The game featured the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference , and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference in their fourth meeting against each other, and second meeting in the Outback Bowl.[ 4]
After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Wolverines were selected to their sixth Outback Bowl appearance, the most Outback Bowl appearances by any team. This was their 46th bowl game appearance, the 11th-highest total all-time among FBS schools.[ 5]
After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Gamecocks were selected to their fifth Outback Bowl appearance, tying them with four other teams for the second-most Outback Bowl appearances. This was their 22nd bowl game appearance. South Carolina won the previous meeting against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2013 Outback Bowl , by a score of 33–28.[ 6]
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
MICH
SCAR
1
3:42
8
29
3:37
MICH
35-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
3
0
1
0:09
6
23
2:16
MICH
26-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
6
0
2
8:45
5
45
1:36
SCAR
45-yard field goal by Parker White
6
3
2
0:00
8
33
1:18
MICH
45-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
9
3
3
9:56
7
72
7:34
MICH
Ben Mason 1-yard touchdown run, Quinn Nordin kick good
16
3
3
5:42
4
2
1:10
MICH
48-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
19
3
3
2:25
6
77
3:17
SCAR
Rico Dowdle 18-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley , 2-point pass failed
19
9
3
0:51
1
21
0:06
SCAR
Bryan Edwards 21-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good
19
16
4
11:33
6
81
2:12
SCAR
Shi Smith 53-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good
19
23
4
3:47
4
9
1:55
SCAR
22-yard field goal by Parker White
19
26
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
19
26
1
2
3
4
Total
Wolverines
6
3
10
0
19
Gamecocks
0
3
13
10
26
Statistics
MICH
SCAR
First downs
17
13
Plays–yards
78–277
58–302
Rushes–yards
33–74
26–61
Passing yards
203
239
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
21–45–2
19–32–1
Time of possession
34:17
25:43
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
MICH Passing
Brandon Peters 20/44, 186 yds, 2 INT
Rushing
Karan Higdon 17 car, 65 yds
Receiving
Kekoa Crawford
5 rec, 61 yds
SCAR Passing
Jake Bentley 19/32, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Rico Dowdle 6 car, 45 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
Bryan Edwards
5 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD
The 2018 Outback Bowl marked the first appearance of SB Nation Bloomin' Onion mascot.[ 7] [ 8]
^ "Outback Bowl MVP Jake Bentley" . outbackbowl.com . January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018 .^ "Bentley leads South Carolina past Michigan 26-19 in Outback" . ESPN . Associated Press . January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018 .^ "Bowl Payout" . collegefootballpoll.com . December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017 .^ "Michigan and South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl" . outbackbowl.com . December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ "Michigan, South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl on New Year's Day" . MGoBlue.com . CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ "Gamecocks Accept Outback Bowl Bid" . gamecocksonline.com . CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ Diaz, Hector (December 5, 2017). "Local man achieves his dreams, becomes Bloomin' Onion mascot thanks to 10,000 retweets" . SB Nation . Retrieved December 5, 2017 . ^ Rock, Taylor (December 8, 2017). "Outback Bowl Bloomin' Onion costume hijacked by persistent sportswriter" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 8, 2017 .
