2019 Cheez-It Bowl

{{short description|Postseason college football bowl game}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game

| game_name = Cheez-It Bowl

| subheader = 31st Cheez-It Bowl

| title_sponsor =

| image = 2019 Cheez-It Bowl field.jpg

| caption = Chase Field prior to the game

| date_game_played = December 27

| year_game_played = 2019

| football_season = 2019

| stadium = Chase Field

| city = Phoenix, Arizona

| visitor_school = United States Air Force Academy

| visitor_name_short = Air Force

| visitor_nickname = Falcons

| visitor_record = 10–2

| visitor_conference = Mountain West

| visitor_rank_AP = 24

| visitor_rank_coaches = 24

| visitor_rank_CFP = NR

| visitor_coach = Troy Calhoun

| visitor_1q = 0

| visitor_2q = 17

| visitor_3q = 7

| visitor_4q = 7

| home_school = Washington State University

| home_name_short = Washington State

| home_nickname = Cougars

| home_record = 6–6

| home_conference = Pac-12

| home_rank_AP =

| home_rank_coaches =

| home_rank_CFP =

| home_coach = Mike Leach

| home_1q = 0

| home_2q = 14

| home_3q = 0

| home_4q = 7

| MVP = Kadin Remsberg (RB, Air Force) & Grant Donaldson (LB, Air Force){{cite tweet |user=cgboan |number=1210814189293293569 |title=Air Force back Kadin Remsberg wins the offensive MVP of tonight's Cheez-It Bowl. Grant Donaldson was awarded the defensive MVP award. |date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019}}

| odds = Air Force by 2.5{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401135275 |title=Air Force vs. Washington State - Game Summary |website=ESPN.com |access-date=December 27, 2019}}

| anthem =

| halftime =

| referee = Jeff Servinski (Big Ten){{cite web |url=http://www.footballzebras.com/2019/12/2019-20-bowl-officiating-assignments/ |title=2019-20 bowl officiating assignments |website=footballzebras.com |date=December 9, 2019 |access-date=December 20, 2019}}

| attendance = 34,105

| payout = 1,625,560{{cite web |url=http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bowl-schedule/2019/ |title=2019 Bowl Schedule |website=collegefootballpoll.com |access-date=December 13, 2019}}

| us_network = ESPN and ESPN Radio

| us_announcers = ESPN: Clay Matvick (play-by-play)
Ryan Leaf (analyst)
Taylor McGregor (sideline)
ESPN Radio: Mark Neely, Tom Ramsey, and Marty Cesario

| ratings =

| intl_network =

| intl_announcers =

| different_next = 2021

| game_link = Rate Bowl

}}

The 2019 Cheez-It Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 27, 2019, with kickoff at 10:15 p.m. EST (8:15 p.m. local MST) on ESPN.{{cite web |title=2019-20 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, times, TV channels |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2019-20-college-football-bowl-schedule-games-dates-times-tv-channels/ |website=CBSSports.com |access-date=June 16, 2019 |language=en}} It was the 31st edition of the game originally staged as the Copper Bowl, the second edition played under the sponsorship of Cheez-It, and one of the 2019–20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season.

Teams

The game matched the Air Force Falcons from the Mountain West Conference (MWC) and the Washington State Cougars from the Pac-12 Conference. This was the first meeting between the two programs.{{cite web |title=Winsipedia - Air Force Falcons vs. Washington State Cougars football series history |url=http://www.winsipedia.com/washington-state/vs/air-force |access-date=December 8, 2019 |language=en}}

=Air Force Falcons=

{{main|2019 Air Force Falcons football team}}

Air Force entered the game ranked 24th in the AP Poll, with a 10–2 record (7–1 in conference) and a seven-game winning streak. The Falcons finished in second place in the Mountain Division of Mountain West. This was Air Force's second Cheez-It Bowl; their 1995 team appeared in the then-Copper Bowl, losing to Texas Tech, 55–41.

=Washington State Cougars=

{{main|2019 Washington State Cougars football team}}

Washington State entered the game at 6–6 (3–6 in conference). The Cougars tied for fifth place in the Pac-12's North Division. This was Washington State's second Cheez-It Bowl; their 1992 team won the then-Copper Bowl over Utah, 31–28.

{{multiple image

| align = center

| footer = Left: Kadin Remsberg of Air Force (with ball) and Justus Rogers of Washington State. Right: Anthony Gordon of Washington State (with ball) and Christopher Herrera of Air Force.

| total_width = 500

| image1 = 2019_Cheez-It_Bowl_action.jpg

| image2 = 2019_Cheez-It_Bowl_action2.jpg

}}

{{clear}}

Game summary

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle= background:#F47321; color:#ffffff; {{box-shadow border|a|#FF0000|2px}}; text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|bg=#fff

|bg2=#eee

|title=2019 Cheez-It Bowl

|date=Friday, December 27, 2019

|time=10:15 p.m. EST (8:15 p.m. MST)

|road=Air Force

|R1=0|R2=17|R3=7|R4=7

|home=Washington State

|H1=0|H2=14|H3=0|H4=7

|stadium= Chase FieldPhoenix, Arizona

|attendance=

|weather=

|referee=Jeff Servinski

|TV=ESPN

|TVAnnouncers=Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst) and Cole Cubelic (sideline)

|reference= [https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401135275 ESPN game summary]

|scoring=

;First Quarter

:No scoring

;Second Quarter

  • (14:52) AF – Donald Hammond III 1 yard rush, Jake Koehnke kick (Drive: 20 plays, 98 yards, 12:23; Air Force 7–0)
  • (10:43) WSU – Anthony Gordon 2 yard pass to Dezmon Patmon, Blake Mazza kick (Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:09; Tied 7–7)
  • (3:39) AF – Jake Koehnke 28 yard field goal (Drive: 15 plays, 65 yards, 7:04; Air Force 10–7)
  • (1:19) AF – Taven Birdow 3 yard rush, Jake Koehnke kick (Drive: 4 plays, 23 yards, 2:08; Air Force 17–7)
  • (0:24) WSU – Anthony Gordon 5 yard pass to Max Borghi, Blake Mazza kick (Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 0:55; Air Force 17–14)

;Third Quarter

  • (8:19) AF – Donald Hammond III 7 yard rush, Jack Koehnke kick (Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:41; Air Force 24–14)

;Fourth Quarter

  • (9:59) WSU – Anthony Gordon 13 yard pass to Brandon Arconado, Blake Mazza kick (Drive: 4 plays, 31 yards, 1:16; Air Force 24–21)
  • (3:50) AF – Kadin Remsberg 3 yard rush, Jake Koehnke kick (Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 6:09; Air Force 31–21)

}}

=Statistics=

{{AmFootballGameStatistics

| Float = left

| Visitor = Air Force Falcons

| VisitorDisplay = AF

| Home = Washington State Cougars

| HomeDisplay = WSU

| VisFirsts = 28

| VisPlaysYds = 81–401

| VisRushing = 69–371

| VisPassYds = 30

| VisPassing = 4–12–1

| VisTOP = 43:23

| HomeFirsts = 15

| HomePlaysYds = 50–366

| HomeRushing = 8–15

| HomePassYds = 351

| HomePassing = 28–42–0

| HomeTOP = 16:37

}}

{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers

| Float = right

| Visitor = Air Force Falcons

| VisitorDisplay = Air Force

| Home = Washington State Cougars

| HomeDisplay = Washington State

| VisPasser = Donald Hammond III

| VisPassStats = 4–12, 30 yds, 1 INT

| VisRusher = Kadin Remsberg

| VisRushStats = 26 car., 178 yds, 1 TD

| VisReceiver = Benjamin Waters

| VisReceivingStats = 2 rec., 12 yds

| HomePasser = Anthony Gordon

| HomePassStats = 28–42, 351 yds, 3 TD

| HomeRusher = Max Borghi

| HomeRushStats = 6 car., 27 yds

| HomeReceiver = Brandon Arconado

| HomeReceivingStats = 11 rec., 167 yds, 1 TD

}}

{{clear}}

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}