# 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl

The 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on December 31, 2017, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The 73rd edition of the Gator Bowl featured the Louisville Cardinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference against the Mississippi State Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games that concluded the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game's naming rights sponsor was tax preparation software company TaxSlayer, and for sponsorship reasons was officially known as the TaxSlayer Bowl.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UL | MSST |
| 1 | 10:47 | 6 | 56 | 2:07 | MSST | Aeris Williams 5-yard touchdown run, Jace Christmann kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | 6:35 | 8 | 51 | 4:12 | UL | Charles Standberry 5-yard touchdown reception from Lamar Jackson, Blanton Creque kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 1 | 3:11 | 9 | 79 | 3:24 | MSST | Keytaon Thompson 14-yard touchdown run, Jace Christmann kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2 | 10:29 | 5 | 74 | 1:38 | UL | Lamar Jackson 13-yard touchdown run, Blanton Creque kick good | 14 | 14 |
| 2 | 4:21 | 7 | 14 | 3:24 | MSST | 23-yard field goal by Jace Christmann | 14 | 17 |
| 2 | 0:19 | 3 | 88 | 0:45 | UL | Jaylen Smith 11-yard touchdown reception from Lamar Jackson, Blanton Creque kick good | 21 | 17 |
| 3 | 3:14 | 6 | 27 | 2:38 | UL | 23-yard field goal by Blanton Creque | 24 | 17 |
| 4 | 13:22 | 4 | 22 | 0:58 | MSST | Keytaon Thompson 2-yard touchdown run, Jace Christmann kick good | 24 | 24 |
| 4 | 7:38 | 13 | 61 | 5:54 | UL | 31-yard field goal by Blanton Creque | 27 | 24 |
| 4 | 3:39 | 11 | 65 | 3:59 | MSST | Keytaon Thompson 1-yard touchdown run, Jace Christmann kick good | 27 | 31 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 27 | 31 |

### Statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
| Statistics | UL | MSST |
| First downs | 20 | 23 |
| Plays–yards | 70–358 | 75–404 |
| Rushes–yards | 39–187 | 55–287 |
| Passing yards | 171 | 127 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–31–4 | 11–20–1 |
| Time of possession | 30:21 | 29:39 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| UL | Passing | Lamar Jackson | 13/31, 171 yds, 2 TD, 4 INT |
| UL | Rushing | Lamar Jackson | 24 car, 158 yds, 1 TD |
| UL | Receiving | Jaylen Smith | 7 rec, 107 yds, 1 TD |
| MSST | Passing | Keytaon Thompson | 11/20, 127 yds, 1 INT |
| MSST | Rushing | Keytaon Thompson | 27 car, 147 yds, 3 TD |
| MSST | Receiving | Jesse Jackson | 3 rec, 38 yds |