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2010 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: TEXAS VS. ALABAMA

2010 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: TEXAS VS. ALABAMA
by William Queen-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
(eds: note-William writes this piece from Texas' point of view. We will have a second piece from the "Tide's" pointof view over the weekend)

Texas caught the bad end of the BCS in 2008 and, due to a 3-team tie, was forced to sit out the Big 12 championship game which ultimately sent Oklahoma to the BCS national championship game. Though they ended their season off on a good note with a close win over the bowl-bereaving Buckeyes. Quarterback Colt McCoy entered his senior year with very high expectations, as he has yet to win a national championship. Well, needless to say, 13-0 closes the deal. Though their win over Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game was all but certain, the Longhorns still came out with the W and a ticket to the big one. Perhaps their biggest question was the level of difficulty they played throughout the season. But a #1 rushing defense complimented by the #3 scoring offense, stats don’t lie.

With more than a month to build up hype for this game, the media has yet to disappoint. Predictions shoot out in every which way, so why not give it a shot? Plus, with all this extra time to think about it, it better be good.

When it’s game time, the betting lines can say whatever they want, but the real football has yet to be played and the clock has yet to start ticking. But when they do take the field in the most important college football game of the year, predictions won’t matter and the experts aren’t any smarter than the fans sitting at home. Texas, Alabama, who want’s it more?

The game started out all in favor of the Horns. Sending Bama’s offense in reverse and sniffing out a fake punt, Texas had the ball on Alabama’s side of the field with tons of momentum. However, perhaps the most important event of the game, quarterback Colt McCoy left the game due to injury. But all was sound in Texas, as they were winning after a field goal. And as if things couldn’t get any more lopsided to start off the game, the kickoff is recovered by Texas on Bama’s side of the field once again. Yet, the Tide’s defense calmly held Texas to another field goal.

At this point, though every ounce of momentum is in favor of Texas, yet they only lead by a mere six points. A lead that could easily be overshadowed by a quick Alabama touchdown. Their offense hasn’t been up to par since the loss of McCoy. But if Bama keeps it up, it doesn’t matter who’s taking the snap, Texas has this game wrapped up.

Well unfortunately for Texas, the Tide are undefeated for a reason; Ingram caps off their next drive with a touchdown run from 2 yards out. Now losing 7-6, Texas fans are simply praying that Colt McCoy will come back on the field. But he’s long gone in the locker room and wouldn’t be seen for the rest of the half. A personal foul and a few incomplete passes force the Longhorns backwards and into punt formation and after a few of those go by, it’s only a matter of time before Alabama responds. Trent Richardson, Alabama’s 2nd string running back, runs a 49-yard game-changing touchdown and puts the Tide up 14-6.

More and more drives go by and Texas begins to realize that they have virtually no shot at scoring this half. Garrett Gilbert, the backup Texas quarterback, wouldn’t be able to throw a touchdown pass to save his life.
Actually, I take that back. With less than 15 seconds left, Gilbert throws a shovel pass to the running back and his pass is intercepted for a touchdown with just three seconds left n the half.

As a Texas fan, I died a little inside when I watched this play. A true freshman quarterback is forced into a situation where he’s the starting quarterback for Texas in the national championship vs. the #1 defense in Alabama. And what does he do? Throw an interception for a touchdown.

Just as the 2nd half starts, it is announced that Colt McCoy is not going to play for the rest of the game. A legendary career, one of the best quarterbacks of the decade that quarterback sneak for no gain was Colt McCoy’s last play of his collegiate career. Now, Texas has a dilemma. How do they overcome a 24-6 halftime deficit with a true freshman quarterback with almost no confidence on the biggest stage in college sports?

Starting off the half, Gilbert looked a little more stable offensively and started to make some connections with their talented receivers. However, the scoreboard stays the same and the Tide maintain the lead.
Drive after drive went by and Texas’ time started to run out. With under six minutes left in the 3rd quarter now, Texas was attempting to sustain an actual scoring drive. But their success simply didn’t change.
Just as Texas looked like they had absolutely no hope to pull this game together, the Horns get a great stop on defense and gets great field position to start off the drive. The only thing was, could they convert?
The answer is yes.

A 44-yard touchdown pass from Garrett Gilbert to Jordan Shipley sparks the life in Texas Alabama’s lead is cut to just eleven. And hey, while we’re at it, we might as well throw an onside kick in their; Nick Saban isn’t the only coach that can make up bad trick plays. The only difference is that this one worked. Texas recovered the onside kick with great field position with only an eleven point deficit.
The next drive didn’t go quite as expected though. All three downs were passes down field to big-time receivers Jordan Shipley and Malcolm Jenkins; all three incomplete. After the punt, the 3rd quarter came to an end and the final quarter of college football was about to be underway. Perhaps the most impressive unit of the 2nd half, the Horns defense held all three of Bama’s offensive drives to 3-and-outs; a great turn around by the Texas defense.

Alabama started off the 4th quarter with the ball and decides to put an end to all this Texas madness. A drive aided by two Texas personal fouls, one a pass interference and the other illegal touching, the Tide simply wasted time and helped secure their lead while they had the ball in their possession. Texas would’ve had em’ stopped twice before, but, as I mentioned before, two personal fouls put Alabama in decent position to make a scoring drive. On a 52-yard field goal, Alabama missed wide left and gave Texas another chance with just under 11 minutes left in the 4th.

At this point, you can see the game coming to a close. The time has almost winded down to a point of desperation for the Horns. Though it’s only an 11-point game, if Texas doesn’t score here then it’s not looking good.
Tic, Toc; the clock is running and the Horns offense isn’t exactly running along with it. Though the ball is moving down the field, the time is slipping away right before out eyes. Just over 6 minutes left in the game, in the season.
But memories of the 2005 national championship between Texas and USC start to flow back into the minds of Texas fans as Garrett Gilbert connects to Jordan Shipley in the end zone to cut the lead to three! Images of Vince Young running into the corner of the end zone, the confetti and all, seeping into the minds of Texas fans.

Mark Ingram won’t put up with it though, as he carries Alabama’s offense on his back to a few first downs. But once Alabama turned to passing, the drive stalled and were forced to punt with 3:21 left in the game. As if it could be any more nerve racking. Losing 21-24 with 3:21 left to go… in the national championship. The whole season is on the line and in the hands of a true freshman quarterback. The #3 scoring offense in the nation vs. the #1 defense in the nation, Texas-Alabama; this is college football.

The last hope for Texas, the game winning drive. First and ten on their own 17. And they fumble it. Gilbert got hit from behind and fumbled the ball and was recovered by Alabama with just 3:02 left in the game.
A season-breaking play for the Texas Longhorns, all Alabama has to do is waste time and score a touchdown from four yards out and they will have sealed the deal.

First and second down go by, both handoffs to Ingram, and still no touchdown. But the Heisman winner prevails and scores from a yard out on 3rd down to wrap up the national championship game with just over two minutes to go.
Texas started off fast, but when Colt McCoy went Sam Bradford on everybody and got hurt, the game plan for both teams were completely changed. The offense for Texas was forced to be conservative and helped Alabama go on a 24-0 run in the 2nd quarter. Though the Horns scored a touchdown in both the 3rd and 4th quarter, Bama’s lead was too strong to overcome and Heisman winner Mark Ingram was just not gonna let it happen. 22 carries for 126 yards, a 5.3 average, and 2 touchdowns, Ingram did not disappoint. Only a sophomore, this guy is a player.

The last time Greg McElroy lost a football game as a starter was in the 8th grade, an impressive streak for anyone who’s ever played football. Also, this is not only a win for Alabama, but a win for the SEC. This marks the first time in college football history that a team from the same conference has won 4 straight national championships. Quite a statement for both Alabama and the SEC.

Now, when it’s all said and done, the final score stands at Alabama - 37 Texas - 21. Not many people thought it would be Alabama by 16, but sometimes football is unpredictable; just ask Colt McCoy. Defiantly the biggest changing variable to the game, McCoy changed college football history forever.

International Bowl 2010-A Recap

International Bowl 2010-A Recap
By David Macbeath of Macbeath Sports Media-Special Contributor to Football Reporters Online

This past Sunday January 2nd The 4th annual International Bowl took place at The Rogers Centre (formerly the Skydome) in Toronto Ontario.  This years edition of the game featured The University of South Florida Bulls representing the Big East and The MAC Champion Northern Illinois Huskies.  Now USF who came into the game with an 8-5 record were taking part in their 5th Bowl game in a row (2-2 in previous 4 and having won The St Petersburg Bowl in 2009) would be going for their 2nd Bowl victory in a row as they took on 7-6 NIU for the International Bowl trophy.

Now the first half of the game was a defensive battle as USF were held to a total of -3 yards rushing and 98 yards passing for a total of 95 yards total offense while NIU faired a little better with 40 yards rushing and 101 yards through the air for a total of 141 yards total offense.  The entire scoring for the half came from a 39 yd field goal by Eric Schwartz following a 6 play 27 yd drive which ate 2:36 and a 21 yd field goal by Mike Salerno following a 3:55 minute drive to tie the score at the half 3-3. 

The second half was a different story as JR Running Back Mike Ford rushed for 189 yds. and 1 Touchdown on 19 carries for a game total of 20 carries for 207 yds. on the ground becoming only the third RB to rush for 200+ yds. in a game along with Ray Rice of Rutgers (Now with Baltimore) who rushed for 280 yds. in 2008 and Donald Brown of Connecticut (now with Indianapolis) who rushed for 261 yds. in his final NCAA game last year.  Ford also set an International Bowl record for rushing average with a 10.7 yd per carry avereage and was named game MVP.

Also major contributors were QB B.J. Daniels who had a good day going 14 of 22 for 217 and 2 TDs with 0 INTs and was sacked 5 times and WR A>J> Love a 6'3" JR who caught 3 balls for 56 yds and 2 TDs as USF won 27-3.  Now USF wasn't just strong on offense they were good on defense as well with SR CB Jerome Murphy picking up one fumble for 13 yds. and also added an INT return of 23 yds. along with 6 tackles (2 solo and 4 assists) leading the way as The Bulls held NIU to 108 yds. rushing and 130 yds. passing for 238 total yds. and only 3 points in the game. 

Leading the way for NIU was JR RB Chad Spann who rushed for 96 yds. while adding another 30 yds. through the air for 126 yds. on the day.  Husky QB Chandler Harnish went 12 of 25 for130 yds. and no TDs with one INT.  Rounding out the scoring  was Eric Schwartz who hit on field goals of 39 and 19 yds. plus added 3 PATs for a total of 9 points as The USF Bulls defeated The NIU Huskies 27-3 in front of over 22,000 fans.

So I wrap this up by saying if you want to see great live NCAA Bowl action be sure and come to the 2011 International Bowl game to be played in January 2011.  I guarantee that the committee headed by Ken Hoffman and Don Loding will once again give you an event that all can enjoy from young to young at heart.  Check out my blog later today to see another story from the game on the teams that took part and the events around the game.  In the mean time follow and support your local teams be they youth or adult, Pro or amateur.  You'll be glad you did.

SEC Bowls Part 2 A look at how the SEC has fared in bowl games thus far

SEC Bowls Part 2
A look at how the SEC has fared in bowl games thus far
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Outback Bowl
Auburn 38 Northwestern 35
This was one of those games you had to be at to enjoy to the fullest. There was offense all day and some crazy plays and in the end Auburn and first year coach Gene Chizik had their bowl win. There was over 1,000 yards of offense that included a 47-78 for 532-yard performance by Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka. He had four touchdown passes but was picked five times. Two of those were in the end zone with one returned 100 yards for an Auburn score. The win would not come easy as the Tigers gave up over 600 yards on defense with two Wildcat receivers getting over 200 each. They committed 12 penalties for 140 yards and had only 18 first downs. They won the turnover battle forcing six. Ben Tate ran strong and finished with 108 yards on 20 carries with a pair of scores. At one point it was 35-21 but Northwestern came storming back. They almost won the game on an Auburn mistake but the Tigers held on and finished the year at 8-5. They will look to see what their younger players bring to the table for next year. Chizik won the most games for a first year coach
At Auburn since Tommy Bowden went undefeated in 1993. We will see if he can take them one step further as they have a chance to compete in the West of the SEC in 2010.
 
Cotton Bowl
Mississippi 21 Oklahoma State 7
Once again it was the Dexter McCluster show on display. He was named offensive MVP after his 34 carry 184-yard performance. It started in the second quarter when he took a handoff and went 86 yards for the score. On the play his breakaway speed was clearly evident. Jevon Snead however had a tough night going 13-23 for just 168 yards and three interceptions. The story of this game was the Ole Miss defense and the game they had. They forced six of the Cowboys seven turnovers in the fourth quarter. They gave up only nine first downs and 259 total yards. They also held the Cowboys to 2-13 on third down conversions and held the ball for almost 10 minutes more. Still it was all about McCluster and the show he put on. It was an ugly game with a lot of mistakes by both teams. Two teams that were supposed to be amongst the best in the nation just didn’t pan out. What transpired for both was the truth that they were playing just a bit out of their leagues.
 
Papajohns.com Bowl
Connecticut 20 South Carolina 7
This was one of those games where the offenses decided not to show up. South Carolina was such a disappointment that coach Steve Spurrier called it embarrassing. Quarterback Stephen Garcia called it disappointing and one would hope he meant himself. Garcia was a miserable 16-38 for only 129 yards and an interception. He also had a fumble and led his team in rushing with 56 yards. Both teams combined for less than 500 yards of offense and 29 first downs. The Gamecocks were just 3-15 on third downs and could not run the ball or get their offense on track. It was as if the desire to play had left them before they ever showed up. Andre Dixon ran all over them for 126 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown. Still the theme here was not offense and it did not fall well with the Ole ball coach. He knows that he needed and wanted a strong finish to get off on the right foot for next year.
 
Liberty Bowl
Arkansas 20 East Carolina 17
This one can be billed the Great Escape for the Hogs as they got away with a win over the Pirates. They were pushed around and basically dominated by East Carolina. They had only 10 first downs and 81 yards rushing. They had the ball for just 22 minutes and did not make the most of that. The worst stat of all was the fact that they were 0-13 on third downs. What helped them more than anything was opposing kicker Ben Hartman. He had chance after chance to be a hero but instead missed field goals in regulation and overtime that would have won the game for the Pirates. Yet when the Razorback had a chance to win the game they found a way t give the ball right back and then Hartman missed again. It was a sloppy performance but in the end it added up to a win. Ryan Mallett had been looking sharp recently but was ineffective though he was named MVP. Dominique Lindsay was the show for the Pirates running for 151 yards on 33 carries and some of those were of the smash and crunch kind. The one bright spot for the Hogs was kicker Alex Tejada and his game winning kick. He had been struggling on occasion this season and the kick helped end his season on a positive note

ACC Bowls A look at how the ACC has fared in bowl games thus far

             ACC Bowls
A look at how the ACC has fared in bowl games thus far
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pittsburgh 19 North Carolina 17
All year long the Tar Heels have been sound on defense. They came in ranked sixth in the nation overall and in the top ten against the rush. On this day neither would matter as they watched Pitt back Dion Lewis get 159 yards on 28 carries, gave up a huge fourth down conversion and could not stop Pitt when it counted most. Lewis in the meantime climbed the Pittsburgh rushing charts with his 10th 100-yard game of the year. He also broke Tony Dorsett’s freshman rushing mark that has stood since 1973 and finished the year with 1,799 yards. The worst for the Carolina defense came when they failed to stop Pittsburgh on their game winning drive. The Panthers drive lasted 8:47 on 17 plays that culminated in the winning field goal. By the time the Heels got the ball back there was less than a minute to go and they turned it over on downs. The offense tried to do its part, as quarterback T.J. Yates was 19-32 for 183 yards and two touchdowns passes to Greg Little. The running game was not as effective with Ryan Houston accounting for all the yards (83). Little had the two scores while catching seven passes for 87 yards. So the season ends up at 8-5 with back to back winning bowl seasons. There has been progress but coach Butch Davis knows that he needs more skill players on offense to compete for the ACC crown. The mistakes they made like a fumble here and a pick there sealed their fate. These are the things teams have to overcome when players are taken out of their normal environment. They go to these cities, face the hoopla and media, and can get distracted. We won’t know this for sure but it is something to think about when your strength loses you the game.
 
Emerald Bowl
USC 24 Boston College 13
The so-called question here was would the Trojans be pumped up for this game. Well maybe they were but their play didn’t exactly show that. It was a lackluster performance that mirrored the season this team has had. For the last seven years USC has played in a BCS bowl. They are a program use to playing, or at least competing for a national championship. This year they had losses they were not use to. They got ranked in positions this university is unaccustomed to. They got off to a fast start in this one going up 14-0 but ended the half up 14-13. Without star running back Joe McKnight the ground game was adequate at best accounting for a un-USC like 88 yards. They had to rely more on the arm of Matt Barkley but he threw two key picks to keep B.C. in the game. Damian Williams was spectacular grabbing 12 passes for 189 yards but did not have a touchdown. It may have been the last game of his career as he decides if he will return for his senior year. The Eagles were able to stay close but made mistakes at key moments and could not take advantage of a sluggish USC team. Dave Shinskie was just 14-33 for 218 yards with one pick and one touchdown pass. Wide receiver Rich Gunnell had six catches for 130 yards including a 61-yarder for a score. Maybe if B.C. had the ball more they would have fared better but it was not to be. It was their second straight bowl loss and they end up 8-5. Again here is another team that just needs to plug some holes and they could also compete in this conference. They had their chances to win this one but gave it away.
 
Champs Sports Bowl
Wisconsin 20 Miami 14
Miami came into this game looking for a win to end a good season. They came in with the advantage in speed and athleticism. What they got was a good old fashion whipping Big 10 style. The Badgers used their power in running back John Clay (22-121 and two td’s), and tight ends Lance Hendricks (7-128) and Garrett Graham (6-77). Each ran all over the Canes especially Clay, the Big 10 player of the year. He went inside and outside and even ran over some in the process. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has shown some flashes this year but has also shown inconsistencies too. He finished 16-29 for 188 yards and one touchdown but was sacked five times and punished often. On top of that Wisconsin held the ball for nearly 40 minutes to slow the Canes offense even more. They were held to 14 first downs, 2-11 on third down and 249 total yards.  The running game was completely shut down getting just 61 yards and when they had a chance to win it they failed on a fourth down to end it.  The Miami defense fared no better as the Badgers racked up 430 yards that included 170 on the ground. After a few years in what would be considered obscurity the Canes finished at 9-4 with hopes for next year. Now they will have to take note of this game to be prepared for bigger and stronger teams.
 
Gator Bowl
Florida State 33 West Virginia 21
It was a fine last day on the job for a legend. Bobby Bowden was in the Gator bowl facing his alma mater and former walk-on in WVU head coach Bill Stewart. What transpired was a huge sendoff for a man that saved football in Tallahassee and made a name for “wide right”. One had to wonder what his team would give on this emotional day. Bowden has long been the face of Seminole football. They came out flat and gave up 14 points in the first quarter to go down 14-3. RB Jermaine Thomas and K Dustin Hopkins took over from there and Florida State would outscore WVU 30-7 the rest of the way. Thomas finished with 25 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns while Hopkins kicked field goals of 26, 42, 22 and 37 yards. Quarterback E.J. Manuel also shined going 17-24 for 189 yards and no turnovers. He also added a 2-yard scoring run to make it 30-23 after the Mountaineers had pulled to within two. When the game was over the stats would show that Florida State had the ball for 37:07 and were 7-14 on third down conversions. It will show the no turnovers and 415 total yards. What they didn’t show was the heart of a team playing for a coach they love and respect. It showed that when they were down they could have mailed it in but chose to play even harder. Jimbo Fisher takes over next week and he has more than big shoes to fill. He has a mountain to climb and time will tell if he can put his own stamp on this team. Tell Fisher not worry about matching the guy before him because you will have to coach to you are 100 for the reviews.
 
Ga Tech vs Iowa to come
 
Note: Other ACC teams in bowl games covered in SEC Bowls Review

SEC Bowl Season Part 1 A look at how the SEC has fared in bowl games thus far

         SEC Bowl Season Part 1
     A look at how the SEC has fared in bowl games thus far
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Music City Bowl
Clemson 21 Kentucky 13
It was another cold day in Nashville and the fans not only represented the teams playing, they also wore jerseys of their favorite college teams. It was definitely a college type atmosphere with the face paint and the bands playing loudly. Clemson came in with the ACC player of the year in C.J. Spiller and he did not disappoint. He had 15 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown. He also had three catches for 58 yards as well as his usual return yards. In all he had 172 all-purpose yards and became the first player in the ACC to have 1,00 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same year.  Even though the stats will show that Kentucky had the advantage it was Clemson that made the most of its opportunities. They were able to keep the Wildcats from scoring holding them to 6-16 on third downs. Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton was only 13-23 for 98 yards but had a chance for a big play. With 5:39 left in the fourth Kentucky went for it on fourth and eight but Newton could manage just seven of those yards and Clemson began to celebrate. After the game Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks said he was 80% sure he would retire. Well I am not exactly sure what that means but he was trying to get his fourth straight bowl win and fell short. As for Spiller, well he will now move on to the next level and see if he can be as productive there as he has been in his career at Clemson. The Tigers end the season 9-5 and won their first bowl game in four years. Kentucky was in it but could not capitalize and will see where the program goes now if Joker Phillips takes over soon. They finished 7-6, which is probably a game worse than they should have but give them credit as an SEC representative.
 
Independence Bowl
Georgia 44 Texas A&M 20
It has not been the type of season that Georgia would have hoped for so they came into this one hungry. What they got was bailed out by their excellent special teams play that lead to 24 points. They were able to block two kicks and got a spectacular 81-yard kickoff return from Brandon Boykin. Quarterback Joe Cox went 15-28 for 158 yards and two touchdowns and a pick. The running game was effective as they got 208 yards and two touchdowns. On the downside they gave up 471 total yards to the Aggies with QB Jerrod Johnson accounting for 362 on 29-58 passing. He did have two touchdowns but threw two picks that helped the Bulldogs in the third. It was a spectacular defensive effort by the Dawgz considering they had fired their defensive coordinator and two others on that side of the ball. Then in the second half the offense showed up and out scored A&M 30-13 for the winning margin. Head coach Mark Richt will end his season with a little satisfaction after this one. It could have been so much worse but players like Caleb King (16-60 and two scores) and the special teams would not let them give in on this day. The season ends at 8-5 for a team that had hoped to compete for the SEC crown. It won’t get any easier next year but that is football in this conference.
 
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech 37 Tennessee 14
It has been a crazy season for the Volunteers. First, they lose they long time coach Phillip Fulmer and watch Lane Kiffin take over and take on all comers. He has opened his mouth when some said he shouldn’t have and has stirred up feeling among coaches in the SEC. There have been violations and drama in Knoxville. So it came down to this game against the Hokies to see if they could end it on a good note. What they could not do was run the football at all. They had a total of five yards on the ground and 240 total yards. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton made some key errors when he was picked to set up a touchdown and then fumbled late to set up another. The offense was on the field for just 26 minutes and could never get any momentum. Meanwhile, the Hokies were getting another big game from their freshman sensation runner Ryan Williams (25-117 and two touchdown runs). He finished the year with 1,655 yards to become Tech’s single-season leader, and his 21 rushing touchdowns and 22 total set the ACC mark. Tech had a balanced offense all day getting 229 yards on the ground and 209 through the air. They also outscored the Vols 20-0 in the second half when the Tennessee seamed to have lost interest. It was the first time Tech has won back-to-back bowls in school history.
 
Sugar Bowl
Florida 51 Cincinnati 24
It has been one of the best four-year runs in college football history and AT&Tebow left his best for last. If anyone wondered if the Gators would come to play Tebow answered them soundly. He threw for a career-high and a BCS record 482 yards on 31-35 passing. He had three touchdown passes and added 52 yards rushing. In all he had a whopping 533 of offense and coach Urban Meyer was sent off with a win in what may be his last game. Cincinnati was looking forward to playing this game to show it could hang with and SEC team and to win it after losing their coach to another job. What they found was a defense unlike any other they had faced all year. The Gator defense held Cincy’s offense to 246 total yards and never let them in the game. The loss of Brian Kelly to Notre Dame may have hit them harder than they thought it would. Florida would finish with a Sugar Bowl-record 659 yards and it ended one of the best careers ever witnessed. They are also the first team to win 13 games two straight years in history. Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez were the beneficiaries of Tebow’s great day. Cooper finished with seven catches for 181 yards and a score and Hernandez chipped in with nine grabs for 111 yards and his own touchdown. In the end it was all about Tebow and his will to win. He came in determined to lead his team to victory and rallied his troops all day. At the end it was Tebow and Meyer walking off together after four great years. It will be on to the NFL now for Tim and we will see what decision coach Meyer makes. Whatever happens to the two of them form here on out they have given us some of the best memories in recent college football memory.

Rose Bowl Preview- Ohio State vs. Oregon

Rose Bowl Preview- Ohio State vs. Oregon
By Nick Haswell for Football Reporters Online

On September 4th, the Oregon Ducks were sitting with a 0-1 record after a decisive loss to the Boise State Broncos 19-8. LaGarrette Blount, a 1,000 yard rusher in 2008, was suspended for the season after his infamous punch to Boise State’s Byron Hout just after the game. New Head Coach Chip Kelly was facing adversity early in his head coaching career. On January 1st, the Oregon Ducks will be in Pasadena, California taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2010 Rose Bowl. What happened in the four months between September and January for the Oregon Ducks was nothing short of a story book season. The Ducks will be playing in just their fifth Rose Bowl and their first since the 1995 season.

After the season opening loss to Boise State, Oregon rattled off 10 wins in 11 games. Their only loss was to Stanford on November 7th 51-42. Four of their wins were against top 25 teams (Utah, Cal, USC, and Oregon State). Their win over Cal was when the Golden Bears were ranked number six in the nation at the time, and their victory over USC was when the Trojans were ranked number five. The Ducks won those two games by a combined score of 89-20.

Oregon enters the Rose Bowl with one of the highest powered offense in the country. They rank 25th in Total Offense with 424.7 yards per game, sixth in Rushing Offense with 236.1 yards per game, and seventh in scoring with 37.7 points per game. The offense starts with the exceptional play of Junior Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He is the key to the Ducks spread offense. After a slow start, Masoli finished 2009 with 2066 yards passing, 15 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He also added 659 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. LaGarrette Blount’s suspension gave way to Redshirt Freshman’s LaMichael James’ emergence in the Duck backfield. James developed into a star by running for 1476 yards and 14 touchdowns, while gaining 6.9 yards per carry. Masoli’s two favorite targets through the air are receiver Jeff Maehl (686 yards and six touchdowns) and athletic Tight End Ed Dickson (551 yards and six touchdowns).

Oregon’s defense has been strong for most of the season. Their statistics are middle of the pack for the NCAA, but they rank third in the Pac 10 in total defense and pass defense. And while they rank fifth in rush defense in the Pac 10, they rank first in average yards per carry (3.4 yards per carry). Their 32 sacks also rank third in the Pac 10 and tied for 22nd in the nation. The Ducks are second in the Pac 10 with 13 interceptions. Led by speedy linebackers Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger, and their versatile safety TJ Ward, the Oregon defense is an underrated unit that could surprise everyone with their play versus Ohio State.

Just like with Oregon’s offense and Jeremiah Masoli, Ohio State’s offense revolves around Quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor has struggled throwing the ball, completing just 55.8% of his passes for 1828 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. But Pryor also is the Buckeyes’ leading rusher with 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Pryor’s favorite target is sophomore receiver DeVier Posey (52 receptions, 727 yards, and seven touchdowns). Posey has caught almost twice as many passes as the second leaving receiver, Dane Sanzenbacher (27 receptions).

But the big reason Ohio State finished the 2009 season 10-2 is their defense. The Buckeyes rank fifth in the country in points per game given up (12.2), fifth in total defense (262. 5 yards per game), fifth in rush defense (83.4 yards per game, and 17th in pass defense (179.1 yards per game). Ohio State also ranks second in the FBS in interceptions with 23.

The 2010 Rose Bowl is a matchup between teams with different football philosophies and will be a clash of differing styles. Will Oregon’s fast-paced, no huddle offense be able to break through the rock solid Ohio State defense? Who will win the matchup between Oregon’s fast, aggressive defense and Ohio State’s conservative offense? Can Ohio State rebound from their past BCS Bowl failures? The Ducks speed and offense appear to be too much for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Look for Oregon to get several big plays against the Buckeye defense and the Ohio State offense struggle versus the Duck speed on defense as the Ducks win 31-17.

Texas Tech Terminates Mike Leach

Texas Tech ousts Mike Leach

By John Kelly- Senior Writer-Midwest/Northeast Correspondent-Football Reporters Online
LUBBOCK, Texas- The Big 12 became the Gulag of College Football in 2009. The first general dishonorably discharged was Mark Mangino was. Today, another highly decorated general has been sent packing.
Mike Leach, the creator of the Air Raid offense, has been fired from Texas Tech.
Ted Liggett, Mike Leach’s attorney, received a letter of termination by the school this morning. Both sides were set to appear in a Lubbock, Texas courtroom for a hearing on the coach's suspension.
Liggett says the letter states, that “Mike Leach is terminated with cause effective immediately."
Texas Tech suspended Leach on Monday from the teams bowl game while they investigated allegations of mistreatment towards an injured player. The early verdict was not appealing to Leach.
Leach’s lawyer Ted Liggett said, "He's not thrilled."
The matter is not over in the mind of Liggett. He said he plans to come guns a blazing towards Texas Tech on Leach’s behalf “soon”.
"We can guarantee that the fight has just begun," he said.
Liggett claims he had evidence citing the school’s actions to suspend Leach were without merit. Liggett believed the school rushed their decision to save themselves.
"So they pulled the trigger," Liggett said. "They don't want that coming out."
The allegations were brought out Monday. Texas Tech Receiver Adam James, son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James, alleged that during practice he was confined to a small, dark space twice by Leach after being diagnosed with a concussion.
"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said a statement from the James family. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."
"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said in a James family statement. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."
Texas Tech officials had laid out their case to Leach in a letter. It included court papers filed in response to his motion for a restraining order to remove the suspension.
The letter stated guidelines that Leach was told to agree to pertaining towards the treatment of student-athletes. He did not sign that letter.
The stated guidelines were:
• "Decisions regarding whether an injury warrants suspension from practice and/or play will be determined by a physician without pressure from you or your staff."
• "There will be no retaliation against any student who has suffered an injury."
Despite all the allegations and quarrels with the administration Liggett said Leach was 100 percent committed to the program.
"Coach Leach has never, ever hidden his desire to coach the Texas Tech Red Raiders," Liggett said. "His accomplishments, his actions, his graduation rate all prove that."
Texas Tech faces off versus Michigan State Saturday in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Leach will likely have a press conference with the public soon. Liggett doesn’t know when it will take place or where Leach is but he said his client has a lot to get off his chest.
"It's pretty hard to keep him quiet," he said.
Liggett read Leach’s termination letter aloud to a packed courtroom and when he reached the part claiming Leach was fired the gallery stated their displeasure.
Numerous fans said they wouldn't be renewing their season tickets. Outside a motorist shouted outside his vehicle window, “Fire Meyers”.
Outside the court, after the firing had been announced, a motorist yelled out his vehicle window, "Fire Myers," referring to athletic director Gerald Myers.
Leach and Meyers have never been on the same page at Texas Tech. Before the 2009 season the university and him were at odds over negotiations for a contract extension and his interview about the Washington job.
In February, both sides came to an agreement as Leach and the school agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million deal, keeping him in Lubbock through 2013.
Sources say that after James sustained a concussion on Dec. 16, and was examined the following day he was told not to practice due to repercussions from the injury and an elevated heart rate.
Sources claimed Leach contacted the trainer and instructed him to move James "to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours."
According to the source, Leach gave the trainer the same request two days later, to "put James in the darkest, tightest spot in an electrical closet, again, with a guard posted outside."
Dr. Michael Phy, a Texas Tech physician, examined James on Dec. 17, diagnosing him with a mild concussion and made his recommendations regarding the levels of treatment, according to a memo he wrote on Dec. 25. The memo claimed that no harm was done to James. The Jame’s family side didn’t see things that way.
Liggett told reporters James was secluded twice, and the circumstances were nowhere as grave as the James family perceived it.
He stated that James, “was placed in an equipment room as it was much cooler and darker" than the practice field and after the doctor examined him he returned to practice.
On that day Leggit claimed that, a trainer was posted outside the room and James received ice.
Leach said in affidavit during Tuesday’s court filing that he "would never intentionally harm or endanger a player" and that he was "forced into this situation without being afforded any process."
Ted Liggett, Mike Leach’s counsel said that he did nothing wrong in his treatment of his player with a "mild" concussion. Leach was seeking a court's help in allowing him to coach in Saturday's Valero Alamo Bowl.
Several former and current Texas Tech players defended their coach and sent emails criticizing receiver Adam Jame’s work ethic.
Former Texas Tech wide receiver Eric Morris was quoted in a CBSSports.com interview blasting James saying, he was "never known as a hard worker" and "seemed to have a negative attitude toward the football program the majority of the time."
Morris informed The Associated Press on Wednesday that these letters were written before the school suspended Leach and conducted their investigation. Morris and his teammates just wanted to show their support for coach Leach.
Morris said Leach told him before the incident was investigated that he would never abuse his players and demanded them to take responsibility for their actions.

"He told me he would never do anything," said Morris. "He was trying to hold someone accountable."
Leach taken the Red Raiders to new heights since arriving in Lubbock. In 2008 he led them to an 11-2 record, the best season in the program’s history. He also received Big 12 Coach of the Year as well in 2009.
He was quirky coach known for his bizarre comments during postgame and pregame interviews. He used to pirate jargon in his coaching style by motivating his players to “swing their swords” when playing on Saturdays.
He was known as the mad scientist who arrived in West Texas in 2000 and bringing a high-octane spread offense with him. Since putting on the headset in Lubbock, Texas Tech quarterbacks have led the nation in passing eight times. His innovative lab has been officially shut down.
In 10 seasons Leach won 84 games, surpassing his predecessor Spike Dykes as the winningest coach in Texas Tech history.
Before his days in Lubbock, Leach was Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops. He spent two years as an assistant at Kentucky and five years at Valdosta State in Georgia.
Unlike Bob Knight, Leach has raised the city’s and school’s attention during his tenure. "60 Minutes" and New York Times conducted feature stories about him.
Texas Tech has seen their coaches use bizarre antics on the gridiron and hardwood. Yet, the school would rather let known actions of one legend go and kick another one in the making to the curb without a reason.
 

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