2023 Cure Bowl
{{short description|Postseason college football bowl game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game
| game_name = Cure Bowl
| subheader = 9th Cure Bowl
| title_sponsor = Avocados from Mexico
| image =
| caption =
| date_game_played = December 16
| year_game_played = 2023
| football_season = 2023
| stadium = FBC Mortgage Stadium
| city = Orlando, Florida
| visitor_school = Miami University
| visitor_name_short = Miami
| visitor_nickname = RedHawks
| visitor_record = 11–2
| visitor_conference = MAC
| visitor_rank_AP =
| visitor_rank_coaches =
| visitor_rank_CFP =
| visitor_coach = Chuck Martin
| visitor_1q = 3
| visitor_2q = 0
| visitor_3q = 6
| visitor_4q = 0
| home_school = Appalachian State University
| home_name_short = Appalachian State
| home_nickname = Mountaineers
| home_record = 8–5
| home_conference = Sun Belt
| home_rank_AP =
| home_rank_coaches =
| home_rank_CFP =
| home_coach = Shawn Clark
| home_1q = 3
| home_2q = 3
| home_3q = 7
| home_4q = 0
| MVP = Anderson Castle (RB, Appalachian State){{cite web |url=https://www.curebowl.com/history/ |title=The History |website=curebowl.com |access-date=December 16, 2023}}
| odds = Appalachian State by 5.5{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/betting/college-football-bowl-season-schedule-games-odds-point-spreads|title=College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24|publisher=Sports Illustrated|first=James|last=Parks|date=December 11, 2023|access-date=December 12, 2023}}
| anthem =
| halftime =
| referee = Rory Bernard (CUSA){{cite news|url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/12/2023-24-bowl-officiating-assignments/|title=2023-24 bowl officiating assignments|website=footballzebras.com|first=Ben|last=Austro|date=December 3, 2023|accessdate=December 5, 2023}}
| attendance = 11,121
| payout =
| us_network = ABC
| us_announcers = Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), and Kris Budden (sideline)
| ratings =
| intl_network = ESPN Brazil
| intl_announcers = Conrado Giulietti (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst)
| different_previous =
}}
The 2023 Cure Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 16, 2023, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The ninth annual Cure Bowl, the game featured the Appalachian State Mountaineers of the Sun Belt Conference and the Miami RedHawks of the Mid-American Conference. The game began at approximately 3:30 p.m. EST and was aired on ABC.{{cite web |last1=Straka |first1=Dean |title=2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2023-24-college-football-bowl-schedule-games-dates-locations-kickoff-times-tv-channels/ |website=CBS Sports |date=31 May 2023 |access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite magazine |last1=Lewis |first1=Barry |title=2023-24 College Football Bowl Schedule, Dates, Times Announced |url=https://www.si.com/college/tcu/football/2023-24-college-football-bowl-schedule-dates-times-announced |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=3 June 2023 |access-date=30 June 2023}} The Cure Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Avocados from Mexico marketing organization, and was officially known as the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl.
Teams
Consistent on conference tie-ins, the game featured the Appalachian State Mountaineers of the Sun Belt Conference and the Miami RedHawks of the Mid-American Conference.
This was the first time Appalachian State and Miami played each other, as well as the first time either played in the Cure Bowl.{{Cite web |title=Winsipedia - Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks |url=https://www.winsipedia.com/appalachian-state/vs/miami-oh |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=Winsipedia}}
=Appalachian State=
{{Main|2023 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team}}
The Mountaineers started the season 2–2, losing in two overtimes to a ranked North Carolina squad as well as to Wyoming on a last-second interception thrown by Joey Aguilar. After Week 7, the Mountaineers sat at just 3–4 and faced the prospect of missing a bowl game for the second straight season. However, App State managed to rally and win their final five regular season games, including an overtime win over then-undefeated James Madison with College GameDay in attendance. Thanks to James Madison's postseason ineligibility due to NCAA transfer rules for programs moving from FCS to FBS, the Mountaineers earned a berth in the Sun Belt Championship, where they lost to Troy, 49–23. The Mountaineers entered the bowl with a record of 8–5.
=Miami=
{{Main|2023 Miami RedHawks football team}}
After opening the season with a 38–3 loss at the hands of Miami (FL), the RedHawks rattled off six straight wins, including a 31–24 overtime victory over Cincinnati as a two-touchdown underdog. Their win streak was ended at home against Toledo, where they lost, 21–17. The RedHawks won their next four games to close out the regular season, and clinched the MAC East division title with a 23–10 win over Buffalo. This set up a rematch with Toledo in the MAC Championship, where backup quarterback Aveon Smith led the RedHawks to a victory, 23–14, securing the 2023 MAC conference title for Miami. The RedHawks entered the bowl with a record of 11–2.
Game summary
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= background:#F78FA7; color:#000000; border: 2px solid #000000; text-align:center;
|state=uncollapsed
|bg=#fff
|bg2=#eee
|title=2023 Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl
|date= Saturday, December 16, 2023
|time=3:30 p.m. EST
|road=Miami
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=6|R4=0
|home=Appalachian State
|H1=3|H2=3|H3=7|H4=0
|stadium= FBC Mortgage Stadium • Orlando, Florida
|attendance=11,121
|weather=Heavy rain • Temperature: {{convert|68|F|C}}
|referee=Rory Bernard
|TV=ABC
|TVAnnouncers=Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), and Kris Budden (sideline)
|reference= [https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401551731 Box score]
|scoring=
;First Quarter
- (12:50) M-OH – Graham Nicholson 34 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:59; Miami 3–0)
- (9:31) APPST – Michael Hughes 29 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 3:19; Tied 3–3)
;Second Quarter
- (13:14) APPST – Michael Hughes 22 yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 88 yards, 5:55; Appalachian State 6–3)
;Third Quarter
- (4:46) APPST – Joey Aguilar 9 yard run, Michael Hughes kick (Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 5:42; Appalachian State 13–3)
- (2:05) M-OH – Rashad Amos 23 yard run, Graham Nicholson kick no good (Drive: 1 play, 23 yards, 0:06; Appalachian State 13–9)
;Fourth Quarter
No scoring
}}
=Statistics=
{{AmFootballGameStatistics
| Float = left
| Visitor = Miami RedHawks
| VisitorDisplay = MIA
| Home = Appalachian State Mountaineers
| HomeDisplay = APP
| VisFirsts = 11
| VisPlaysYds = 52–227
| VisRushing = 42–183
| VisPassYds = 44
| VisPassing = 6–10–0
| VisTOP = 28:21
| HomeFirsts = 22
| HomePlaysYds = 73–388
| HomeRushing = 41–177
| HomePassYds = 211
| HomePassing = 18–32–1
| HomeTOP = 31:39
}}
{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers
| Float = right
| Visitor = Miami RedHawks
| VisitorDisplay = Miami
| Home = Appalachian State Mountaineers
| HomeDisplay = Appalachian State
| VisPasser = Maddox Kopp
| VisPassStats = 1/2, 28 yards
| VisRusher = Rashad Amos
| VisRushStats = 33 carries, 180 yards, TD
| VisReceiver = Gage Larvadain
| VisReceivingStats = 4 receptions, 36 yards
| HomePasser = Joey Aguilar
| HomePassStats = 18/32, 211 yards, INT
| HomeRusher = Anderson Castle
| HomeRushStats = 20 carries, 119 yards
| HomeReceiver = Kaedin Robinson
| HomeReceivingStats = 8 receptions, 118 yards
}}
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/index.html?id=497001 Game statistics] at statbroadcast.com
{{2023 bowl game navbox}}
{{Cure Bowl navbox}}
{{Appalachian State Mountaineers bowl game navbox}}
{{Miami RedHawks bowl game navbox}}