Bowl games + winter vacation + TiVo = college football heaven
GMAC Bowl - Toledo 45, UTEP 13
Here's two teams I'm familiar with, as UTEP was in the WAC until moving to C-USA for this past year, and Toledo came here to Fresno for Fresno State's 3rd game.
Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski has been considered to be the next MAC QB headed into the NFL. MAC QBs have been on a roll lately, minus injured Chad Pennington. Leftwich had a breakout season before hurting his ankle, Roethlisberger continues to be as solid of a ball-control offense QB as you can get, and Charlie Frye is having his coming-out party right now.
Gradkowski looks more like a mid-to-late round QB to me, from his performance in this game. He threw for 298 yards and 5 TDs, but he should have thrown for over 400. He was incredibly indecisive, often double and triple-clutching the ball - and sometimes not even bringing it in for a full clutch, but rather waving it around in half-throwing motions before finally making a throw. Gradkowski doesn't have a big arm, but he flicks the ball around OK and might be an NFL quarterback with some good coaching.
Jordan Palmer - Carson Palmer's little brother - is only a junior, and it's a good thing. His performance was terrible. He was not indecisive like Gradkowski, but his throws were terrible. Passes sailed high, deep passes floated and let defenders jump all over them, and some throws just plain didn't go anywhere near their intended receiver. He does NOT look like a guy with an NFL arm.
UTEP receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins may have a future in the NFL as a kick/punt returner. Anytime you run a hand-timed 4.18 40, and have that speed show up on the field as well as the stopwatch, you get looks. I'd like to judge him as a receiver, but Jordan Palmer didn't get passes anywhere near him, so I couldn't tell you if he can catch or not. UTEP didn't use him as a returner either, for some god-unknown reason. But the guy did fly down the field, and it would've been nice to see him with the ball in his hand now and then.
Toledo also had a couple more potential NFL prospects - middle linebacker Anthony Jordan and running back Trinity Dawson. Both played great against an inferior UTEP squad. It's hard to judge them against such light competition, but they're two guys that will be in the mix somewhere.
Legion, you look lonley in here.
Motor City Bowl - Memphis 38, Akron 31
Caught the second half of this one, featuring DeAngelo Williams in his final college game. And it didn't dissapoint in term of the Tigers Team. Strong running by Williams with 233 yards and his record-breaking 34th 100 yard game, a mediocre effort by QB John Avery (but what can you expect from the third string wide receiver-turned-quarterback) and a strong defensive first half, followed by bending in the third quarter and a damn near breaking in the fourth. Seriously, even with the bad QB situation, Memphis could have been a much better team all year if not for Joe Lee Dunn. The man hates zone defense, and as the commentators pointed out, he is a coordinator that is on the side lines (not in the booth) and he doesn't wear a headset. No headset? How the hell does he know what's going on in a 21st century college football game. C'mon Joe Lee, it's time to embrace a little thing we like to call technology. It might make your life easier -- and maybe just maybe-- the defense better. That and some Cover 2 defensive schemes at the very least. The safties are not linebackers.
With Williams leaving though, a program that has gone to three straight bowl games could fall by the way side if they don't shore up their defense. Memphis should have a decent offense next season and Joseph Doss could be a decent back (he won't be another DeAngelo Williams) but the defense needs to fix the gaping holes. Plus Memphis didn't even really get a chance to see its new QB this year before losing him to injury, so we will see.
Akron, however, playing in it's first bowl game since EVER, settled down after some early nerves. I especially loved the snapping of the ball as Getsy and Biggs were in motion in the backfield as Getsy was audibling. Classic. And it was an exciting finish as the clock had just over two minutes left with Memphis up 38-17 and with about 55 seconds left in the game, Akron had come within a touchdown (again, Joe Lee, the Prevent Defense does WHAT?)
Go Tigers.
Nevada - 49 UCF - 48
Missed extra point in overtime gives Nevada the win.
UCF and USF really stepped in up this year. UCF with O'Leary totally turned it around this year. They plan on building a new stadium hopefully he will stick around for a bit.
What a wild one in Hawaii! I couldn't believe that UCF came back in it only to lose on an extra point. Not only that, but my dad and I were saying that the kicker should be the MVP should UCF pull it out. He made some HUGE kicks throughout the game, and that onside kick was a thing of beauty. Seriously, I am not sure I have seen a better onside kick in my life. Anyway, a wild one.
Michigan should be embarassed. However, that final play was heee-larious.
Good show by Oregon, but they really could've claimed getting screwed if they had just beaten OU. Last-drive picks do that to you.
Yeah, what a Holiday Bowl bummer for us Duck fans. Well, 10-2 is still a great season up here and I'm optimistic for next year. Great game by Oklahoma.
Just returned from the:
Liberty Bowl - Tulsa 31, Fresno State 24
Tulsa shocks the world (and Legion) by knocking off Fresno State in a game that started out slowly but turned into a tough fought game. After the opening drive in which Fresno State practically ran the ball down Tulsa's throat, the Golden Hurricanes made a RedZone stand. The fourth down attempt in the red zone instead of kicking a field goal could be seen as one on the bad decisions that led to the Bulldogs loss. But then, kicker Kyle Zimmerman missed on a 22 yard field goal attempt in the third quarter, so maybe going for it then wasn't such a bad idea.
Fresno State was not outplayed in this game. Special Teams (the missed field goal and the phantom field goal I will credit them with from the first drive) cost them 6 points. Then with less than 3 minutes in the game, Fresno State marched downfield only to have QB Pinegar not see a wide open Joe Fernandez and try to force a throw that was intercepted, his second of the game.
Overall a good game, and the Fresno State crowd was much bigger than I thought would make the trip to beautiful, clean and crime free Memphis. I know this was a tough loss for the Bulldogs.
Dang Miami got BLOWN OUT ! LSU 40 - Miami 3
WOOT!
<-----FSU fan
Dang Miami got BLOWN OUT ! LSU 40 - Miami 3
WOOT!
<-----LSU fan
Bama just blocked a TT FG w/3 seconds left in the half.. with the way their defense has been playing this game, that could've been the gamebreaker. ROLL TIDE!
Yikes ND allowed 600+ yards to Ohio State in that game....
I guess Auburn thought they could just phone it in against the Badgers. I hope they learned something today, or else the trip was a complete waste.
Laura Quinn = teh hot, and persona non grata in the Quinn house, I bet.
Laura Quinn = teh hot, and persona non grata in the Quinn house, I bet.
pic?
I doubt many non fans of the two schools watched the whole Sugar bowl, but what a show. WVU is the real deal and with 9 of 11 starters back on offense, If Slaton and White stay healthy, they might find themselves in next years BCS title game.
I am sad for my Dawgs, but after spotting the Mountainers 28 points, they played with heart and toughness to make it a very close game. The Dawgs probablly wont win the SEC next year, but with a stable full of talented young QBs and RBs, I think they are two years away from another run at the title.
Is it just me, or did one of the Orange Bowl bands play the theme from Monty Python and the Holy Grail?
The sad part is that the Orange Bowl will probably be a better football game than the Rose Bowl.
Am I the only person who didn't think the Orange Bowl was really a "Classic?" Two offenses stifled by great Ds, atrocious kicking, and not much else.
Well, damn kicker!
At least FSu played a great game even with a depleted offensive line and freshman QB. I mean if they could have done anything they would have won the game!
Glad I didn't stay up. I have had my fill of wide- kicks from FSU.
WVU is the real deal and with 9 of 11 starters back on offense, If Slaton and White stay healthy, they might find themselves in next years BCS title game.
I watched White when he was playing in high school. Even though his passes were ducks, the raw talent was impressive. You knew he was going to progress leaps and bounds in college. I think he out-Vicks Marcus at Va Tech.
Laura Quinn = teh hot, and persona non grata in the Quinn house, I bet.
There are much hotter college students out there that this
Okay, since everyone's been giving a lot more credit to Texas lately, I'll say it: USC in a big win.
We'll see RB. 23-17 Texas right now in 3rd quarter.
And is it just me or has White looked a lot better in this game than Bush?
Rat Boy wrote:
Laura Quinn = teh hot, and persona non grata in the Quinn house, I bet.Meh
There are much hotter college students out there that this
Laura Quinn or Rebecca Lobo?
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