The 2014 Holiday Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 27, 2014, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The 37th edition of the Holiday Bowl, it featured Nebraska from the Big Ten Conference and USC from the Pac-12 Conference. It was one of the 2014–15 bowl games that concluded the 2014 FBS football season. The game started at 5:00 p.m. PST and was telecast on ESPN (also on ESPN Radio). Sponsored by National University, it was officially known as the National University Holiday Bowl.
Teams
This was the fifth overall meeting between these two teams, with USC leading the series 3–0–1 before this game. The last time these two teams met was in 2007.
Nebraska
USC
Game summary
Scoring summary
| Scoring summary
|
| Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
| Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
NEB
|
USC
|
| 1
|
11:05
|
5
|
29
|
1:47
|
NEB
|
34-yard field goal by Drew Brown
|
3
|
0
|
| 1
|
10:54
|
–
|
–
|
0:11
|
USC
|
Adoree' Jackson 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Andre Heidari kick good
|
3
|
7
|
| 1
|
8:23
|
6
|
53
|
2:31
|
NEB
|
Kenny Bell 18-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Armstrong Jr., Drew Brown kick good
|
10
|
7
|
| 1
|
6:05
|
2
|
42
|
2:18
|
USC
|
42-yard field goal by Andre Heidari
|
10
|
10
|
| 1
|
1:25
|
6
|
39
|
2:42
|
NEB
|
De'Mornay Pierson-El 9-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Armstrong Jr., Drew Brown kick good
|
17
|
10
|
| 2
|
13:11
|
10
|
75
|
3:14
|
USC
|
Nelson Agholor 17-yard touchdown reception from Cody Kessler, Andre Heidari kick good
|
17
|
17
|
| 2
|
6:39
|
12
|
80
|
3:32
|
USC
|
Javorius Allen 2-yard touchdown run, Andre Heideri kick good
|
17
|
24
|
| 3
|
12:01
|
1
|
71
|
0:12
|
USC
|
Adoree' Jackson 71-yard touchdown reception from Cody Kessler, Andre Heidari kick good
|
17
|
31
|
| 3
|
9:41
|
7
|
73
|
2:20
|
NEB
|
Ameer Abdullah 20-yard touchdown run, Drew Brown kick good
|
24
|
31
|
| 3
|
8:06
|
5
|
68
|
1:35
|
USC
|
Javorius Allen 44-yard touchdown run, Andre Heidari kick good
|
24
|
38
|
| 3
|
2:28
|
6
|
9
|
3:25
|
NEB
|
25-yard field goal by Drew Brown
|
27
|
38
|
| 3
|
2:03
|
2
|
65
|
0:25
|
USC
|
Bryce Dixon 20-yard touchdown reception from Cody Kessler, Andre Heidari kick good
|
27
|
45
|
| 3
|
0:24
|
3
|
64
|
1:39
|
NEB
|
Jordan Westerkamp 65-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Armstrong Jr., Drew Brown kick good
|
34
|
45
|
| 4
|
6:52
|
9
|
77
|
2:51
|
NEB
|
Tommy Armstrong Jr. 15-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good
|
42
|
45
|
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
42
|
45
|
|
Source: [3]
Statistics
| Statistics[3] |
NEB |
USC
|
| First downs |
28 |
22
|
| Plays–yards |
94–525 |
73–515
|
| Rushes–yards |
43–144 |
34–194
|
| Passing yards |
371 |
321
|
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
31–49–1 |
23–39–1
|
| Time of possession |
34:26 |
25:34
|
Depth chart
Nebraska Defensive starters
|
|
|
|
|
| LB |
LB
|
| Zaire Anderson (13) |
Josh Banderas (52)
|
|
|
|
|
| DE |
DT |
DT |
DE
|
| Randy Gregory (4) |
Vincent Valentine (98) |
Maliek Collins (7) |
Greg McMullen (90)
|
|
|
|
|
|
USC Offensive starters
|
|
|
|
| LT |
LG |
C |
RG |
RT
|
| Toa Lobendahn (50) |
Damien Mama (51) |
Max Tuerk (75) |
Viane Talamaivao (60) |
Zach Banner (73)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depth chart
USC Defensive starters
|
|
| WOLB |
WILB |
MILB |
SOLB
|
| J.R. Tavai (56) |
Hayes Pullard (10) |
Anthony Sarao (56) |
Su'a Cravens (21)
|
|
|
|
|
| LE |
NT |
RE
|
| Claudeson Pelon (90) |
Delvon Simmons (52) |
Leonard Williams (94)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nebraska Offensive starters
|
|
| WR
|
| De'Mornay Pierson-El (15)
|
|
| LT |
LG |
C |
RG |
RT
|
| Alex Lewis (71) |
Jake Cotton (68) |
Dylan Utter (66) |
Mike Moudy (74) |
Givens Price (78)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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References
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| History & conference tie-ins | |
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| Games | |
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Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.
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Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.
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