Coastal Carolina holds off Northern Illinois in wild Cure Bowl

Associated Press
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 10:49 p.m. | Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 10:49 p.m.

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Coastal Carolina running back Braydon Bennett runs against Northern Illinois during the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

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Northern Illinois running back Christian Malloy dives into the end zone for a touchdown while Coastal Carolina cornerback Emmanuel Harris dives on him during the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

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Northern Illinois quarterback Bryce Carpenter rolls out to throw the ball against Coastal Carolina during the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Grayson McCall threw four touchdown passes, and Coastal Carolina held off Northern Illinois, 47-41, in the Cure Bowl on Friday night, with the game ending with the Huskies at the Chanticleers 4.

McCall was 22 for 30 for 315 yards, and Braydon Bennett ran 108 yards and two touchdowns on six carries to help Coastal Carolina (11-2) win 11 games for the second consecutive year. Bennett also caught four passes for 47 yards and a TD.

Jay Ducker ran for 146 yards on 24 carries, and Antario Brown added 105 yards and 12 attempts for Northern Illinois (9-5). Rocky Lombardi completed 20 of 33 passes for 181 yards and two scores.

Northern Illinois (516) and Coastal Carolina (514) combined for 1,030 yards. Northern Illinois picked up 335 yards on the ground.

After Northern Illinois wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 run at the Huskies 34, McCall threw a shovel pass from the option to Bennett for a TD on the next play. He then connected with Isaiah Likely on a two-point conversion to make it 47-41 with 6:40 left.

Northern Illinois got the ball back at its own 13 with 2 1/2 minutes to play. Lombardi hit Miles Joiner for a 4-yard gain on fourth down to the Coastal Carolina 4 with 2 seconds remaining, but the Huskies couldn’t off another play.

Likely’s second touchdown reception got Coastal Carolina within two at 41-39 with nine minutes left, but McCall’s threw an incomplete pass on the two-point try.

Northern Illinois led 24-19 at the half as both teams scored on their first four possessions. NIU’s fifth and final possession started with a second left following a kickoff.

McCall passed for 164 yards and a TD during the opening half, while Lombardi threw for just 23 yards but had scoring strikes of 5- and 12-yards.