2019 CAMELLIA BOWL POSTGAME NOTES Posted December 22, 2019 2019 CAMELLIA BOWL PREGAME: Weather: Light rain, 53 degrees, WIND: NNE 4 mph Kickoff was at 4:35 p.m. (CT) Arkansas State won the toss and deferred to second half FIU will receive and defend the South goal 2019 CAMELLIA BOWL NOTES: Arkansas State defeated FIU 34-26 in the sixth annual Camellia Bowl All six games have been one possession games The 8-points was the largest margin of victory in bowl history The six Camellia Bowls have been decided by 25 total points OMAR BAYLESS WINS BART STARR MVP TROPHY Arkansas State senior wide receiver Omar Bayless won the Bart Starr MVP Trophy Bayless caught nine passes for 180 yards and one TD He set the Camellia Bowl record with 180 receiving yards The previous record was 100 yards by Roger Lewis (Bowling Green) in 2014 Bayless caught a 4-yard TD pass on the opening drive of the game He had a 51-yard catch to set up a second-quarter FG He added a 52-yard catch to set the fourth quarter TD CAMELLIA BOWL TEAM RECORDS: There were 14 total teams records set in tonight’s game Most Yards – 525, Arkansas State (500, Bowling Green, 2014) Combined Yardage – 969 (915, South Alabama and Bowling Green, 2014) Passing Yards – 393, Arkansas State (369, Bowling Green, 2014) Combined Passing Yards – 705 (648, South Alabama and Bowling Green, 2014) Most Passing Touchdowns – 4, Arkansas State (3, Eastern Mich., 2018, Ark. State, 2017) First Downs – 31, Arkansas State (30, Arkansas State, 2017) First Downs by Passing – 20, Arkansas State (17, Arkansas State, 2017) First Downs by Penalty – 5, FIU (4, Arkansas State, 2017) Combined First Downs – 54 (47, Mid Tenn and Ark. St., 2017; So. Ala. And Bowling Green, 2014) Length of Game – 3:58 (3:57, 2017, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee) Third-Down Conversions – 63.2 percent, Arkansas State, 12-19 (42.9, Arkansas State, 9-21, 2017, Middle Tennessee 6-14, 2017) Most Penalties – 10, Arkansas State (10, Middle Tennessee, 2017) Most Yards Penalized – 142, Arkansas State (87, Middle Tennessee, 2017) CAMELLIA BOWL INDIVIDUAL RECORDS: There were 8 total individual records set in tonight’s game Total Offense, Most Yards – 430, Layne Hatcher, ASU (392, James Knapke, Bowling Green, 2014) Most TD Passes – 4, Layne Hatcher, ASU (3, Mike Glass, E. Michigan, 2018; Justice Hansen, ASU, 2017) Passing Yards – 393, Layne Hatcher, Arkansas State (368, James Knapke, Bowling Green, 2014) Most Receptions – 10, Austin Maloney, FIU (7, three players) Receiving Yards – 180, Omar Bayless, Arkansas State (137, Roger Lewis, Bowling Green, 2014) Field Goals – 4, Jose Borregales, FIU (3, Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern, 2018) Most Points by Kicking – 14, Jose Borregales, FIU (11, Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern, 2018) Longest Field Goal – 52, Jose Borregales, FIU (50, Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern, 2018) FIRST QUARTER NOTES: Arkansas State led 14-0 after the first quarter The 14-0 score was the largest first quarter deficit in Camellia Bowl history ASU ran 31 plays for 149 yards in the first quarter Arkansas State was 7-for-8 on third down in the first quarter ASU was 4-for-4 on third down on its opening TD drive SECOND QUARTER NOTES: Arkansas State led 20-13 at halftime FIU outscored ASU 13-6 in the second quarter FIU scored on all three second quarter possessions (TD; 2 FG) Arkansas State was 9-for-12 on third down in the first half The Red Wolves had 110 yards on 12 third down plays (9.2 per play) ASU QB Layne Hatcher was 6-for-7 passing for 59 yards on third down FIU nickel back Darreo Jackson had nine tackles (6 solo) and one 1 (PBU) in the first half Arkansas State DE Jeffmario Brown was ejected for targeting on the first play of second quarter THIRD QUARTER NOTES: FIU outscored ASU 10-7 in the third quarter FIU owned a 23-13 scoring edge in second and third quarters Arkansas State scored on its opening drive to take a 27-13 lead The 14-point margin equaled it largest lead of the game FIU scored the final 10 points on the quarter to trim the lead to 27-23 FIU wide receiver Tony Gaiter was ejected after a personal foul penalty with 6:22 left FOURTH QUARTER NOTES: Arkansas State outscored FIU 7-3 in the fourth quarter FIU cut the lead to 27-26 with 52-yard FG in the fourth quarter Jose Borregales 52-yard FG made it a one-point game with 11:52 left The 52-yard FG was the longest FG in Camellia Bowl history He missed a 29-yard FG with 5:10 left that would have given the Panthers their first lead ASU responded with a five-play TD drive to increase the lead to eight points ASU recorded two interceptions on its final two defensive possessions Jeremy Smith and Darreon Jackson had the picks for the Red Wolves