MOBILE, Alabama. – Arkansas Feleipe Franks threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mississippi Kenny Yeboah in the fourth quarter of the Senior Bowl to help seal the national team’s 27-24 victory over the North American team. American Saturday.
Franks, a Florida graduate transfer, established the Southeast Conference Western Division scoring connection with a 29-yard finish at Louisville’s Dez Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick had six catches over 90 yards in the showcase game for potential NFL seniors and graduates.
North Carolina runner-up Michael Carter also had a great game. Carter scored in a 12-yard run at the end of the third quarter to help the national team regain the lead after a Kellen Mond comeback.
Jamie Newman then completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Trevon Grimes with 49 seconds left for the American team. The former Wake Forest quarterback, who moved to Georgia but opted to leave before the season, set him up with a 35-yard finish for Bowling Green’s tight end, Quintin Morris.
Mond was the most valuable player in the game. Fitzpatrick was the game’s offensive player and Tulane’s defender, Cam Sample, the game’s defender.
The game was played for the first time at the new Hancock Whitney Stadium in South Alabama, with Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores at the helm of the national team and Carolina’s Matt Rhule leading the American team. It also changed from the traditional North to South format.
Franks completed 9 of 16 passes for 122 yards. Carter averaged 8.0 yards per carry in his final season with the Tar Heels, and was not far behind in the All-Star game.
He gained 60 yards on eight yards and had two catches for 15 yards.
Mond, Texas A&M quarterback, delivered a couple of touchdown passes in the third quarter to help clear a 13-0 deficit in the half. Mond even converted a two-point play with one run and another with a pass, after 15-yard touchdowns to Clemson’s Amari Rodgers and 14 to Tennessee’s Josh Palmer.
Mond went through 141 of his 173 yards in the third. But his SEC West counterpart Franks reached the final quarter.
Newman competed 10 of 14 passes for 118 yards with touchdown and interception.
The American team did not have two of the Alabama national champion’s biggest offensive weapons. Quarterback Mac Jones got dressed and went through warm-ups, but didn’t play after injuring his left ankle in Thursday’s final session.
“My ankle was still stinging me a little bit,” Jones, who is a potential first-round pick, told NFL Network. “I didn’t want to take big risks.”
Retreater Najee Harris retired from the game after practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a persistent ankle injury to the national title match in early January.