For the first time since they switched the team names from North and South to National and American, the American team came on top on a walk-off touchdown, 22-19. It's the first time since 2018 that the American team has won the Senior Bowl. Seth Henigen went 12/14 for 132 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown for the American team. Tyler Shough went 9/13 for a touchdown and an interception for the National team.
Game Recap
It was an instant offense for the national team after winning the coin toss and electing to receive it. Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon looked strong, with four carries for 17 yards. The drive opened up after Oregon quarterback found Iowa State receiver Jayden Higgins for nine yards to set up 1st and 10 on the American 32-yard line. After a four-yard rush by Gordon, Gordon threw the first touchdown pass of the game on a 32-yard double pass to find Higgins open in the endzone. Gabriel then threw a fade to Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo on the two-point try to give the National team an 8-0 lead.
The American team started with Notre Dame's Riley Leonard at quarterback and while he played well in his limited time on the field, the American offense struggled. On their opening drive, they moved the ball 40 yards, but Iowa corner/safety Sebastian Castro forced a fumble on Georgia receiver Arian Smith. Castro recovered the ball and set up the National team at the American 49-yard line. The National team didn't take advantage and had a three-and-out after going three yards back. The American drive stalled and bled into the second quarter, with the National team still up 8-0.
The National team got the ball back after a punt from Alabama punter James Burnip at their 37-yard line. They did after only gaining nine yards, National team head coach Mike Kafka rolled the dice and went for it on 4th and 1 from his own 46, but the American defense stepped up and Ole Miss edge rusher Princey Umanmielen stuffed former Mississippi State and current USC running back Woody Marks for no gain. Ole Miss quarterback Jackson Dart came in and provided a big spark for the American offense. On his first pass of the game, Dart found TCU receiver Jack Bech on a flea-flicker for 39 yards in contested coverage. A play after a run from Georgia back Trevor Etienne that got stuffed, Dart scrambled for seven yards to the endzone. Dart then rolled out on their two-point try to find Arkansas Razorback receiver Isaac Teslaa to tie the game 8-8 with 9:19 to go in the second.
Neither side was able to put anything on the board, with National kicker Ryan Fitzgerald missing wide-right from 57 yards and Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough (who came in for Gabriel) throwing an interception to Tulane corner Caleb Ransaw. The American team was able to do much, as they opted to take it into the second half tied at 8-8 each.
The offenses continued to struggle into the second half, with the American team kicker Caden Davis missing a 50-yard field goal to the left after Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe led the offense on a drive that took up six minutes and 20 seconds of game clock. A historic moment came on the National team's next drive, as the first Canadian quarterback came onto the field Taylor Elgersma came in for Shough. The National team went three-and-out, but it wasn't the fault of Elgersma who was under pressure on both passing plays he attempted. He then followed it up on the next drive with a beautiful deep ball to Illinois' Pat Bryant for 43 yards to set the National team up on the outskirts of the red zone.
The drive would stall after they got to the 24-yard line, but Fitzgerald made up for his earlier miss with a strike from 39 yards to give the National team an 11-8 lead with 32 seconds to go in the third quarter.
Memphis quarterback Seth Henigen fumbled the snap on the first play of the fourth quarter. Utah's Junior Tafuna recovered and set up the National offense at the American 24-yard line. Shough was put back into the game and they took full advantage, scoring a one-yard touchdown on a pass from Shough to Virginia Tech's Da'Quon Felton, extending their lead to 19-8 with 12:40 left in the fourth quarter.
Things flipped on a dime after the American team got the ball back, as Seth Henigen came out firing. After taking a 10-yard sack from Minnesota's Jah Joyner, he found Aubrun running back Jarquez Hunter for 12 yards and then found Georgia receiver Arian Smith in one-on-one coverage for 32 yards. Then the second running back touchdown pass of the game, with UCF's RJ Harvey finding Maryland wideout Tai Felton for 25 yards against Illinois State's Keondre Jackson. Teslaa scored his second two-point conversion on a pass from Henigen. The TD and 2-point conversion got the American team back within three with 10:12 left.
Both offenses stalled again, as the National team had the ball at the 5:32 mark of the fourth quarter, looking to salt away their seventh straight win in the yearly bowl game. They had their drive extended after a roughing the passer penalty was called on Minnesota's Danny Strigow with 3:25 left. Yet the American defense continued to stand tall and with the National team on American's 13-yard line, Kafka rolled the dice again on 4th down. On 4th and 2, they turned to Ollie Gordon again, but Notre Dame's RJ Obren and Alabama's Tim Smith stuffed him for a loss of two with 2:32 left.
In the best way possible, the scriptwriters came out and gave us a storybook ending to this one. On 3rd and 4, Henigen found Bama tight end CJ Dippre for 25 yards to their 46-yard line heading into the two-minute warning. Henigen continued to cook, as he hit five straight passes to set them up at the 13-yard line with 29 seconds left. After a nine-yard pass to Hunter, the American team had one more shot at the game on 4th and 2 with seven seconds left. Who else but number seven Jack Bech, who had a quarterback whose team name was the Tigers, scored the game-winning touchdown, 22-19.
Three Stars of the Senior Bowl
Jack Bech - Wide Reciever - TCU (American)
How could the number one star be anyone else than TCU receiver Jack Bech? Bech was the best offensive skill position player on both sides, catching six of his seven targets for 68 yards and of course that famous touchdown pass. Considering everything he and his family have gone through, the fact that he was able to put a performance on like this is nothing short of inspiring. He said it best when speaking with NFL Networks Tom Pelissero, "My brother had some wings on me."
Seth Henigen - Quarterback - Memphis (American)
One of the most consistent college quarterbacks during his four seasons with the Memphis Tigers ended up being the best signal-caller on the field on Saturday. Henigen went 12/14 for 132 yards and had a quarterback rating of 188.5. His 50 games of experience at the collegiate level showed as he looked calm and poised, especially during the two-minute drill. Look for him to be potentially a day three draft pick, closer to the 4th or 5th round pick for a team that could let him develop as a project QB.
Oluwafemi Oladejo - Edge - UCLA (National)
I had to include at least one National player, as despite the blown fourth quarter it was a strong defensive performance, especially by Oluwafemi Oladejo from UCLA. He was a dominant force on the edge, collecting two sacks on Alabama's Jalen Milroe. As his Twitter handle would indicate, Femi indeed went crazy in this one.
Stat that Stood Out
It was a struggle to run the ball on both sides, as they combined for just 86 rushing yards on 56 attempts (1.5 yards per carry). Ollie Gordon of the National team was the leading rusher for both sides, with nine carries for 33 yards.
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