2023 Peach Bowl

{{short description|College football bowl game}}

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

{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game

| game_name = Peach Bowl

| subheader = CFP New Year's Six
56th Peach Bowl

| title_sponsor = Chick-fil-A

| image = Mercedes Benz Stadium time lapse capture 2017-08-13.jpg

| caption = Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, hosted the Peach Bowl.

| date_game_played = December 30

| year_game_played = 2023

| football_season = 2023

| stadium = Mercedes-Benz Stadium

| city = Atlanta, Georgia

| visitor_school = Mississippi

| visitor_name_short = Ole Miss

| visitor_nickname = Rebels

| visitor_record = 10–2

| visitor_conference = SEC

| visitor_rank_AP = 11

| visitor_rank_coaches = 11

| visitor_rank_CFP = 11

| visitor_coach = Lane Kiffin

| visitor_1q =10

| visitor_2q =10

| visitor_3q =11

| visitor_4q =7

| home_school = Pennsylvania State

| home_name_short = Penn State

| home_nickname = Nittany Lions

| home_record = 10–2

| home_conference = Big Ten

| home_rank_AP = 10

| home_rank_coaches = 10

| home_rank_CFP = 10

| home_coach = James Franklin

| home_1q =3

| home_2q =14

| home_3q =0

| home_4q =8

| MVP = Caden Prieskorn (TE, Ole Miss) & Jared Ivey (DE, Ole Miss){{cite tweet |user=JaredERedding |number=1741203676591444142 |title=Jared Ivey named Defensive MVP Caden Prieskorn named Offensive MVP |date=December 30, 2023 |access-date=December 30, 2023}}

| odds = Penn 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 13, 2023}}

| anthem =

| halftime =

| referee = Mike McCabe (Pac-12){{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 6, 2023}}

| attendance = 71,230

| payout =

| us_network = ESPN
ESPN Radio

| us_announcers = ESPN: Mark Jones (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline)
ESPN Radio: Marc Kestecher (play-by-play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), and Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline)

| ratings =

| intl_network = ESPN Brazil

| intl_announcers = Thiago Alves (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst)

| different_next = 2025

}}

The 2023 Peach Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 30, 2023, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The 56th annual Peach Bowl game featured Ole Miss of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Penn State of the Big Ten Conference—teams selected at-large by the College Football Playoff selection committee. The game began at 12:00 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN.{{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=27 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Kevin |title=New dates set for Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl for 2023 season |url=https://fbschedules.com/new-dates-set-for-cotton-bowl-peach-bowl-for-2023-season/amp/ |website=FBSchedules |date=11 May 2023 |access-date=27 June 2023}} The Peach Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by restaurant chain Chick-fil-A and was officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Teams

The game featured the Ole Miss Rebels against the Penn State Nittany Lions. It was the first ever matchup between the two teams.{{cite web | title=Ole Miss Rebels vs. Penn State Nittany Lions football series history | website=Winsipedia | url=https://www.winsipedia.com/ole-miss/vs/penn-state | access-date=2024-09-07}}

= Ole Miss =

{{main|2023 Ole Miss Rebels football team}}

The Rebels came into the game ranked 11th in each of the major polls, with a 10–2 record (6–2 SEC); they were led by head coach Lane Kiffin. Their two losses were to Alabama and Georgia.

This was Ole Miss's third Peach Bowl appearance; the Rebels previously won the 1971 edition and lost the 2014 edition.{{Cite web |title=Peach Bowl |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/bowls/peach-bowl.html |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}

= Penn State =

{{main|2023 Penn State Nittany Lions football team}}

The Nittany Lions came into the game ranked 10th in each of the major polls, with a 10–2 record (7–2 Big 10); they were led by head coach James Franklin. Their two losses were to Ohio State and Michigan.

This was Penn State's first Peach Bowl appearance.

Game summary

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Peach Bowl}}; text-align:center;

|state=uncollapsed

|bg=#fff

|bg2=#eee

|title=2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

|date=Saturday, December 30, 2023

|time=12:00 p.m. EST

|road= No. 11 Ole Miss

|R1=10|R2=10|R3=11|R4=7

|home= No. 10 Penn State

|H1=3|H2=14|H3=0|H4=8

|stadium= Mercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, Georgia

|attendance=71,230

|weather= n/a (game played indoors)

|referee=Mike McCabe

|TV=ESPN

|TVAnnouncers=Mark Jones (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline)

|reference= [https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401551769 Box score]

|scoring=

;First quarter

  • (9:17) PSU – Alex Felkins 26 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:58; Penn State 3–0)
  • (7:16) MISS – Caden Davis 36 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 2:01; Tied 3–3)
  • (0:30) MISS – Caden Prieskorn 6 yard pass from Jaxson Dart, Caden Davis kick (Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 3:31; Ole Miss 10–3)

;Second quarter

  • (13:34) PSU – Theo Johnson 2-yard TD pass from Drew Allar, Alex Felkins kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:56; Tied 10–10)
  • (10:33) MISS – Caden Davis 45 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 3:01; Ole Miss 13–10)
  • (4:58) MISS – Caden Prieskorn 37 yard pass from Jaxson Dart, Caden Davis kick (Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:03; Ole Miss 20–10)
  • (2:45) PSU – Nicholas Singleton 48 yard pass from Beau Pribula, Alex Felkins kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:13; Ole Miss 20–17)

;Third quarter

  • (10:48) MISS – Caden Davis 52 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 2:45; Ole Miss 23–17)
  • (4:10) MISS – Quinshon Judkins 14 yard pass from Jaxson Dart, 2-point pass good (Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:29; Ole Miss 31–17)

;Fourth quarter

  • (6:29) MISS – Jaxson Dart 2 yard rush, Caden Davis kick (Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:26; Ole Miss 38–17)
  • (4:14) PSU – Harrison Wallace III 14 yard pass from Drew Allar, Beau Pribula pass to Nicholas Singleton (Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 0:54; Ole Miss 38–25)

}}

=Statistics=

{{AmFootballGameStatistics

| Float = left

| Visitor = Ole Miss Rebels

| VisitorDisplay = MISS

| VisitorAltColors = y

| Home = Penn State Nittany Lions

| HomeDisplay = PSU

| VisFirsts = 30

| VisPlaysYds = 540

| VisRushing = 146

| VisPassYds = 394

| VisPassing = 26–41–0

| VisTOP = 33:38

| HomeFirsts = 21

| HomePlaysYds = 510

| HomeRushing = 167

| HomePassYds = 343

| HomePassing = 20–40–1

| HomeTOP = 26:22

}}

{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers

| Float = right

| Visitor = Ole Miss Rebels

| VisitorDisplay = Ole Miss

| VisitorAltColors = y

| Home = Penn State Nittany Lions

| HomeDisplay = Penn State

| VisPasser =Jaxson Dart

| VisPassStats =25/40, 379 yards, 3 TD

| VisRusher =Quinshon Judkins

| VisRushStats =34 carries, 106 yards

| VisReceiver =Caden Prieskorn

| VisReceivingStats =10 receptions, 136 yards, 2 TD

| HomePasser =Drew Allar

| HomePassStats =19/39, 295 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

| HomeRusher =Kaytron Allen

| HomeRushStats =10 carries, 51 yards

| HomeReceiver =Tyler Warren

| HomeReceivingStats =5 receptions, 127 yards, 2 TD

}}

{{clear}}

References

{{Reflist}}