Bowl Season - How Closely Did You Pay Attention? Here's a Quiz

January 2, 2019 by CFP Staff

How well did you pay attention during the bowl season? Well, you can consider this a test if you like tests, or you can simply digest this fun-to-know information.

QUESTION: First, virtually everyone knows that UCF (American) vs. LSU (SEC) was an opportunity for a non-power representative to stick it to a bad boy from the big money-dominating conferences. And virtually everyone also knows that it didn't work out this time as LSU won the Fiesta Bowl over the Knights, 40-32. But how many schools from a Group of 5 conference (American, Conference USA, MAC, MWC, Sun Belt) defeated a Power 5 conference school or Independent (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC-12, SEC)?

ANSWER: Only 6 such games took place and only two of the 'little guys" won. In  addition to UCF's loss, Fresno State (MWC) was 12-1 and Arizona State (PAC-12) was 7-5 when the Bulldogs beat the Sun Devils 31-20. Cincinnati (American) was 10-2 and Virginia Tech (ACC) was 6-6 when the Bearcats beat the Hokies. Otherwise, Army (Independent) decimated Houston (American) 70-14, BYU (Independent) crushed Western Michigan (MAC) 49-18, and Wake Forest (ACC) drubbed Temple (American) 56-27.

QUESTION: Which bowl game was cancelled due to lightning that refused to leave?

ANSWER: The SERVPRO First Responders Bowl between Boston College and Boise State. The worst part is that the city of Dallas ponied up $300,000 from its Parks and Rec budget so the game could be played. But with Boston College leading Boise State 7-0 at the 5:08 mark of the second quarter, the game was interrupted by lightning, and later canceled as it appeared obvious that the forecast would not be favorable for resumption of play. It was a first in the history of college football bowl games. Now here's the funniest part, the SERVPRO slogan is 'Like it never even happened".

QUESTION:  How many teams were shutout in this year's bowl games?

ANSWER: Two teams laid a goose egg. Ohio blanked San Diego State 27-0 in the Frisco Bowl, and Virginia kept South Carolina off the board in a shocking 28-0 win in the Belk Bowl.

QUESTION: Which team scored the most points in their bowl game this season?

ANSWER: Army easily gets this one with its 70-14 obliteration of Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl. Obviously, Houston's Ed Oliver was the most sorely-missed player who refused to participate after declaring early for the NFL draft. In fact, Oliver was either injured or sitting out the final 5 Houston games during which the Cougars went 1-4.

QUESTION: So which team scored the second-most points?

ANSWER: Auburn posted a surprisingly easy 63-14 win over Purdue in the Music City Bowl.

QUESTION: In a bowl season that saw a lot of star players join the aforementioned Ed Oliver of Houston by sitting out, how badly did it effect Kentucky that All-Americans Josh Allen (linebacker) and stud running back Eddie Snell, Jr. sat out the school's Citrus Bowl game versus Penn State?

ANSWER: Trick question. Refreshingly, neither sat out and Kentucky beat Penn State 27-24 to secure its first 10-win season since 1977. Allen had 3 sacks and blocked a field goal in the contest, and Snell ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Thank you Allen and Snell for choosing to play.