2016 TaxSlayer Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
71st Gator Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Date | January 2, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
Season | 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||
Stadium | EverBank Field | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Jacksonville, Florida | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Terry Godwin (WR, Georgia) & Trace McSorley (QB, Penn State) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Favorite | Georgia by 6½ [2] | ||||||||||||||||||
Referee | Mike Mothershed (Pac-12) | ||||||||||||||||||
Attendance | 58,212 [3] | ||||||||||||||||||
Payout | US$2,750,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | ESPN/ESPN Radio | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Allen Bestwick, Dan Hawkins, & Tiffany Greene (ESPN) Eamon McAnaney, John Congemi, & Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio) | ||||||||||||||||||
The 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on January 2, 2016, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The 71st edition of the Gator Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference against the Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference. It began at noon EST and aired on ESPN. It was one of the 2015–16 bowl games that concluded the 2015 FBS football season. The game's naming rights sponsor was tax preparation software company TaxSlayer.com, [4] and for sponsorship reasons was officially known as the TaxSlayer Bowl.
The game featured the Penn State Nittany Lions against the Georgia Bulldogs; Georgia was the favorite with the opening line with a seven-point spread. [5]
After finishing their season 7–5, the Nittany Lions accepted their invitation to play in the game. [6]
This was the fifth appearance for the Nittany Lions in the TaxSlayer Bowl and first since 1976. Prior to the game, they were 1–2–1 all-time in the bowl game.
After finishing their season 9–3, the Bulldogs accepted their invitation to play in the game. [7]
This was the fifth appearance of the Bulldogs in the TaxSlayer Bowl, who last appeared in 2014. Prior to the game, they were 2–1–1 all-time.
The biggest storyline entering the bowl game for Penn State was whether it would mark junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg's final game with Penn State, given his option to declare for the 2016 NFL Draft. Opinions were mixed on whether he should enter the draft, and two weeks before the bowl game, he sought counsel from the NFL Draft Advisory Board; he did not make a decision before the game. [8]
After Penn State lost its final game of the season to Michigan State, James Franklin fired offensive coordinator John Donovan, who engineered an offense that ranked 108th in total yardage, and mustered less than 15 points per game in its five losses. [9] The Lions eventually hired former Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead to replace Donovan in 2016, but in the interim, appointed quarterbacks coach Ricky Rahne to coordinate the offense for the bowl game, which would be his first experience calling plays. [10] Rahne planned to add a touch of "flair" to the offense, but generally stick to the gameplan used during the season. [11]
Entering the bowl game, Penn State's offense was in the bottom quintile among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools in yards per game, averaging 344. [12] Plagued by injuries and ineffectiveness particularly on the offensive line, both Rahne and senior offensive tackle Andrew Nelson expressed optimism about the continuity the team had achieved during bowl practices. [13] Freshman tailback Saquon Barkley, named the Big Ten's freshman of the year and a member of the freshman All-American team, was called "something special", and looked to build on his record-breaking regular season campaign during which he rushed for over 1,000 yards. [14] [15] At wide receiver, Chris Godwin looked to continue his postseason success (he had a breakout game in the 2014 Pinstripe Bowl) and reach 1,000 receiving yards on the season. [16]
Penn State's defense surrendered 55 points in the final game of the regular season, but entered the bowl game with a restored confidence that it was healthy and prepared, particularly along the defensive line, where former walk-on end Carl Nassib – the Big Ten Conference defensive player of the year, a first-team All-American, the team's most valuable player, and winner of the Lombardi Award – and tackle Austin Johnson would return at full strength. [5] [17] [18] [19] Defensive tackle Anthony Zettel commented,
I'm biased, but I feel like we have the best front seven in the country, and we're healthy. We're going to go after it tomorrow. [5]
That core contributed to a pass rush that helped Penn State hold opponents to 174.5 passing yards per game, tenth-best in the country, and combined for 42.5 tackles for loss. Coordinated by Bob Shoop, whom other teams sought to hire despite his lack of interest, Penn State was the 14th-best defense in the country in terms of yards allowed. [20] [21] Sophomore linebacker Jason Cabinda emerged as the vocal leader of the defense after Nyeem Wartman-White was injured during the season opener, and compiled a team-leading 92 tackles during the season. [22] Cabinda's conversion from outside linebacker to inside linebacker pressed redshirt freshman Troy Reeder into action as well, and he finished fourth on the team with 67 tackles. [23] [24] : 78 In the defensive backfield, safety Marcus Allen was the leader with 75 tackles, while Grant Haley led the team with six pass breakups. [24] : 78
Mark Richt, who had coached Georgia for 14 seasons, departed the program after the final regular season game of the season. [25] Although initially the school announced he would coach the bowl game, ultimately he was hired at the University of Miami, and did not coach the bowl. Georgia quickly hired University of Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to replace Richt, but he stayed with Alabama through the College Football Playoff. [26] Consequently, the Bulldogs had to appoint an interim coach, and went with passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon, who became the first black head coach in program history; McClendon's bowl game staff was also a patchwork group, including two new coordinators: tight ends coach John Lilly on offense, and outside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer on defense. [27] [28]
UGA’s offense was in a state of chaos leading to the Tax Slayer Bowl. Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator, lead the unit and was blamed for much of the team’s lack of success and partially for the downfall of Mark Richt himself.
Schottenheimer was much maligned as a play-caller this season after Georgia's offense sputtered and failed to move at a consistent pace. Georgia ranks 75th in the nation in total offense at 381.4 yards per game.
The Bulldogs also rank 84th in the nation in scoring at 26.5 points per game.
Quarterback Greyson Lambert was efficient most of the year but was replaced as a starter for the UF game in Jacksonville, FL. Faton Bauta started vs the Gators and after that experiment failed Lambert resumed quarterback duties.
Star running back Nick Chubb was injured for the season following a catastrophic knee injury at Neyland Stadium earlier that season. Sony Michel lead the Bulldogs the rest of the season and was an effective runner.
Like Penn State, Georgia had a strong defense, particularly in terms of pass defense, where the Bulldogs relinquished only 146 yards per game, the best in the country. The squad also averaged just 16.9 points allowed per game, and 151.9 rushing yards per game, both of which were also in the top quintile of FBS schools. [20] Without coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, who took a similar position with Alabama, the Bulldogs defense sought to achieve continuity despite coaching changes. [29]
Penn State received the opening kickoff, converted an early third-and-long, and advanced to the periphery of field goal range before a screen pass was intercepted. Marshall Morgan was set to attempt a 49-yard field goal, but an offside penalty on Penn State shortened it to a 44-yard attempt, which Morgan made by bouncing the kick off the goalpost and through for a 3–0 Georgia lead. Penn State went three-and-out on its next possession. After exchanging punts, UGA took over inside their own five yard-line.
Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Source: [3]
Statistics [3] | PSU | UGA |
---|---|---|
First Downs | 16 | 17 |
Total offense, plays – yards | 74–401 | 64–327 |
Rushes-yards (net) | 120 | 166 |
Passing yards (net) | 281 | 161 |
Passes, Comp–Att–Int | 22–42–1 | 12–23–0 |
Time of Possession | 31:22 | 28:38 |
In the immediate aftermath of the game, Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg thanked his teammates, offensive coordinators, and former head coach Bill O'Brien before announcing he would forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and enter the NFL Draft, and in doing so, he ended his three-year tenure with the Nittany Lions during which, in the words of LNP sports columnist Mike Gross, "he did everything he could" to help a program in transition. [30]
This game for many UGA followers was an awkward gap between the Richt era and the Smart era. Few of the past staff had stayed. Richt went immediately to Miami, Pruitt left for Alabama and began preparing for their post season. Schottenheimer was not hired immediately as others, but the atmosphere was considered to be acrimonious and he elected not to coach the game. Kirby Smart paradoxically stayed at Alabama through their post season and did not officially begin his duties at UGA until after those commenced.
Bryan McClendon called the offense for UGA and was viewed by many as doing a more than serviceable job. He was summarily hired by Will Muschamp at South Carolina.
The win finalized the 2015 season with a 5 game win streak (including 2 vs rivals Auburn and Georgia Tech) and a 10 win season. While the season was still generally considered to be chaotic, disappointing, and below expectations it did end the past era of 15 years on a high note.
Mark Allan Richt is a retired American football coach, former player, and television analyst. He was the head football coach at the University of Georgia for 15 years and at the University of Miami, his alma mater, for three. His teams won two Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships, five SEC division titles, and one Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) division title. He was a two-time SEC Coach of the Year, the 2017 ACC Coach of the Year, and the winner of the national 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award. On January 10, 2023, he was inducted into College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.
Donald Eugene "D. J." Shockley is a sports anchor and former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft where he served as a backup quarterback for four and a half years, but never played in a regular season or postseason game. He played college football at the University of Georgia. Since 2017, he has worked as a color commentator and studio analyst for college football broadcasts on the ESPN network. He became a sports anchor for WAGA-TV in 2021.
Bryan McClendon is an American football coach who is currently the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at the University of Georgia. He previously served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Oregon from 2020 to 2021 and interim head coach in the Alamo Bowl in 2021.
The 2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed on behalf of the University of Georgia in American football against teams from other colleges and universities. The Bulldogs tied for first place in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) but lost a tie-breaker with the University of Tennessee. The team finished its season by defeating the Hawaii Warriors in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. This was the Georgia Bulldogs' seventh season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt.
The 2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team completed the season with a 9–4 record. The Bulldogs had an SEC record of 4–4. Despite losses to unranked Kentucky and Vanderbilt, Georgia salvaged its season by beating two ranked teams in the last two games of the season: #5 Auburn and #15 Georgia Tech. A victory over #14 Virginia Tech in the 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl gave the Georgia Bulldogs three consecutive victories over top 25 teams. This was the team's sixth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt.
The 2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) for the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was the 74th Sugar Bowl. It was played on January 1, 2008, in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
The 1982 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia during the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. The offense scored 338 points while the defense allowed 160 points. Led by head coach Vince Dooley, the top ranked Bulldogs lost to number two Penn State 23–27 in the Sugar Bowl.
James Geoffrey Franklin is an American football coach and former player. Franklin has served as the head football coach at Penn State University since 2014 and served in the same position at Vanderbilt University from 2011 to 2013.
Manuel Alberto Diaz II is an American college football coach. He is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Pennsylvania State University, a position has held since the 2022 season. Diaz served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2019 to 2021.
The 2013 Syracuse Orange football team represented Syracuse University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange were led by first year head coach Scott Shafer and played their home games at the Carrier Dome. The season marked their first as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, after their final season in the Big East Conference in 2012. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in ACC play to finish in a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division. They were invited to the Texas Bowl where they defeated Minnesota.
The 2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill O'Brien and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were a member of the Big Ten Conference and its Leaders Division. Penn State was ineligible to play in a bowl game for the 2013 season, the second season of a four-year ban, due to NCAA sanctions imposed in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.
The Georgia–Tennessee football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia and Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee. The series is led by Georgia 27–23–2. Both teams are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Georgia and Tennessee are the second (867)and third (855) winningest football programs in SEC history, behind only Alabama. The rivalry has never been contested anyplace besides Knoxville, Tennessee or Athens, Georgia, and alternates between the two respective campuses. Games in odd-numbered years are played in Knoxville, and even-numbered years in Athens.
The 2014 Gator Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on January 1, 2014 at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The 69th edition of the Gator Bowl, it featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers from the Big Ten Conference against the Georgia Bulldogs from the Southeastern Conference. The game began at 12:00 noon EST and aired on ESPN2. It was one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by tax preparation software company TaxSlayer.com and was officially known as the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl.
The Georgia Bulldogs football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Georgia Bulldogs football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, Single season and career leaders. The Bulldogs represent the University of Georgia in the NCAA's Southeastern Conference.
The 2015 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium. They were members of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. This was head coach Mark Richt's 15th and final season leading the program. Richt was relieved of his duties at the end of the regular season. Richt was originally slated to remain head coach for the team's bowl game, but he was replaced after he reached an agreement to become head coach of the Miami Hurricanes football team. Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon was named interim head coach for the TaxSlayer Bowl against Penn State.
Greyson Bryce Lambert is a former American football quarterback and baseball pitcher, who began his college football career at the University of Virginia, where he spent three seasons playing for the Virginia Cavaliers. After the 2014 season, he transferred to the University of Georgia and played two seasons for the Georgia Bulldogs. Following his career with Georgia he signed with the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB) but was cut before playing for the team in 2017.
The 2016 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium. They were members of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Kirby Smart. They finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the Eastern Division. They were invited to the Liberty Bowl where they defeated TCU.
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in American football.
Richard Thomas "Trace" McSorley III is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State, and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Ricky Rahne is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at Old Dominion University. He played college football at Cornell.