Northwestern running back Justin Jackson (21) carries the ball against Kentucky in the first half of the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Northwestern running back Justin Jackson (21) carries the ball against Kentucky in the first half of the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Credit: ap — Mark Humphrey

Nashville, Tenn. — Justin Jackson ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 20 Northwestern held off Kentucky, 24-23, on Friday in a Music City Bowl that might be remembered more for injuries, ejections and a wild finish.

Both starting quarterbacks left in the first half with injuries, though Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson returned early in the third quarter. Kentucky lost running back Benny Snell Jr. to an ejection for contact with an official early in the second quarter, and Northwestern lost leading tackler and linebacker Paddy Fisher before halftime when he was ejected for targeting.

Northwestern (10-4) still finished off back-to-back bowl wins in consecutive years for the first time in program history, and the Wildcats notched their second 10-win season in three years under coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Sun Bowl

North Carolina State 52 Arizona State 31

El Paso, Texas — Nyheim Hines had three 5-yard touchdown runs to help North Carolina State beat Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.

Hines finished with 72 yards on 16 carries for North Carolina State (9-4). The Wolfpack played in their fourth consecutive bowl game and sixth in seven years under coach David Doeren.

Reggie Gallaspy added 79 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries for the Wolfpack, Ryan Finley completed 24 of 29 passes for 318 yards and a score, and Stephen Louis had three catches for 115 yards.

Arizona State (7-6) played its final game under fired coach Todd Graham, with former NFL coach Herm Edwards taking over the program.

Belk Bowl

Wake Forest 55, Texas A&M 52

Charlotte, n.c. — John Wolford threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns, and Matt Colburn ran for 150 yards and the go-ahead score in Wake Forest’s victory over Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl. The teams combined for 1,260 yards in one of the highest-scoring games in bowl history.

Wolford, a four-year starter and the game’s Most Valuable Player, threw all four TD passes in the first half for Wake Forest (8-5). Colburn had a 1-yard touchdown with 2:18 left in the game to give the Demon Deacons the lead for good.

Arizona Bowl

New Mexico State 26Utah State 20 (ot)

Tucson, Ariz. — Larry Rose III scored on a 21-yard run in overtime and New Mexico State won in its first bowl game in 57 years, beating Utah State in the Arizona Bowl.

Utah State (6-7) had the ball first in overtime and Dominik Eberle hit the right upright on a 29-yard field goal, sending a groan through the Utah State crowd. Eberle made 16 for 18 field goals during the regular season, but missed three in the Arizona Bowl.

New Mexico State (7-6) ran two plays in overtime, with Jones bursting through a hole on the left side of the line to send the Aggies and their fans rushing onto the Arizona Stadium field.

Jones finished with 142 yards on 16 carries.

The third Arizona Bowl started with some early fireworks on special teams.

Utah State’s Savon Scarver returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, then New Mexico State’s Jason Huntley took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a score.

The excitement leveled off considerably until LaJuan Hunt scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter, set up by a shanked punt from New Mexico State’s Payton Theisler.