2018 Texas Bowl

The 2018 Texas Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 27, 2018, with kickoff at 9:00 p.m. EST.^[5] It was the 13th edition of the Texas Bowl, and was one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Academy Sports + Outdoors sporting goods company, the game was officially known as the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl.

2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl
13th Texas Bowl
Baylor Bears Vanderbilt Commodores (6–6) (6–6) Big 12 SEC 45 38 Head coach:  Matt Rhule Head coach:  Derek Mason
1 2 3 4 Total Baylor 10 7 14 14 45 Vanderbilt 14 7 7 10 38
Date	December 27, 2018
Season	2018
Stadium	NRG Stadium
Location	Houston, Texas
MVP	Charlie Brewer (QB, Baylor)[1]
Favorite	Vanderbilt by 3.5[2]
Referee	Gary Patterson (ACC)
Attendance	51,104[3]
Payout	US$6,300,000 [4]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN & ESPN Radio
Announcers	Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic (ESPN) Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio)
International TV coverage
Network	ESPN Deportes
Texas Bowl  < 2017  2019 >

The 2018 Texas Bowl featured the Baylor Bears of the Big 12 Conference and the Vanderbilt Commodores of the Southeastern Conference. Both teams had a 6–6 record coming in to the game, making the Texas Bowl the only bowl game of the season without a team with a winning record.^[6] Despite featuring a pair of .500 teams, fans were treated to one of the highest-scoring games of the bowl season that included five touchdown plays of 50 yards or more, and more than 1,200 yards (combined) of total offense.^[7]

Teams

The matchup of Baylor from the Big 12 Conference and Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) was announced on December 2.^[8] The teams had previously met twice, with Baylor winning both games, played in 1953 and 1954.^[8]

Baylor Bears

See also: 2018 Baylor Bears football team and 2018 Big 12 Conference football season

Baylor received and accepted a bid to the Texas Bowl on December 2.^[8] The Bears entered the bowl with a 6–6 record (4–5 in conference).

Vanderbilt Commodores

See also: 2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team and 2018 Southeastern Conference football season

Vanderbilt received and accepted a bid to the Texas Bowl on December 2.^[8] The Commodores entered the bowl with a 6–6 record (3–5 in conference).

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP BAY VAN 1 14:04 3 65 0:56 VAN Khari Blasingame 65-yard touchdown reception from Kyle Shurmur, Ryley Guay kick good 0 7 1 9:16 12 69 4:48 BAY 23-yard field goal by Connor Martin 3 7 1 2:19 9 73 4:35 BAY John Lovett 12-yard touchdown run, Connor Martin kick good 10 7 1 0:23 4 81 1:56 VAN Ke'Shawn Vaughn 68-yard touchdown run, Ryley Guay kick good 10 14 2 11:33 8 75 3:50 BAY JaMycal Hasty 18-yard touchdown run, Connor Martin kick good 17 14 2 9:57 3 81 1:36 VAN Ke'Shawn Vaughn 69-yard touchdown run, Ryley Guay kick good 17 21 3 12:54 6 75 2:06 BAY Trestan Ebner 34-yard touchdown run, Connor Martin kick good 24 21 3 4:51 10 88 3:42 BAY Charlie Brewer 1-yard touchdown run, John Mayers kick good 31 21 3 0:16 3 54 1:24 VAN Khari Blasingame 2-yard touchdown run, Ryley Guay kick good 31 28 4 9:31 3 80 1:00 VAN Khari Blasingame 1-yard touchdown run, Ryley Guay kick good 31 35 4 9:19 1 75 0:12 BAY Trestan Ebner 75-yard touchdown reception from Charlie Brewer, John Mayers kick good 38 35 4 3:30 13 59 5:49 VAN 33-yard field goal by Ryley Guay 38 38 4 1:50 4 75 1:40 BAY Marques Jones 52-yard touchdown reception from Charlie Brewer, John Mayers kick good 45 38 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 45 38

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	10	7	14	14	45
Commodores	14	7	7	10	38

Statistics	BAY	VAN
First downs	30	22
Plays–yards	81–668	62–573
Rushes–yards	46–284	24–287
Passing yards	384	286
Passing: comp–att–int	21–35–1	18–38–0
Time of possession	35:26	24:34

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Baylor	Passing	Charlie Brewer	21/34, 384 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Charlie Brewer	16 car, 109 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Trestan Ebner	3 rec, 109 yds, 1 TD
Vanderbilt	Passing	Kyle Shurmur	18/37, 286 yds, 1 TD
	Rushing	Ke'Shawn Vaughn	13 car, 243 yds, 2 TD
	Receiving	Khari Blasingame	3 rec, 85 yds, 1 TD