DETROIT (AP) — Josh Hicks ran for 202 yards and a touchdown and Rutgers beat North Carolina 40-21 on Friday night in the inaugural Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field.

Gary Nova threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and Robert Martin ran for 100 yards and two scores to help the Scarlet Knights (8-5) cap their first Big Ten season.

Hicks was selected the player of the game.

Owned and operated by the NFL’s Detroit Lions, the bowl replaced the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl, which had been played in Detroit under various names since 1997. The new bowl was hoped to make a bigger impact with a Big Ten vs. ACC matchup, but drew a disappointing crowd. The announced attendance was 23,876 — smaller than all but one Pizza Bowl — and the actual crowd appeared to be less than half of that.

Rutgers led 40-7 before the Tar Heels (6-7) scored twice in the final 7 minutes. North Carolina also had two second-half touchdown passes taken away because of interference penalties.



HEART OF
DALLAS BOWL

LOUISIANA TECH 35, ILLINOIS 18

DALLAS (AP) — Houston Bates had 4 1/2 sacks against his former team to help Louisiana Tech beat Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at the Cotton Bowl.

Bates graduated from Illinois with a year of eligibility remaining and transferred to Louisiana Tech (9-5) to finish his college career close to home.

Kenneth Dixon scored one of his two touchdowns on an 80-yard reception, and Xavier Woods returned an interception 69 yards for a score for the Bulldogs. Dixon became Louisiana Tech’s career rushing leader, finishing with 63 to push his three-season total to 3,410.

Illinois (6-7) struggled early with penalties and missed field goals, but got within three points on David Reisner’s 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. But Dixon scored his second TD from a yard out with 6 minutes left to make it 28-18.