Nationwide prevails over American, 27-24, in 2021 Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. — Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond was the Senior Bowl Most Precious Participant however two fellow Southeastern Convention Western Division products made the decisive gargantuan play.

Arkansas’ Feleipe Franks threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mississippi tight discontinue Kenny Yeboah within the fourth quarter to assist seal the Nationwide workers’s 27- 24 victory over the American workers Saturday.

Franks, a graduate switch from Florida, discipline up the all-SEC West scoring reference to a 29-yard completion to Louisville’s Dez Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick had six catches for 90 yards within the showcase sport for senior and graduate NFL prospects, earning offensive player of the sport honors.

Mond was the MVP with an colossal third quarter when he handed for 141 of his 173 yards and a pair of touchdowns after a slack initiate.

“It was a gargantuan feeling whether or now not it was a straightforward tumble assist or making an insane play,” the aged Aggies standout acknowledged. “All the pieces was more or less rolling my manner. Clearly, more or less shaky at the starting however it in fact positively shows heaps of poise so that you just might perhaps soar assist.”

North Carolina running assist Michael Carter additionally had a gargantuan sport. Carter scored on a pile-riding 12-yard bustle gradual within the third quarter to assist the Nationwide retake the lead after a Mond-led comeback

Jamie Newman executed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Trevon Grimes with 49 seconds left for the American workers after Franks and Yeboah made it a two-rating sport. The aged Wake Wooded discipline quarterback, who transferred to Georgia however opted out sooner than the season, discipline it up with a 35-yard completion to Bowling Inexperienced tight discontinue Quintin Morris.

Tulane defensive lineman Cam Sample was the defensive player of the sport. Sample had seven tackles and a section of a sack in a sport blending avid gamers from Neighborhood of Five, tiny school and Vitality Five teams.

“We scheme now not play the Alabama’s or Ohio Bid’s a week however we’re frequently hungry,” he acknowledged.

The game was played for the most main time at South Alabama’s fresh Hancock Whitney Stadium, with Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores leading the Nationwide workers and Carolina’s Matt Rhule instructing the American workers. It additionally switched from the light North versus South format.

Fitzpatrick delivered in a transient-handed neighborhood of receivers.

“We were a shrimp bit bit low on receivers,” Flores acknowledged. “A few guys went out. Availability is key and he was on hand and prepared to capitalize on his opportunities.

Franks executed 9 of 16 passes for 122 yards. Carter averaged 8.0 yards per lift in his final season with the Tar Heels, and wasn’t a ways off within the all-superstar sport.

He won 60 yards on eight carries and had two catches for 15 yards.

Mond, Texas A&M’s profession passing leader, delivered a pair of touchdown passes within the third quarter to assist erase a 13-0 halftime deficit. Mond even converted one two-level play with a bustle and the different with a pass, following touchdowns of 15 yards to Clemson’s Amari Rodgers and 14 yards to Tennessee’s Josh Palmer.

Newman competed 10 of 14 passes for 118 yards with a touchdown and interception. They were working late an offensive line with most productive six on hand blockers mighty of the sport.

“I believed when they had time they did a pleasant job,” Rhule acknowledged. “They made some performs below duress, made some gargantuan throws. Jamie took us down and scored at the tip.

“I scheme now not reflect you might perhaps in fact abet in thoughts guys too mighty essentially based fully upon a sport with that many accidents. I reflect or now not it is miles important to note at the totality of the week, and I believed the fellows were sparkling, they’re factual soccer avid gamers and this was a gargantuan step for them.”

The American workers was without two of national champion Alabama’s glorious offensive weapons. Quarterback Mac Jones dressed out and went via warmups however didn’t play after injuring his left ankle in Thursday’s final notice.

“My ankle was light stinging a shrimp bit bit,” Jones, who is a seemingly first-round preserve, acknowledged on NFL Community. “I didn’t prefer to lift any gargantuan risks.”

Tailback Najee Harris withdrew from the sport after practicing Tuesday and Wednesday attributable to a lingering ankle hurt from the national title sport earlier in January.

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