) USA – Kentrel Bullock 17 yard run, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 4:35; South Alabama 24–3)
* (8:07) USA – DJ Thomas-Jones 20 yard pass from Gio Lopez, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 4 plays, 37 yards, 1:54; South Alabama 31–3)
* (1:39) USA – Jamaal Pritchett 42 yard pass from Gio Lopez, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:06; South Alabama 38–3)

Third Quarter

* (11:07) USA – Desmond Trotter 3 yard run, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 5 plays, 34 yards, 2:05; South Alabama 45–3)
* (7:50) USA – Gio Lopez 27 yard run, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 3 plays, 43 yards, 0:55; South Alabama 52–3)
* (2:07) USA – PJ Martin 6 yard run, Diego Guajardo kick (Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:31; South Alabama 59–3)

Fourth Quarter

* (0:58) EMU – Cam'Ron McCoy 10 yard run, Jesus Gomez kick (Drive: 13 plays, 70 yards, 7:27; South Alabama 59–10)

Following the game, an altercation took place on-field between the teams prior to the trophy presentation, initiated by Eastern Michigan cornerback Korey Hernandez sucker punching South Alabama defensive back Jamarrien Burt while the South Alabama marching band and team were singing the school's alma mater.[8][9] Eastern Michigan's athletic director apologized the next day, stating (in part) "We strongly condemn the actions of some of the student-athletes".[10]

### Statistics

[edit]

Statistics  | USA  | EMU

|
|

First downs | 29 | 10
Plays–yards | 73–627 | 61–150
Rushes–yards | 37–320 | 31–77
Passing yards | 307 | 73
Passing: comp–att–int | 23–36–1 | 12–30–2
Time of possession | 30:53 | 29:07
Team | Category | Player | Statistics

|
|
|

South Alabama  | Passing | Gio Lopez | 14/19, 192 yards, 3 TD
Rushing | Gio Lopez | 7 carries, 88 yards, TD
Receiving | Jamaal Pritchett | 8 receptions, 127 yards, 2 TD
Eastern Michigan  | Passing | Cam'Ron McCoy | 12/27, 73 yards, 2 INT
Rushing | Cam'Ron McCoy | 13 carries, 73 yards, TD
Receiving | Terry Lockett Jr. | 2 receptions, 29 yards

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Gio Lopez leads South Alabama to rout of Eastern Michigan in 68 Ventures Bowl". triblive.com. AP. December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
2. ^ Parks, James (December 11, 2023). "College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
3. ^ Austro, Ben (December 3, 2023). "2023-24 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
4. ^ Straka, Dean. "2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
5. ^ Lewis, Barry. "2023-24 College Football Bowl Schedule, Dates, Times Announced". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
6. ^ "68 Ventures is New Title Sponsor for Mobile Alabama Bowl". 68venturesbowl.com. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
7. ^ "Winsipedia – Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. South Alabama Jaguars". Winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
8. ^ Salerno, Cameron (December 24, 2023). "Eastern Michigan-South Alabama brawl: Postgame chaos erupts after sucker punch at 68 Ventures Bowl". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
9. ^ Bumbaca, Chris (December 24, 2023). "EMU player sucker punches South Alabama player, ignites wild fight after 68 Ventures Bowl". USA Today. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
10. ^ "Eastern Michigan apologizes for player's punch vs. South Alabama". ESPN.com. December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Statement from EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee". emueagles.com. Eastern Michigan Athletics. December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Game statistics at statbroadcast.com
* Video of brawl after 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile via YouTube

* v
* t
* e

2023–24 NCAA football bowl game season

* Myrtle Beach (Dec. 16)
* Celebration (Dec. 16)
* New Orleans (Dec. 16)
* Cure (Dec. 16)
* New Mexico (Dec. 16)
* LA (Dec. 16)
* Independence (Dec. 16)
* Famous Toastery (Dec. 18)
* Frisco (Dec. 19)
* Boca Raton (Dec. 21)
* Gasparilla (Dec. 22)
* Birmingham (Dec. 23)
* Camellia (Dec. 23)
* Armed Forces (Dec. 23)
* Famous Idaho Potato (Dec. 23)
* 68 Ventures (Dec. 23)
* Las Vegas (Dec. 23)
* Hawaii (Dec. 23)
* Quick Lane (Dec. 26)
* First Responder (Dec. 26)
* Guaranteed Rate (Dec. 26)
* Military (Dec. 27)
* Duke's Mayo (Dec. 27)
* Holiday (Dec. 27)
* Texas (Dec. 27)
* Fenway (Dec. 28)
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* Pop-Tarts (Dec. 28)
* Alamo (Dec. 28)
* Gator (Dec. 29)
* Sun (Dec. 29)
* Liberty (Dec. 29)
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* Peach (Dec. 30)
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* Orange (Dec. 30)
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* ReliaQuest (Jan. 1)
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* Citrus (Jan. 1)

* College Football Playoff games: Rose (Jan. 1)
* Sugar (Jan. 1)
* National Championship Game (Jan. 8)

All-Star Games
Hula Bowl (Jan. 13)
Tropical Bowl (Jan. 20)
East–West Shrine Bowl (Feb. 1)
Senior Bowl (Feb. 3)
HBCU Legacy Bowl (Feb. 24)

* v
* t
* e

68 Ventures Bowl

Formerly known as the Mobile Alabama / GMAC / GoDaddy.com / GoDaddy / Dollar General / LendingTree Bowl

Information|

* History
* Ladd–Peebles Stadium (1999–2020)
* Hancock Whitney Stadium (2021–present)
* Sun Belt Conference
* Mid-American Conference

Games|

* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015 (January)
* 2015 (December)
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2020 (January)
* 2020 (December)
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

* v
* t
* e

Eastern Michigan Eagles bowl games

* 1971 Pioneer Bowl
* 1987 California Bowl
* 2016 Bahamas Bowl
* 2018 Camellia Bowl
* 2019 Quick Lane Bowl
* 2021 LendingTree Bowl
* 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
* 2023 68 Ventures Bowl

* v
* t
* e

South Alabama Jaguars bowl games

* 2014 Camellia Bowl
* 2016 Arizona Bowl
* 2022 New Orleans Bowl
* 2023 68 Ventures Bowl

*[comp]: Completions
*[att]: Attempts
*[int]: Interceptions
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