Western Kentucky too much for South Alabama in R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Recap: Western Kentucky 44, South Alabama 23

NEW ORLEANS – Western Kentucky University scored on the game’s first two possessions and never looked back in a 44-23 victory over the University of South Alabama in the 22nd annual R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Wednesday night at the Caesars Superdome.

The Hilltoppers (9-5) rolled up 677 yards of total offense, including a New Orleans Bowl record 522 passing yards. Quarterback Austin Reed, the game’s Most Valuable Player, set four New Orleans Bowl records in completing 36 of 55 passes for 497 yards and four touchdowns.

Western Kentucky gained 434 first-half yards in building a 31-3 halftime lead.

Reed’s 44-yard touchdown pass to Dalvin Smith and a 27-yard scoring toss to Joey Beljan staked the Tops to a quick 14-0 lead with 8:46 left in the first quarter.

Smith, who had a career high 145 yards receiving, showed off his arm with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Hall early in the second quarter.

The teams exchanged field goals before WKU drove 75 yards in the final 98 seconds of the half, scoring on an untimed down to end the half as Reed tossed a 1-yard shovel pass to Malachi Corley.

South Alabama quarterback Connor Bradley passed for three second-half touchdowns to try to keep pace. Bradley completed 36 of 53 passes for 360 yards.

Each team completed 37 passes on the night, and the 74 total completions tied an NCAA bowl record originally set in 2017 by Wake Forest and Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte.

Both schools were making their New Orleans Bowl debuts.

SUN BELT RELEASE:

NEW ORLEANS – South Alabama, which was making its third bowl appearance in program history, fell victim to the high-powered Western Kentucky offense, 44-23, in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

The Jaguars fall to 0-3 in three Bowl Season appearances.

South Alabama spotted the Hilltoppers 24 points—a deficit they could not surmount—before getting on the board with a 30-yard field goal from junior kicker Diego Guajardo with 1:38 to play in the first half.

Following a South Alabama penalty as time expired, Western Kentucky added a fourth first-half touchdown on an untimed down to carry a 31-3 lead into the locker room.

The Jaguars offense found its form in the second half, outscoring the Hilltoppers, 20-13. Junior quarterback Carter Bradley threw touchdown passes to junior tight end DJ Thomas-Jones, junior running back La’Damian Webb and sophomore wide receiver Devin Voisin.

Three South Alabama players tallied 75-or-more yards in the contest, with Voisin (153 receiving yards) and freshman running back Braylon McReynolds (145 yards—92 return, 38 receiving, 15 rushing) each posting 100-yard outings. Webb accumulated 77 yards—48 rushing and 29 receiving.

Bradley completed 36-of-53 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore safety Yam Banks added a highlight-reel interception in the end zone to halt a Hilltoppers drive in the second quarter, while senior safety CJ Thompson posted a team-high seven tackles for the Jaguars defensive unit.

Despite the loss, South Alabama finishes the year 10-3—with both its overall (10) and conference (7) win totals establishing new program records.

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22nd ANNUAL R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs South Alabama Jaguars
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022

POSTGAME NOTES

• Western Kentucky set an R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl record with 522 passing yards and finished with 677 total yards, just shy of the bowl record, in its 44-23 victory over South Alabama.
• The teams combined for one of the top aerial displays in bowl history. WKU and USA combined for 74 completions, tying an NCAA bowl record previously set in 2017 by Wake Forest and Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl. The combined 111 pass attempts between the Hilltoppers and Jaguars ranks tied for fifth in bowl history, and the combined 899 passing yards ranks tied for seventh among all bowl games.
• WKU’s victory snapped a five-game winning streak by Sun Belt Conference schools in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The last win by a then-member of Conference USA was in 2016 by Southern Miss.
• Hilltoppers QB Austin Reed, the game’s Most Valuable Player, set R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl records for passing yards (497), completions (36), attempts (55) and total offense (522 yards). Reed is the 14th quarterback to win New Orleans Bowl MVP honors.
• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl team records set in the game:
Completions: 37 by each team (previous record: 35, Rice vs. Troy, 2006)
Pass Attempts: 56 by WKU (previous record: 54, North Texas vs. Troy, 2017; Rice vs Troy, 2006)
Passing Yards: 522 by WKU (previous record: 492, Louisiana vs. San Diego State, 2011)
Passing Touchdowns: 5 by WKU (ties record; also App State vs. Middle Tennessee, 2018; Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis, 2007)
First Downs Passing: 21 by WKU (ties record; also San Diego State vs. Louisiana, 2011)
• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl individual records set in the game:
Completions: 36 by Austin Reed, WKU, and Carter Bradley, USA (previous record: 35, Joel Armstrong, Rice vs. Troy, 2006)
Pass Attempts: 55 by Austin Reed, WKU (previous record: 54 by Mason Fine, North Texas vs. Troy, 2017, and Joel Armstrong, Rice vs. Troy, 2006)
Passing Yards: 497 by Austin Reed, WKU (previous record: 470, Blaine Gautier, Louisiana vs. San Diego State, 2011)
Total Offense: 522 by Austin Reed, WKU (previous record: 492, Blaine Gautier, Louisiana vs. San Diego State, 2011)
Receptions: 11 by Malachi Corley, WKU, and Devin Voisin, USA (ties record; also Damion Willis, Troy vs. North Texas, 2017; Allenzae Staggers, Southern Miss vs. Louisiana, 2016)
• WKU became the first team in New Orleans Bowl history and only the third FBS team in the last 25 years of bowl games to have three receivers gain 100 or more yards. Dalvin Smith had six catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, Jaylen Hall caught nine passes for 138 yards and a TD, and Malachi Corley had a team-best 11 receptions for 114 yards and two scores.
• Western Kentucky drove 75 yards in six plays for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. It marked the fourth consecutive year a team has driven for a touchdown on the first possession of the New Orleans Bowl.
• Both WKU and USA made their New Orleans Bowl debuts. It is the first time since 2011 (Louisiana vs. San Diego State) that the New Orleans Bowl matchup featured two teams making their debuts in the game.