From Las Vegas, Nevada, the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl week featured one of the most talent-rich rosters the game had seen in years. The 2023 Shrine Bowl capped a week-long of practices, media events, and festivities for those all-star college athletes from Allegiant Stadium, the home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Who Won the 2023 Shrine Bowl?
Despite the stacked roster, the 2023 Shrine Bowl itself failed to live up to the expectations of those wanting a plethora of points. However, for those defensive savants, the game lived up to the hype and then some.
In the end, it was the West Team who defeated the East Team, 12-3.
The offensive fireworks were far and few between in this game, but defensive playmakers were all over the field.
Who Impressed During the 2023 Shrine Bowl?
A few players did indeed stand out during the action. Stephen F. Austin’s BJ Thompson flashed his athletic ability on the edge with multiple plays, including 1.5 sacks. Thompson put his name on the map as a small-school prospect who largely elevated his game more than others.
Louisville CB Kei’Trel Clark was largely avoided in coverage because of his sticky coverage ability. When he was targeted, Clark made multiple plays on the ball.
The West Team was led by their secondary, including Florida safety Trey Dean III and Ball State CB Nic Jones. Both players grabbed interceptions on ill-advised pass attempts and set up their offense for potential points.
It wasn’t just all defenders who did shine, however, as the star on offense certainly was Arizona State’s Xazavian Valladay. The former Wyoming star and standout for the Sun Devils in 2022 had a game-high 76 rushing yards.
Fresno State RB Jordan Mims and Utah RB Tavion Thomas each had long runs for the East Team but were kept in check besides a combined 59 yards on two carries. The duo ran for just seven yards on their eight other carries combined.
The quarterbacks struggled to find consistency and were under constant pressure, as arguably, the offensive line units struggled the most. West team quarterbacks finished 11-of-26 for just 126 yards and an interception.
East team quarterbacks, including Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell, who re-entered the game to run a two-minute drive in the fourth quarter, finished 13-of-30 for 112 yards and two interceptions.
Ultimately, it was Michigan kicker Jake Moody who nailed four field goals for all 12 of the West Team’s points, which were enough to secure the win for the West. Moody was true on all four kick attempts, including two separate attempts from 51 yards out.