BOWL ROUNDUP: USC rallies past Penn State to win Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. — Matt Boermeester kicked his third field goal of the game, a 46-yarder, on the final play Monday to give Southern California a 52-49 victory over Penn State in the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever.

Penn State, which spotted the Trojans a 13-0 lead early, seemed to have the game well in hand going into the fourth quarter with a 14-point lead after scoring touchdowns on seven consecutive possessions.

But the Nittany Lions grew conservative on offense, couldn’t stop the Trojans’ passing game, and finally a third-down interception thrown by Trace McSorley put USC, which had no time outs remaining, in position to kick the winning field goal in the final half-minute.

Sam Darnold, the Trojans’ freshman quarterback, completed 33 of 53 passes for 453 yards and five touchdowns. McSorley threw four touchdown passes but also threw three interceptions — two early and the killing one late — after throwing just two interceptions in his last eight games.

Until the final few minutes, it looked like Penn State, which came from at least 10 points behind in four victories this year, including the Big Ten championship game, would add an exclamation point to its come-from-behind season.

Instead, the Lions, whose nine-game winning streak was ended and finished 11-3, made only one first down on four possessions and netted only 14 yards on offense in the fourth quarter.

GOODYEAR

COTTON BOWL

No. 8 Wisconsin 24, No. 15 Western Michigan 16

ARLINGTON, Texas — As far as consolation prizes go, winning the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic wasn’t a bad one for No. 8 Wisconsin.

“It means a ton,” Badgers coach Paul Chryst said. “This is the last time this team plays together and to be able to get a win against a good team, I’m really proud of them. Means a lot.”

It wasn’t easy, but Wisconsin downed previously undefeated No. 15 Western Michigan 24-16 on Monday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.

Though the Badgers (11-3) jumped ahead early and never trailed in their first appearance in the Cotton Bowl, the upstarts from the Mid-American Conference weren’t intimidated lining up against a traditional power on a national stage.

The Badgers bounced back from a disappointing loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Conference championship game. Under second-year coach Chryst, Wisconsin won 11 games for the first time since 2011.

The Badgers had their eyes on the Rose Bowl before falling apart in the second half against the Nittany Lions. The Cotton Bowl served as a New Year’s Six consolation prize for the Big Ten runners-up.

“It left a bad taste in our mouth, the Big Ten championship game,” Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “We wanted to get back out there and prove ourselves again.”

The loss ended a storybook season for the Broncos (13-1) and their 36-year-old coach, P.J. Fleck. The Broncos hoped to finish off a perfect campaign with a statement win for the Group of Five.

OUTBACK BOWL

No. 17 Florida 30, Iowa 3

TAMPA, Fla. — No. 17 Florida has been burned by second-half comebacks on occasion this season, but defensive back Chauncey Gardner decided to take matters into his hands.

Gardner, a freshman cornerback, had two interceptions and returned one for a 58-yard touchdown to lead the Gators to a 30-3 win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl on Monday at Raymond James Stadium.

The Gators finished the season 9-4 while Iowa dropped to 8-5.

“That was a heck of game for us,” Florida coach Jim McElwain said.

“Well documented, obviously, how beat up we were, and yet not once all year (did we use) that as an excuse in any way, shape or form. It was next man.”

Gardner stepped in front of an errant third-down pass by Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard and raced down the sideline for the score that gave the Gators a 24-3 lead early in the fourth quarter. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Florida quarterback Austin Appleby threw interceptions on the Gators’ first two possessions but settled down to finish 14 of 25 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. His 85-yard touchdown to running back Mark Thompson on a screen pass gave the Gators a 10-3 lead.