Jared Goff’s six touchdown passes leads Cal past Air Force, 55-36

Jared Goff threw for 467 yards and six touchdowns and California won in the postseason for the first time in seven years, beating Air Force, 55-36, in the Armed Forces Bowl on Tuesday at Fort Worth.

Goff had three of his scoring tosses in a span of five plays in the second quarter as the Bears (8-5) broke a 14-14 tie and cruised in a rematch of the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl.

Receiver Kenny Lawler had three touchdowns for Cal, which last made the postseason in a 21-10 loss to Texas in the Holiday Bowl in 2011. The Bears’ last bowl win was 24-17 over Miami in the 2008 Emerald Bowl.

Weakened by the targeting ejection of secondary anchor Weston Steelhammer on Air Force’s third defensive play, the Falcons (8-6) lost for the fourth time in five Armed Forces appearances since 2007.

Goff broke Aaron Rodgers’ school record for passing yards in a bowl game in possibly his last game if he enters the NFL draft as a junior. Goff, who completed 25 of 37 with no interceptions, extended his own school season records, finishing with 43 touchdowns and a Pac-12 record 4,719 yards.

Baylor pounds Carolina on ground

Johnny Jefferson rushed for three touchdowns and a bowl-record 299 yards, and No. 17 Baylor ran past No. 10 North Carolina, 49-38, in the Russell Athletic Bowl at Orlando, Fla..

Despite missing two quarterbacks, an award-winning receiver, and a 1,000-yard running back, the Bears’ No. 1-ranked scoring offense pounded out 645 yards rushing and 756 total yards — both bowl records.

Devin Chafin added 161 yards and a touchdown, and Terence Williams rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (10-3). North Carolina fell to 11-3.

LSU, Fournette roll

Leonard Fournette scored five touchdowns and ran for 212 yards as No. 20 Louisiana State pulled away for a 56-27 win over Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl at Houston.

Texas Tech (7-6) cut the lead to 21-20 early in the third quarter before the Tigers (9-3) scored 21 straight points, with two touchdowns by Fournette, to make it 42-20 entering the fourth.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns for Texas Tech, but was under heavy pressure all night and was sacked six times.

Nevada holds on

James Butler scored on a four-yard run with 1:06 left and Nevada benefited from a late gaffe by Colorado State to beat the Rams, 28-23, in the inaugural Arizona Bowl at Tucson.

After Butler scored for Nevada (7-6), Nick Stevens orchestrated a quick-hitting drive in the final minute with no timeouts, but receiver Jordon Vaden was unable to get out of bounds at Nevada’s 12-yard line and time ran out on the Rams (7-6).