The 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2023, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 37th annual ReliaQuest Bowl (previously known as the Outback Bowl from 1996 through 2022), the game featured the Mississippi State Bulldogs from the Southeastern Conference and the Illinois Fighting Illini from the Big Ten Conference. The game began at 12:03 p.m. EST and was aired on ESPN2. It was one of the 2022–23 bowl games concluding the 2022 FBS football season. Cybersecurity company ReliaQuest was the game's title sponsor.

Teams Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game featured teams from the Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The bowl also has a tie-in with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) when the ACC's opponent in the Orange Bowl is a Big Ten team, in which case an ACC team is selected for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

This was the third meeting between the two teams; in their two prior matchups, Illinois won in 1923 and Mississippi State won in 1980.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State compiled an 8–4 record during the regular season, finishing with a 24–22 win over rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. In five games against ranked opponents, the Bulldogs defeated Texas A&M and Ole Miss while losing to Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia. The team was coached during the regular season by Mike Leach. Following Leach's death on December 12, Zach Arnett was elevated to head coach, including for the team's bowl game.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois finished the regular season with an 8–4 record, losing three of their final four games. Their only contest against a ranked FBS opponent was a loss to Michigan.

Game summary

The final play of the game, a desperation lateral pass play by Illinois, resulted in Mississippi State intercepting a lateral for the game-clinching touchdown. This play was compared to a similar play between the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders during the NFL's regular season that year and was noted to benefit bettors who had picked Mississippi State to cover the spread.

Statistics

+Team statistical comparisonStatisticMississippi StateIllinoisFirst downs 21 19First downs rushing 4 7First downs passing 17 9First downs penalty 0 3Third down efficiency 6–14 3–11Fourth down efficiency 1–1 0–0Total plays–net yards 67–390 62–215Rushing attempts–net yards 22–116 28–22Yards per rush 5.3 0.8Yards passing 274 193Pass completions–attempts 30–45 23–34Interceptions thrown 2 0Punt returns–total yards 2–10 2–10Kickoff returns–total yards 0–0 4–70Punts–average yardage 5–42.0 6–47.7Fumbles–lost 1–0 1–1Penalties–yards 6–55 3–25Time of possession 28:11 31:49

+Mississippi State statisticsBulldogs passing Will Rogers 29–44 261 1–2 Jaden Walley 1–1 13 0–0Bulldogs rushing Simeon Price 7 68 0 Jo'Quavious Marks 10 50 0 Will Rogers 3 7 0 Team 2 -9 0Bulldogs receiving Justin Robinson 7 81 1 Lideatrick Griffin 5 53 0 Jaden Walley 5 43 0 Rufus Harvey 3 33 0 Austin Williams 2 22 0 Jo'quavious Marks 3 14 0 Will Rogers 1 13 0 Caleb Ducking 2 10 0 Simeon Price 1 5 0 J.J. Jernighan 1 0 0

+Illinois statisticsFighting Illini passing Tommy DeVito 23–34 253 0–0Fighting Illini rushing Reggie Love III 12 53 0 Josh McCray 7 17 0 Tommy DeVito 10 -35 1Fighting Illini receiving Isaiah Williams 9 114 0 Casey Washington 8 74 0 Tip Reiman 2 18 0 Griffin Moore 1 17 0 Michael Marchese 2 10 0 Reggie Love III 1 7 0 Tommy DeVito 0 -47 0

Tommy DeVito's receiving yardage occurred on the final play of the game, following an initial pass from DeVito to Casey Washington. After several laterals, DeVito fumbled the ball, which was returned by Mississippi State for a touchdown. Statbroadcast credits DeVito with -47 receiving yards, while ESPN credits DeVito with 13 receiving yards.

See also 2022 Gasparilla Bowl, contested at the same venue on December 23

References