By Barry Allen
The Game:
- Final Score: Northern Illinois 21, Arkansas State 19
- Weather: Sunny skies; 62 degrees; calm wind
- Coin Toss: Arkansas State won the toss and deferred to second half
General Notes:
- Northern Illinois defeated Arkansas State 21-19 in the 10th annual Camellia Bowl
- Nine of the 10 Camellia Bowls have been one-score games
- Northern Illinois made its first appearance in the Camellia Bowl
- The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has won the last two Camellia Bowls
- Buffalo defeated Georgia Southern last year
- The MAC has won three of the last four Camellia Bowl games
- MAC teams are now 4-4 in eight Camellia Bowl appearances
- Arkansas State is 1-2 in its three Camellia Bowl appearances
- The Red Wolves lost to Middle Tennessee (2017) and defeated FIU (2019)
- Sun Belt teams are now 4-5 in nine Camellia Bowl appearances
- Northern Illinois QB Rocky Lombardi was named the Bart Starr MVP
- Lombardi accounted for 221 yards and two TDs in the win
- He completed 18-of-29 passes for 200 yards and one TD
- He also added 21 rushing yards, including a 6-yard TD run
- Lombardi complete a pass to nine different receivers
- Lombardi is the fifth QB to win the Bart Starr MVP award
- NIU had a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the win over ASU
- RB Antario Brown had 25 carries for 132 yards for the Huskies
- The 25 carries are the third-most in Camellia Bowl history
- The 132 rushing yards are the fourth-most in bowl history
- WR Grayson Barnes caught five passes for 105 yards
- The nine catches tie for the fourth most in the Camellia Bowl
- Barnes recorded the 12th 100-yard receiving game in Camellia Bowl history
- Northern Illinois and Arkansas State played the highest scoring first half in Camellia Bowl history
- The Huskies (21) and Red Wolves (13) combined for 34 first-half points
- The first half also featured three turnovers (2 by NIU; 1 ASU) and one missed FG (NIU)
- There was only one punt (NIU) in the first half
- Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State held the previous record with 31 combined points in 2017
- Northern Illinois set the Camellia Bowl record with 40:25 time of possession
- The Huskies held the ball for 8+ minutes in all four quarters
- NIU had the ball for 12:02 in the first quarter and 10:29 in the third quarter
- Northern Illinois became the first team in Cameliia Bowl history to score on the game’s opening drive
- NIU took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards (10 plays) in 5:51 to take a 7-0 lead
- NIU QB Rocky Lombardi capped the drive with an 18-yard TD pass to Grayson Barnes
- Lombardi was 5-of-6 (.833) for 79 yards and one TD on the drive
- Barnes caught three passes for 65 yards and one TD on the opening possession
- Northern Illinois scored the second special teams TD in Camellia Bowl history
- The Huskies executed fake field goal on fourth and four from the ASU 32-yard line
- Junior holder Tom Foley flipped the ball to sophomore kicker Kanon Woodill, who raced 32 yards untouched for the TD
- It was NIU’s first fake FG for the TD since 2012
- Appalachian State had the only other special teams TD in Camellia Bowl history
- Darrynton Evans had a 94-yard kickoff return TD for the Mountaineers in 2016
- Arkansas State QB Jaylen Raynor accounted for 299 yards and two TDs
- He completed 16-of-30 passes for 260 yards with two TDs and one interception
- He was also the team’s leading rusher with 13 carries for 49 yards
- Arkansas State WR Corey Rucker was the leading receiver
- Rucker caught five passes for 105 yards and 2 TDs
- The 2 TDs tied the Camellia Bowl record held by four other players
