+23
Just minutes after the Fiesta Bowl halftime show, Boise State Sad Cowbell Girl (BSSCG) launched into Internet History and began the Uninspired Cowbell Twang That Launched A Thousand Animated GIFs. We all spent the rest of the game trying to figure out how we could have fun with the image of her despondent bell-smacking effort.
Turns out, we’re all evil monsters (then again, you already knew that). According to a Boise State student and a Chicago sportswriter , BSSCG is actually blind, which explains why she seemed so nonplussed with a camera right in her face.
I do not look forward to our time in hell together, playing cowbell for all of eternity.
Bronco punter Kyle Brotzman fakes the kick on 4th and 9 and hits Kyle Efaw for the first-down. Boise would go on to score the game-winning touchdown and win the Fiesta Bowl over TCU 17-10
Coming into the game you would be excused if you thought that only one participant in the Fiesta Bowl had a defense. The Broncos apparently took it personally. The BSU defense was on fire almost all night long, stuffing running lanes, keeping receivers bottled up, and putting on the type of performance that is legendary.
36 rushing yards for TCU?!?!
1 for 12 on 3rd down?!?!
Unbelievable.
Words cannot describe right now. This was the Oregon defensive performance that we all knew they were capable of except I think tonight’s was even better. Give me a few minutes. I can hardly get myself composed right now.
Mountain West blog MWC Connection figured they might see a low-scoring, close ballgame. They just didn’t expect to see Boise on top when it was over.
The outcome was close as I expected, but what i did not expect was that Boise’s defense was able to play as well as they did; especially by their defensive backs. Andy Dalton did not really help himself out with three picks and that floater at the end of the game on that final drive where TCU started at their own one and was looking good.
This win nulls any AP title talk that TCU might have been received. Boise State impressed me very much, most specifically their defensive backfield that was able to tip multiple passes and the second biggest play was the early pick for a touchdown. However, that fake punt was the biggest play of the game, or perhaps the dropped pass that would have tied the game for TCU.
Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) – Doug Martin scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, as sixth-ranked Boise State held off a late charge by No. 3 TCU, to post a 17-10 victory in the Fiesta Bowl.
Kellen Moore threw for 211 yards on 23-of-39 attempts for the Broncos, who became the second team in NCAA history to notch a 14-0 record, joining the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes. Brandyn Thompson picked off TCU quarterback Andy Dalton twice, returning one of the interceptions for a touchdown, to earn defensive MVP honors.
Dalton completed 25-of-44 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, but threw three interceptions, the final one sealing the Horned Frogs’ (12-1) fate in the dying seconds.
TCU needed to go 99 yards in just 66 seconds for a chance to tie the game -- no easy task, for sure. But the Frogs were at least on the right side of the field, thanks in part to a pass interference penalty. On the Broncos' 30-yard line, with 29 seconds left, TCU's Andy Dalton dropped back, slung a pass out toward the far sideline ... only to have the ball tipped up in the air, as both receiver and defender battled. The ball hung in the air for what must have felt like an eternity for players and fans alike, before finally coming to rest in the waiting arms of Boise State's Winston Venable, sealing the win.
Boise State took a knee to make it official, winning the Fiesta Bowl, 17-10. They are just the second team ever to go 14-0.
A punt return of 39 yards got TCU in great fielding position, starting their drive at the Boise State 31, but the Bronco defense held tough, and forced a fourth-and-six. The Horned Frogs went for it, but the pass fell incomplete, turning the ball over.
The TCU defense did its part, forcing a Boise State punt. Only problem: the punt pinned the Frogs back at their own 1-yard line, with just 1:06 left in the game, trailing 17-10.
The TCU-Boise State game is still going on but that’s not important anymore. The real story of the night…who is Boise State Cowbell Girl and what makes her so sad? We can’t say for sure yet, but we have uncovered evidence that, at least at one point, life was good for BSSCG.
Courtesy of the Blue Thunder Marching Band website, this undated photo from the 2009-2010 season gives us proof of life. And that’s all we can ask for at this time.
Boise State seemingly remembered how to play "offense" in the fourth quarter and stormed down the field on a 10-play, 78-yard drive, kept alive by a fake punt (oh, those tricky Broncos!) on 4th-and-9, from their own 33-yard line. That 29-yard pick-up ignited a spark in Boise State, and they promptly broke off three straight plays -- 11-yard pass, 9-yard pass and a 16-yard pass -- to get down to the TCU two-yard line, where Doug Martin finished it off, diving in for the go-ahead touchdown. With about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, Boise State is leading, 17-10.
Defense continues to rule the field at the Fiesta Bowl (well, when Sad Cowbell Girl isn't performing), but TCU did manage to get close enough for a field goal to tie the game, 10-10, late in the third quarter, off the foot of Ross Evans.
When I saw Michael McDonald sing the National Anthem, I thought no way the Fiesta Bowl could get a better hero. But then the Boise State's Blue Thunder Marching Band took the field during halftime, and the country was introduced to Sad Cowbell Girl.
What Will Ferrell did for the cowbell with enthusiasm and energy, this Bronco did the same, but with apathy and melancholy.
Poor girl, the game's not even over and she's well on her way to becoming an Internet meme.
(Video via Jimmy Traina, image via edsbs)
The Fiesta Bowl halftime show was sponsored by Reese's. You know because of the 47 Reese's logos on the studio set. And also because the Reese's logo is burning the back of your retinas.
It's like they were actually broadcasting from inside a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
Thanks to Brandon for the screen grab.
A 30-yard pass from TCU’s ginger gunslinger Andy Dalton to Curtis Clay with under a minute to play in the first half gives the Horned Frogs their first breathing room (and jolt of momentum) of the evening, and reassures Horned Frog faithful that Dalton's just fine following a scary early sack. The Broncos lead 10-7 at halftime, and we’ll be looking to both teams to improve offensively in the second half as they settle down a bit. Can’t blame their scoreboard jitters, really — with TCU ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense and Boise State No. 14, each of these units is among the stoutest the other has faced all year.
Via Chris Littmann, we are treated to the year's finest episode of incidental product placement:
You'd like to see an Orange Bowl staffer try and top this by conspicuously attempting to mail a package on the sidelines in the third quarter, wouldn't you?
It only took most of the first half, but we finally got some points from one of the offenses in the Fiesta Bowl. Sure, it was just a 40-yard field goal, but we'll take it! Kyle Brotzman kicked it through the uprights to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead over the Horned Frogs.
One quarter is in the books in Arizona, and Boise State has the early (and slim) lead over TCU, 7-0. The difference thus far has been Brandyn Thompson's 51-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Horned Frogs also had four penalties called against them in the first quarter, and just 57 yards of total offense. Though, to be fair, both sides have struggled to move the ball in the early going.
As you probably know already, both Boise State and TCU are undefeated, but neither even got a shot at the national championship (somewhat amazingly, the senior class at Boise has gone 48-4 ... and never played for the title).
Anyways, all this unjustness and fan outrage and been channeled into something more productive than some angry tweets directed toward @insidetheBCS.
Playoff PAC, "a federal political committee dedicated to establishing a competitive post-season championship for college football" has produced a television commercial that will air in select markets on Fox before Thursday night's National Championship game between Texas and Alabama.
The select markets are Boise, Idaho; Salt Lake City and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Coincidentally, those markets cover undefeated teams that have been snubbed in the past two years by the BCS championship - Boise State, Texas Christian and Utah.
(via SportsbyBrooks)
A WAC team is playing defense! It’s just the WAC team you’d expect, too — Boise State entered this game tied for third in the nation in interceptions, and less than five minutes into the first quarter Brandyn Thompson notched his fourth of the season, picking off Andy Dalton and returning 51 yards for a speedy six points. Broncos lead, 7-0.
By the time I realized the Fiesta Bowl was being played on FOX, it was already too late to back out of covering this game. The discerning college football fan’s least favorite network’s infamously careless camera work has been counteracted early and immutably, however, and FOX may have won the heart of the nation in the process by trotting out yacht rock hero Michael McDonald to sing the national anthem.
Sure, the shots of the band will outweigh shots of actual football, the booth announcers are so close to the camera they appear to be starring in a hostage video, and John Cena is flipping the coin this very moment. But nothing can pierce the gentle cocoon of dulcet baritone warbling I’ve been swaddled in. And nothing in the pageantry of Thursday's title game, including the game itself, can possibly compare. Game over, man. Game over.
We are nearly set for kickoff in Arizona at the Fiesta Bowl, where Boise State and TCU will play to determine who has the right to be the most upset with the BCS. The game's on Fox, so get ready for plenty of camera shots of both bands. So many shots that you might even miss actual football plays! Bowl games on Fox!
Follow along here in the StoryStream for updates throughout the game, or join the discussion at the GameThread.
We're now less than two hours from the Fiesta Bowl between No. 6 Boise State and No. 3 TCU. If you're still needing a cram session to feel fully prepared, check out One Bronco Nation Under God for all your last-minute previews and analysis, highlighted by Brian Murhpy of the idaho Statesman detailing Boise State's six ways to win.
- Convert in the red zone
- Create a running game
- Win special teams
- Match TCU's physicality on defense
- Help Brenel Myers
- Avoid the mistake
Easy at that, Broncos!
Plenty more previews over at OBNUG.
SB Nation's blog Mountain West Connection, an excellent source for all things MWC related, offers their preview for Monday night's Fiesta Bowl between No. 6 Boise State and No. 3 TCU. In its simpliest terms, the game will come down to the battle between the Broncos' running game the Horned Frogs' rush defense.
That sounds too simple, but if TCU can force Boise to be one-dimensional in the pass game this will allow TCU to use their speed and then blitz all out. However, Boise and Chris Peterson is smart enough to run the ball from the beginning to keep TCU and look for Boise to use misdirection and screen passes to counter the speed of the TCU defense.
By no means is Boise State slow or have a poor defense, but the main concern for Boise State is who to stop when TCU is running the ball. TCU has a diverse group of backs with not a single super star runner. They have four players who average 43 yards per game and each also average at least 5.2 per carry. Boise will also need to watch out for WR/KR Jeremy Kerley who is a stud return man, runs the ball in end arounds, as well as plays the wildcat position on designed runs. He is a play maker and needs to be watched at all times as he is able to make big plays any time he touches the ball.
The full preview is thorough, and includes looks at TCU's quarterback, Andy Dalton, plus a pair of key injuries that could slow down Boise State's explosive offense. MWC even offers a prediction.
I think the TCU defense will be the difference in stopping Boise State, but this game will be close like last year and if a team gets over 28 points I would be surprised.
Get more preview and analysis, and follow along when the game kicks-off, at One Bronco Nation Under God and Mountain West Connection.
GAME NOTES: Two of the four undefeated teams left at the FBS level meet in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Monday night, as the sixth-ranked Boise State Broncos battle the third-ranked TCU Horned Frogs from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The two teams faced each other in the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl, with TCU prevailing in a 17-16 final.
The Broncos are making their second appearance in a BCS game, the first considered one of the greatest college football games ever played when they outlasted Oklahoma in a triple-overtime thriller in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, 43-42.
Boise State, which is 5-4 all-time in bowl games, is coached by Chris Petersen, and he owns an incredible 48-4 record in four years at the helm.
Coach Petersen expressed his elation in being invited back to the Fiesta Bowl, "We had one of the most memorable times, certainly of our football careers, here a few years ago. I'm not necessarily just talking about the game, I'm talking about the whole week of the experiences and the festivities we had."
As nice as it is to return to the scene of arguably the biggest win in program history, Petersen is quick to point out that the majority of his players are experiencing this for the first time. "I think for our players, we have so few of them back, that their eyes are wide open. And that's a good thing. It's one of those experiences they will appreciate as the week goes on."
Both the Broncos and Horned Frogs won their respective conferences this year, with BSU claiming the crown in the Western Athletic Conference and TCU taking the Mountain West.
TCU is 12-0 for the first time in school history, and its No. 3 ranking is its highest since the 1956 team placed fourth. The Frogs' No. 4 ranking in the final 2009 BCS standings is the highest-ever by a team from a conference without an automatic BCS bid. The Horned Frogs own a 11-13-1 record in 25 previous bowl games.
Gary Patterson is 85-27 in charge of the TCU football program, and spoke recently about the road his team has traveled to get to this point. "Twelve years ago people said this couldn't be done. When we came to TCU, they were 1-10. We've worked ourselves up the ladder. We came here to try to give you a great ball game."
Patterson is confident his team will give a good showing and hopes that those around the country will sit up and take notice of what some of the smaller [profile] schools are capable of doing. "I've watched the Fiesta Bowl and when they were the representative of the national championship game and know that a lot of great teams have come before us. That's the way we want to be remembered. When we leave the state of Arizona, we want to be remembered that they were glad that TCU was there."
The all-time series between these two teams in knotted at 1-1, with both meetings taking place in bowl games. In addition to last year's Poinsettia Bowl, the first encounter took place in the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl, TCU's home turf. Despite playing in enemy territory, the Broncos rode off with a 34-31 win.
Led by star QB Kellen Moore, Boise State has one of the most potent offenses in all of college football, averaging a national-best 44.2 ppg behind 460.5 total ypg. Moore, just a sophomore, has hit the mark on 64.8 percent of his passes this season for 3,325 yards with an eye-popping 39 TDs against only three INTs. His 39 scoring strikes are a school record, and his 167.35 passer rating had him ranked No. 1 in the nation at the end of the regular season. Receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis have been the primary beneficiaries of Moore's exploits, hauling in 71 and 62 passes, respectively, and combining for 1,819 yards and 24 TDs.
The BSU run game has done a nice job in keeping opposing defenses honest, churning out 194.5 ypg and accounting for 29 TDs. Jeremy Avery finished the regular season with 1,131 yards and six scores, while Doug Martin reached the end zone 14 times in averaging 6.4 ypc and totaling 723 yards.
Defensively, Boise State has gotten it done time and time again, yielding 17.7 ppg and only 299.6 total ypg. The effort against the pass has been particularly impressive with opponents coming up with just 172.8 ypg. The Broncos have allowed a total of 35 points in the first quarter of games this season, and have outscored the opposition by a whopping 334-92 margin in the first half.
BSU has been credited with 33 forced turnovers this season, 21 of which have been INTs. Jeron Johnson has four picks to match Brandon Thompson in that department, and he leads the team as well in total tackles with 88. Ryan Winterswyk is the club's top sack man with 8.5, coming in just ahead of Billy Winn who has six QB takedowns to his credit. The Broncos average nearly 7.5 TFLs per game.
TCU, which owns the nation's second-longest winning streak (14 games) behind only Texas (17 games), is fourth in the country in scoring (40.7 ppg), and the Horned Frogs utilize a formidable rushing attack that generates 256.5 ypg (fifth nationally) and has accounted for 35 TDs. The aerial assault generates 212.6 ypg and has resulted in 23 scores.
The Frogs had four guys rush for more than 500 yards this season, with Joseph Turner heading the group with 732 yards and 11 TDs. Three of the four averaged in excess of five yards per carry, a testament to not only their skill, but also that of the offensive line.
Andy Dalton is TCU's starting QB, and the 6-3 junior has thrown for 2,484 yards with 22 TDs against only five INTs. He also did some damage with his feet, rushing for 522 yards and hitting paydirt three times. Devoid of a star at the wide receiver position, Jeremy Kerley led the team with 38 grabs for 467 yards and two scores. Antoine Hicks has made the most of his 19 catches, taking six of them across the goal line.
From a defensive standpoint, few teams in the nation can match the Horned Frogs' intensity or ability to shut down the opposition. TCU is giving up just 12.4 ppg, and foes have found it nearly impossible to run the football, averaging a mere 80.5 ppg, and the Frogs have permitted just seven rushing scores all year. TCU has also done a tremendous job defending the pass, permitting a mere 152.8 ypg through the air with only 10 TDs. The opposition is averaging just 2.6 yards per carry and only 5.1 yards per pass attempt.
Linebacker Daryl Washington is the team's leading tackler with 99 stops, and he is tied for the club lead in INTs with Tejay Johnson with three apiece. Jerry Hughes is a force along the TCU defensive line, logging 11.5 sacks.
This will be one of the more competitive and entertaining games of the bowl season, with both teams trading blows throughout. It will be interesting to see if the Broncos can stand up to the Frogs' vaunted rushing attack. TCU is favored and for good reason, so let's give the Frogs the nod in what should be another thriller in the brief, but exciting series between these two.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: TCU 27, Boise State 24
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Scoreboard data copyright © 2012 by STATS LLC. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.
OpenCalais - Powered by Thomson Reuters
•
Odds Shark 
Full Recap: Boise State Uses Defense, Trickiness To Take Fiesta From TCU
Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) – Doug Martin scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, as sixth-ranked Boise State held off a late charge by No. 3 TCU, to post a 17-10 victory in the Fiesta Bowl.
Kellen Moore threw for 211 yards on 23-of-39 attempts for the Broncos, who became the second team in NCAA history to notch a 14-0 record, joining the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes. Brandyn Thompson took home defensive MVP honors after picking off TCU quarterback Andy Dalton twice, returning one of the interceptions for a touchdown.
Boise State made its second appearance in a BCS game, the first a triple- overtime thriller over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Boise State stunned the Sooners with a two-point conversion on a trick play. The Broncos went back to its bag of tricks in this contest, using a fake punt to keep the decisive drive alive.
The Broncos avenged a loss to TCU in last season’s Poinsetta Bowl and will now join either Alabama or Texas as the nation’s only unbeaten programs.
Dalton completed 25-of-44 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, but threw three interceptions, the final one sealing the Horned Frogs’ (12-1) fate in the dying seconds. The junior quarterback had thrown just five INTs this season.
“The fake punt was a great call, three or four plays in the second half was the difference in the ball game,” said TCU head coach Gary Patterson. “I thought both teams played hard. We just came up short.”
Thompson’s second interception gave Boise State the ball at its own 22 early in the fourth quarter. The drive appeared to have stalled at the 33, with the Broncos lining up to punt the ball on 4th-and-9. But Boise State head coach Chris Petersen rolled the dice.
Kyle Brotzman took the direct snap and floated a pass over the middle to a wide open Kyle Efaw, who rumbled 29 yards to the TCU 38.
“Yeah, that’s a gutsy call. I’m glad it worked,” Efaw said. “Everyone did their job and we shifted out and they shifted out with it. So we knew it had a good chance.”
A 16-yard pass from Moore to Tommy Gallarda later in the possession set up a 1st-and-goal at the two. Martin charged into the end zone on the next play for a 17-10 Boise State lead.
Three consecutive incompletions by Dalton on the ensuing series led to a punt, but the Horned Frogs quickly got the ball back after their defense forced a three-and-out.
A 39-yard punt return by TCU’s Jeremy Kerley placed the ball at the BSU 31 with 5:37 remaining. The Horned Frogs nearly scored a touchdown on first down, but Antoine Hicks failed to secure the ball. Following a sack, Dalton completed a throw to Bart Johnson for seven yards, but his intended pass to Jimmy Young on 4th-and-6 fell incomplete.
Boise State advanced the ball to its own 44-yard line before Brotzman’s punt was downed at the TCU one. The Horned Frogs started their final drive with 1:06 showing on the clock. A 19-yard strike to Kerley set up a first down at the BSU 30, but Broncos safety Winston Venable reeled in a tipped ball on the next play to cement the win.
“If you look at the stats, a real, real evenly matched game,” Petersen said. “We were able to make a play or two and get the (win).”
Boise State’s defense delivered the first blow when Thompson stepped in front of Dalton’s intended target and sprinted 51 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead less with 11:28 to play in the first.
Brotzman, who missed a 36-yard field goal in the opening frame, drilled a 40- yarder with 8:02 remaining in the second quarter, but Dalton’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Clay trimmed the deficit to 10-7 with 49 seconds to go before halftime.
Following the break, TCU transformed a Martin fumble into a 29-yard Ross Evans field goal, tying the game with 3:42 left in the third quarter.
Efaw, who was named the offensive player of the game, had 75 yards on four receptions…Boise State’s Titus Young made a game-high eight catches for 72 yards…Martin was limited to 42 yards on 16 carries…TCU amassed just 36 yards on the ground…Dalton became the Horned Frogs’ all-time passing leader, breaking Max Knake’s mark of 7,370, set from 1992-95…TCU played in its first BCS game…Boise State improved to 6-4 all-time in bowl games…The Horned Frogs have an 11-13-1 record in bowl games.
Jan 05 8:23a by Chris Mottram - 0 comments