2018 Birmingham Bowl


The 2018 Birmingham Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 22, 2018. It was the 13th edition of the Birmingham Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Jared brand of Sterling Jewelers, the game was officially named the Jared Birmingham Bowl.

Teams

The bowl was slated to invite teams from the Southeastern Conference and the American Athletic Conference. However, with four SEC teams selected for New Year's Six games, the Birmingham Bowl matchup announced on December 2 featured Wake Forest from the Atlantic Coast Conference, rather than an SEC team, to face Memphis from The American. The two programs previously met four times, each team winning twice, between 1964 and 1967.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest received and accepted a bid to the Birmingham Bowl on December 2. The Demon Deacons entered the bowl with a 6–6 record.

Memphis Tigers

Memphis was defeated in the 2018 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game played on December 1; they received and accepted a bid to the Birmingham Bowl on December 2. The Tigers entered the bowl with a 8–5 record.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Statistics

StatisticsMEMWF
First downs2226
Plays–yards82–37890–529
Rushes–yards53–20750–201
Passing yards171328
Passing: Comp–Att–Int15–29–122–40–1
Time of possession30:3829:22

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
MemphisPassingBrady White15/27, 171 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
MemphisRushingPatrick Taylor30 car, 110 yds, 1 TD
MemphisReceivingDamonte Coxie6 rec, 70 yds
Wake ForestPassingJamie Newman22/40, 328 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Wake ForestRushingJamie Newman23 car, 91 yds, 3 TD
Wake ForestReceivingAlex Bachman7 rec, 171 yds