SB Nation 2011 College Football Bowls
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The Big 12 gave Mizzou a goodbye trip to Shreveport, where the Tar Heels proved an entirely unworthy foe.
Quick, close your eyes and guess which team is losing its interim head coach after this game. Actually, you'll need to read the following in order to make an informed decision. OK, so, one team in the 2011 Independence Bowl ran for seven yards per carry throughout its 44 attempts, while the other couldn't break two.
The Missouri Tigers will enter the SEC with a 41-24 win over an ACC team, which is quite the SEC thing to do. The North Carolina Tar Heels have the talent to stand with just about anybody in the country, but Mizzou played with far more interest in the game's outcome.
Quarterback James Franklin finished with 142 yards passing and 132 through the air, along with a pair of touchdowns. Kendial Lawrence tacked on 99 rushing yards, various Tigers caught a pass or two, and Mizzou's defense limited everybody but Bryn Renner to 36 yards on the day.
Larry Fedora inherits a talented team that's clearly in need of direction, or at least not playing in Shreveport anymore.
For more on the 2011 Independence Bowl, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation and UNC blog Carolina March. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub throughout bowl season and beyond.
The Missouri Tigers have set a new Independence Bowl record, posting 31 points in a single half. You will not be alarmed to learn they're beating the North Carolina Tar Heels, who needed a last-second field goal just to reach 10 points. Shreveport, Louisiana may be able to tune into the entire Saints-Falcons pregame after all.
James Franklin has 156 combined yards and a touchdown each by land and air, giving him three more points and seven fewer yards than UNC's entire offense. Bryn Renner has thrown for 153 yards in 22 attempts, with 50ish each to Dwight Jones and Jheranie Boyd -- along with an interception that really wasn't his fault -- but Mizzou has walled up Giovani Bernard, who has 12 of UNC's 13 rushing yards.
Mizzou's on pace for almost 400 yards rushing. Without a reason to keep throwing, they just might near that mark.
For more on the 2011 Independence Bowl, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation and UNC blog Carolina March. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub throughout bowl season and beyond.
Not much has gone the way of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2011 Independence Bowl. For one thing, James Franklin, who cannot be convinced to stop scoring touchdowns. The Missouri Tigers now lead, 31-7, and conditions in sunny, breezy Shreveport have lowered UNC's chances of airing the ball out in a comeback effort.
Consider the following, an interception off Dwight Jones' back -- yes, his back -- that will be charged to Bryn Renner but really should be considered the fault of Butch Davis somehow, probably (via):
Zaviar Gooden is the Tigers player who comes up with it, but even if he'd instead flung it out of bounds it would've just bounced off Gary Pinkel's hat and into Luke Lambert's hands for a touchdown. This was followed by Franklin converting a third-and-13, which was followed by a UNC personal foul. All is lost.
For more on the 2011 Independence Bowl, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation and UNC blog Carolina March. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub throughout bowl season and beyond.
The Missouri Tigers powered to a 14-7 lead, powered by the arms and legs of James Franklin. The sophomore passer now has 46 through the air and 15 on the ground, including Mizzou's second touchdown of the first quarter. A 26-yard pitch from Franklin to De'Vion Moore also provided the game's biggest ground gain so far.
The North Carolina Tar Heels haven't been able to achieve much since their hot opening drive, punting twice. They opened the second quarter with a tumbling Giovani Bernard watching a Bryn Renner screen hit the turf. At least UNC's punter is bringing it, topping 50 yards on each effort so far.
This game is brought to you by Advocare, which sells pills of some sort and pays Drew Brees to appear in its commercials. Many of them.
For more on the 2011 Independence Bowl, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation and UNC blog Carolina March. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub throughout bowl season and beyond.
Sleepy, moist Shreveport saw the North Carolina Tar Heels take the ball on the opening kick of the 2011 Independence Bowl and score first blood. Dwight Jones (WHO? DWIGHT JONES), he who was briefly ineligible for this game, brought down a pair of passes along the way, including the 22-yarder over the head of his unlucky defender for the touchdown.
The Missouri Tigers retorted promptly, with a 40-yard touchdown on a double pass from receiver T.J. Moe to a wide-open Wes Kemp. It's 7-7, to be clear.
The game temperature is in the 40s, with near-perfect 100 percent humidity. Attendance is bleak. Sometimes you wonder whether the Indy Bowl is actually put on by AdvoCare at all. Maybe it's really operated by a neighboring rival city that just wants to make Shreveport look worse than it really is. Like a Bossier City, perhaps?
Still, the following crowd image is an argument against bowl games, not an argument against Missouri or UNC fans:
via p.twimg.com
UNC looks set to hit the skies until Mizzou does something about it, rushing for only two yards as Bryn Renner's arm did all the rest.
For more on the 2011 Independence Bowl, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation and UNC blog Carolina March. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub throughout bowl season and beyond.
The Independence Bowl trophy will be awarded Monday following the match-up between Missouri and North Carolina. Disaster has struck, however, as the trophy's glass vase has been broken. And it seems as though Missouri's mascot, Truman the Tiger, is the party at fault.
Asked Truman if he broke the trophy. He nodded. Asked him what happened. Threw his paws in the air, then covered his eyes to mimic sobbing
A photo of the broken trophy is after the jump, as is a wretched assortment of relevant puns that you will hate.
Why in the world wouldn't Missouri and North Carolina fans be elated to redirect their entire holiday budgets towards a Shreveport trip?
@Dave_Matter Shreveport Visitor Information guy seemed offended when we weren't thrilled by IHOP/Sonic suggestion."Is that not good enough for you?"
Today's Rootability index helps the uninvested fan decide who to pull for in a contest where they have no clear interest. The game: The AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (5:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2) features the ACC's North Carolina Tar Heels against the Big 12's Missouri Tigers, who are soon to become the SEC's Missouri Tigers. In other words, it's your last chance to watch Mizzou before they move from Midwestern charming to Southeastern insufferable.
ROOTABILITY FACTORS. Both schools would prefer that you look to their future rather than take a peek at what they're both sweeping under the carpet faster than you can say "I'm not a scumbag."
The Missouri Tigers take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in their last game as a member of the Big 12 before joining the SEC. This will be the Tigers seventh consecutive post-season bowl game. While they'll be playing their final game of the season in the Big 12, they'll be taking on a North Carolina team who will be playing their last game for head coach Everett Withers. Tigers quarterback James Franklin will lead the nation's twelfth ranked offense and eleventh ranked rushing attack against a Tar Heels defense that gives up just 23.5 points per game. Running backHenry Josey comes in with 1,168 rushing yards on the season.
The Tar Heels on the other hand bring their balanced attack on offense against a Missouri defense who also gives up just 23.5 points per game. Senior wide receiver Dwight Jones looks to make one last impression before heading to the NFL, leading the team with 1,119 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Quarterback Bryn Renner has done a nice job replacing now Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. The Tar Heels are coming off a season ending victory over Duke and will look to carry the momentum to win one last game for head coach Everett Withers.
Game date, time: 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday, December 26th
Location: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
TV channel: ESPN2/ESPN3
Odds: Missouri favored by 3.5
For more college football, stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news coverage. And visit our many college football blogs. For more on the Missouri Tigers visit SB Nation's Missouri blog Rock M Nation. For more on the North Carolina Tar Heels visit SB Nation's North Carolina blog Carolina March.
The Missouri Tigers take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in their last game as a member of the Big 12 before joining the SEC. This will be the Tigers seventh consecutive post-season bowl game. While they'll be playing their final game of the season in the Big 12, they'll be taking on a North Carolina team who will be playing their last game for head coach Everett Withers. Tigers quarterback James Franklin will lead the nation's twelfth ranked offense and eleventh ranked rushing attack against a Tar Heels defense that gives up just 23.5 points per game. Running back Henry Josey comes in with 1,168 rushing yards on the season.
The Tar Heels on the other hand bring their balanced attack on offense against a Missouri defense who also gives up just 23.5 points per game. Senior wide receiver Dwight Jones looks to make one last impression before heading to the NFL, leading the team with 1,119 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Quarterback Bryn Renner has done a nice job replacing now Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. The Tar Heels are coming off a season ending victory over Duke and will look to carry the momentum to win one last game for head coach Everett Withers.
For more college football, stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.
The Missouri Tigers are headed for Shreveport, Louisiana to play their last-ever Big 12 bowl game, the first of many trips to the Bayou State they'll make in the coming years. To welcome their fellow species members, the LSU Tigers took out a friendly ad in the Shreveport Times:
North Carolina wide receiver Dwight Jones has been reinstated just one day after the NCAA had ruled him ineligible for the Dec. 26 Independence Bowl against Missouri. Jones had been ruled ineligible because he had allowed his likeness to be used to help promote a New Year's Eve party -- five days after he will have played his final NCAA game. Originally, the NCAA had ruled it a secondary violation, but apparently had second thoughts after Jones apologized and said the party had been canceled. The school sent a cease-and-desist letter to the party promoters, one of whom was apparently one of Jones' family members.
Having Jones will surely be a huge boost for the Tarheels, who are 7-5. Jones is a legitimate NFL prospect after leading his team in receiving yards (1,119) and touchdown catches (11).
For the latest updates on the Independence Bowl, follow this StoryStream. For more on the Tarheels, check out North Carolina blog Carolina March.
The NCAA is reportedly looking into North Carolina's Dwight Jones related to a promotional flier for a New Year's party. The flier first surfaced on Deadspin. This should be fun. As the Charlotte Observer reports:
An image of Jones in his football uniform appears on the flier surrounded by a gold throne, which is in turn surrounded by $100 bills. ... "D Jones will be giving some lucky ladies in the building up to (a) $500 cash giveaway," the flier reads.
Sound the alarm, y'all. Sounds like a student-athlete is out here BALLIN TOO HARD.
The Missouri Tigers are set to take on the North Carolina Tarheels in the 2011 Independence Bowl after there being a little bit of uncertainty in which bowl game they would go to. It turns out they'll be going back to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA. Tigers sophomore wide receiver L'Damian Washington will get to play in his hometown for the bowl game. "He's a one-man army," senior nose guard Dominqiue Hamilton said. "He (Washington) just comes at you, keeps firing. Awww! I'm from Shreveport! He's the king of it. He runs it. That's all he's going to say."
The Tar Heels on the other hand come in after firing their head coach and potentially could enter the game with a new head coach.
For more on the Missouri Tigers visit SB Nation's Missouri blog Rock M Nation. For more on the North Carolina Tar Heels visit SB Nation's North Carolina blog Carolina March. Also stay tuned to SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage.
The first bowl shakeup of the 2011 season was the Virginia Tech Hokies' surprise reported selection to the Sugar Bowl. Here's another sign it might be true: the Missouri Tigers and North Carolina Tar Heels will reportedly play, which would send UNC to a bowl one bid higher than the game to which it had been projected.
@BlumbergOTB Confirmed
#Mizzou vs. North Carolina in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 26th.
The Independence Bowl started in 1976 (hence the name) is played annually in Shreveport, Louisiana and usually features a school from the Mountain West Conference versus a school from the ACC with the Sun Belt waiting in the wings just in case.
This year's game will take place Monday, December 26 at 8:00 p.m. and be televised on ESPN where Rob Stone, Danny Kanell & Allison Williams will broadcast.
Ole Miss is the current leader in game appearances with five while Louisiana Tech has appeared in four. Last year, Air Force topped Georgia Tech 14-7.
Game date, time: 8:00 pm ET, Monday, December 26
Location: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana
TV channel: ESPN
2010 winner and loser: Air Force 14 - Georgia Tech 7
For more on each bowl game as it’s announced, stay tuned to SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.
Missouri Vs. UNC Recap, Independence Bowl 2011: The Numerical
by Bill Connelly
The stats that mattered in Missouri's 41-24 win over North Carolina in last night's Independence Bowl.Continue reading »
Dec 27 8:49a