2006-2007 Bowl Games [Archive]

redlegsfan21

12-19-2006, 10:07 PM

By BERNIE WILSON
SAN DIEGO (AP) -Penned in by a bunch of tough Horned Frogs, Garrett Wolfe had nowhere to run.

The national rushing leader was held to 28 yards, a whopping 130 below his average, and No. 25 TCU won a Poinsettia Bowl mismatch against Northern Illinois 37-7 on Tuesday night.

While Wolfe was repeatedly stuffed by one of the nation's best defenses, led by end Tommy Blake, Horned Frogs quarterback Jeff Ballard ran for three touchdowns and threw for another.

Ballard looked more like a running back as he scored on runs of 10, 1 and 6 yards. He threw a 6-yard TD pass to tight end Brent Hecht and finished with 258 passing yards.

TCU's Lonta Hobbs rushed for 114 yards and one TD.

TCU (11-2) won 11 games for the third time in four years, all under coach Gary Patterson. NIU finished 7-6.

Wolfe, a senior from Chicago, came in leading the nation with an average of 158.3 yards rushing and 178.9 all-purpose yards.

The Horned Frogs, though, were fourth nationally in run defense after allowing only 67.6 yards per game. TCU kept alive its string of not allowing a 100-yard rusher, one of only four teams to do so this year.

Wolfe, who carried 20 times, came dangerously close to his career-low of 24 yards set in his first game, the 2004 season opener. The Huskies had only five first downs and 60 yards of total offense, compared to 23 first downs and 456 yards for TCU.

Wolfe was thrown for losses on four of his 10 carries in the first half, when accounted he for just 8 yards.

The Huskies had minus-13 yards and went three-and-out six straight times before Dan Nicholson completed a 62-yard pass to Matt Simon on third-and-12 from the Huskies' 11-yard line in the second quarter. All that did was set up a missed 51-yard field goal by Chris Nendick.

NIU got to the TCU 18-yard line late in the third quarter before turning the ball over on downs. The Huskies gained 52 yards on that drive; up until then, they'd gained only 45.

NIU's only score came when John Tranchitella returned a blocked punt 32 yards with 14:14 left. Jarret Carter blocked Brian Cortney's punt and the ball bounced back toward Cortney's hands, but Tranchitella swooped in and grabbed it.

NIU blocked two punts and a PAT.

Hobbs scored on a 4-yard run on TCU's first drive.

Early in the second quarter, Ballard dropped back to pass on third-and-9 from the NIU 10. He scrambled left, cut inside and then dove into the end zone. Chris Manfredini kicked a 25-yard field goal as the clock expired for a 16-0 halftime lead.

Ballard scored twice in just less than 3 minutes in the third quarter for a 30-0 lead. He ran a 1-yard keeper, then added a 6-yard run when he rolled left, couldn't find a receiver and tumbled into the end zone.

Ballard was 19-of-29 passing. Nicholson was 6-of-18 for 80 yards, with one interception.

The game drew only 29,709 on a cold night at 70,000-seat Qualcomm Stadium.

Among the fans were San Diego Chargers running backs LaDainian Tomlinson, who went to TCU, and Michael Turner, who played for NIU.

With TCU winning, Turner will have to wear Tomlinson's No. 5 Horned Frogs jersey around Chargers headquarters.

The Poinsettia Bowl is sponsored by the San Diego County Credit Union.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12192006/v4582.html

Just a little note. The first post will change as the bowl season goes on. It will start to look like my "Top 25 Scores" Threads with unranked teams below. After the bowl is played, there will be no name with the score. If two ranked teams play each other, two scores will appear though they will be the same. Unplay bowls will be at the bottom with the name of the bowl. I will also try to post a story to each game though it is possible it could take up to 24 hours for me to update especially after the 1/1/07 games since I have school on the 2nd and the amount of games.

ATLFalcons

12-20-2006, 05:56 AM

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is a Bowl Pick 'em game for Pigskin Fever.

Please visit http://www.pigskin-fever.com/showpos...27&postcount=3

We need as many people as possible.

I signed up last night, hopefully I'll win. But, then again my fantasy football season didn't go too well.

brady_branch

12-20-2006, 01:44 PM

The more college football, the better. Plus it is enjoyable to watch teams that I don't usually watch. I mean, how often do I get the chance to watch Rice, Troy, East Carolina, New Mexico, San Jose St., Tulsa, Middle Tennessee, and Western Michigan.

Not much. And that's the reason why some bowls need to be eliminated. I'm just salivating at the thought of Middle Tennessee State vs. Central Michigan. :rolleyes:

redlegsfan21

12-20-2006, 08:16 PM

Not much. And that's the reason why some bowls need to be eliminated. I'm just salivating at the thought of Middle Tennessee State vs. Central Michigan. :rolleyes:
So you are not excited to see a bunch of raiders raid indians live or a bunch of indians could raid the raiders. (Sorry if this is bad taste).

CCN

12-21-2006, 06:14 AM

Not much. And that's the reason why some bowls need to be eliminated. I'm just salivating at the thought of Middle Tennessee State vs. Central Michigan. :rolleyes:
As Central Michigan is my alma mater, I will be watching. That's all that matters to me.

redlegsfan21

12-21-2006, 02:16 PM

As Central Michigan is my alma mater, I will be watching. That's all that matters to me.
There is proof that you cannot have too many bowl games.

redlegsfan21

12-21-2006, 11:22 PM

By DOUG ALDEN

LAS VEGAS (AP) -Brigham Young quarterback John Beck stood on the podium above a throng of blue-clad fans so dense that the green field was barely visible.

After five years of frustration and a decade of postseason futility, BYU finally had something to celebrate.

Beck passed for 375 yards and two touchdowns, leading the No. 19 Cougars to a 38-8 victory over Oregon on Thursday night in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"To be able to be on top right now just feels great. This is where you're supposed to be," the senior quarterback said.

"When you step on campus and you dream, you dream about this. You dream about being conference champions. You dream about being bowl champions. Our dream has been fulfilled."

Finally.

BYU (11-2) closed the season with 10 straight victories, capping the streak with its first bowl victory since the 1996 season.

Beck got plenty of help. Curtis Brown ran for 120 yards and two TDs, Jonny Harline, voted game MVP, caught nine passes for 181 yards and Justin Robinson intercepted two passes for BYU, which shut out the Ducks (7-6) through three quarters.

Beck, Brown, Harline and Robinson were all playing their final game for the Cougars.

"This class has always been a class of dreamers," Beck said.

BYU hadn't had a winning season since going 12-2 in 2001.

Oregon lost its fourth in a row and was never close after BYU scored 17 points in the second quarter. The Ducks had just 120 yards of offense through three quarters and didn't score until Brian Paysinger caught a 47-yard pass from Dennis Dixon with 10:27 left in the game. The Ducks added a two-point conversion, but that still only cut the lead to 31-8.

If Oregon was thinking about a miracle comeback, it didn't last long.

BYU recovered the ensuing onside kick and scored 1:13 later on a 17-yard pass from Beck to Manase Tonga. Beck also ran for a 13-yard score that put BYU ahead 31-0 early in the fourth quarter.

Cougars fans who packed Sam Boyd Stadium with a record crowd of 44,615 stormed the field after the final play in celebration of the BYU blowout.

The Cougars had lost four straight bowl games, since beating Kansas State 19-15 in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1997.

Oregon tried rotating quarterbacks again with Brady Leaf making his second career start and the quicker Dixon coming in to give the BYU defense a different look. It didn't work.

The Ducks allowed two sacks on their first series and Leaf and Dixon combined to throw for 166 yards. Both threw an interception and Oregon finished with 260 yards of offense and lost its fourth straight bowl game.

"I'm disappointed. I'm shocked," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "We didn't play well. We got outplayed, outcoached."

It was the largest crowd in stadium history, breaking the previous high of 42,075 fans for UNLV's game against Wisconsin in 2002, and the fans were nearly all wearing BYU dark blue. During the postgame trophy presentation, they chanted "B-Y-U!"

Beck, the second leading passer in school history, stood on the podium with Brown - BYU's all-time leading rusher and led the fans in the BYU fight song.

"I couldn't think of a more fitting ending," said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, who has turned around BYU in just two seasons since taking over after Gary Crowton's resignation in 2004.

Crowton, now Oregon's offensive coordinator, witnessed many of the players he brought to Provo playing like the BYU greats of the past.

"This is the next step in our evolution to being a great program," Mendenhall said.

Beck started slowly with four passes dropped by receivers. Beck started focusing more on Harline and it paid off with a field goal and two touchdowns in the second quarter.

"When you give him time, he's a very good QB," Bellotti said. "Beck found his receivers. He made the plays."

Beck and Harline connected on a 41-yard pass in the second quarter that put BYU ahead 17-0, then Brown scored on a 4-yard run just before halftime and BYU led 24-0.

Harline's one-handed grab for 18 yards helped set up the game's first touchdown.

"I try not to count how many yards and catches I have," he said. "I don't know what to expect. You never know when the ball is coming your way."

http://sports.myway.com/news/12222006/v2352.html

CCN

12-22-2006, 05:38 AM

There is proof that you cannot have too many bowl games.
To be honest, even if it is a bowl game, I'm not enthused about the opponent. After Central played Michigan and Boston College this year, the matchup lacks chops. This is nothing against Middle Tennessee State, I wouldn't be shocked if they win, but it is an odd choice considering the Motor City Bowl has seemingly always been about matchups that would be of local interest.
There's nothing worng with a little reward for a bit of hard work, which these student-athletes all put in for the most part. But in the words of real estate salesman Jerry Moss "They killed the golden goose."

redlegsfan21

12-22-2006, 10:36 PM

By MARY FOSTER
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Omar Haugabook threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Troy to its first bowl victory, 41-17 over Rice on Friday night in the New Orleans Bowl.

It was only the second bowl appearance for the Trojans (8-5), who moved up to Division I-A in 2002. Troy earned the bowl bid with its first Sun Belt title.

Haugabook, the Sun Belt player of the year and unanimous MVP of the game, completed 14 of 28 for 217 yards. He also picked up 92 of Troy's 148 yards.

Rice (7-6), coming off its first winning season since 1993, and making its first bowl appearance since 1961, was seeking its first postseason victory since 1954. The Conference USA representative was favored going into the game, but could not cope with the Trojans' defense.

Rice's Joel Armstrong, pressured all night, was intercepted five times and sacked four times. He completed 35 of 54 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown.

Rice receiver Jarett Dillard kept his touchdown streak alive. He caught a 1-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to stretch the streak to 15 games, dating to last season. His 13-game touchdown streak this season set an NCAA record, breaking the mark of 12 set by Randy Moss in 1997 and matched by Larry Fitzgerald in 2003.

Troy, which averaged 21 points a game this year, was up 21-7 after the first quarter.

On the first possession, Mykeal Terry's 40-yard reception put the Trojans on Rice's 1. Three plays later, Haugabook's 2-yard touchdown run put Troy on the scoreboard.

Minutes later, Armstrong's first pass attempt of the game was intercepted by Boris Lee, who took it back 22 yards to the Rice 1. Haugabook put the Trojans up 14-0 with a 3-yard scoring pass to Gary Banks.

Armstrong's 11-yard TD pass to Mike Falco cut Troy's lead to 14-7.

Haugabook stretched the Trojans' first-quarter margin with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Terry.

After Rice's 43-yard field goal in the second quarter, Haugabook hit Andrew Davis with a 7-yard touchdown pass to put Troy up 28-10 at halftime.

The only score in the third quarter was a 25-yard field goal that boosted Troy's lead to 31-10. Kicker Greg Whibbs made it 34-10 in the fourth quarter with a 28-yarder.

Haugabook closed out the scoring with a 5-yard TD pass to Toris Rutledge.

It was the first bowl game played in the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. The New Orleans Bowl was played in Lafayette last year.

The New Orleans Bowl is sponsored by R+L Carriers.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12232006/v6069.html

redlegsfan21

12-23-2006, 10:44 PM

By JOHN ZENOR

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -South Florida started fast, made clutch defensive stops and cashed in on a series of fourth-down gambles.

Bowl neophytes? The Bulls hardly looked the part Saturday in a 24-7 victory over East Carolina in the inaugural PapaJohns.com Bowl, the first bowl win for the decade-old program.

South Florida's only previous bowl appearance was a shutout loss last year in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. But a team that had ended the regular season with an upset win over West Virginia might have topped that one for the Bulls' biggest victory.

"We talked about how important it was to win this game," said South Florida coach Jim Leavitt, whose team finished 9-4 to tie its season high for wins set in 2002. "We felt like if we'd win today, this would be the best team in the history of the University of South Florida - which is a short history.

"Even so, that was a big thing."

The Bulls played the scoreless second half without quarterback Matt Grothe. The Big East freshman of the year was kicked in the right shin in the second quarter and returned only for the next and final series of the half, but the defense kept turning back East Carolina (7-6).

Plus, the Bulls went 5-for-5 on fourth-down conversions on drives that resulted in 17 points.

Struggling to make a comeback, the Pirates drove inside the South Florida 30 five times in the second half only to fall short. Sacks, a missed field goal, a fumble and a failed fourth-and-goal pass doomed the threats on trips into the so-called red zone.

"Statistically this was not a lopsided game," East Carolina coach Skip Holtz said. "It was a red zone game."

He said the Bulls had "the fastest defense we've played all year."

South Florida racked up six sacks, including two after East Carolina set up first down from the 4-yard line on that late drive led by backup quarterback Rob Kass. Fittingly, the game ended with the Pirates at the Bulls 12, coming up short once again.

In the first bowl game at Legion Field since the 1990 Hall of Fame, East Carolina outgained South Florida 317-286 in total yards.

The Bulls jumped ahead with two touchdowns in the first 7 minutes. They kept three scoring drives alive with fourth-down conversions and got an early gift

East Carolina's James Pinkney couldn't handle a low shotgun snap on the game's second play and South Florida recovered at the 16. Benjamin Williams scored on a draw on the next play. He scored again on a 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal and finished with 67 yards on 17 carries.

"From the first play, our linemen came out and blocked pretty good," Williams said. "On that first play they blew a hole open and I just hit it."

Both quarterbacks came up with big touchdown passes after that. First, Pinkney hit Bobby Good for a 48-yard touchdown on third-and-26. Then, Grothe found Amarri Jackson for a 37-yarder on third-and-10. Grothe returned for one series after being helped off the field but didn't play after that.

Grothe and backup Pat Julmiste were both efficient if not spectacular. Grothe was 6-for-10 for 81 yards. Julmiste was 6-of-8 for 49 yards and accomplished Leavitt's main second-half goal of avoiding turnovers.

"I knew our defense was going to come out and play," Grothe said. "It was just a matter of whether our offense was, too. We just had to match their intensity."

Pinkney finished his college career with an ineffective performance and walked off the field late with a heavily iced left elbow. He completed just eight passes in 25 attempts for 125 yards and took a pounding from the defenders. Kass was 10-of-19 for 138 yards. Holtz said he didn't have any information about Pinkney's injury.

Good finished with five catches for 116 yards.

"It was just frustrating that we'd get down there and couldn't put points up," Good said of the stalled drives. "They're a great defense and put us in some binds, but we really needed to finish better."

They needed to start the game better, too.

"I don't know what it was, but they definitely were faster, stronger and more athletic than us early," Holtz said.

South Florida defensive coordinator Wally Burnham missed the game following the death of his mother, Cora Burnham, of congestive heart failure earlier in the day.

That served as motivation for the players.

"I told them, 'You already have a cause for this game, but now you have a huge cause,"' Leavitt said. "And I thought the guys did that. They were definitely ready to play."

http://sports.myway.com/news/12232006/v8919.html

redlegsfan21

12-23-2006, 10:45 PM

By PETE HERRERA
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -San Jose State linebacker Matt Castelo saw New Mexico halfback Rodney Ferguson hit the hole near the goal line and prepared for a collision.

"I saw the running back get the ball and it was like in slow motion," Castelo said. "I got down low and I think he tried jumping over me. Tried to put the ball out for a touchdown"

Ferguson never made it to the end zone.

Castelo hit Ferguson and his helmet knocked the ball out and right into fellow linebacker Damaja Jones' hands. In a season where San Jose State's defense carried the Spartans to their first bowl game in 16 years, Castelo and Jones teamed up for what may have been the biggest stop of the year.

Adam Tafralis threw three touchdown passes and San Jose State beat New Mexico 20-12 on Saturday in the inaugural New Mexico Bowl, extending the Lobos' postseason drought to 45 years.

One big pass play by Tafralis and that costly fumble by Ferguson - both in the first half - set the tone for the Spartans' first bowl win outside of California.

Jones returned Ferguson's fumble 57 yards to the New Mexico 37. Although the Spartans didn't score on that drive, they had the momentum for good.

"I saw Matt set him (Ferguson) up," Jones said. "He tried to jump over Matt and Matt put his helmet right on the ball. I was trying to get over the top and the ball fell right in my hands."

New Mexico (6-7) hasn't won a bowl game since it beat Western Michigan in the 1961 Aviation Bowl and is 0-5 since 1997.

For the Spartans (9-4), the win provided a final highlight in a season in which they won more games than they had in the three previous seasons.

No doubt the game turned on Ferguson's fumble.

"That was a 14-point play. It changed the game completely," said coach Dick Tomey, the 68-year-old veteran who turned around the downtrodden Spartans program in just two seasons.

"That was the biggest play of the game. If we get the score, we tie it 7-7," said New Mexico coach Rocky Long, 0-4 in bowl games since taking over the program in 1998.

Tafralis, who was 11-of-18 for 209 yards, threw scoring passes of 36 and 24 yards to James Jones and 76 yards to John Broussard. The pass to Broussard on the first play of the second quarter - in which New Mexico's defense totally blew the coverage - got the Spartans' offense rolling.

"James came so open I just had to throw it," Tafralis said.

New Mexico's only touchdown came with 15 seconds left in the game on a 15-yard pass from Chris Nelson to Marcus Smith. The rest of the Lobos' scoring consisted of a 40-yard field goal by Kenny Byrd with 1:11 left in the second quarter and a safety when San Jose State punter Waylon Prather stepped out of the end zone with 1:08 left.

Byrd's field goal was his 25th straight from 40 yards or closer and the first made field goal by New Mexico in 10 bowl appearances.

San Jose State struck first after the teams combined for seven punts in the first quarter.

Tafralis found Broussard 20 yards behind the nearest Lobo. Broussard caught the pass at the 35 and easily scored.

New Mexico came right back with a drive that started with DeAndre Wright's kickoff return to the San Jose State 40. Eight plays later the Lobos had a first-and-goal at the 1. The Spartans' defense toughened and on third-and-goal from the 2, Ferguson fumbled.

The Spartans made it 13-0 on Tafralis' 36-yard pass to James Jones with 3:59 left in the first half. James Jones caught the ball near the sideline at the New Mexico 16 and slipped out of the grasp of Wright. Matt Strubeck missed the extra point.

The Lobos' offense had 377 total yards but was stagnant most of the day. Neither freshman quarterback Donovan Porterie, who started, nor Nelson, who played in the second half, could sustain drives. What plays did work often were erased by holding penalties and three second-half fumbles, including one by wide receiver Travis Brown at the San Jose State 1 with just over 3 minutes left.

Ferguson, who led the Mountain West Conference in rushing this season, had 102 yards on 22 carries.

James Jones and Broussard each had 106 yards receiving, Jones with six catches and Broussard with four.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12232006/v9149.html

redlegsfan21

12-23-2006, 10:46 PM

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -Louie Sakoda kicked four field goals, defensive standout Eric Weddle ran for a touchdown and Utah matched the longest active bowl streak with its sixth straight postseason victory, 25-13 over Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday night.

The Utes (8-5) have won all of their bowl games since 1999, including two years ago when they were the first non-BCS team to play in the Bowl Championship Series and beat Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl to cap an undefeated season.

Brett Ratliff was 23-of-34 passing for 240 yards and was credited with a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter for the Utes, though it was actually a designed catch-and-pitch similar to a score in their Fiesta Bowl romp. Brian Hernandez caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage and pitched to Brent Casteel, who ran around the left end and leaped into the end zone.

Brent Smith scored on a pair of 1-yard keepers for Tulsa (8-5), which finished a once-promising season with its fourth loss in five games.

Boston College also has won six straight bowls. The Eagles have a chance to extend their streak next Saturday against Navy in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Utah's latest bowl victory came on the TCU campus, where it played for the first time since a September 2005 game when the Utes' school-record 18-game winning streak ended in a 23-20 overtime loss against the Horned Frogs.

Weddle, the two-time Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year who also plays several snaps a game on offense, ran 10 times for 56 yards. His 4-yard score with 1:05 left in the game was his fifth rushing TD this season.

Weddle also intercepted a pass on the final play of the game.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12232006/v9609.html

brady_branch

12-24-2006, 05:33 PM

Congrats to SJSU, winning their first (maybe second) bowl game ever.

Stephen Hawkins writes for the AP?

redlegsfan21

12-24-2006, 11:12 PM

By JAYMES SONG
HONOLULU (AP) -Colt Brennan broke the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes, throwing five in the second half to lead Hawaii to a 41-24 victory over Arizona State on Sunday night in the Hawaii Bowl.

Brennan, 33-of-42 for 559 yards, threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Ryan Grice-Mullen on the Warriors' second series of the second half to break the previous mark of 54 set by Houston's David Klingler in 1990, also against the Sun Devils.

Grice-Mullen grabbed the ball with one hand, made a move and leaped across the goal line for the touchdown that gave Hawaii a 17-10 lead.

After throwing the pass, Brennan hugged coach June Jones and waved No. 1 as teammates lifted the junior into the air and the crowd of 40,623 cheered wildly. Brennan tied the record with his 54th TD pass on the previous series on a 38-yard pass to a wide open Jason Rivers.

Rivers also caught a 79-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 308 yards on 14 catches.

Hawaii (11-3) matched the school mark for most wins in a season, set in 1992 when the team went 11-2. The Sun Devils (7-6) concluded their disappointing season, unable to send coach Dirk Koetter out with a win. He coached his final game after being fired last month. Dennis Erickson has been hired to take over the team.

Brennan finished the season with 5,549 yards to become just the third quarterback in college history with 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in a season, joining Klingler and Texas Tech's B.J. Symons.

Brennan and Grice-Mullen also connected on a 41-yard pass play down the middle for Brennan's 56th TD pass of the season with 2:14 left in the third quarter. Brennan then threw a 21-yard scoring pass to a crossing Davone Bess, giving Hawaii a 34-24 lead with 5:16 left in the fourth quarter.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12242006/v3024.html

redlegsfan21

12-24-2006, 11:14 PM

Congrats to SJSU, winning their first (maybe second) bowl game ever.

Stephen Hawkins writes for the AP?
SJSU has won 5 bowl games. The 1946 Raisin Bowl, 1949 Raisin Bowl, 1986 California Bowl, 1990 California Bowl, and the 2006 New Mexico Bowl. (Just like to brag about my knowledge)

brady_branch

12-25-2006, 06:28 AM

OK, first bowl since 1990.

redlegsfan21

12-26-2006, 10:08 PM

By LARRY LAGE
DETROIT (AP) -Central Michigan did enough at the start of each half to win its first Division I-A bowl.

Ontario Sneed scored twice early and Doug Kress returned an interception for a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half Tuesday night, helping the Chippewas beat Middle Tennessee State 31-14 in the Motor City Bowl.

Central Michigan (10-4) was led by interim coach Jeff Quinn, who was promoted three weeks ago when Brian Kelly was wooed away by the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Chippewas lost the 1994 Las Vegas and 1990 California Raisin Bowls.

The Blue Raiders (7-6) played in a Division I-A bowl for the first time in their eighth season at college football's highest level.

Sneed's 1-yard run and 29-yard reception gave the Chippewas a 14-0 lead with 5:53 left in the first quarter and Kress' 56-yard return put the Mid-American Conference champions ahead by three TDs early in the third.

The Blue Raiders held Central Michigan to minus-6 yards on its first two drives in the second half, then DeMarco McNair's 6-yard run made it 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Central Michigan botched a field goal attempt on the ensuing possession, giving the Sun Belt Conference co-champions hope until McNair was stuffed at the line on a fourth-and-1 from their 29 with 5½ minutes left.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12262006/v9304.html

redlegsfan21

12-27-2006, 10:20 PM

By GREG BEACHAM
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Bobby Bowden has his 30th straight winning team at Florida State after the coach's most frustrating squad put a fierce finish on a wild Emerald Bowl.

Lorenzo Booker ran for 91 yards, caught five passes for 117 more and scored two touchdowns, leading the Seminoles to a 44-27 victory over UCLA on Wednesday night.

The Seminoles (7-6) still finished with their least impressive record since going 7-4-1 in 1986, but the 77-year-old Bowden still hasn't coached a club with a losing record since going 5-6 in his first season in Tallahassee.

In a 21-point fourth quarter, Greg Carr caught a go-ahead, 30-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-9 early, and California native Booker capped his final collegiate game with a key third-down catch and a 3-yard TD run with 6:17 left. Drew Weatherford overcame a shaky start to pass for 325 yards, including 126 in the fourth.

Tony Carter's 86-yard interception return for another score 37 seconds later capped an impressive finish for Florida State (7-6), which clinched its Hall of Fame coach's 20th bowl victory at the close of what he called his most trying season.

Patrick Cowan passed for 240 yards and Chris Markey ran for 144 for the inconsistent Bruins (7-6), who stayed with Florida State until the fourth-quarter collapse. UCLA couldn't build on its three-game winning streak, capped by a 13-9 victory over archrival USC 3½ weeks ago.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12272006/v3059.html

redlegsfan21

12-28-2006, 07:11 PM

By MARY FOSTER
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) -Oklahoma State tried to give away the Independence Bowl to Alabama. Dantrell Savage and Jason Ricks took it back for the Cowboys.

Ricks kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8.9 seconds remaining to give Oklahoma State a 34-31 victory over Alabama on Thursday night.

Savage ran for 112 yards and a touchdown and made the key play on the winning drive. He took a screen pass from Bobby Reid for 26 yards on third-and-9 to the Alabama 15 to put Ricks in prime position.

Alabama tried to ice Ricks with three timeouts, but the sophomore sent the kick through the uprights and he snatched off his helmet and ran to the sidelines with it extended over his head.

The kick saved the Cowboys (7-6) from a fourth-quarter collapse and gave them both a winning record and their first bowl victory since 2002. Oklahoma State blew a 14-point lead, setting up the Crimson Tide for the tying touchdown with a fumbled kickoff return.

Alabama (6-7) was playing in its NCAA-record 54th bowl game and looking for its 31st bowl victory - another NCAA record - but for much of the night the Crimson Tide's vaunted postseason history seemed a distant memory. Bama played flat until late in the fourth quarter.

With the Tide trailing 31-17, Javier Arenas returned a punt 86 yards to pull Alabama to within a touchdown with 10:50 left in the game.

Then Grant Jones fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Chris Rogers recovered, giving Alabama a first down on the Oklahoma State 21. Six plays later, left tackle Andra Smith caught a lateral from John Parker Wilson and ran 2 yards to tie the game at 31.

It was a bitter end to a bitter year for the Tide. Playing for the first time since Mike Shula was fired, Bama was unable to dodge its first losing record since 2003, Shula's first season.

Alabama is still without a coach for next season after being turned down by West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez. Defensive coordinator Joe Kines has handled the head coaching duties in the interim.

Oklahoma State - ranked 16th nationally in total offense - outgained Alabama 419-276. The Cowboys rushed for 207 yards compared to 108 yards for the Tide.

Reid completed 15 of 29 attempts for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Keith Toston added 58 yards and two TDs.

John Parker Wilson completed 18 of 33 for 168 yards and a touchdown for Alabama. He was intercepted twice.

The Cowboys scooped up an Alabama fumble on the Tide's 38-yard line to set up the opening score. Savage ran the final yard to cap a 38-yard drive and make it 7-0 Oklahoma State.

Alabama tied it on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Matt Caddell with 3:32 remaining in the first quarter.

Oklahoma State went ahead 14-7 on Toston's 4-yard run. The Cowboys stretched their lead to 17-7 on a 28-yard field goal by Ricks.

Alabama cut the margin to 17-14 on a 1-yard run by fullback Tim Castille. But Bama was unable to stop the Cowboys final drive of the half. Oklahoma State took it 64 yards, capped by a 7-yard run by Toston for a 24-14 lead at the half.

In the third quarter Jamie Christensen kicked a 24 yard field goal to pull Alabama three points closer.

Then Reid hit Adarius Bowman for a 10-yard score to give Oklahoma State a 14 point lead at 31-17.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12282006/v6197.html

redlegsfan21

12-28-2006, 09:47 PM

By BERNIE WILSON
SAN DIEGO (AP) -Unlike two years ago, the California Golden Bears played like they wanted to be in the Holiday Bowl.

Marshawn Lynch ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns, and the No. 20 Golden Bears' defense played impressively in a 45-10 win over No. 21 Texas A&M on Thursday night. Nate Longshore threw for a touchdown and ran for another, and Lynch's backup, Justin Forsett, ran for 124 yards and one score.

Cal (10-3) put an emphatic final touch to its second 10-win season in three years. The Golden Bears had lost to Arizona and Southern California in disheartening fashion before beating rival Stanford and then the Aggies (9-4).

In 2004, Cal was in position to end its long Rose Bowl drought but was leapfrogged in the final Bowl Championship Series standings by Texas. Although the fourth-ranked Golden Bears claimed not to be bothered by the snub, they couldn't even hang with No. 23 Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl and were humiliated 45-31.

This trip to San Diego turned out a lot better.

Lynch, the Pac-10 offensive player of the year, scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter to give Cal a 14-7 lead. While Longshore lined up at wide receiver, Lynch was in the shotgun formation, took the snap and bulled into the end zone.

Lynch scored on a 1-yard run in the third, leaping over the line and fumbling as he came down in the end zone. The Aggies recovered and referee John O'Neill signaled first down for Texas A&M, then said the play was being reviewed. Replay official Jim Augustyn ruled that Lynch had possession when he broke the plane of the end zone, making it 21-10 Cal.

Longshore was 19-of-24 passing for 235 yards.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12282006/v6867.html

redlegsfan21

12-28-2006, 09:51 PM

By CHRIS DUNCAN

HOUSTON (AP) -Rutgers' most memorable season ended with another milestone victory.

Ray Rice rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown and Tim Brown caught two TD passes, and the 16th-ranked Scarlet Knights won a bowl game for the first time Thursday night, beating Kansas State 37-10 in the Texas Bowl.

Linebacker Quintero Frierson returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the second half and Rutgers (11-2) cruised from there, earning an 11th victory for the second time in the school's mostly forgettable 137 seasons.

Rice was named the game's Most Valuable Player after topping 100 yards for the 10th time this season and the 15th time in 25 career games. The 5-foot-9, 195-pound sophomore went over 150 yards for the fifth time this season.

The Scarlet Knights' seventh-ranked defense manhandled Kansas State's offense, holding the Wildcats to 160 total yards and six first downs. Freshman quarterback Josh Freeman finished 10 for 21 for 124 yards with two interceptions.

Kansas State (7-6) mustered only 94 yards after Frierson's return of Freeman's first interception put Rutgers up 24-10 only 33 seconds out of halftime.

The Wildcats' only touchdown came on Yamon Figurs' 76-yard punt return with 9:37 left in the second quarter.

The Scarlet Knights dropped two of their last three games after a 9-0 start and their 41-39 triple-overtime loss to West Virginia cost them the Big East's automatic berth in the Bowl Championship Series.

The players admitted that making the Texas Bowl was a letdown after they came so close to one of the big-money bowls. But once the disappointment wore off, the Knights said they rallied around the chance to earn the school's first bowl victory after going 1-11 just four seasons ago.

They looked like the more motivated team from the start on Thursday, jumping to a 14-0 lead in the first 12 minutes of the game.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12282006/v6875.html

redlegsfan21

12-29-2006, 05:26 PM

By JEFFREY McMURRAY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Andre Woodson conjured up memories of Tim Couch and made Kentucky a bowl winner for the first time in 22 years.

Woodson threw for three touchdowns and 299 yards as the Wildcats surprised Clemson 28-20 in the Music City Bowl on Friday.

The junior completed 20 of 28 passes to finish his breakout season with 31 touchdowns - more than five times his total from last year. He joins Couch, the former No. 1 NFL draft pick, as the only Wildcats to top the 30-touchdown mark in a season.

"If he keeps doing this, he's going to play at the next level and play it very well," Woodson's coach Rich Brooks said.

Behind Woodson, the game's Most Valuable Player, the Wildcats (8-5) racked up their highest point total in bowl history. They won their sixth bowl game overall and first since beating Wisconsin in the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl.

Kentucky made its first bowl appearance since 1999 in front of a huge contingency of Wildcats fans, many of whom made the 200-mile trip from Lexington, home of Commonwealth Stadium.

"I told some of the guys down on the sideline on defense, I said, 'Look guys, look around you,"' said senior defensive end Durrell White. "'We didn't do nothing but move Commonwealth down here to Nashville."'

Clemson (8-5) took the loss in its 18th bowl game since 1985. The Tigers hadn't ended their season in defeat in three years. Despite beating Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, the teams that played for the Atlantic Coast Conference title, Clemson went into a tailspin down the stretch, losing four of five.

While Kentucky's offensive fireworks weren't unexpected, a defense that came into the game ranked second-to-last nationally made the difference.

"We didn't get any respect coming into this game," said linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who led the Wildcats with 12 tackles. "A lot of people expected our defense to come in and curl up, but that's not a defense. If the game was played on paper, we'd be blown out 50-0."

The Wildcats held a 4-2 turnover advantage and limited Clemson to just six points until the final seven minutes when Kentucky used a prevent defense.

"It didn't look like we played very smart," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "We did some things that really cost us as far as turnovers and made some penalties in the red zone."

A large early deficit forced the Tigers, one of the country's best rushing teams, into passing situations. Running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined for just 77 yards, and Spiller fell short of the 86 he needed to make the tandem the first in school history with 1,000 rushing yards each.

"I really think the MVP of this game was the defense," Woodson said.

After four straight second-quarter drives ended with turnovers - two for each team - Brooks sought a spark with a little razzle-dazzle.

Rather than punt from deep in Kentucky territory, punter Tim Masthay threw for the first down.

"If it doesn't work, you're the dumbest guy in the world," Brooks said. " If it works, you get the first down."

Woodson then lofted a deep pass over the Clemson secondary and found DeMoreao Ford streaking for a 70-yard touchdown - the longest allowed all season by the nation's 12th-ranked defense.

The Wildcats made it 21-6 early in the second half after a Clemson fumble, when Woodson found Dicky Lyons Jr. on a sideline pattern for the 24-yard score. They put the game out of reach with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme.

Clemson cut the deficit to eight points with 44 seconds left when Proctor threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Kelly and added a 2-point conversion. But Kentucky recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

"I'm absolutely disappointed," Proctor said. "Obviously it is disappointing when you don't convert the points."

The Wildcats drove into Clemson territory on their first drive before Gaines Adams stormed through the line to strip the ball from Woodson. It was one of two sacks on the afternoon for the All-American, giving him 28 in his career to tie Michael Dean Perry for first on the Tigers' all-time list.

Phillip Merling picked up the loose ball and seemed to give the Tigers prime field position, but a replay showed Woodson's knee was down before the ball came out.

Kentucky took advantage of the second chance and freshman linebacker Micah Johnson, the state's top high school football player last year, scored his first touchdown, plunging in from a yard out.

Proctor threw for three touchdowns and 272 yards, but Jad Dean missed two first-quarter field-goal attempts and an extra point after Durrell Barry's 32-yard TD reception made it 7-6 Kentucky.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12292006/v9713.html

redlegsfan21

12-29-2006, 05:31 PM

By R.B. FALLSTROM

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -Oregon State wanted nothing to do with overtime.

Yvenson Bernard barely pushed into the end zone on a gutsy 2-point conversion run after Joe Newton caught a 14-yard touchdown pass with 22.1 seconds left, and No. 24 Oregon State beat Missouri 39-38 in the Sun Bowl on Friday.

The Beavers (10-4) trailed by 14 points with 12:08 to go before rallying for their eighth victory in nine games. Bernard's 7-yard reception had cut the gap to seven with 6:02 to go.

Tony Temple had 194 yards, four short of the Sun Bowl record, on 20 carries with two touchdowns and Chase Daniel threw two touchdown passes for Missouri (8-5). The Tigers lost four of their last five after a 6-0 start.

Matt Moore threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth for Oregon State, which helped produce the second-highest scoring game in the Sun Bowl's 73-year history. He was 5-for-7 for 55 yards on the winning drive, set up after Sammie Stroughter's 38-yard punt return to the Oregon State 46.

Bernard's conversion run came after Missouri called a timeout to freeze kicker Alexis Serna before the extra point. Instead, it gave the Beavers time to persuade coach Mike Riley to go for two - and the gamble paid off.

Missouri had seven plays of 29 yards or longer, including Danario Alexander's 74-yard touchdown catch and Temple's 65-yard run against a defense that ranked in the middle of the Pac-10. Missouri responded after Oregon State scored on its opening drive of the second half for a 21-17 lead.

Tommie Saunders' 29-yard TD catch from tight end Chase Coffman off a lateral gave the lead back to Missouri and Temple's 65-yard untouched touchdown run seemingly put the Tigers in control at 31-21 with 5:58 in the third.

Daniel averaged 21 yards per completion, going 14-for-27 for 290 yards.

The victory was the latest in a series of nail-biters for Oregon State, which beat Hawaii and Oregon by a combined five points in the last two regular-season games. The Beavers' biggest triumph after a 2-3 start that had fans calling for Riley to be fired was a 33-31 stunner over then-No. 3 Southern California on Oct. 28.

Moore was 31-for-54 for 356 yards and set a school record of 182 passes without an interception before getting picked off by Brandon Massey in the third quarter. Oregon State retained possession on the play after Massey was stripped.

Oregon State prevailed despite a porous defense that allowed 98 points the last three games. Among Missouri's other big plays were a 40-yard catch by Coffman that led to Temple's 7-yard scoring run on the opening drive. A 47-yard run by Temple was followed by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Daniel to Coffman on the next play for a 38-24 lead with 12:08 left in the game.

Newton also caught an 11-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and had six receptions for 74 yards.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12292006/v9737.html

redlegsfan21

12-29-2006, 07:13 PM

By TERESA M. WALKER
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -South Carolina and Houston put on a record-setting offensive show for the first 30 minutes of the Liberty Bowl. The Gamecocks provided the defense when it mattered most.

Defensive end Jordin Lindsey came up with two turnovers for a defense that slowed down Houston in the second half, and South Carolina beat the Cougars 44-36 Friday for its first bowl victory under coach Steve Spurrier.

Blake Mitchell tied a bowl record by throwing four touchdown passes, Cory Boyd ran for two more TDs as the Gamecocks (8-5) finished Spurrier's second season with their best record since going 9-3 in 2001.

Kevin Kolb, making his 50th start at quarterback for Houston (10-4) and leading the nation's sixth-best offense, finished 24-of-35 for 324 yards and three touchdowns.

Houston, which went 0-11 in 2001, came in with a six-game winning streak and looking to cap its Conference USA championship season.

Instead, the Cougars lost their seventh straight bowl game, third under coach Art Briles, and have not won a bowl since the 1980 Garden State Bowl.

Houston led 28-27 at the half - a Liberty Bowl record for points in a half - but South Carolina held the Cougars to 63 yards in the third quarter when the Gamecocks took control. They sacked Kolb three times, forced two turnovers and stopped the Cougars twice on fourth down in the fourth quarter.

The Cougars and Gamecocks combined for 588 yards in the first half, much of it just before halftime. The second quarter took 61 minutes, and a game that was tied at 7 went haywire. In the final three minutes of the half, four TDs were scored in a span 12 plays - the last a 77-yard TD catch by Houston's Vincent Marshall with 11 seconds left.

The Cougars didn't score in the second half until Jackie Battle ran in from 3 yards out with 5:42 left. The 2-point conversion cut South Carolina's lead to 44-36.

Houston outgained South Carolina 527-512, but the Cougars managed only 200 in the second half.

With a pair of coaches known for their offensive ingenuity, this had a little of everything: four TDs in a span of 12 plays, a flea flicker for an interception, a punt on fourth-and-goal, a halfback pass and an option by Houston when backed up against its own goal line.

Each quarterback passed for more than 300 yards - a first in the 48-year history of this bowl game.

Ryan Succop kicked a 45-yard field goal into winds gusting up to 20 mph on the Gamecocks' opening drive of the second half to put South Carolina ahead to stay at 30-28. Mitchell padded the lead with a pair of 43-yard TD passes to Kenny McKinley, the last with 7:39 to go for a 44-28 lead.

Mitchell, the game's Most Valuable Player, was 19-of-29 for 323 yards.

Houston ruined its best scoring chance on the drive after Succop's field goal.

In the shotgun on third-and-goal at the 8, a bad snap went wide right of Kolb, who tried to chase down the ball and kicked it out of bounds for a penalty. That forced Houston to punt from midfield after having first-and-goal.

South Carolina's Jasper Brinkley made the tackle on Anthony Alridge on fourth-and-4 with 9:31 left at midfield short of the first down, forcing the Cougars to turn it over on downs to kill another drive.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12292006/v0070.html

ATLFalcons

12-29-2006, 07:15 PM

Mizzou-Oregon State was a great game. I can't believe Clemson fell of this year, they started strong and looked well all year, but Kentucky was good this year.

redlegsfan21

12-29-2006, 09:52 PM

By ANDREW BAGNATO
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -After spotting Minnesota a 31-point lead, Texas Tech rallied for a stunning 44-41 overtime victory in the Insight Bowl Friday night, the biggest comeback in Division I-A bowl history.

Joel Monroe kicked a 32-yard field goal to put Minnesota up 41-38 in overtime, but Shannon Woods scored on a 3-yard run to win it for the Red Raiders.

The previous record for a bowl comeback was 30 points, set by Marshall against East Carolina in the 2001 GMAC Bowl.

"We talked at halftime that we had a great opportunity to make history, and the reason people come to Texas Tech is to play all 60 minutes," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said.

Tech (8-6) appeared finished after Minnesota (6-7) took a 38-7 lead with 7:47 to go in the third quarter. But the Red Raiders mounted a furious comeback, scoring 31 unanswered points in less than 20 minutes.

Alex Trlica's 52-yard field goal as regulation expired sent the game into overtime.

Tech's comeback began with 4:58 to go in the third quarter, when Graham Harrell hit Joel Filani for a 43-yard score to cut the lead to 38-14. That touchdown started an avalanche that buried Minnesota.

"We're an offense that can score in a hurry, and everyone knows that," Harrell said.

Trailing 38-35 with no timeouts, the Red Raiders took over at their own 11 with 1:06 remaining. Eight plays later, Trlica tied it.

Harrell threw for 445 yards and two touchdowns. Woods rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns and Filani caught nine passes for 144 yards.

For Minnesota, Amir Pinnix ran for 179 yards, Bryan Cupito threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns and Jack Simmons caught seven passes for 134 yards.

Minnesota set a school bowl scoring record, and Cupito, a senior, tied Asad Abdul-Khaliq's career record of 55 touchdown passes. The records were little consolation in the end.

The Golden Gophers jumped ahead 7-0 after Texas Tech coach Mike Leach went for it on fourth-and-1 at his own 45. Harrell was stopped on a sneak, and six plays later Cupito found tight end Jack Simmons for a 2-yard touchdown with 9:27 to go in the first quarter.

Four minutes later, Minnesota made it 14-0 after linebacker Mike Sherels intercepted Harrell at Tech's 37. Pinnix capped a six-play drive with a 2-yard run.

Another Harrell turnover killed a Tech scoring drive. He fumbled on a sack by Willie VanDeSteeg, and Steve Davis recovered at the Golden Gophers' 13. Minnesota marched 87 yards - its longest scoring drive of the year - to take a 21-0 lead on Justin Valentine's 1-yard plunge on the first play of the second quarter.

Tech had a chance to slice the deficit when cornerback Antonio Huffman picked off Cupito's pass at the Minnesota 20. But Pinnix jarred the ball loose, and it bounded into the end zone, where the Gophers recovered for a touchback.

After Tech's Shannon Woods scored from 1 yard out to make it 28-7, the Gophers answered with an 81-yard drive that ended in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Cupito to Logan Payne in the final minute of the first half.

Minnesota looked as if it ended any Tech hopes for a comeback by opening the third quarter with a 16-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 7:13. Joel Monroe's 20-yard field goal gave the Gophers a 38-7 lead.

As it turned out, Texas Tech had plenty of time left.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12302006/v0818.html

redlegsfan21

12-29-2006, 09:55 PM

By TRAVIS REED
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Maryland methodically and meticulously put away Purdue.

Sam Hollenbach passed for 223 yards and two touchdowns and Lance Ball rushed for 98 yards as Terrapins won the Champs Sports Bowl 24-7 on Friday night.

The Terrapins (9-4) were able to keep Purdue's offense, the NCAA's 10th best at 425 yards per game, in check by blanketing its speedy wideouts, batting down several passes - and keeping the ball away from the Boilermakers.

Keon Lattimore added 86 yards rushing on 20 carries for the Terps, who held the ball for 39:48. It hardly mattered that Dan Ennis' 22-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the third quarter was the only scoring in the second half.

Maryland milked the clock with 429 total yards and 20 first downs and Purdue did little when it had a shot.

Boilermaker quarterback Curtis Painter completed 23-of-36 passes for 264 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Maryland's offense was virtually mistake free, but Purdue (8-6) had several costly miscues.

The biggest was Dorien Bryant's fumble after a 31-yard reception that would've been Purdue's biggest play of the game on its opening drive of the second half. Purdue never got its ground game on track after falling behind early and finished with 21 yards rushing.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller, frustrated with the 14-0 score, got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second quarter. Shortly afterward, Heyward-Bey showcased his 4.38 speed on a 46-yard touchdown pass. Hollenbach appeared to overthrown him on the sideline route, but the freshman wideout got underneath it for the 21-0 score.

Purdue missed its first chance to score by ending a 55-yard first quarter drive with a missed field goal. Ball ran five times for 49 yards on the next series to set up a TD. Out of the shotgun with five wideouts, Hollenbach dumped it to Joey Haynos for a 4-yard score to give Maryland a 7-0 lead.

Starting from their own 40, the Terps made it 14-0 after Hollenbach orchestrated another flawless drive. He hit Heyward-Bey over the middle for a 19-yard gain, and Danny Oquendo for 11 yards to the Purdue 4. Cory Jackson ran in from a yard out for the touchdown.

The Boilermakers got their only touchdown just before halftime. Painter led them 71 yards in 1:25, hitting Greg Orton for a 12-yard touchdown. Orton and Dorien Bryant's receptions accounted for all Purdue's offense in the drive.

Maryland played its first bowl game since 2004, while Purdue returned after missing last year for the first time in Tiller's 10 seasons. It was the teams' first meeting.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12292006/v0694.html

brady_branch

12-30-2006, 06:38 AM

Oregon St.-Missouri was an amazing game. Temple actually got to 201 yards late in the fourth quarter, but ended at 194 after taking a seven-yard loss.

redlegsfan21

12-30-2006, 02:29 PM

By MIKE CRANSTON

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -It's fitting that Boston College's bizarre month would end with an improbable finish that made a hero out of a walk-on kicker.

Steve Aponavicius kicked a career-best 37-yard field goal on the final play and the 23rd-ranked Eagles beat the Midshipmen 25-24 in the Meineke Bowl to extend the nation's current longest bowl-winning streak to seven.

"What they had to overcome and all the adversity," interim coach Frank Spaziani said. "No one asked about Navy. Everyone was talking about the situation."

"The situation" was former coach Tom O'Brien's stunning decision three weeks ago to leave BC for Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina State. Green Bay offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski was hired to replace him, but won't join the team until the Packers' season is over.

Spaziani, the defensive coordinator and a former Navy assistant, has filled the gap and is expected to stay on as an assistant under Jagodzinski. But several assistants are also expected to join O'Brien's staff.

For much of the game, it looked like the distractions would be too much to overcome for BC. Navy, the nation's top rushing team, had 322 yards on the ground and seemingly had the game won.

BC (10-3) was out of timeouts and Navy only had to run out the final two minutes. But Reggie Campbell fumbled a pitch from quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and BC's Jolonn Dunbar recovered at the Navy 40 with 1:43 left.

Matt Ryan completed a 16-yard pass to tight end Ryan Purvis and Aponavicius, who played soccer - not football - in high school and replaced the suspended Ryan Ohliger in midseason, calmly kicked the game-winner, setting off a wild celebration.

"Considering the circumstances for the past three or four weeks to get this win is really special, not only for the coaching staff but it's also special for the players," Ryan said. "All that we've been through to come out and win the way we did, that's something that I'll always remember."

Ryan completed 20-of-29 passes for 242 yards with a touchdown pass and a TD run, and overcame two interceptions and three sacks.

Shun White rushed for 116 yards and Kaheaku-Enhada threw two touchdown passes for Navy (9-4), which had a four-game winning streak snapped.

White's 53-yard run set up Kaheaku-Enhada's 24-yard touchdown pass to Jason Tomlinson, who made a juggling catch in triple coverage, giving Navy a 21-13 lead midway through the second quarter.

BC got within 24-22 on Ryan's 25-yard touchdown pass to Purvis with 7:36 left in the game. Forced to go for a 2-point conversion because of Aponavicius' missed extra point in the first quarter, Tony Gonzalez dropped Ryan's pass in the back of the end zone.

But Campbell's fumble gave the Eagles - and Aponavicius - another chance.

"I'm kind of beating myself up," Campbell said. "I dropped the ball. I was a good pitch. Even if it was high, my only job is to catch the pitch and go with it. You just got take care of that."

Aponavicius, who had never played organized football before going 2-for-2 on field goals against Virginia Tech on Oct. 12, was mobbed by his teammates after the kick, which gave BC its first 10-win season since 1984, when Doug Flutie won the Heisman Trophy.

"Just to play once was awesome, so to play for most of the season and to be able to win a game like that was more than I could ever ask for," said Aponavicius, who finished the season 8-for-11 on field goals and will probably be replaced by a scholarship kicker next season.

"We'll deal with that when it comes," he said.

Andre Callender rushed for 66 yards for the Eagles, taking over for L.V. Whitworth, who left with an apparent ankle injury late in the first quarter.

Until late in the game, Navy's confusing triple-option offense caused the Eagles, who had the nation's 13th best run defense, fits. Sloppy tackling and big gaps in the secondary allowed Navy to break off six runs of 16 or more yards.

"They were so big it took away almost everything we wanted to run inside," Navy coach Paul Johnson said. "We had to make it a perimeter game and in the second half they did a good job."

Kaheaku-Enhada threw touchdown passes to Tyree Barnes and Tomlinson, sandwiched between Zerbin Singleton's 5-yard touchdown run in the first half and Navy appeared poised to beat a ranked team for the first time this season.

"We came out with emotion and played with high emotion the whole game," Navy linebacker David Mahoney said. "We went from as high as you can possibly get to the lowest you can get when that field goal goes through."

http://sports.myway.com/news/12302006/v3306.html

brady_branch

12-30-2006, 02:54 PM

Now, if USC can beat Michigan, this will have been an almost perfect bowl season. If only Northwestern didn't suck this year....

efin98

12-30-2006, 09:07 PM

Boston College kicked a last second field goal. This story was not available before the Alamo Bowl.

Won it on the foot of a walk on kicker who before this fall had never played the game of football on any level....I sense an ESPN movie in the near future :D

redlegsfan21

12-30-2006, 09:08 PM

By JIM VERTUNO
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -Colt McCoy was supposed be a placeholder for Texas at quarterback this season. Now, he's a record holder.

The redshirt freshman who replaced Vince Young turned in another gritty performance with two touchdown passes to rally the No. 18 Longhorns to a 26-24 victory Saturday over Iowa in the Alamo Bowl.

McCoy had been cleared to play just a week earlier after suffering a severely pinched nerve in his neck in each of Texas' last two games - both losses. He also ran 8 yards on fourth down to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Selvin Young early in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner.

Vince Young left Texas a year early after leading the Longhorns to the national title last season, and McCoy became the starter before he had ever played a down in college.

"He stepped in a position replacing one of the best quarterbacks to ever play," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "To do that, and fight back and regain his confidence tonight shows just how tough Colt is."

McCoy finished 26-for-40 for 308 yards. His 29 touchdown passes this season tied the NCAA freshman record set by Nevada's David Neill in 1998.

"Coming into this season all you want to do is win," McCoy said. "That's what Vince taught me. You've got to make people believe."

Texas (10-3), the 2005 national champion, won at least 10 games for the sixth straight season and avoided its first three-game losing streak since 1999.

Drew Tate passed for 274 yards and two touchdowns, both to Andy Brodell, for the Hawkeyes (6-7), who lost six of their last seven games.

The Longhorns were heavy favorites in front of an Alamo Bowl record crowd of 65,875 that was mostly a sea of burnt-orange. Texas fans had an easy 70-mile drive from Austin.

But Iowa stunned them by taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and retaking the lead at 21-20 with 1:08 left in the third when Brodell scored his second touchdown on a 23-yard reception.

Brodell had six catches for 159 yards.

McCoy, who looked shaky early, had given Texas its first lead - 20-14 - with a 72-yard sideline strike to tailback Jamaal Charles in the third.

After Young's touchdown with just under 11 minutes left, Iowa pulled within 26-24 when Kyle Schlicher kicked a 38-yard field goal. The Hawkeyes then forced a punt and had the ball near midfield.

The Hawkeyes then got tripped up by their own trickery. Texas safety Marcus Griffin tackled Dominique Douglas for a 9-yard loss on a wide-receiver pass on first down. Iowa punted three plays later.

"A field goal wins the game," Brown said. "Then they got in trouble. It was the game-changing play."

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz regretted calling the trick play.

"It's totally my fault. I'm sick over it," Ferentz said. "Guys competed that long and that hard and that put us in a bad situation."

Texas won its third straight bowl game and became the first team to win the Alamo Bowl after trailing at halftime.

Longhorns fans so disappointed by not making a third consecutive Bowl Championship Series game, will remember this one for McCoy's game effort.

Knocked down several times by Iowa's blitz-heavy pass rush, McCoy wasn't sharp at the start. He underthrew several receivers and looked tentative to run and risk another injury. The Longhorns didn't have another scholarship quarterback available if he got hurt.

"I knew I just had to put the injury behind me," McCoy said.

Tate was just the opposite, passing for 184 yards in the first half. He played high school football in Baytown, just outside of Houston, and his final college game was his first back in his home state.

"I knew he'd play good. He's a coach's son," Brown said. "When he started hot, I was just hoping we could knock him down a bit."

Longhorns fans were just starting to crank up their "Texas Fight!" chant when the Hawkeyes scored on their first two possessions. Albert Young set up the first with a 26-yard run then scored on the next play on the opening drive.

The Hawkeyes needed one play to strike again. Brodell took a short pass, faked out Texas cornerback Aaron Ross, the Thorpe Award winner, and outraced the Longhorns down the sideline for a 63-yard score.

"It felt like they were picking on me the whole game," Ross said.

He made up for it with an interception in the end zone.

"Ross is a playmaker. He can change a game at any given time," said Texas free safety Michael Griffin.

Texas followed with its first touchdown. McCoy floated a perfect pass to Limas Sweed for a 20-yard score just before halftime to make it 14-10.

"That was huge, It turned things around for us," McCoy said of Ross' pick. "Nobody gave up."

http://sports.myway.com/news/12302006/v4044.html

redlegsfan21

12-30-2006, 10:06 PM

By CHARLES ODUM
ATLANTA (AP) -Tony Taylor set up two fourth-quarter touchdowns with interceptions and Georgia rallied from an 18-point deficit to upset No. 14 Virginia Tech 31-24 on Saturday night in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Georgia finished an up-and-down season with three straight victories over ranked teams, a first for the program. The Bulldogs (9-4) salvaged an otherwise disappointing regular season with wins over No. 5 Auburn and No. 16 Georgia Tech.

Taylor's interceptions gave the senior linebacker seven for the season and helped Georgia rally after Virginia Tech (10-3) led 21-3 at halftime.

Georgia freshman Matthew Stafford threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Martrez Milner in the third quarter and passed to Milner again for a 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 21-21.

Brandon Coutu's third field goal of the game, from 28 yards, gave Georgia a 24-21 lead with 10:42 left in the game. Taylor returned his second interception, on a pass deflected by cornerback Paul Oliver, 15 yards to the Virginia Tech 1. Fullback Brannan Southerland scored on a fourth-down run from the 1 for a 31-21 lead with 7:30 left.

Georgia safety Kelin Johnson added a third interception against Hokies quarterback Sean Glennon later in the fourth quarter.

A 28-yard field goal by Virginia Tech's Brandon Pace cut the Bulldogs' lead to 31-24 with 3:41 left.

Virginia Tech got the ball again on its 20 with 1:25 left but was stopped on downs. Glennon was 13-for-26 passing for 94 yards with three interceptions.

Stafford was 9-for-21 passing for 129 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Virginia Tech appeared poised for a runaway win with a dominant first half, including 21 points in the second quarter.

An interception by Brenden Hill set up the Hokies' first touchdown. Branden Ore scored on a fourth-and-1 run early in the second quarter to give the Hokies a 7-3 lead.

Eddie Royal returned a punt 54 yards to set up Ore's second touchdown. Royal then threw a 53-yard TD pass to tight end Sam Wheeler on for a 21-3 lead.

Georgia answered with its own big plays. Following Coutu's second field goal, a successful onside kick set up Stafford's 6-yard touchdown pass to Milner.

Taylor's first interception gave Georgia possession at the Virginia Tech 43 early in the fourth quarter. On first down, Stafford faked a handoff and passed 41 yards to Milner to the 2. Kregg Lumpkin scored from the 3, and the 2-point conversion tied the game at 21-21.

Coutu was good on field goals from 39, 51 and 28 yards in his first game since Sept. 30. He missed the final seven games of the regular season with a hamstring injury.

Virginia Tech defensive end Noland Burchette left the game in the first half after breaking his left arm. The Hokies lost cornerback Brandon Flowers to a sprained right ankle in the third quarter.

http://sports.myway.com/news/12302006/v4518.html

brady_branch

12-31-2006, 06:25 AM

Won it on the foot of a walk on kicker who before this fall had never played the game of football on any level....I sense an ESPN movie in the near future :D

And that would be one I'd actually watch!

redlegsfan21

12-31-2006, 10:39 PM

By TIM REYNOLDS
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -Larry Coker went out a winner, just as his players promised.

Kirby Freeman threw for 272 yards and two long TDs, ran for another score, and Chavez Grant made a diving interception with 18 seconds left in the Hurricanes' 21-20 victory over Nevada in the MPC Computers Bowl on Sunday night, Coker's final game at Miami.

"I still love these players," Coker said. "And I'm very happy for the win."

Nevada had a first down at the Miami 36 in the final minute, but Grant's pick sealed the win and got Coker the perfect sendoff that his players wanted.

"I don't know what grade Chavez is, but I think he's a veteran now," Coker said of the freshman. "I just told them (after the game) there's a lot of special things that are going to happen. There's a lot of greatness in that room."

Coker was fired Nov. 24 but agreed to stay for the bowl game - largely, he said, because the players wanted him there. He finished his six years with a 60-15 record and one national title, and by the time the team charter lands Monday morning in South Florida, defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will have officially taken over as Coker's replacement.

Still, while battling temperatures in the upper 20s and wind that made it feel 10 degrees colder - Freeman shouted "I'm freezing" on the sideline at one point - the Hurricanes found a way to send Coker out a winner.

"Larry Coker and Randy Shannon are both gentlemen," Miami athletic director Paul Dee said. "This wouldn't have worked for us unless we were dealing with two fine people."

Freeman threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Sam Shields with 5:59 left in the third quarter to break what was a 14-14 tie and put the Hurricanes (7-6) ahead for good and ensure the program's ninth straight winning season. Freeman also had a 52-yard scoring pass to Ryan Moore late in the first half.

Jeff Rowe threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Marko Mitchell, and Brett Jaekle kicked four field goals for Nevada (8-5), including 44- and 40-yarders in the fourth quarter to get Nevada within a point. But the Wolf Pack got no closer, thanks largely to Grant's heroics at the end.

"That last pass Jeff just threw a 10th of a second late," Nevada coach Chris Ault said. "But it was a great game."

Rowe was 20-of-31 for 192 yards for Nevada, and Robert Hubbard had 60 yards on 20 carries.

"We had our chances," Ault said. "That's what is tough. We had our opportunities ... and just didn't make the right play at the right time."

Shields caught four passes for 101 yards for Miami, while Moore made only two catches, but finished with 96 yards for the Hurricanes, who held a slim 300-297 edge in total offense.

Down by seven entering the final quarter against the fifth-ranked defense in the country, Nevada nearly pulled off a comeback - and may have been denied a great scoring opportunity by a call that didn't go its way.

Facing a third-and-10 from the Miami 28, Rowe dropped back to throw to Anthony Pudewell inside the Miami 10. Pudewell was hit by Kenny Phillips as he tried to catch the ball, which bounced in the air. Replays showed that Pudewell trapped the ball between his knees before it hit the turf, but officials ruled it incomplete and the Wolf Pack eventually settled for a field goal.

"He said he caught it," Rowe said, "so I'm with him."

But at the end, there could be no debate about Grant's game-sealing catch.

"He'll be an All-American next year," Hurricanes defensive end Calais Campbell said. "You watch."

Rowe was trying to throw toward the right sideline, but Grant broke perfectly for the quick pass, lunged and cradled it as he sprawled to the blue turf - as the Miami sideline broke into wild celebration.

A season that had the Hurricanes endure the shooting death of defensive lineman Bryan Pata, fallout from the on-field brawl against Florida International and then Coker's firing got an ending worth smiling about.

"That's the thing the most proud of, the way our players competed," Coker said.

http://sports.myway.com/news/01012007/v8280.html

redlegsfan21

01-01-2007, 06:49 PM

By FRED GOODALL
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Joe Paterno insisted all along that he needed his players and assistant coaches more than they needed him in the Outback Bowl.

Maybe the longtime Penn State coach was right.

With Paterno watching from the press box while recovering from a broken leg, Tony Hunt ran for 158 yards and Tony Davis returned a fumble 88 yards for a touchdown Monday, leading the Nittany Lions to a 20-10 victory over No. 17 Tennessee.

Anthony Morelli threw a 2-yard TD pass to Andrew Quarless and Kevin Kelly kicked two field goals for Penn State, helping Paterno - the all-time leader in bowl wins - get his 22nd postseason victory.

"They need me like they need a hole in the head," Paterno said. "But I don't like it up there. It's not much fun."

Penn State (9-4) forced three turnovers in holding Tennessee (9-4) to a season-low point total, and the Nittany Lions improved to 16-6 in New Year's Day bowls under their 80-year-old coach.

"You play against Joe Paterno's football teams, they're going to be tough, they're going to disciplined, they're going to be able to run the football," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who also lost to Penn State in the 1994 Florida Citrus Bowl.

"I knew that, having been there before. I learned some great lessons from him the last time. If we take care of the football better, at least it's a more interesting game there at the end."

Paterno broke his shinbone and tore two ligaments in his left knee in a sideline collision during a loss at Wisconsin on Nov. 4. He watched Penn State's next game from home - the first he'd missed since 1977 - and returned to Beaver Stadium to watch the season finale against Michigan State from the press box.

As late as Sunday, Paterno remained optimistic about being on the sideline for his record 33rd bowl appearance, although he stressed he would only do so if he felt up to it physically and didn't think it would be a distraction to his players.

He wore his signature rolled-up khakis and blue-and-white Penn State jacket and spent a few minutes on the field during pregame warmups. He shook hands with Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer and other well-wishers before returning to the locker room.

Sloppy weather - the game was played through intermittent rain - contributed to Paterno's decision to join some of his assistants in a booth high above the field.

"And I got worried about whether I'd be able to stand for over three hours," the coach said, adding that he also consulted with Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli.

"He said why don't you go upstairs and if you feel you've got to come down, come down. I have a great staff. They've been with me a long time. ... All I do is get in the way. I've got to yell once in a while so people think I'm earning my money."

The sometimes cantankerous coach was shown on television pounding his fist on a table when Kelly's 45-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left in the first quarter. The kicker later missed attempts of 54 and 50 yards with the score tied 10-10.

Penn State viewed Monday's game as a final opportunity to assess how far it has come since a lopsided loss to Notre Dame early in the season.

The Nittany Lions were more competitive in subsequent losses to Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin, and Paterno felt an opponent as highly regarded as Tennessee would be an excellent gauge of where his team is heading.

Morelli's TD pass to Quarless finished an eight-play, 92-yard drive - Penn State's longest of the season - and gave the Nittany Lions a short-lived 10-3 lead.

LaMarcus Coker countered for Tennessee a little more than 2 minutes later, using a nifty straight-arm to fend off linebacker Sean Lee before sprinting through a hole on the left side and outrunning the pursuit to finish a 42-yard touchdown run.

It remained 10-10 until Davis picked up a fumble by Tennessee's Arian Foster and raced untouched up the left sideline to put Penn State ahead for good with 10 minutes remaining. Kelly added his second field goal with 3:29 left.

Morelli completed 14 of 25 passes for 197 yards and no interceptions, and Hunt compiled his eighth 100-yard game rushing this season on 31 carries.

Erik Ainge was 25-of-37 for 267 yards, but also threw his first interception since Oct. 21 for Tennessee. The Volunteers were threatening to break the 10-10 tie after his 53-yard completion to Chris Brown. However, Lee hit Foster on the next play to force the fumble that Davis returned for his TD.

"I was trapped under a couple of defenders, and I saw him going down the sideline," Foster said. "It made it tough to get up. ... It's a tough pill to swallow."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01012007/v0397.html

redlegsfan21

01-01-2007, 06:50 PM

By JOHN ZENOR

DALLAS (AP) -Once again, Auburn was giving up drive-killing sacks, struggling to run the ball and producing scant yardage.

The 10th-ranked Tigers managed a feeble 46 first-half yards and had to rely on big plays from special teams and defense for a 17-14 victory over No. 22 Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl on Monday.

It was hardly the offensive explosion they were hoping for with quarterback Brandon Cox, tailback Kenny Irons and receiver Courtney Taylor back in good health.

"It's just what you call sloppy football," Taylor said. "We didn't play our best game, but at the same time we got the job done. That's what we've been doing all year long. That's the key thing, to come out with the victory."

The Tigers (11-2) are better at racking up wins than big yardage. They had just 178 total yards against the Cornhuskers (9-5), their fourth time being held to less than 215 yards this season.

Their two touchdowns came on drives totaling 23 yards in the first half, following Nebraska's botched fourth-down attempt and an interception by Karibi Dede.

"We got off to a slow start, but that's kind of been the story all year," Cox said. "We've been a second-half team all year."

The Tigers fared better in the second half but were hardly prolific.

Auburn finally managed to get some yards and first downs, but the only resulting points came on John Vaughn's 42-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.

"Offensively, we just never got consistent but we did run time off the clock in the second half to give our defense a little break," coach Tommy Tuberville said. "When it's all said and done, this team won as a group all year long."

Irons couldn't come up with any big plays despite finally having a healthy ankle. He managed just 72 yards on 24 carries and fumbled to end a promising drive to start the third quarter. Cox passed for just 111 yards and a touchdown and lost a fumble near midfield in the fourth quarter. The defense bailed Auburn out with another stop.

A 21-yard catch by Taylor and freshman Ben Tate's 21-yard run were the only things that qualified as big plays from the Tigers' offense.

Offensive coordinator Al Borges could live with the humble stats since his team won.

"This team, although painful to watch at times as a coach, has a tremendous belief in their ability to win games," Borges said. "As long as they don't shoot themselves in the foot to a point where they just knock themselves completely out like we did against Georgia or like we did against Arkansas, we'll find a way to win the game."

Fullback Carl Stewart accounted for both touchdowns, a 9-yard catch and a 1-yard run.

For the second straight game, the offense fared best in capitalizing on mistakes by the opposing team. Dede's interception and 52-yard return set up Stewart's TD catch.

The Tigers took over at the Cornhuskers 14 on their next series after a botched reverse exchange on the fake punt.

Against Alabama, two of Auburn's three touchdowns were set up by fumbles.

"It's not always the way I like to play football," Borges said. "I'd rather light the scoreboard up and all that. But I'll take it. I'll take 11 wins, however you can get 11 wins."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01012007/v0631.html

redlegsfan21

01-01-2007, 06:51 PM

By TRAVIS REED

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -Sometimes even triple coverage isn't enough to stop Calvin Johnson.

Johnson leapt between two West Virginia defenders and in front of a third for a 32-yard reception in the third quarter of the Gator Bowl on Monday, one of his nine catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns in Georgia Tech's 38-35 loss.

The All-American junior made the Mountaineers' secondary look helpless all day in what may have been his collegiate finale. Johnson is considering forgoing his senior year for the NFL, and the 6-foot-5 wideout looked ready to make the transition.

"I'll have to sit down and decide it pretty soon," Johnson said.

Johnson wouldn't give any hints after the game about his intentions but said he and his family would make the decision together.

"After this, it's going to be a hard decision, I know that," said quarterback Tyler Bennett, thankful for having Johnson to throw to in his second career start. "Whatever he decides, it will be the right decision for him. Everyone wants him to stay but all the NFL guys want him to go."

Johnson's yardage total on Monday put him fifth in the Gator Bowl record book - and in pretty good company. He finished behind Andre Rison, Javon Walker and Fred Biletnikoff and in front of Marvin Harrison.

"His play today was typical. That's what we've come to expect from Calvin," Tech coach Chan Gailey said.

Johnson won the Biletnikoff Award this year as the nation's top receiver and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. Before Monday's game, he had 1,016 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns, fourth-best in the country.

For his size, Johnson is also extremely athletic. He runs a 4.4 40-yard dash and has a 45-inch vertical leap. The combination makes him difficult to defend, even with a scheme keyed to stop him.

"What can you say about Calvin Johnson? We knew coming in he was going to be dangerous, but he just ran over top of us," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said.

http://sports.myway.com/news/01012007/v0913.html

redlegsfan21

01-01-2007, 06:52 PM

By EDDIE PELLS

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -There were no Heismans or national titles up for grabs in this one for Southern California. It was hard to tell, though, given the way Dwayne Jarrett, John David Booty and that suffocating USC defense played.

Jarrett, the sensational USC receiver, caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns to help the eighth-ranked Trojans finish their season with a statement Monday in a 32-18 Rose Bowl romp over Michigan.

Booty threw for 391 yards and four scores to land himself on the early short list of next year's Heisman favorites. Jarrett could be there, too, if he decides to come back. Linebacker Brian Cushing had 2½ sacks and defensive end Lawrence Jackson came up with two turnovers - a fumble recovery and an interception - on a day when USC allowed only 321 yards.

The Trojans (11-2) salvaged something positive at the Rose Bowl and set themselves up as next year's possible preseason No. 1 - all this just four weeks after a 13-9 loss to UCLA in the same stadium wrecked their chances for another shot at the national title.

Jarrett, a junior, showed he's ready for the pros if he so chooses. His 62-yard touchdown behind All-American cornerback Leon Hall put USC ahead 25-11 early in the fourth and showed just how good the 6-foot-5 pass catcher can be.

For icing, Jarrett outjumped a pair of Michigan defenders for a 29-yard gain midway through the fourth quarter. A few plays later, Booty threw his fourth touchdown pass - this one to senior Steve Smith, who finished with seven catches for 108 yards.

On the losing end were Chad Henne, Mike Hart and the rest of the Wolverines (11-2).

They came in wondering if maybe they hadn't gotten a raw deal by being left out of the national title game after a back-and-forth 42-39 loss to Ohio State in the wake of Bo Schembechler's death in November.

But these Wolverines didn't look as good as the ones who lost that heartbreaker in November. And they hardly looked like champions.

Henne didn't get the Wolverines past the USC 20 until they had fallen behind 19-3. When Michigan finally did reach the end zone to cut its deficit to 19-11, the Trojans came right back with the drive capped by Jarrett's long touchdown.

Lloyd Carr's team lost its fourth straight bowl game and ended the season on a two-game losing streak for the third consecutive year. These late-season swoons are becoming a serious problem for a team that has lots of juniors returning next season and, like USC, could be a title contender.

http://sports.myway.com/news/01012007/v1151.html

brady_branch

01-01-2007, 07:28 PM

In the words of Homer Simpson, "Woohoo!"

12th man seahawks fan

01-01-2007, 11:55 PM

So how about Boise State?

Steve_Atwater

01-02-2007, 02:42 AM

What a great finish to that Oklahoma-Boise State game. I caught the 4th quarter and the overtime period, and you had exactly the kind of action and suspense that makes you wonder at just how formidable sports is. Kudos to both teams.

redlegsfan21

01-02-2007, 04:42 AM

By ANDREW BAGNATO

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Boise State proved it belonged in the BCS and started another lively college football debate.

The ninth-ranked Broncos completed a perfect season with an exhilarating 43-42 overtime victory over No. 7 Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl Monday night, leaving Boise State and top-ranked Ohio State as the only teams with perfect records.

The Buckeyes will play No. 2 Florida for the BCS national championship on the same field Jan. 8, but the Broncos (13-0) believe they belong in that game.

And why not? Boise State showed plenty of heart and resilience in edging the Sooners (11-3) in one of the more amazing games in recent memory.

"We went 13-0 and beat everyone on our schedule," said quarterback Jared Zabransky, selected the offensive MVP after completing 19 of 29 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns. "We deserve a chance at the national title."

The Sooners endorse the Broncos.

"They should be up there playing for a national championship - 12-0, finish the season 13-0 - and hopefully they get some more looks in the future," linebacker Zach Latimer said. "At least a chance. That's all you ask for is a chance. You never know what can happen."

If the Fiesta Bowl was any indication, it would certainly be fun to watch.

In one of the most dramatic finishes in BCS history, the Sooners and the Broncos combined for 22 points in the final 86 seconds of regulation.

Boise State blew an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter, then twice rallied from seven-point deficits.

"Yeah, another day at the office, huh?" said Boise State coach Chris Petersen, who remains undefeated as a head coach.

The Broncos appeared to be finished when Oklahoma cornerback Marcus Walker intercepted Zabransky's pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to put the Sooners ahead 35-28 with 1:02 remaining.

"It would have been easy to give up on us with a minute left, but we had a lot of magic left," Zabransky said.

The magic came on a stunning 50-yard touchdown play on fourth-and-18 in the final seconds of regulation. Zabransky hit Drisan James at Oklahoma's 35, and James pitched the ball to Jerard Rabb, who raced into the end zone with 7 seconds to play.

Zabransky said the Broncos practice that play almost every day in practice but that it rarely works against the Boise State defense, which usually knows when it's coming.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said the Sooners were looking for a trick play. But he said the Broncos ran this one to perfection.

"I want to give them credit because I thought they executed it in a really good way," Stoops said. "It's just the circumstances, the way it happened. They hit it perfect."

That play merely set the stage for more Broncos magic.

Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson opened the overtime with a 25-yard touchdown run. It may have been the final college play for Peterson, who ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns in his first game since breaking his left collarbone Oct. 14.

The Broncos answered with Vinny Perretta's fourth-down touchdown pass to Derek Schouman. With Boise State down by a point, Petersen decided to go for the victory.

On the decisive play, Zabransky looked at three wide receivers to his right, then handed the ball behind his back to tailback Ian Johnson, who raced untouched into the end zone.

"We were trying to get to it earlier, to tell you the truth," Petersen said. "We needed a play like that to get it over with."

Moments after Johnson ended the game, he asked his girlfriend, Broncos cheerleader Chrissy Popadics, to marry him.

"There was no better time," Johnson said.

Johnson carried 23 times for 101 yards and a touchdown, and Drisan James caught three passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

Oklahoma's Paul Thompson threw a career-high three interceptions. He completed 19 of 32 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns.

The wild finish came after Boise State dominated the first 40 minutes, making it clear that the Western Athletic Conference champion deserved a BCS berth.

Oklahoma didn't go quietly. The Sooners spotted the Broncos an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter, then rallied to take a 35-28 lead on Walker's interception.

That came one play after the Sooners tied it at 28. They Sooners cut it to 28-26 on a 5-yard pass from Paul Thompson to Quentin Chaney with 1:26 to play. After penalties on their first two 2-point conversion tries, the Sooners converted when Thompson hit Juaquin Iglesias.

Thompson completed five passes for 59 yards on the tying drive and also ran for 8 yards.

The Broncos stunned the Sooners with two quick touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

The first came on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Zabransky to James, a Phoenix product. Zabransky froze the defense with a play-fake to Johnson, then fired to James, who was all alone 10 yards behind cornerback Walker.

On the next series, defensive end Mike T. Williams sacked Sooners quarterback Paul Thompson, who fumbled. Williams recovered at Oklahoma's 9.

Two plays later, Johnson scored from 2 yards out to give the Broncos a 14-0 lead with 7:28 left in the first quarter.

The Sooners cut the lead to 14-10 before Zabransky and James connected again shortly before the half. But the best was yet to come.

"It could be argued as the best game ever," Zabransky said.

And it could be argued that Boise State was in the wrong BCS game.

"I think we went out and proved the nation wrong," said Boise State safety Marty Tadman, who had two interceptions, one of which he returned 27 yards for a touchdown. "I'm tired of people doubting us."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01022007/v2044.html

ATLFalcons

01-02-2007, 01:48 PM

That game was a thriller, from the lateral to put the game into to OT, to the back to back trick plays to win it.

redlegsfan21

01-03-2007, 04:54 PM

By STEVEN WINE
MIAMI (AP) -Never mind the turnovers and the sloppy first three quarters. Soon after the No. 5 Louisville Cardinals won the Orange Bowl, they had their sights on bigger things.

"Right now, coming back and trying to win a national title looks very appealing," junior quarterback Brian Brohm said.

The Cardinals overcame a rash of mistakes Tuesday night to earn their first major-bowl victory in 15 years, beating Wake Forest 24-13.

Brohm threw for 311 yards and Anthony Allen scored two touchdowns, one on a trick play, to help Louisville finish 12-1 and clinch its highest end-of-season ranking ever.

"This is a big win for our program," said Harry Douglas, who made 10 catches for 165 yards. "We're becoming a national power. It had to start with this game."

The Cardinals blew an 18-point lead in their lone loss at Rutgers, which likely cost them a chance to play for the national title.

"We start off with a high ranking next year," said receiver Patrick Carter, who threw a touchdown pass. "We've proved ourselves, and we need to keep proving ourselves."

The Cardinals averaged 39 points and ranked second in the nation in total offense this season, but fell behind 13-10 in the final period before their high-powered offense got into gear. Touchdown drives of 81 and 71 yards on consecutive possessions sealed their first win in a major bowl since the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.

The No. 15 Demon Deacons slipped to 11-3, still their best season.

"Looking back on our season, you definitely have to be happy with what we did," linebacker Jon Abbate said. "We turned the corner for Wake Forest football."

Through three quarters, the Demon Deacons appeared on the verge of an upset, as squandered opportunities plagued the Cardinals. Louisville lost two fumbles in Wake Forest territory, Mario Urrutia dropped a potential 62-yard touchdown pass, and Art Carmody - the Lou Groza Award winner - was wide right on a 32-yard field goal attempt, only his fourth miss this season.

"We weren't holding onto the ball," center Eric Wood said. "We weren't helping ourselves."

Alphonso Smith nearly blocked Carmody's errant kick and also harried Louisville's punter into a 14-yard boot that set up a 44-yard field goal by Sam Swank of Wake Forest.

Like Louisville, the Demon Deacons failed to convert several scoring chances. They committed three turnovers in Cardinal territory, and after moving 36 yards in the final minute of the first half, Swank missed a 47-yard field goal.

"Too many mistakes," coach Jim Grobe said.

But Swank made a 36-yarder to cap a 61-yard drive and put the Demon Deacons ahead 13-10 early in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals responded with an eight-play drive capped by Allen's 1-yard plunge for a 17-13 lead with 12:31 to go. They quickly forced a punt, and mounted a 10-play drive that ended with Brock Bolen's 18-yard scoring run.

Brohm directed the drives, finished 24-for-34 and was chosen the game's most valuable player. He said he's leaning toward returning for his senior season next fall.

"We've got a great team coming back, and it'd be hard to pass up," Brohm said.

His yardage total was the third-highest in Orange Bowl history, behind only Michigan's Tom Brady and Southern Cal's Matt Leinart.

"He's a smart guy," Douglas said. "He throws the ball where we need to have it and puts us in great position, and I love him."

Wake Forest's Riley Skinner went 21-for-33 for 271 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

"It never helps to lose in the fourth quarter," he said. "That kind of leaves a thorn in your side."

The Demon Deacons trailed 10-3 at halftime but scored on their first possession of the third period when Nate Morton slipped behind the Louisville secondary to catch a 30-yard TD pass from Skinner.

The Cardinals sputtered early but pulled out a trick play to score their first touchdown.

Brohm threw a lateral to Carter, who stopped and threw across the field deep to Allen for the score. The 21-yard pass was the first this season by Carter, a quarterback at Georgia Tech before he transferred.

"We've been working on it all year, but I didn't think we would run it tonight," Carter said. "I couldn't believe it when coach signaled it in the huddle."

Trick plays backfired early on for the Demon Deacons, who twice tried reverses in the first quarter. The first lost 17 yards and the second lost 10.

The bowl game was only the seventh for Wake Forest in 105 seasons.

"It's sort of bittersweet - we got here but didn't win," tackle Steve Vallos said. "At the same time, it was still a great accomplishment for the team."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01032007/v5785.html

redlegsfan21

01-06-2007, 08:37 PM

By PAUL NEWBERRY

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -JaMarcus Russell cocked his head, glanced toward the towering Superdome stands and soaked up the pleas of the LSU faithful.

"One more year! One more year!" they screamed.

The way the mammoth quarterback played against Notre Dame, there seems little reason for him to spend any more time in college.

Russell thoroughly outperformed Brady Quinn and sent Notre Dame to another postseason meltdown, leading No. 4 LSU to a 41-14 rout of college football's most storied program Wednesday night.

The Sugar Bowl returned to New Orleans with a Cajun-style party, which left the 11th-ranked Fighting Irish with a most unwanted spot in the record book. They lost their ninth straight bowl game, more than any other school.

"I just think," LSU coach Les Miles said, "I've got the best quarterback in the country."

Certainly he had the best on this night. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound Russell completed 21 of 34 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns. He also had his first rushing score of the season and set up another TD with a 31-yard pass.

Russell and LSU's feared defense took control after halftime, turning a tenuous 21-14 game into a laugher. The Tigers (11-2) outgained Notre Dame by a staggering 333 yards to 30 over the final two quarters.

After a brilliant junior season, Russell hasn't decided whether he will return to LSU (11-2) for his senior year. But he would likely be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the draft.

"I really do think I'm one of the best in college football," Russell said. "You can't take that opinion away from me."

And what about the NFL?

"I'm not really thinking about leaving early right now," Russell insisted. "I've got a lot of time to sit down with my family and coaches and talk about that. I'm just happy we got the victory."

The school of Touchdown Jesus and Knute Rockne snapped a tie with South Carolina and West Virginia for most consecutive bowl losses in NCAA history. And this was like most of the others, a double-digit blowout that showed Notre Dame still has work to do if it wants to compete with the nation's best.

"We've got to turn the corner," coach Charlie Weis said. "Right now, we're just a nice, solid team. That won't cut it. We want to be an upper-echelon team."

Quinn doesn't have a decision to make about his pro future, but the senior's hopes of being the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft may have taken a blow. He struggled to cope with the speed and size of LSU's defense, completing just 15-of-35 for 148 yards, his two TD passes offset by two interceptions.

"They took it from us in the third quarter," Quinn said. "I'm proud of my guys. ... We laid the groundwork for these guys to do great things in the future."

LSU romped after halftime. After a pair of field goals by Colt David, Russell blew it open with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell in the final minute of the third quarter.

Notre Dame (10-3) bounced back from an early 14-0 deficit and tied the game with 2½ minutes left in the first half. But Russell's took matters in his own hands - and legs - to put the Tigers ahead to stay before the teams went to the locker room.

First, Russell went deep to Early Doucet for a 58-yard completion. Then, Russell scored himself on a 5-yard keeper up the middle.

Russell said his matchup with Quinn wasn't personal.

"My main thing was to play a good game against Brady Quinn's defense," Russell said. "I wasn't playing against him."

Notre Dame hasn't won a postseason game since its 24-21 victory over Texas A&M in the 1994 Cotton Bowl. "O-ver-ra-ted!" the Tiger-dominated crowd roared after freshman Keiland Williams ripped off his second touchdown of the game, a 20-yard run with just under 7½ minutes remaining.

But the biggest cheers came on LSU's next possession. Russell made one handoff, then came out of the game to standing ovation.

Notre Dame was determined to get off to a strong start, but it sure didn't work out that way. Weis called a fake punt that backfired, and the Irish looked just as tight and nervous as they did at the beginning of blowout losses to Michigan and Southern Cal.

At least they didn't fold until the second half, fighting back to tie the game at 14.

The offenses had their way, with three 80-yard scoring drives and another covering 82. The only exception followed the fake punt on Notre Dame's opening possession. With the Irish facing fourth-and-3 at their own 34, the coach called for a direct snap to up-back Travis Thomas, but he was stuffed for no gain.

Two plays later, LSU had the lead. Russell hooked up with Doucet on a 31-yard pass and Williams powered over from the 3.

The Tigers made it 14-0 on their next possession. Russell broke off a 21-yard run on a draw to get deep into Notre Dame territory, and finished off the drive with an 11-yard scoring pass to Dwayne Bowe.

Notre Dame's next possession started ominously - Quinn was sacked for a 10-yard loss. But Darius Walker ran for 11 yards and turned a short pass into a 21-yard gain. Quinn finished it off with 24-yard TD pass to David Grimes.

Walker rushed for all but 3 of his 128 yards in the first half.

David missed a 31-yard field goal try, and Notre Dame responded to that momentum-changer with the tying touchdown as Quinn went to his favorite receiver, Jeff Samardzija, on a 10-yard TD pass.

The game marked another step in New Orleans' rebuilding effort from Hurricane Katrina. The Sugar Bowl was played last year in Atlanta because of massive damage to the Superdome, but a $185 million renovation got the stadium up and running in late September.

Thousands of Notre Dame and LSU fans descended on the Big Easy, which still has areas that look like a war zone from the flooding caused by Katrina more than 16 months ago.

But Bourbon Street sure was hoppin' with purple and gold.

http://sports.myway.com/news/01042007/v9353.html

redlegsfan21

01-06-2007, 08:39 PM

TORONTO (AP) -Kevin Lovell's 33-yard, fourth-quarter field goal lifted Cincinnati to a 27-24 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday in the International Bowl - the first college bowl played in Canada and first outside the United States since 1937.
Lovell's kick with 8:49 left came after a 7-yard touchdown run by Western Michigan's Brandon West tied it. The Bearcats led 24-0 early in the second quarter, and barely held on. The Broncos had a chance to force overtime with 1:21 remaining, but Nate Meyer's 51-yard field-goal attempt was wide.

Brian Kelly enjoyed a winning debut as Bearcats coach. Kelly began the season at Central Michigan before going to Cincinnati on Dec. 4 to replace Mark Dantonio, who went to Michigan State. Kelly led Central Michigan past the Broncos 31-7 on Nov. 10, making him the first NCAA coach to earn beat a school in the same season with two teams.

Dominick Goodman, the game MVP with seven catches for 109 yards, had two touchdowns for Cincinnati with John Bowie scoring the other. Lovell added two field goals. Jamarko Simmons and Herb Martin scored touchdowns for the Broncos. Meyer added a field goal.

Cincinnati (8-5, 4-3 Big East) made its fifth bowl appearance in seven years and first since beating Marshall 32-14 in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl.

Western Michigan (8-5, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) made its first bowl appearance since 1988 and third in school history. While the Broncos have yet to win one, they've made improvements under coach Bill Cubit, who took over a program that lost 10 games in 2004.

The game was played before a Rogers Centre crowd of 26,717.

"I am absolutely ecstatic," bowl director Don Loding said. "We had a great football game, a great crowd and great energy in the building. We've brought NCAA football across the border. Now we look to come back bigger and better, we keep building and growing."

Bowie opened the scoring, returning an interception 25 yards for the touchdown at 3:28 of the first quarter. Davila's 21-yard touchdown pass to Goodman at 8:33 put Cincinnati up 14-0. The two combined on a second 21-yard touchdown just 30 seconds into the second quarter.

Western Michigan used trickery to get on the board. E.J. Biggers, a sophomore cornerback, hit a streaking Simmons on a 76-yard option pass off a double reverse at 5:15. That lifted the Broncos, who forced Cincinnati to punt, then put together a 75-yard march that Ryan Cubit ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Martin at 9:25.

An interception by Western Michigan's Matt Luderman set up Meyer's 30-yard field goal at 14:52 to pull the Broncos within 24-17 at halftime.

"The trick plays kept us running all over the field," Cincinnati linebacker Kevin McCullough said. "I'm sure a lot of people on the sidelines and in the stands thought we had this game but I knew it would come down to the final drive."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01062007/v9604.html

redlegsfan21

01-08-2007, 04:34 AM

By JOHN ZENOR
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -With big plays, a marathon drive and a smothering defense, Southern Miss gave Ohio a tough lesson on postseason play.

The Golden Eagles also gave a pretty good tutorial on how to make a halftime lead hold up in a 28-7 victory over the Bobcats on Sunday night in the GMAC Bowl.

After a scoreless first quarter, Southern Miss (9-5) scored 21 second-quarter points then surged out of halftime with a season-long 17-play touchdown drive that effectively ended any comeback threat.

"Even though we were up 21-0 at halftime we talked about going out there and really making a statement in the second half," said Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bower, whose team did just that.

Frank Solich's Bobcats (9-5) were making their first bowl appearance since 1968, but that euphoria wore off quickly as the game turned into a mismatch

They are 0-3 in bowl games and failed to match their school record of 10 wins. It was a rough ending to a feel-good story that saw Solich, a former Nebraska coach, revive a struggling program that won only four games in his debut season.

"We've got many more steps to take," he said. "It's obvious we've got work to do."

But, he added, "I don't think our team was awed by where we were at."

By contrast, Southern Miss is accustomed to postseason play, making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance and ninth in 10 years.

The Golden Eagles used a series of big plays in the final 8:33 of the first half for the three-touchdown lead.

First, backup tailback Tory Harrison scampered for a 43-yard touchdown run, only his second of the season. Jeremy Young then set up Damion Fletcher's second first of two touchdowns - a 2-yard TD plunge - with a 30-yard pass to Josh Barnes on third-and-10.

The defense added points, too. James Denley returned an interception of Ohio backup quarterback Brad Bower 18 yards for a score with 1:13 left before the half.

It was the Golden Eagles' seventh non-offensive TD of the season, the most under Bower.

"We played one of the best defensive games we've played all year," said Denley, the game's defensive MVP. "Guys were swarming everywhere.

"They tried to run right at us, and we were prepared for that."

After the teams combined for just 82 offensive yards in the first quarter, Southern Miss racked up 150 in the second.

The Golden Eagles then monopolized the ball, opening the second half with that ball-hogging, 80-yard drive that worked 9:55 off the clock and severely damaged any hopes for a comeback by Ohio's plodding offense.

It was the team's longest drive of the season in both plays and time consumed.

Solich and his offense watched helpless from the sidelines for "it seemed like a day and a half," he said.

Fletcher ended it by reversing field behind the line and outrunning the defenders for a 9-yard TD.

"That's the way you want to come out and start the second half," Bower said.

The darting, 175-pound freshman managed just 58 yards on 20 carries but it was enough for him to earn game Most Valuable Player honors. Young was the offensive MVP after passing for 160 yards.

Punter Britt Barefoot claimed special teams honors.

Ohio tailback Kalvin McRae capped a difficult week with a 10-carry, 37-yard performance. The two-time All-Mid-American Conference performer only arrived in Mobile Friday evening after his 7-month-old nephew's death.

Both offenses struggled. Southern Miss managed just 284 yards compared to 224 for Ohio.

Once the Golden Eagles stopped McRae, Austen Everson and Bower were unable to bring their team back. Everson was 14-for-34 for 175 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to John Christy with 9:34 left in the fourth quarter. Bower completed just one of his three attempts for 2 yards.

"They made it hard for us to get the ground game going and when we sat there and tried to throw, they just made it tough," Everson said. "We knew they were fast and we knew they were athletic, and they proved that."

It was the first loss by a MAC team in six GMAC Bowl appearances.

Solich was noncommittal when asked about whether he planned to remain at Ohio next season. He has been rumored as a candidate to replace Glen Mason at Minnesota.

Asked about his future, he praised athletic director Kirby Hocutt and President Roderick McDavis instead of promising a return.

"Without the support we have from those two guys," Solich said, "there's no way we'd be able to get done what we got done this year."

http://sports.myway.com/news/01082007/v4949.html

redlegsfan21

01-09-2007, 04:38 AM

By BEN WALKER
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Everybody got it wrong except the Gators.

Turns out Florida was too good to be on the same field as Ohio State, and that Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and the Buckeyes were the ones who weren't worthy.

Coach Urban Meyer's once-beaten Gators dominated the undefeated Buckeyes and streaked to college football's national championship, 41-14 on Monday night.

Florida got all but one of the 65 first-place votes in the final Associated Press poll. Ohio State dropped from No. 1 and finished second.

"Honestly, we've played a lot better teams than them," Florida defensive end Jarvis Moss said. "I could name four or five teams in the SEC that could probably compete with them and play the same type of game we did against them."

Chris Leak and Tim Tebow showed off Meyer's twin quarterback system to perfection as the Gators became the first Division I school to hold national titles in football and basketball at the same time.

Now, only one question remains: What about 13-0 Boise State, the last undefeated team left standing after stunning Oklahoma on the very same field in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day? The No. 5 Broncos got the other first-place vote in the AP poll.

Florida's amazingly easy victory left the Gators with a 13-1 record and the Buckeyes at 12-1. That, and with Wisconsin and Louisville also having lost just once, will almost surely renew calls for a playoff system.

"I love Boise State. We don't want to go play them. We're done, we're done, we're finished," Meyer said.

"There are probably five, six, seven great football teams in this country and there is one way to figure out who the better team is and that's to go play the game," he said.

Ohio State started out like the one-touchdown favorite it was, but only for an instant.

Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, but then it quickly fell apart for the Buckeyes. Ginn hurt his foot in the touchdown celebration and hobbled off after Ohio State's first offensive play.

By the time he returned for the second half on crutches, Florida led 34-14.

"We scored on the first play of the game and from that point on really couldn't keep the pressure where we needed it to be," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said.

"Ohio State didn't get it done," he said.

Meyer had a word for the critics who demeaned the Gators.

"I'd like to thank all those people. Our pregame speech was easy," he said.

Leak, maligned for never winning the big one, completed 25 of 36 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. The Rambo-like Tebow threw for one TD and powered into the end zone for another.

"My legacy was to get the University of Florida back here," Leak said.

Smith, meanwhile, joined a long list of Heisman Trophy quarterbacks - Jason White, Eric Crouch and Gino Torretta, among them - to fall apart in bowl games. He was just 4-of-14 for 35 yards with one interception, sacked him five times and held him to minus-29 yards on 10 runs.

"Not everything in life is going to go the exact way you want it," Smith said. "I don't have any regrets, though. I really don't. We came out and fought. We came up short.

"Sometimes you have great games and sometimes you don't."

Defensive ends Derrick Harvey and Moss made it a miserable night for Smith. Linebacker Earl Everett got into the act, too, running down Smith on one play despite missing his helmet.

"Nobody never gave us a chance at all," Florida receiver Dallas Baker said. "We came here with a chip on our shoulder and something to prove. Nobody gave us a chance, but finally we can throw up the No. 1."

It was the second national title for Florida, adding to the one Heisman winner Danny Wuerffel brought home in 1996 under coach Steve Spurrier with a 52-20 romp over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

This time, the man in charge was the 42-year-old Meyer, once a .200 hitter in the low minors in Atlanta's baseball farm system. Since then, he's made a rocket rise in the coaching ranks, topped off by a title in his second year at Florida.

The trophy will make a perfect bookend for the one the basketball Gators won by beating UCLA for the national championship in Indianapolis last spring.

"How do I compare them? Both have confetti landing on my head," athletic director Jeremy Foley said. "I couldn't believe it in April, I can't believe it now. I can't believe I can talk about it without jinxing us. Obviously, things had to break our way to even get here."

Tressel's team, meanwhile, looked as if it belonged at the Holiday Bowl, because it took this night off. Given 51 days to prepare, the Buckeyes were confused from the get-go once Florida got the ball.

In the first football matchup between these schools - they've both played the sport for 100-plus years - the Gators emphatically stopped Ohio State's 19-game winning streak.

The Buckeyes beat a pair of No. 2 teams, defending champion Texas and Michigan, earlier in the season, but they were no match for Florida's speed, strategy and style.

Ohio State hoped to win its fifth national title, having taken it behind Maurice Clarett in 2002.

But these Buckeyes looked completely flummoxed by Florida's frenetic offense at the outset. Trying to match up with the Gators' shifting formations, they often jumped around at the line and still were out of position.

Leak gladly took advantage of the confusion, picking wide-open receivers at will and hitting his first nine passes. Criticized most of his career for a lack of fire, the guy with the soft, green eyes seemed real comfortable.

By the end, the numbers were numbing. Florida outgained the Buckeyes 370 yards to 82, led in first downs 21-8 and time of possession 40:48 to 19:12.

"They earned the national championship, no doubt about it," Tressel said.

Meyer's gadgets made it easy pickings for the Gators. They came out in a five-wide set after Ginn's kickoff return, and Leak hit Baker with a tying, 14-yard touchdown pass.

The next time they touched the ball, the Gators let Leak, Tebow and scatback Percy Harvin all take direct snaps from center. Harvin later tucked it under his right arm - the one with a lion tattoo - and powered for a 4-yard TD.

A flanker reverse by Andre Caldwell helped Florida move to a third-and-goal at the 2 as the first quarter ended. When the second period began, Meyer immediately reached into his bag of tricks.

Florida put three running backs directly behind Leak - a power-I-plus - and gave the ball to the last one. DeShawn Wynn scored on the first play of the quarter, plunging into the end zone right in front of the Gators' band, for a stunning 21-7 lead.

Ohio State returned to its roots and ran the ball. Antonio Pittman's 18-yard burst made it 21-14 with 13:32 left before halftime.

Undaunted, the Gators came back with something totally out of character, even for them - field goals.

Chris Hetland was only 4-for-13 on kicks this season, and his longest was 33 yards. But Meyer said he would trust him in this game, and Hetland made good, from 42 and 40 yards on the next two possessions.

Hetland's second kick came after Tressel showed a little early desperation, gambling on fourth-and-1 at his own 29 and saw Chris Wells stuffed.

The Buckeyes got the ball on their 20 with less than two minutes left before halftime and were determined to see a score before the break. They did - by Florida.

Moss sacked Smith and forced him to fumble, and the Gators took over at 5. Tebow ran twice up the middle, then faked a quarterback draw, rolled to the left and tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Caldwell.

At 34-14, fans on both sides were stunned as the teams ran to the locker rooms.

"I think we took advantage of the time we had off, getting guys healthy and being able to game-plan things to perfection," Leak said.

http://sports.myway.com/news/01092007/v9335.html