2018 Outback Bowl

The 2018 Outback Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on January 1, 2018, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 32nd annual Outback Bowl was one of the 2017–18 NCAA football bowl games concluding the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game was nationally televised on ESPN2, and its title sponsor is the Outback Steakhouse restaurant franchise.

2018 Outback Bowl
32nd Outback Bowl
Michigan Wolverines South Carolina Gamecocks (8–4) (8–4) Big Ten SEC 19 26 Head coach:  Jim Harbaugh Head coach:  Will Muschamp
1 2 3 4 Total Michigan 6 3 10 0 19 South Carolina 0 3 13 10 26
Date	January 1, 2018
Season	2017
Stadium	Raymond James Stadium
Location	Tampa, Florida
MVP	Jake Bentley (QB, South Carolina)[1]
Favorite	Michigan by 9
Referee	Stuart Mullins (ACC)
Attendance	45,687[2]
Payout	US$$6,308,560[3]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2
Announcers	Adam Amin, Dusty Dvoracek, Molly McGrath
Outback Bowl  < 2017  2019 >

Teams

The game featured the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference in their fourth meeting against each other, and second meeting in the Outback Bowl.^[4]

Michigan

Main article: 2017 Michigan Wolverines football team

After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Wolverines were selected to their sixth Outback Bowl appearance, the most Outback Bowl appearances by any team. This was their 46th bowl game appearance, the 11th-highest total all-time among FBS schools.^[5]

South Carolina

Main article: 2017 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Gamecocks were selected to their fifth Outback Bowl appearance, tying them with four other teams for the second-most Outback Bowl appearances. This was their 22nd bowl game appearance. South Carolina won the previous meeting against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2013 Outback Bowl, by a score of 33–28.^[6]

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP MICH SCAR 1 3:42 8 29 3:37 MICH 35-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 3 0 1 0:09 6 23 2:16 MICH 26-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 6 0 2 8:45 5 45 1:36 SCAR 45-yard field goal by Parker White 6 3 2 0:00 8 33 1:18 MICH 45-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 9 3 3 9:56 7 72 7:34 MICH Ben Mason 1-yard touchdown run, Quinn Nordin kick good 16 3 3 5:42 4 2 1:10 MICH 48-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin 19 3 3 2:25 6 77 3:17 SCAR Rico Dowdle 18-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, 2-point pass failed 19 9 3 0:51 1 21 0:06 SCAR Bryan Edwards 21-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good 19 16 4 11:33 6 81 2:12 SCAR Shi Smith 53-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good 19 23 4 3:47 4 9 1:55 SCAR 22-yard field goal by Parker White 19 26 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 19 26

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolverines	6	3	10	0	19
Gamecocks	0	3	13	10	26

Statistics	MICH	SCAR
First downs	17	13
Plays–yards	78–277	58–302
Rushes–yards	33–74	26–61
Passing yards	203	239
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	21–45–2	19–32–1
Time of possession	34:17	25:43

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
MICH	Passing	Brandon Peters	20/44, 186 yds, 2 INT
	Rushing	Karan Higdon	17 car, 65 yds
	Receiving	Kekoa Crawford	5 rec, 61 yds
SCAR	Passing	Jake Bentley	19/32, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Rico Dowdle	6 car, 45 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Bryan Edwards	5 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD

Mascot

The 2018 Outback Bowl marked the first appearance of SB Nation sportswriter and mixed martial artist Ryan Nanni as the Bloomin' Onion mascot.^[7][8]