Coastal Carolina 24, San José State 14

December 23, 2023

    Coin Toss: San José State won the toss and deferred. Coastal Carolina receives. National Anthem: Edward Schrank Hawai‘i Pono‘ī: Ei Nei & Keilana Hugh Yoshida Most Valuable Player: Ethan Vasko, Coastal Carolina, QB Stats: 20-for-33, 199 yds., 3 TDs, 0 INT, 17 att., 50 yds.   OVERALL NOTES   ·       Coastal Carolina is the first Sun Belt Conference team to play in the Hawai‘i Bowl. ·       Mountain West teams dropped to 4-6 all-time in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl. ·       This was the first all-time meeting between San José State and Coastal Carolina. ·       The first half score of 7-0 marked the lowest scoring first half in Hawai‘i Bowl history. ·       The two teams combined for 18 penalties, tied for the third-most in Hawai‘i Bowl history.   COASTAL CAROLINA NOTES   ·       Coastal Carolina won its second bowl game in program history, improving to 2-2 all-time in bowl games. ·       The Chanticleers reached the eight-win mark for the fourth straight season. ·       Coastal’s 24 points matched the lowest point total by a winning team in the Hawai‘i Bowl, tying Southern Miss’ 24-17 victory in 2011. ·       Quarterback Ethan Vasko threw a career-high three TD passes, finishing 20-of-33 for 199 yards. ·       Vasko also ran for a team-high 50 yards on 17 carries and ran for 286 yards over the final four games of the season. ·       Wide receiver Sam Pinckney set the Coastal single-season receptions record 72. ·       Pinckney also became the third player in program history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a season, finishing the year with 1,027. ·       Kade Hensley kicked a 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to match the second-longest made field goal in Hawai‘i Bowl history. ·       Abraham Temoney III led the Chanticleers defensively, making six tackles while forcing a fumble in the third quarter that led to a field goal. ·       Safety Teddy Tiokeng forced a key fumble deep in Coastal territory in the third quarter that set up a TD drive. ·       Nine different Coastal players caught a pass, with no Chanticleer player other than Pinckney catching more than two passes.       SAN JOSÉ STATE NOTES   ·       The loss snapped San José State’s six-game winning streak. ·       The Spartans dropped to 7-6 all-time in bowl games. ·       SJSU has lost three straight bowl games, with their last win coming in the 2015 Cure Bowl. ·       Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro set the Mountain West record for completions, ending his career with 971 over six seasons at San José State and Hawai‘i. ·       Cordeiro finished the game with 215 passing yards and 59 rushing yards on seven carries. ·       Cordeiro also ends his career as the Mountain West leader in TDs responsible for with 113. ·       Cordeiro finishes his career with 12,191 passing yards, the third-most in Mountain West history and only the third player in the history of the conference to reach the 12,000-yard mark. ·       Tight end Sam Olson caught four passes for a career-high 96 yards and TD. ·       Linebacker Byrun Parham led the Spartans defensively, making 12 tackles (10 solo).