Two touchdowns in a four-minute period from the second half secured a 27-24 victory for the National team over the American in the 71st Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile.
The two counts took place between the third and fourth quarters, with Ian Book of Notre Dame and Feleipe Franks of Arkansas each leading one of the slides. Book and the national team led 20-16 with 44 seconds left in the third quarter, with Michael Carter of North Carolina pushing the stack in the final zone for a run of 12 yards.
After an interception by Damar Hamlin of Pittsburgh near midfield, the national team rose 11-27 27-27 when Franks drilled a 21-yard pass to Ole Miss tighthead Kenny Yeboah on the goal line. The score was one game after a jumping 29-yard catch by Dez Fitzpatrick of Louisville.
“We really had a great week with these young players,” national team coach Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins said. ‘Many of them made very good impressions. They all did good for themselves and came out and participated today. It was a good week. ”
The national team defense helped end the game with several strong series, including Hamlin’s interception and three sacks from Wake Forest’s American team fullback Jamie Newman. Kylin Hill in the state of Mississippi was stopped with 5:19 to play at fourth-and-1 level of the National 41 without any gain, and all this except that the American team had a chance to come back and to win.
The U.S. team did add a final score with 49 seconds left, when Newman found Trevon Grimes in Florida for a 10-pointer and Hill ran for two points. Senior Bowl rules do not allow kicks to the side, and the game ended with Book winning ahead of the national team.
Texas A&M fullback Kellen Mond scored the game’s most valuable player in a losing effort. Mouth completed 13 of 25 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, with much of the production in the third quarter.
“Sometimes it can be hard to get into a rhythm,” Mond said. ‘You’re still getting used to the receivers and the offensive line and a whole new system. I just kept working and fighting, and we were able to push the ball off the field and make some great-time plays. ‘
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Offensive player of the game went to Fitzpatrick, who caught six passes for 90 yards. Tulane’s defensive end Cam Sample was the game’s defensive player and finished with seven tackles, including a half.
Franks completed 9 of 16 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown for the National, while Book 5 was for 11 for 48 yards. Carter led all riders by 60 yards and carries a score at eight for the National.
Newman, who preferred last season after transferring to Georgia, was 10 of 14 for 118 yards with a Test and an interception. The American team ran only 31 yards on 20 runs in the match.
Florida’s Shawn Davis had an interception for the U.S. team, while Florida’s Janarius Robinson finished with 1.5 bags. Jonathan Cooper, Jonathan Cooper, finishes with a half bag and 1.5 tackles for the loss to the National.
“It’s hard to evaluate too much on a game with so many injuries. You have to look at the total of the week,” said U.S. team coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers. “I thought the guys were smart, good footballers and that was a good step for them. I was impressed with a lot of guys. ”
The national team led 13-0 at halftime, thanks to a couple of field goals (36 and 32 yards) by Memphis’ Riley Patterson and a 13-yard pass from Ehlinger to UCLA’s Demetric Felton. Ehlinger only played the first quarter and completed 4 of 10 passes for 42 yards and the TD.
The American team took the lead for a short while in the third quarter with rugby hits, both on Mond passes. He first beat Amari Rodgers of Clemson on a 15-yard strike with 9:44 left in third place and then ran for two points to make it 13-8.
After the U.S. defense forced a three-and-out and Rodgers was back on a points ladder, Mond got his team back in the final zone. He found Josh Palmer of Tennessee at a 14-year-old point, and then found a jumping Rodgers for two points and a 16-13 lead with 4:52 left in the quarter.
This year’s game has a ‘National vs. American ‘format after being a big part of its seven-decade history as’ North Vs. South ‘played. Executive Director Jim Nagy said last week that the social and racial justice movement of last spring helped change its game to change the game format.
The game was played in front of a huge crowd of 6,200 on a brilliant day on the campus of the University of Southern Alabama, which hosted the game for the first time. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, spectators were not allowed to watch practices during the week, and most of the accompanying fans were canceled, so the game on Saturday was the only chance to put the Senior Bowl players in action this year. see.
A number of sensational players did not play in the game due to injury or for other unspecified reasons, including Mac Jones, Alabama, and attacking lineman Alex Leatherwood, Kadarius Toney, Florida coach Carlos Basham, Wake Forest defensive line, Levi Onwuzurike, defensive line in Washington. , Oklahoma’s defender Tre Brown, JaCoby Stevens, LSU’s defense leader, Marvin Wilson, Florida’s defensive line and Tennessee’s offensive linebacker.