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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Dan Lyons

CFB Fans Can’t Get Over What a Mess Saturday’s Rain-Soaked Cure Bowl Was

Cure Bowl Bowl (Event) Appalachian State Miami Christian Horn Football Ohio

Bowl season began in earnest on Saturday, and so far it has been a very mixed bag. Florida A&M won a dramatic Celebration Bowl over Howard, 30–26, and Jacksonville State completed an impressive first FBS season with a 34–31 overtime win over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl. 

And then there was the Cure Bowl.

Saturday’s game in Orlando pit the Sun Belt’s Appalachian State against MAC champion Miami (Ohio), but most neutral fans were drawn in by some of the sloppiest weather imaginable for the game.

The field at UCF’s FBC Mortgage Stadium was absolutely soaked, and neither team could hang onto the ball—combining for 13 fumbles (five lost) and 12 total turnovers. The Mountaineers (9–5) managed some semblance of a balanced offense en route to a 13–9 win, edging out a RedHawks team that all but abandoned the pass.

Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar went 18-for-32 for 211 yards, adding his team’s lone touchdown on the ground, while running back Anderson Castle rumbled for 119 yards on 20 carries. Kicker Michael Hughes came up big in less-than-ideal conditions, knocking home both of his short field goals and his lone extra point.

Some would say the conditions at the 2023 Cure Bowl made for perfect football weather.

Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports

Miami’s Maddox Kopp and Henry Hesson combined to go just 6-for-10 for 44 yards. The team handed the ball to Rashad Amos an impressive 33 times for 180 yards and a touchdown.

Most of the game’s attention was paid to the weather, though. College football has plenty of fans who relish the ugliest examples of the sport, and they had a great time with this sloppy, sloppy contest.

An ugly game called for a wet, muddy celebration, and Appalachian State did it in style.

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