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College Football Bowl Games: Finding Each Game's Classic, Part III

2012-01-12T13:27:32Z

Part II of this series ended with Georgia's classic victory over Virginia in the 1998 Peach Bowl. In our final installment, we take a look back at all the bowls that will take place on Jan. 2 or later this year and find the best game for each.

In order to maintain consistency, the year noted in each bowl game will be the season it represents: For example, the Rose Bowl in 1962 is actually the game that was played on Jan. 1, 1963. Also, from 1998-2005, the games that were designated as the BCS national championship game will be considered only for the BCS title game, and not for that particular bowl game.

If all that makes sense, then you're ready for Part III of our classic bowl games:

TicketCity Bowl (first played: 2010, this year: second edition): Played at the Cotton Bowl to replace the eponymous game that's moved to Cowboys Stadium, the first edition (played Jan. 1, 2011) of the former Dallas Football Classic wasn't half bad. After taking a 38-17 lead against Northwestern, Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville inexplicably called for an onside kick. The Wildcats recovered and began a furious rally, twice cutting the Tech lead to seven points. But the Red Raiders managed to earn two big first down on their final drive to hold on to a 45-38 victory.

Capital One Bowl (1946, 66th): For sheer drama, the 2004 game (played Jan. 1, 2005) had it in spades. It was Nick Saban's final appearance as LSU coach, as he would be headed to the Miami Dolphins after the game. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz also had NFL suitors, but decided to sign an extension that made him the highest-paid college football coach. The Tigers rallied when freshman quarterback JaMarcus Russell came in the game and threw two fourth-quarter TD passes to Skyler Green, the second of which put them ahead, 25-24, with 46 seconds to go. Yet, Iowa quarterback Drew Tate, on the last play of the game, tossed a 56-yard pass - and not a Hail Mary - to a streaking Warren Holloway on a fly pattern to give the Hawkeyes an improbable 30-25 victory.

Gator Bowl (1945, 67th): The 1978 game was most memorable for one play: The punch. After Clemson nose guard Charlie Bauman intercepted Ohio State's Art Schlichter's pass to seal the Tigers' 17-15 victory, he was tackled near the Ohio State sideline. Then out of nowhere came an enraged Woody Hayes, who slugged Bowman just below his facemask before being restrained. The TV broadcasters made no mention of the incident that led to a melee, but it was missed by nobody else, including the Ohio State president and athletic director. After a quick and secret meeting at a Jacksonville resort that night, Hayes' reign as the Buckeyes coach - 28 seasons and two national titles - came to a swift and stunning end the following morning.

Outback Bowl (1986, 26th): The 1987 game (played on Jan. 2, 1988) featured two college football heavyweights finishing disappointing seasons. Both Michigan and Alabama were 7-4 and coming off losses against hated arch rivals (Ohio State and Auburn, respectively). The Wolverines were also without coach Bo Schembechler, who was home recuperating from heart surgery, as Gary Moeller took charge on the sideline. Michigan dominated the first half with Jamie Morris scoring on three TD runs, but Alabama came back to take a 24-21 lead late. Facing fourth-and-2 with under a minute left, Michigan quarterback Demetrius Brown threw a 20-yard TD pass to John Kolesar in the corner of the end zone to give the Wolverines a 28-24 victory - a play that made Schembechler "jump off the couch."

BBVA Compass Bowl (2006, 6th): The only game in this bowl's short history that wasn't decided by double digits was the 2008 edition. N.C. State jumped out to a 17-6 lead but lost quarterback Russell Wilson (yep, the same one playing in the Rose Bowl this year for Wisconsin) to a knee injury. As a result, Rutgers rallied, scoring three times in the fourth quarter for a 29-23 victory.

GoDaddy.com Bowl (1999, 13th): Never mind the bowl's second-rate status, the 2001 game between Marshall and East Carolina was truly a classic. In a game featuring two future Jacksonville Jaguars quarterbacks, David Garrad led ECU early en route to an apparent rout, taking a 38-8 halftime lead. But Byron Leftwich directed Marshall's comeback, scoring four touchdowns in the third quarter and finally catching ECU when he drove the Herd 80 yards in the game's final 50 seconds - but Marshall's Curtis Head missed the game-winning PAT, sending the game to overtime. It was finally settled when Leftwich hit Josh Davis in the second overtime to cap a 64-61 comeback win, which still stands as the highest-scoring bowl game in history. Leftwich's 576 passing yards also tied BYU's Ty Detmer for a bowl record.

Cotton Bowl (1936, 76th): Before he won four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, the legend of Joe Montana was born in the 1978 game (played on Jan. 1, 1979), better known as the Chicken Soup Game. Suffering from the flu, the Notre Dame quarterback was forced to stay in the locker room and keep warm by eating chicken soup. Meanwhile, Houston seemed to have taken an insurmountable 34-12 lead halfway through the fourth quarter. But after a blocked punt sparked the Irish, Montana engineered the epic comeback, hitting Kris Haines on a TD pass with no time remaining on the clock. Joe Unis' PAT gave the Irish an unthinkable 35-34 victory.

Sugar Bowl (1934, 78th): In terms of epicness, it doesn't get much bigger than the 1978 game (played on Jan. 1, 1979) that featured two legendary programs and legendary coaches in a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2. Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions were ranked No. 1, with the top-ranked defense that's pitched three shutouts. But it was the Tide's defense that won the game in a titanic defensive struggle. In the fourth quarter, Alabama sealed its victory with a goal-line stand, stopping the Lions twice inside the 1-yard line to preserve a 14-7 win.

Orange Bowl (1934, 78th): The 1983 game (played on Jan. 2, 1984) put 'The U' on the map was perhaps the also best bowl game ever played. The upstart Hurricanes found themselves in the last game of the season, suddenly with a chance to win the national championship, with both No. 2 Texas and No. 4 Illinois having lost early in the day. They rode Bernie Kosar's arm to a 31-17 lead, before No. 1 Nebraska stormed back in the fourth quarter. After scoring a touchdown in the final minute, 'Huskers coach could've opted to kick a PAT and a tie that would ensure his team the national championship, but he decided to go for the win. When Turner Gill's 2-point conversion pass was broken up, the 'Canes had a 31-30 victory and their first national title.

Fiesta Bowl (1971, 41st): The game that vaulted Fiesta Bowl into a major player in the bowl season was the 1986 showdown (played on Jan. 2, 1987) between No. 1 Miami and No. 2 Penn State. It had the buildup of a heavyweight title fight and lived up to it. It was memorable for the 'Canes stalking out of a pre-game meal with Jerome Brown uttering the infamous line of "did the Japanese go and sit down and eat with Pearl Harbor before they bombed them?" It was remembered for Vinny Testaverde's five interceptions, the last of which sealed Penn State's 14-10 victory. It also remains television's highest-rated college football game in history.

Rose Bowl (1901, 98th): In John McKay's third season, he had returned USC to glory, taking the top-ranked and unbeaten Trojans into the 1962 game (played on Jan. 1, 1963) poised to win their first national title in 22 years. And USC pounced on second-ranked Wisconsin, taking a 42-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. But the Badgers staged an epic rally, scoring three touchdowns and a safety and had one final chance at an onside kick with over a minute left. The suddenly flustered Trojans finally were able to catch their breath after recovering the kick to hold on to a 42-37 victory.

BCS national championship (1998, 14th): Even if the NCAA wants you to believe the 2005 game (played on Jan. 4, 2006) never happened, we prefer to trust our own lyin' eyes. No. 1 USC rode a 34-game winning streak into the game, with two Heisman Trophy winners in tow, poised for a three-peat. But No. 2 Texas, behind Vince Young's magnificent play, rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Trojans in Pasadena. It's still the most-watched college football game in the BCS era.

2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl Final Score: Northern Illinois Claims 38-20 Victory, Possibly Some Domain Names

2012-01-09T06:06:38Z

The final FBS game of the 2011 college football season that isn't the BCS National Championship Game featured another thing that made the season great: #MACtion. And the Northern Illinois Huskies capped an exciting season with a 38-20 win over Arkansas State in the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl that had its fair share of excitement.

Chandler Harnish threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns through the air, and the Huskies' defense forced five Arkansas State turnovers, returning one Ryan Aplin interception for a touchdown, in recovering from a 13-0 deficit to score 31 consecutive points. Northern Illinois scored a touchdown on a fake end around play-action pass and got Jamal Womble's first career touchdown run on the day.

Red Wolves quarterback Aplin threw three interceptions, marring a night on which he threw for 352 yards and a touchdown and ran for another.

For more college football, stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news coverage. And visit our many college football blogs. For more on Northern Illinois, keep it locked to SB Nation Chicago and our Huskies team blog, Red and Black Attack. For more on Mid-American Conference football, visit Hustle Belt.

Arkansas Vs. Kansas State Final Score, Cotton Bowl: Hogs Rolling Into 2012

2012-01-07T05:07:37Z

The Arkansas Razorbacks have completed their first 11-win season since 1977 and the most successful year of their SEC tenure, downing the Kansas St. Wildcats, 29-16, in the 2012 Cotton Bowl. It wasn't technically a BCS game, but it was one of only a handful of bowls to pair two top-10 teams, something not even the Orange Bowl could claim.

This should make for the fourth top-five poll finish in program history.

SI.com: Cotton Bowl box score and Cotton Bowl FAQ

With Tyler Wilson likely sticking around, Paul Petrino coming back, and a rearranged defensive staff -- along with the potential of a Knile Davis return -- a top-five start for 2012 is in the cards as well.

Though Wilson posted only 216 yards on a subpar (347) night by Razorbacks standards, a superb effort by the Hogs defense limited the ground-adept Cats to only 92 yards worth of rushing. The Arkansas D added six sacks and two turnovers to boot. It's not often we get to tout Arkansas' defense, but there you have it.

Let's not overlook the season enjoyed by K-State, which bolted together double-digit wins of their own thanks to guile and spare parts and craft. Bright futures all around?

For now, we'll just trust this gentleman will be spotted throughout each and every avenue of Dallas at one point or another this evening:

For more on the 2012 Cotton Bowl, visit Arkansas blog Arkansas Expats and Kansas State blog Bring on the Cats, plus SB Nation Kansas City and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

Football As Films: Week Three Of College Football's Bowl Season Reviewed

2012-01-05T19:38:15Z

TICKETCITY BOWL: HOUSTON 30, PENN STATE 14. Closest to a dark global snuff film like Melancholia. Lars Von Trier movies always end with a dead woman, so change the standard plot a bit on this one. Instead of just one dead woman on the floor at the end of the film, Von Trier kills THE WHOLE WORLD, and in the end seems pretty dispassionate about it.

If none of this makes any sense to you, we will explain. Penn State lost this game in the first quarter when Houston riddled the Nittany Lions' defense full of holes, and then thought they might survive once Houston's offense stagnated, and then hope disappeared altogether as the Cougars piled up points, possessions, and punts to Penn State's bloodless offense. (We were going to say anemic, but anemic means "living, but iron-deficient." Penn State's offense is dead, and has been for quite some time.) Penn State is blown up. Then, there is silence.

In any other circumstance, this would be a sad ending. It is more relief for all concerned in this case: for the viewer, for the team, and for anyone who knows the plot of Penn State's 2011 season to this point. A movie where the entire world dies does not get many repeat viewings. Neither will this game, even if Houston got what was on paper the biggest win in the program's recent history.

Rating: One star. The movie was over before it really ever began.

OUTBACK BOWL: MICHIGAN STATE 33, GEORGIA 30. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

Mark Richt looked at the hobbit. "Now, don't be afraid. Even the smallest person can make a difference in the course of history."

The kicker looked surprised, his tiny hands opening in a question. "How?"

Richt smiled. "Oh like this. Aaron, don't kill Sauron. Let the kicker do it."

He missed. Sauron laughed, and was like, "No, bro, this is too funny take another shot." Then, the tiny kicker missed again, and Sauron took over the world, but not before asking the wizard Richt, "Why on earth did you let your kicker decide the game? This is college. They're not very good at this level."

And then everyone cried.

Rating: Four stars. A classic and epic tale of heroism, and the lack thereof seriously Mark Richt you knelt on second down to kick on third you deserve nothing good day sir, good day to you.

CAPITOL ONE BOWL: SOUTH CAROLINA 30, NEBRASKA 13. Julie and Julia. Please, if you don't immediately see the similarities, bear with me. One half of this this game was about Meryl Streep playing against type--tall, oafish, uncomfortable and funnier than you expect--and showing you a character who, like Steve Spurrier, succeeded in a situation no one else has. (Child as the first famous female celebrity gourmand/author, and Spurrier as a consistently successful coach at the coach-killing hole of the South Carolina job.)

The other half is about a frustrated, often angry and irrational character who seems to swing and miss no matter how hard she follows the recipe. The Nebraska fan base plays the perpetually understanding husband. The viewer, after watching this unfold, really wishes they could have just kept the South Carolina part, and not watched so much of the Nebraska bit.

Rating: Two stars. Half a good movie is still half a movie.

TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL: FLORIDA 24, OHIO STATE 17. The Makita Power Drill 113B instructional video. Or one of those instructional or public service ads that, in the time before Netflix and other things that made evil things like Blockbuster happily unnecessary, you could rent for free from Blockbuster. You rented it because, "Oh ho ho won't the clumsy acting and stilted dialogue about power drills be entertaining." They never were, but on a really broke night with very little to do, the Makita Power Drill instructional video was worth a shot because the time you put into it and the video itself were of equal value: completely worthless.

Sadly, this game felt more like poorly done procedure for all concerned, and aside from one electrifying Andre Debose touchdown return, it was mostly stupid penalties committed by both sides. (Congratulations to Ohio State offensive lineman J.B. Shugarts, whose career tally of false starts ended in this game at somewhere around 25.)

If it were like this video, we would all have kinder words for you, Gator Bowl.

Unfortunately for the viewer, it was not.

Rating: One star.

ROSE BOWL: OREGON 45, WISCONSIN 38. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. When one plays Oregon, one engages more in a battle of the minds, not of the body. Okay, that is not completely accurate. The body is plenty involved, but in watching physical freaks like the bullish Montee Ball and quicksilver De'Anthony Thomas trade blows for four quarters, the pyrotechnics of a well-done kung fu epic do come to mind, especially if we are talking about something with the lush visuals of the Rose Bowl. If Ang Lee were ever to direct a football movie, there is no doubt it would end at the Rose Bowl, and be so beautiful it would make you cry.

And as for the winner? The team that actually has a style of kung fu named after them, of course.

Rating: Three and a half stars. A bit too much punching, but given the genre the teams excel in, what did you expect?

FIESTA BOWL: OKLAHOMA STATE 41, STANFORD 38. The 40 Year Old Virgin. Not an exact fit, sure, but if first year head coach David Shaw's fumbling at the levers for what to do in endgame situations isn't some kind of parallel to the frustrations of a man who has never known the joys of sex, nothing is. With Andrew Luck under center and the game on the line, Shaw twice relied on a freshman kicker to win the game. I'm sorry, there are so many different sentences that could go here.

"No, I've almost won this knife fight, I know. BUT HAND ME THAT SPORK FOR THE FINISH, ANDRE."
"This is the hottest hip-hop track of all time, but after working Bun B, Jay-Z, Big K.R.I.T., Andre 3000, and Nas through the verses, I know just the man to finish this with a BANG: Asher Roth. Go, baby!"
"This has been the most romantic evening of my life, darling." "I know, and that's why we're going for a nightcap at the only place that could make it better: the dog track."

The point for Shaw is: know your tools, Batman. Some are way better for certain situations than others. Take Justin Blackmon, for instance. What can he do? Anything. When can he do it? Probably against your team, eventually, and for large numbers.

Rating: Three stars. Again, not a universal classic, but probably a DVD purchase for most neutral viewers.

SUGAR BOWL: MICHIGAN 23, VIRGINIA TECH 20. The Bad News Bears. I didn't want to go there, but here we are with a story so cliched it really does leap straight from the pages of a script which was derivative when it was ripped off from the guy who ripped off the guy who ripped off the guy. With zero offensive production, and badly outmanned by the defense, Michigan pulled off the role of the underdog so convincingly they barely needed the assistance of the "Daffy Pac-12 officials." (Another cliche, but an accurate one.) Would the curmudgeonly opposing coach rely on his kicker, albeit a third stringer who hadn't missed all night? Would the defense and its crew of former losers and walk-ons hold together? Would the slovenly journeyman coach watch the winning kick pop through the wickets, and refute the skepticism of his doubters? Most importantly, would a fat guy be asked to catch a tipped pass at one point in the game?

So glad I quit the band for football, man.

The answer to all of these is yes, and only the hardest of hearts could deny this well-executed-if-completely-predictable underdog story. Now Michigan will suffer the fate of all underdogs: the life of the new overdog.

Rating: Three and a half stars.

ORANGE BOWL: WEST VIRGINIA 70, CLEMSON 33. The Protector. Just Tony Jaa as the West Virginia Mountaineers, and the unbroken-but-doomed arms of the world as the Clemson Tigers.

Good if you like watching Tony Jaa break arms for an hour and a half in between scenes of him cavorting with baby elephants, and not if you don't.

Rating: Three stars. I like watching Tony Jaa break arms almost as much as I like watching the Air Raid incinerate hapless defenses.

West Virginia Vs. Clemson Final Score, Orange Bowl 2012: WVU Breaks Bowl Record

2012-01-05T05:19:46Z

First things first: the West Virginia Mountaineers became the first team to ever score 70 points in a bowl game, trashing the Clemson Tigers, 70-26, in the 2012 Orange Bowl. Seventy points!

From a four-touchdown, five-minute spurt around halftime to the highest combined-scoring first quarter and first half in Orange Bowl history to WVU pulling starting quarterback Geno Smith with 20 minutes left in the game, WVU made that whole rejected-by-the-ACC thing look mighty silly indeed.

SI.com: Orange Bowl box score and Orange Bowl FAQ.

Smith passed for 401 yards and six touchdowns, Tavon Austin put together 163 combined yards and four scores, Shawne Alston rushed for 78 and scored twice. It goes on and on. The funny thing is Clemson's offense actually played reasonably well, putting up 440 yards, but letting go of four turnovers made far too big of an opportunity for one of the nation's fastest, most capable offenses.

Dana Holgorsen, who became the head coach of the 'Eers after a rocky setup with previous coach Bill Stewart fell apart, has helped give West Virginia its third victory in a BCS bowl game.

For more on the 2012 Orange Bowl, visit Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland and West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket.

Michigan Vs. Virginia Tech Final Score, Sugar Bowl 2012: Wolverines Take Thriller

2012-01-04T05:03:09Z

For the fifth time in school history, the Michigan Wolverines have won 11 games in a season. Brendan Gibbons was good on his third of three field goal attempts of the 2012 Sugar Bowl, making it 23-20 in favor of Michigan after third-string Virginia Tech Hokies kicker failed for the first time in his five attempts. Life's like that.

SI.com: Live Sugar Bowl box score and Sugar Bowl FAQ.

Michigan's offense was all but shut down for the entire evening, gaining only 184 yards in five periods. Virginia Tech held Denard Robinson to 130 total yards -- Danny Coale caught 117 even with a touchdown called back -- but gave up three turnovers and had to settle for field goals all night long.

The question coming into this game was whether the Hokies even deserved to be in New Orleans. They certainly proved they can compete with anybody, but missed again in their efforts to add a noteworthy victory to their 2011 campaign.

For more on the 2012 Sugar Bowl, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Michigan blog Maize 'n' Brew, plus SB Nation Detroit and Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire.

2012 Fiesta Bowl, Stanford Vs. Oklahoma State: Cowboys Upend Andrew Luck, Cardinal In OT

2012-01-03T05:37:10Z

If last season's Fiesta Bowl was for all the Tostitos, the 2012 Fiesta Bowl was for all the touchdowns. Stanford and Oklahoma State combined for 79 points before the Cowboys prevailed in overtime, 41-38.

The scoring made for terrific entertainment, but the headlines will likely go to Stanford's freshman kicker Jordan Williamson, who missed a pair of field goals at the end of the game, including a 35-yard field goal wide left as time expired that would have won the game for Stanford. Williamson then missed again in OT.

Playing for the game-winning field goal, it was just the second time this season that Stanford failed to score once it entered the red zone. Here's video of the miss:

The Cardinal never trailed in regulation and had 41:47 to 18:13 time of possession advantage. Stanford had four scoring drives of more than four minutes. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State had five quick-strike TD drives that took less than two minutes.

Justin Blackmon, who said on TV after the game that he planned to enter the 2012 NFL Draft, led the Cowboys attack with a Fiesta Bowl record-tying three touchdowns and 191 yards.

Andrew Luck was brilliant in his final collegiate game, completing 87 percent of his passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns, including completing all five of his passes to get Stanford in range for the potential game-winning field goal try.

For the Cowboys, the win caps a terrific season in which Oklahoma State accomplished its first win in a BCS bowl game and first 12-win season.

For more on this super BCS bowl game, visit Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free and Stanford blog Rule of Tree, and head over to Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Bay Area.

Oregon Vs. Wisconsin Final Score, Rose Bowl 2012: Roses For Puddles

2012-01-03T01:41:04Z

The Oregon Ducks have handed the Wisconsin Badgers their second Rose Bowl loss in a row in one of the highest-scoring games in Rose history (and one of the highest-scoring games of a HIGH-SCORY bowl season), 45-38. The Ducks left Russell Wilson only 16 seconds on the clock to attempt a comeback, but, as has been the case all year, the closing moments were not kind to the Badgers.

SI.com: Live Rose Bowl box score and Rose Bowl FAQ.

UW made it all the way to midfield with only nine ticks left, then found Nick Toon near the red zone as two second remained. A spike attempt did not make it to the ground in time, and after a review, that was that. In a game filled with close calls, that was the closest, but it's in the books.

Oregon's 621 yards worth of offense came in only 24 minutes worth of possession. A BCS bowl win for the Ducks, a possible top-four finish, and the conclusion of perhaps the finest season in school history.

For more on the Rose Bowl, visit Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Oregon blog Addicted to Quack, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire.