2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (January)

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2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
38th ReliaQuest Bowl
1234Total
Wisconsin14710031
LSU01414735
DateJanuary 1, 2024
Season 2023
Stadium Raymond James Stadium
Location Tampa, Florida
MVP Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU)
Favorite LSU by 10.5 [1]
Referee Mark Duddy (Pac-12) [2]
Attendance31,424
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN2
Announcers Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Lauren Sisler (sideline)
ReliaQuest Bowl
  2023 2024 (Dec.)  

The 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2024, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 38th annual ReliaQuest Bowl featured Wisconsin from the Big Ten Conference and LSU from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The game began at approximately 12:00 p.m. EST and was aired on ESPN2. [3] [4] It was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. Tampa-based cybersecurity company ReliaQuest was the title sponsor.

Contents

Teams

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the bowl featured the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference and the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

This was the fifth meeting between Wisconsin and LSU; entering the game, the Tigers led the Badgers in their all-time series, 3–1. [5]

Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers entered the game with a 7–5 record (5–4 in the Big Ten), tied for second place in the Big Ten West Division.

This was Wisconsin's sixth ReliaQuest Bowl; entering the game, the Badgers were 2–3 in prior editions of the game.

LSU Tigers

The Tigers entered the game with a 9–3 record (6–2 in the SEC), tied for second place in the SEC West Division, and ranked 13th in each of the major polls. Heisman winning quarterback Jayden Daniels sat out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft, with backup Garrett Nussmeier getting his first start of the season and earning MVP honors after throwing for 395 yards and three touchdowns. [6]

This was LSU's third ReliaQuest bowl; entering the game, their official record in the game was 0–1, as their win the 2014 edition was vacated by the NCAA during 2023 for a booster-related violation. [7] Their loss came in the 1989 Hall of Fame Bowl, when the bowl was known by that name.

Game summary

2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (January)
Quarter1234Total
Wisconsin14710031
No. 13 LSU01414735

at Raymond James StadiumTampa, Florida

  • Date: Monday, January 1, 2024
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 65 °F (18 °C) • Wind: 2 mph (3.2 km/h) N
  • Game attendance: 31,424
  • Referee: Mark Durry
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Lauren Sisler (sideline)
  • Box score
Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP WISLSU
18:285782:15WISBryson Green 20-yard touchdown reception from Tanner Mordecai, Nathanial Vakos kick good70
10:232600:28WIS Will Pauling 53-yard touchdown reception from Tanner Mordecai, Nathanial Vakos kick good140
26:008603:11LSU Harold Perkins 1-yard touchdown run, Damian Ramos kick good147
21:287672:28LSU Kaleb Jackson 12-yard touchdown run, Damian Ramos kick good1414
20:475750:41WISWill Pauling 9-yard touchdown reception from Tanner Mordecai, Nathanial Vakos kick good2114
312:148752:46WISJackson Acker 33-yard touchdown run, Nathanial Vakos kick good2814
310:335751:36LSU Brian Thomas Jr. 38-yard touchdown reception from Garrett Nussmeier, Damian Ramos kick good2821
34:448703:10LSUChris Hilton Jr. 14-yard touchdown reception from Garrett Nussmeier, Damian Ramos kick good2828
31:186423:19WIS21-yard field goal by Nathanial Vakos3128
43:088983:02LSUBrian Thomas Jr. 4-yard touchdown reception from Garrett Nussmeier, Damian Ramos kick good3135
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.645

Statistics

StatisticsWISLSU
First downs2226
Plays–yards74–50670–492
Rushes–yards34–12825–97
Passing yards378395
Passing: compattint27–40–031–45–1
Time of possession31:0029:00
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
WisconsinPassing Tanner Mordecai 27–40–3–0
RushingJackson Acker14–86–1
Receiving Will Pauling 8–143–2
LSUPassing Garrett Nussmeier 31–45–3–1
Rushing Josh Williams 12–51–0
Receiving Brian Thomas Jr. 8–98–2

References

  1. Parks, James (December 11, 2023). "College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  2. Austro, Ben (December 3, 2023). "2023-24 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  3. Straka, Dean. "2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  4. "About the Bowl". ReliaQuest Bowl. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  5. "Winsipedia – Wisconsin Badgers vs. LSU Tigers". Winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  6. Alexander, Wilson. "How Garrett Nussmeier led LSU's game-winning drive to beat Wisconsin in his first start". NOLA.com. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  7. Mandel, Stewart. "Vacated LSU wins leave Les Miles out of CFB Hall of Fame consideration". The Athletic. Retrieved June 22, 2023.