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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Omer Khan
From a tourism standpoint, the Las Vegas Bowl matching a six-win Florida team against a hungry nine-win Oregon State did not pack Allegiant Stadium Saturday like Southern Cal vs Utah in the Pac-12 title game here two weeks ago.
The LVCVA, Las Vegas’ public tourism agency, did kick in money to stage the annual bowl game that now is played in Allegiant Stadium after years and years of calling Sam Boyd Stadium home. The former UNLV football stadium is closed.
Florida has a resume that includes playing for national championships. so it was clear the Gators were not in the mood for a bowl game in Las Vegas that ended with Oregon State easily dispatching Florida, 30-3, for its tenth win of the season.
Florida started the game like any Las Vegas tourist trying to make an 11:30 AM weekend appointment — sluggishly. The Gators literally appeared to not want to be here as several players, including the starting quarterback, skipped the game. Florida finished the season at 6-7 in a game played in a half-full NFL stadium that will be used for a Raiders vs Patriots game Sunday at 1:05 PM.
Attendance cam in at 29,750.
A diving catch by Oregon State’s Silas Bolden, a 152-pound freshman, made a diving catch and that set up an end-around score by Beavers’ receiver Anthony Gould.
Oregon State had a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
Las Vegas Bowl Executive Director John Saccenti said ticket sales were around 30,000 for the Saturday late-morning game. When the NFL moved Sunday’s Raiders vs Patriots at Allegiant Stadium from Sunday Night Football to a 1 PM start, it forced the Las Vegas Bowl to shift its start from 4:30 PM on ABC network TV to 11:30 AM on ESPN.
A long run by Oregon State’s Deshaun Fenwick in the second quarter set up a field goal and the Beavers led at the half, 10-0.
Florida struggled all game as some of its best players declined to play.
Oregon State poured it on in the second half and won easily, 30-3.