CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2023: Bowls & playoff

48 games. 15 ranked teams lost, five to unranked teams. 10 games matched two ranked teams. Winners are listed first; numbers before names are AP ranks going in.

The week in review

Ranked against ranked

Jan 8, 20241Michigan 34, 2Washington 13CFP National ChampionshipBox score
Jan 1, 20242Washington 37, 3Texas 31upsetSugar Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 1, 20241Michigan 27, 5Alabama 20Rose Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Dec 30, 20236Georgia 63, 4Florida State 3Orange BowlBox score
Dec 29, 20239Missouri 14, 7Ohio State 3upsetCotton BowlBox score
Dec 30, 202311Ole Miss 38, 10Penn State 25upsetPeach BowlBox score

Upsets

Jan 1, 20242Washington 37, 3Texas 31upsetSugar Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Dec 29, 20239Missouri 14, 7Ohio State 3upsetCotton BowlBox score
Dec 30, 202311Ole Miss 38, 10Penn State 25upsetPeach BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2023USC 42, 16Louisville 28upsetHoliday BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2023Boston College 23, 17SMU 14upsetFenway BowlBox score

A ranked team beaten as the betting favorite, or, where no line is on file, by an unranked or lower-ranked team.

Big days

Passing

Rocco BechtNo. 2 this week22 of 38, 446 yards, 3 TDIowa State vs. Memphis
  1. Jason Bean Kansas19 of 28, 449 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
  2. Miller Moss USC23 of 33, 372 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT

Rushing

Darius TaylorNo. 3 this week35 carries, 208 yards, 1 TDMinnesota vs. Bowling Green
  1. Freddie Brock Georgia State24 carries, 276 yards, 1 TD
  2. Emmanuel Michel Air Force35 carries, 203 yards, 2 TD

Receiving

Jayden Higgins9 catches, 214 yards, 1 TDIowa State vs. Memphis
  1. Luke Grimm Kansas4 catches, 160 yards, 3 TD
  2. Rashod Owens Oklahoma State10 catches, 164 yards, 2 TD

Defense

Brian Holloway6 tackles, 2 INT, 2 TDTexas State vs. Rice
  1. Joe Evans Iowa5 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 for loss
  2. Bo Richter Air Force5 tackles, 3 sacks, 4.5 for loss
Ranked by a points score for each kind of game (yards, touchdowns, tackles, sacks).
How we rankRanked by yards plus 20 for each touchdown (passing: less 20 for each interception); defense (from 2016, when the box scores carry tackles) by points: 8 a tackle, 12 a tackle for loss, 30 a sack (a sack is also a tackle for loss, so 42 in all), 40 an interception, 60 a touchdown.

The week’s biggest individual games by FBS players, from CollegeFootballData box scores.

FBS vs. FBS

Dec 16, 2023Ohio 41, Georgia Southern 21Myrtle Beach BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023Jacksonville State 34, Louisiana 31New Orleans BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023App State 13, Miami (OH) 9Cure BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023Fresno State 37, New Mexico State 10New Mexico BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023UCLA 35, Boise State 22LA BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023Texas Tech 34, California 14Independence BowlBox score
Dec 18, 2023Western Kentucky 38, Old Dominion 35Famous Toastery BowlBox score
Dec 19, 2023UTSA 35, Marshall 17Frisco BowlBox score
Dec 21, 2023South Florida 45, Syracuse 0Boca Raton BowlBox score
Dec 22, 2023Georgia Tech 30, UCF 17Gasparilla BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Duke 17, Troy 10Birmingham BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Northern Illinois 21, Arkansas State 19Camellia BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Air Force 31, 24James Madison 21Armed Forces BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Georgia State 45, Utah State 22Famous Idaho Potato BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023South Alabama 59, Eastern Michigan 1068 Ventures BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Northwestern 14, Utah 7Las Vegas BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2023Coastal Carolina 24, San José State 14Hawai’i BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2023Minnesota 30, Bowling Green 24Quick Lane BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2023Texas State 45, Rice 21First Responder BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2023Kansas 49, UNLV 36Guaranteed Rate BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2023Virginia Tech 41, 23Tulane 20Military BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2023West Virginia 30, North Carolina 10Duke’s Mayo BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2023USC 42, 16Louisville 28upsetHoliday BowlBox score
Dec 27, 202322Oklahoma State 31, Texas A&M 23Texas BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2023Boston College 23, 17SMU 14upsetFenway BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2023Rutgers 31, Miami 24Pinstripe BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2023Kansas State 28, 19NC State 19Pop-Tarts BowlBox score
Dec 28, 202314Arizona 38, 12Oklahoma 24Alamo BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2023Clemson 38, Kentucky 35Gator BowlBox score
Dec 29, 202315Notre Dame 40, 21Oregon State 8Sun BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2023Memphis 36, Iowa State 26Liberty BowlBox score
Dec 29, 20239Missouri 14, 7Ohio State 3upsetCotton BowlBox score
Dec 30, 202311Ole Miss 38, 10Penn State 25upsetPeach BowlBox score
Dec 30, 2023Maryland 31, Auburn 13Music City BowlBox score
Dec 30, 20236Georgia 63, 4Florida State 3Orange BowlBox score
Dec 30, 2023Wyoming 16, Toledo 15Arizona BowlBox score
Jan 1, 202413LSU 35, Wisconsin 31ReliaQuest BowlBox score
Jan 1, 202425Tennessee 35, 20Iowa 0Citrus BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20248Oregon 45, 18Liberty 6Fiesta BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20241Michigan 27, 5Alabama 20Rose Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 1, 20242Washington 37, 3Texas 31upsetSugar Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 8, 20241Michigan 34, 2Washington 13CFP National ChampionshipBox score

Everyone else

Dec 15, 2023SUNY Cortland 38, North Central College 37upsetDivision III ChampionshipBox score
Dec 15, 2023South Dakota State 59, UAlbany 0FCS Championship – Semifinals, CFP SemifinalBox score
Dec 16, 2023Florida A&M 30, Howard 26Cricket Celebration BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2023Harding 38, Colorado School of Mines 7Division II ChampionshipBox score
Dec 16, 2023Montana 31, North Dakota State 29FCS Championship – Semifinals, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 7, 2024South Dakota State 23, Montana 3FCS ChampionshipBox score