College football game
The 2018 Outback Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on January 1, 2018, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida . The 32nd annual Outback Bowl was one of the 2017–18 NCAA football bowl games concluding the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The game was nationally televised on ESPN2 , and its title sponsor is the Outback Steakhouse restaurant franchise.
The game featured the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference , and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference in their fourth meeting against each other, and second meeting in the Outback Bowl.[ 4]
After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Wolverines were selected to their sixth Outback Bowl appearance, the most Outback Bowl appearances by any team.[ 5] [ 6]
After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Gamecocks were selected to their fifth Outback Bowl appearance, tying them with four other teams for the second-most Outback Bowl appearances. This was their 22nd bowl game appearance. South Carolina won the previous meeting against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2013 Outback Bowl , by a score of 33–28.[ 7]
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
MICH
SCAR
1
3:42
8
29
3:37
MICH
35-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
3
0
1
0:09
6
23
2:16
MICH
26-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
6
0
2
8:45
5
45
1:36
SCAR
45-yard field goal by Parker White
6
3
2
0:00
8
33
1:18
MICH
45-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
9
3
3
9:56
7
72
7:34
MICH
Ben Mason 1-yard touchdown run, Quinn Nordin kick good
16
3
3
5:42
4
2
1:10
MICH
48-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin
19
3
3
2:25
6
77
3:17
SCAR
Rico Dowdle 18-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley , 2-point pass failed
19
9
3
0:51
1
21
0:06
SCAR
Bryan Edwards 21-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good
19
16
4
11:33
6
81
2:12
SCAR
Shi Smith 53-yard touchdown reception from Jake Bentley, Parker White kick good
19
23
4
3:47
4
9
1:55
SCAR
22-yard field goal by Parker White
19
26
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
19
26
Total
Wolverines
6
3
10
0
19
Gamecocks
0
3
13
10
26
Statistics
MICH
SCAR
First downs
17
13
Plays–yards
78–277
58–302
Rushes–yards
33–74
26–61
Passing yards
203
239
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
21–45–2
19–32–1
Time of possession
34:17
25:43
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
MICH Passing
Brandon Peters 20/44, 186 yds, 2 INT
Rushing
Karan Higdon 17 car, 65 yds
Receiving
Kekoa Crawford
5 rec, 61 yds
SCAR Passing
Jake Bentley 19/32, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Rico Dowdle 6 car, 45 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
Bryan Edwards
5 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD
The 2018 Outback Bowl marked the first appearance of SB Nation Bloomin' Onion mascot.[ 8] [ 9]
^ "Outback Bowl MVP Jake Bentley" . outbackbowl.com . January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018 .^ "Bentley leads South Carolina past Michigan 26-19 in Outback" . ESPN . Associated Press . January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018 .^ "Bowl Payout" . collegefootballpoll.com . December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017 .^ "Michigan and South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl" . outbackbowl.com . December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ "Outback Bowl" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved June 19, 2025 .^ "Michigan, South Carolina to Meet in Outback Bowl on New Year's Day" . MGoBlue.com . CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ "Gamecocks Accept Outback Bowl Bid" . gamecocksonline.com . CBS Interactive. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017 .^ Diaz, Hector (December 5, 2017). "Local man achieves his dreams, becomes Bloomin' Onion mascot thanks to 10,000 retweets" . SB Nation . Retrieved December 5, 2017 . ^ Rock, Taylor (December 8, 2017). "Outback Bowl Bloomin' Onion costume hijacked by persistent sportswriter" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 8, 2017 .
Formerly known as the Hall of Fame / Outback Bowl
History & conference tie-ins Games Notes
The bowl was not played during calendar year 1987.