 December 30, 2010 UT loses Music City Bowl in double OT By Jeff Lockridge THE TENNESSEAN Casey Barth's 23-yard field goal in double overtime gave North Carolina a 30-27 win over Tennessee in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. North Carolina (8-5) got the opportunity to win after intercepting Tyler Bray in the second overtime. In the first overtime, T.J. Yates rushed for a 1-yard touchdown for North Carolina. Bray's 20-yard touchdown pass to Luke Stocker sent the game to double overtime. Barth kicked a 40-yard field goal on the final play of regulation to tie the game 20-20 and send it to overtime. Bray's 8-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter with five minutes left had given Tennessee (6-7) a 20-17 lead. The teams traded touchdowns just before halftime. The Vols, who have taken their shots deep with regularity, took a 14-10 lead when a pair of freshmen hooked up on Bray’s 45-yard toss to Da’Rick Rogers down the middle of the field with 1:30 left in the half. Not to be outdone, North Carolina answered with a five-play, 72-yard drive in just over a minute to retake the lead on T.J. Yates’ 39-yard touchdown pass to Erik Highsmith with 27 seconds in the half. Highsmith was able to get behind cornerback Prentiss Waggner on the left sideline when Yates extended the play by scrambling out of the pocket. Bray completed 13-of-27 passes for 162 yards, two scores and two interceptions in the first half. The Vols had just 18 rushing yards on 12 carries. North Carolina was more balanced, rushing for 88 yards and throwing for 119. Casey Barth’s 28-yard field goal at 10:24 of the second quarter staked the Tar Heels to a 10-7 advantage. North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown’s 43-yard interception return to the Vols 10 provided the field position for the score. Brown snagged his third pick of the season when the ball caromed off tight end Luke Stocker’s hands. It was tied 7-7 after one quarter. The Vols rallied to knot the score with 2:10 in the first quarter on Bray’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Jones, who was left uncovered on a blown assignment by the Tar Heels. Senior tailback Shaun Draughn covered 58 yards on North Carolina’s third offensive play of the game to stake the Tar Heels to a 7-0 lead with 10:58 in the quarter. Draughn, getting his second start of the season, sidestepped Vols safety Janzen Jackson to turn the toss sweep into a touchdown. North Carolina missed an opportunity to pad its lead when cornerback Kendric Burney fumbled at the Vols 28 while returning a Bray interception. Stocker recovered for Tennessee. The Tar Heels also suffered a key injury in the first quarter. Senior safety Deunta Williams, the team’s sixth leading tackler, was carted off the field with a broken right fibula after colliding with Stocker at the 5:32 mark. |
2010 Music City Bowl: North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27
2010 Pinstripe Bowl: Syracuse 36, Kansas State 34
A Pinstriped Thriller
Syracuse Outlasts Kansas State 36-34 at Yankee Stadium
By JARED DIAMOND
Wall Street Journal
New York City has long been considered a college football wasteland—a region oversaturated with professional teams and lacking a natural rooting interest. But by agreeing to host the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl, the Yankees demonstrated their confidence in the long-term viability of college football in a market noted for its apathy toward the sport.
It seems their gamble worked. Syracuse came away with a thrilling 36-34 victory over Kansas State in the first bowl game at Yankee Stadium since 1962. After a questionable excessive-celebration penalty, the Wildcats had a two-point conversion try from the 18-yard line with a chance to tie the game, but failed to convert.
"The financial story of this bowl game has been outstanding," Yankees' President Randy Levine said. Even with the extra expense involved in a massive snow removal project, Mr. Levine said the game has already exceeded revenue expectations.More importantly, the event showed that with the right event—and a little help from the Yankees—local fans may be able to carve out a small place in their hearts for college football.
In the days leading up to the game, the Yankees employed more than 400 workers to remove approximately 1.5 million pounds of snow from Yankee Stadium. By the time kickoff rolled around Thursday afternoon, the field was completely clear.
The work showed. Mountains of gray-white slushy snow surrounded the field, blanketing the area around home plate and sitting in massive piles in left and right field.
Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost said in a news conference before the game that the team sold 44,133 tickets, including 6,000 donated to various charities. The club announced an in-stadium attendance of 38,274.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation predicted that the staging of the Pinstripe Bowl would bring between $20 million and $30 million of extra revenue to New York City, a figure Mr. Levine said they matched or exceeded.
On the field, the win marked a significant step forward for Syracuse, a program that calls itself "New York's College Team." The Orange (8-5) had been mired in its worst stretch in school history, winning just 14 games in the last five seasons. before this year"In the face of the sixth-largest snowstorm in the history of New York City, we still were able to have a field and a stadium and a facility that the fans can enjoy, the players will enjoy," Mr. Trost said.
But under second-year head coach Doug Marrone, Syracuse began its turnaround, ending with Thursday's win.
Playing in its first bowl since 2004, Syracuse compiled 498 yards of total offense and put on a show in the market it desperately wants to dominate both for recruiting and exposure.
Running back Delone Carter won game MVP honors by rushing for 198 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Receiver Marcus Sales made five catches for 172 yards and three scores.
The victory was especially important to Mr. Marrone. He grew up in the Bronx, and his grandfather worked as an usher at the old Yankee Stadium. For one day, Syracuse lived up to its slogan.
"There was a moment out there tonight where I truly did almost break down and go to my knee," Mr. Marrone said, "because this really was a dream come true for me."
Syracuse Outlasts Kansas State 36-34 at Yankee Stadium
By JARED DIAMOND
Wall Street Journal
New York City has long been considered a college football wasteland—a region oversaturated with professional teams and lacking a natural rooting interest. But by agreeing to host the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl, the Yankees demonstrated their confidence in the long-term viability of college football in a market noted for its apathy toward the sport.
It seems their gamble worked. Syracuse came away with a thrilling 36-34 victory over Kansas State in the first bowl game at Yankee Stadium since 1962. After a questionable excessive-celebration penalty, the Wildcats had a two-point conversion try from the 18-yard line with a chance to tie the game, but failed to convert.
"The financial story of this bowl game has been outstanding," Yankees' President Randy Levine said. Even with the extra expense involved in a massive snow removal project, Mr. Levine said the game has already exceeded revenue expectations.More importantly, the event showed that with the right event—and a little help from the Yankees—local fans may be able to carve out a small place in their hearts for college football.
In the days leading up to the game, the Yankees employed more than 400 workers to remove approximately 1.5 million pounds of snow from Yankee Stadium. By the time kickoff rolled around Thursday afternoon, the field was completely clear.
The work showed. Mountains of gray-white slushy snow surrounded the field, blanketing the area around home plate and sitting in massive piles in left and right field.
Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost said in a news conference before the game that the team sold 44,133 tickets, including 6,000 donated to various charities. The club announced an in-stadium attendance of 38,274.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation predicted that the staging of the Pinstripe Bowl would bring between $20 million and $30 million of extra revenue to New York City, a figure Mr. Levine said they matched or exceeded.
On the field, the win marked a significant step forward for Syracuse, a program that calls itself "New York's College Team." The Orange (8-5) had been mired in its worst stretch in school history, winning just 14 games in the last five seasons. before this year"In the face of the sixth-largest snowstorm in the history of New York City, we still were able to have a field and a stadium and a facility that the fans can enjoy, the players will enjoy," Mr. Trost said.
But under second-year head coach Doug Marrone, Syracuse began its turnaround, ending with Thursday's win.
Playing in its first bowl since 2004, Syracuse compiled 498 yards of total offense and put on a show in the market it desperately wants to dominate both for recruiting and exposure.
Running back Delone Carter won game MVP honors by rushing for 198 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Receiver Marcus Sales made five catches for 172 yards and three scores.
The victory was especially important to Mr. Marrone. He grew up in the Bronx, and his grandfather worked as an usher at the old Yankee Stadium. For one day, Syracuse lived up to its slogan.
"There was a moment out there tonight where I truly did almost break down and go to my knee," Mr. Marrone said, "because this really was a dream come true for me."
2010 Kohaku Uta Gassen roll call!
aiko / Mukai awase (9)
Angela Aki / Kagayaku hito (5)
Ikimono gakari / Arigato (3)
Ishikawa Sayuri / Amagigoe (33)
Uemura Kana / Toilet no kami-sama (1)
AKB48 / Kohaku 2010 AKB48 Kamikyoku SP (3)
Kawanaka Miyuki / Nirinsou (23)
Kumiko / INORI ~Inori~ (1)
Koda Kumi / KODAKUMI 2010 Special Medley (6)
Godai Natsuko / Hitorizake (17)
Kobayashi Sachiko / Kaa-chan no hitorigoto (32)
Sakamoto Fuyumi / Mata kimi ni koi shiteru (22)
Tendo Yoshimi / Jinsei michizure (15)
DREAMS COME TRUE / Ikite yuku no desu feat. The Kohaku Special Brass band (14)
Nakamura Mitsuko / Kawachi otokobushi (15)
Nishino Kana / Best Friend (1)
Hamasaki Ayumi / Virgin Road (12)
Perfume / Nee (3)
Hirahara Ayaka / Voyagers (7)
Mizuki Nana / PHANTOM MINDS (2)
Mizumori Kaori / Matsushima Kiko (8)
Wada Akiko / AKKO ii!!! Kohaku 2010 Special (34)
Angela Aki / Kagayaku hito (5)
Ikimono gakari / Arigato (3)
Ishikawa Sayuri / Amagigoe (33)
Uemura Kana / Toilet no kami-sama (1)
AKB48 / Kohaku 2010 AKB48 Kamikyoku SP (3)
Kawanaka Miyuki / Nirinsou (23)
Kumiko / INORI ~Inori~ (1)
Koda Kumi / KODAKUMI 2010 Special Medley (6)
Godai Natsuko / Hitorizake (17)
Kobayashi Sachiko / Kaa-chan no hitorigoto (32)
Sakamoto Fuyumi / Mata kimi ni koi shiteru (22)
Tendo Yoshimi / Jinsei michizure (15)
DREAMS COME TRUE / Ikite yuku no desu feat. The Kohaku Special Brass band (14)
Nakamura Mitsuko / Kawachi otokobushi (15)
Nishino Kana / Best Friend (1)
Hamasaki Ayumi / Virgin Road (12)
Perfume / Nee (3)
Hirahara Ayaka / Voyagers (7)
Mizuki Nana / PHANTOM MINDS (2)
Mizumori Kaori / Matsushima Kiko (8)
Wada Akiko / AKKO ii!!! Kohaku 2010 Special (34)
ARASHI / 2010 Kohaku Original Medley (2)
Itsuki Hiroshi / Oshiroi hana (40)
HY / Toki wo koe (1)
EXILE / I Wish For You (6)
NYC / Yoku asobi yoku manabe 100% NYC (2)
Kayama Yuzo / Wakadaisho 50-nen Special Medley (17)
Kitajima Saburo / Fusetsu nagaretabi (47)
Go Hiromi / GO! GO! Iya~ Kohaku Special Medley (23)
Kobukuro / Ryusei (6)
SMAP / This is love’10 SP Medley
TOKIO / advance (17)
Tokunaga Hideaki / Toki no nagare ni mi wo makase (5)
AAA / Aitai riyu (1)
Hikawa Kiyoshi / Niji-iro no Bayon (11)
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS / Ato hitotsu (2)
Fukuyama Masaharu / Michishirube (3)
flumpool / Kimi ni todoke (2)
Hosokawa Takashi / Naniwabushi da yo jinsei wa (34)
Porno Graffitti / Kimi wa 100% (9)
Mori Shinichi / Erimomisaki (43)
Yusuke / Hito (2)
L’Arc~en~Ciel / BLESS (4)
Itsuki Hiroshi / Oshiroi hana (40)
HY / Toki wo koe (1)
EXILE / I Wish For You (6)
NYC / Yoku asobi yoku manabe 100% NYC (2)
Kayama Yuzo / Wakadaisho 50-nen Special Medley (17)
Kitajima Saburo / Fusetsu nagaretabi (47)
Go Hiromi / GO! GO! Iya~ Kohaku Special Medley (23)
Kobukuro / Ryusei (6)
SMAP / This is love’10 SP Medley
TOKIO / advance (17)
Tokunaga Hideaki / Toki no nagare ni mi wo makase (5)
AAA / Aitai riyu (1)
Hikawa Kiyoshi / Niji-iro no Bayon (11)
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS / Ato hitotsu (2)
Fukuyama Masaharu / Michishirube (3)
flumpool / Kimi ni todoke (2)
Hosokawa Takashi / Naniwabushi da yo jinsei wa (34)
Porno Graffitti / Kimi wa 100% (9)
Mori Shinichi / Erimomisaki (43)
Yusuke / Hito (2)
L’Arc~en~Ciel / BLESS (4)
2010 Armed Forces Bowl: Army 16, SMU 14
APArmy's Patrick Mealy, right, takes the ball from quarterback Trent Steelman in the first half of the Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas. Mealy rushed for 57 yards on 11 carries for the Black Knights.
BY STEPHEN HAWKINS
updated 4:26 p.m. ET Dec. 30, 2010
DALLAS - Josh McNary scooped up a fumble and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown and Army held on to beat SMU 16-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl on Thursday, giving the Black Knights their first winning season since 1996 and first postseason win since 1985.
Army (7-6) had a 16-0 halftime lead on SMU's home field, then ran out the final 4 minutes after Matt Szymanski was wide left on a 47-yard field goal attempt that would have put the Mustangs ahead.
SMU (7-7) still hasn't had consecutive winning seasons since resuming play in 1989 after being the only team ever given the NCAA's so-called death penalty.
Army got the ball back with 4:05 left and quarterback Trent Steelman converted a pair of third downs. He ran for 6 yards on third-and-5 after SMU called its final timeout, then later rolled right and threw a 22-yard pass on third-and-4 for only his second completion in the game before a final kneel-down.
The Black Knights doused second-year coach Rich Ellerson with the contents of a water cooler. They ran to the far end of the field to share the victory with their fans.
When Ellerson was hired, Army was coming off three consecutive 3-9 seasons. The Black Knights had won only 30 games over 12 seasons since their 1996 Independence Bowl appearance that capped a 10-2 season and was its last winning record until now. They last won a postseason game in 1985, defeating Illinois in the Peach Bowl.
The Mustangs last season ended a 25-year bowl drought with a win in the Hawaii Bowl that gave them an 8-5 record. That was only the second winning season since the death penalty, and this was the second .500 record in that span.
SMU's Kyle Padron completed 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards, including touchdowns on consecutive drives in the second half before the Mustangs got their last chance. He had two interceptions and a fumble before halftime.
SMU faced fourth-and-6 after Padron scrambled to avoid a sack and dumped a 3-yard pass to Darius Johnson. After a timeout, and coach June Jones exchanging a fist pump with Szymanski, the kick fluttered wide left.
Jared Hassin ran for 82 yards to lead Army, which got 199 of its 229 total yards on the ground.
The matchup provided a reunion for Jones and Ellerson, who were teammates at Hawaii in 1974 and later spent a season there together on the same coaching staff. They played against each other in college and coached against each other in Canada.
Jones removed his name from consideration for the Maryland job this week, saying he was committed to the Mustangs. They are 15-12 since going 1-11 in Jones' first season after he left Hawaii following an undefeated regular season and BCS appearance.
Padron hit Aldrick Robinson for a 45-yard pass on the first play of the game, but two plays later fumbled while being sacked by Zach Watts. McNary picked it up and ran untouched to the end zone.
The Mustangs used a little trickery to keep their next drive alive when Szymanski, also the punter, ran 18 yards to convert fourth-and-6 from their 33. The drive stalled at the Army 18, and Szymanski was wide right on a 35-yard field goal attempt at the same open end of the stadium into the breeze.
Padron threw the first of consecutive drive-ending interceptions when SMU got the ball back.
Despite gaining 156 total yards and getting inside the Army 30 on all three of their drives in the first quarter, the Mustangs trailed 13-0.
After Malcolm Brown took a pitch left 13 yards for a touchdown to put Army up 13-0, the extra point was blocked by 6-foot-8 Margus Hunt, a world-class shot put and discus thrower from Estonia who had never played football before getting to SMU last year. It was his third blocked kick this season and the 10th in his career, already a school record.
Alex Carlton, kicking at the same end where Szymanski had both of his misses, made a 44-yard field goal with 2:39 left in the first half.
SMU finally scored when Padron capped a 92-yard drive with an 8-yarder to Robinson, the eighth consecutive game the senior receiver caught a TD pass. Padron threw a 28-yard touchdown to Johnson in the fourth quarter.
Zach Line ran 17 times for 103 yards for SMU.
The Armed Forces Bowl is usually played on TCU's campus, but the main grandstand at 80-year-old Amon G. Carter Stadium was brought down earlier this month as part of a $105 million modernizing renovation. Bowl officials said before the season that their game was temporarily moving to SMU, with plans to return to Fort Worth as early as 2011.
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2010 Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State 36, Arizona 10
Magnificent 11
by: BILL HAISTEN Tulsa World Sports Writer
Thursday, December 30, 2010
12/30/2010 8:43:00 AM
SAN ANTONIO - It wasn't the statistical fireworks show that was typical during Oklahoma State's only season with Dana Holgorsen as offensive coordinator, but the Cowboys closed 2010 by achieving a milestone.
All-American wide receiver Justin Blackmon had a 71-yard touchdown catch, strong safety Markelle Martin scored on a 62-yard interception return and Groza Award recipient Dan Bailey booted three field goals - all from 40 yards or longer - as the 16th-ranked Cowboys conquered Arizona 36-10 in Wednesday's Alamo Bowl.
The Alamodome crowd of 57,953 saw Oklahoma State reach the 11-win mark for the first time in school history.
During the preseason, the Cowboys were picked to finish fifth in the six-team Big 12 South. Instead, they captured a share of the title.
"I can't (overstate) the importance of what this senior class accomplished," Cowboy coach Mike Gundy said.
With a four-year total of 36 wins, these OSU seniors are the most successful class in program history.
"This is pretty special," said Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden, who passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona. Redshirt freshman running back Jeremy Smith also scored on a 6-yard run as the 11-2 Cowboys ended a two-game losing streak in bowls.
OSU prevailed for the first time in three Alamo Bowl appearances.
Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, ending his seventh season as the Arizona head coach, watched his Wildcats (7-6) stumble to their fifth consecutive defeat.
Blackmon, whose pregame status had been uncertain because of an ankle sprain sustained in November, also had a 3-yard TD reception during the third quarter. He was voted the Alamo Bowl's offensive MVP. The defensive award went to Martin.
Last season's Cotton Bowl is regarded as perhaps Martin's best performance. Apparently, he likes bowl games. With 12:33 remaining in Wednesday's first half, he picked off a Nick Foles pass and raced down Arizona's sideline for the touchdown.
OSU's third-down defense was deficient, but the Cowboys did intercept Foles three times. In addition to Martin's big play, Cowboy free safety Johnny Thomas had an interception near the goal line and linebacker James Thomas had one near midfield.
"Turnovers certainly were a big part of it," Stoops said. "... We'll retool and regroup and bounce back. Tomorrow, I'll be excited about the future."
The Cowboys made their eighth bowl appearance in nine seasons and their fifth consecutive bowl appearance with Gundy as the head coach.
Having a month between games resulted in rust for the Cowboys' offense, which entered with national rankings of No. 1 in total offense, No. 2 in passing and No. 3 in scoring.
OSU was held under the 400-yard mark in total offense for only the third time this season. The Cowboys had 351 yards against Texas A&M, 379 against Oklahoma and a season-low 312 against Arizona.
Before the Alamo Bowl, OSU averaged 538 total yards per game. In his final game as a Cowboy, running back Kendall Hunter was limited to 32 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
Hunter dwelled not on his tough night, but on the unprecedented 11th victory for the Cowboys.
"It's the greatest feeling as a senior to make history and set a standard for the younger players," said Hunter, a two-time All-American.
With nine catches for 117 yards, Blackmon became the first player in major-college football history to have at least 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown catch in 12 consecutive games.
For the season, Blackmon has 20 touchdown receptions, breaking Dez Bryant's 2008 school record of 19. Also, with a season total of 1,782 receiving yards, Blackmon has the distinction of being the most prolific sophomore pass-catcher in college football history.
After recovering a first-quarter punt that was muffed by Arizona's William Wright, OSU struck for a quick Smith touchdown. The Cowboys followed with Blackmon's 71-yard TD and a 14-0 lead.
Arizona countered with a 63-yard drive, capped by Juron Criner's 5-yard TD reception. In 54 game minutes after the Criner touchdown, the Wildcats mustered only one more score - an Alex Zendejas field goal in the third period.
Copyright © 2010, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved
by: BILL HAISTEN Tulsa World Sports Writer
Thursday, December 30, 2010
12/30/2010 8:43:00 AM
SAN ANTONIO - It wasn't the statistical fireworks show that was typical during Oklahoma State's only season with Dana Holgorsen as offensive coordinator, but the Cowboys closed 2010 by achieving a milestone.
All-American wide receiver Justin Blackmon had a 71-yard touchdown catch, strong safety Markelle Martin scored on a 62-yard interception return and Groza Award recipient Dan Bailey booted three field goals - all from 40 yards or longer - as the 16th-ranked Cowboys conquered Arizona 36-10 in Wednesday's Alamo Bowl.
The Alamodome crowd of 57,953 saw Oklahoma State reach the 11-win mark for the first time in school history.
During the preseason, the Cowboys were picked to finish fifth in the six-team Big 12 South. Instead, they captured a share of the title.
"I can't (overstate) the importance of what this senior class accomplished," Cowboy coach Mike Gundy said.
With a four-year total of 36 wins, these OSU seniors are the most successful class in program history.
"This is pretty special," said Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden, who passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona. Redshirt freshman running back Jeremy Smith also scored on a 6-yard run as the 11-2 Cowboys ended a two-game losing streak in bowls.
OSU prevailed for the first time in three Alamo Bowl appearances.
Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, ending his seventh season as the Arizona head coach, watched his Wildcats (7-6) stumble to their fifth consecutive defeat.
Blackmon, whose pregame status had been uncertain because of an ankle sprain sustained in November, also had a 3-yard TD reception during the third quarter. He was voted the Alamo Bowl's offensive MVP. The defensive award went to Martin.
Last season's Cotton Bowl is regarded as perhaps Martin's best performance. Apparently, he likes bowl games. With 12:33 remaining in Wednesday's first half, he picked off a Nick Foles pass and raced down Arizona's sideline for the touchdown.
OSU's third-down defense was deficient, but the Cowboys did intercept Foles three times. In addition to Martin's big play, Cowboy free safety Johnny Thomas had an interception near the goal line and linebacker James Thomas had one near midfield.
"Turnovers certainly were a big part of it," Stoops said. "... We'll retool and regroup and bounce back. Tomorrow, I'll be excited about the future."
The Cowboys made their eighth bowl appearance in nine seasons and their fifth consecutive bowl appearance with Gundy as the head coach.
Having a month between games resulted in rust for the Cowboys' offense, which entered with national rankings of No. 1 in total offense, No. 2 in passing and No. 3 in scoring.
OSU was held under the 400-yard mark in total offense for only the third time this season. The Cowboys had 351 yards against Texas A&M, 379 against Oklahoma and a season-low 312 against Arizona.
Before the Alamo Bowl, OSU averaged 538 total yards per game. In his final game as a Cowboy, running back Kendall Hunter was limited to 32 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
Hunter dwelled not on his tough night, but on the unprecedented 11th victory for the Cowboys.
"It's the greatest feeling as a senior to make history and set a standard for the younger players," said Hunter, a two-time All-American.
With nine catches for 117 yards, Blackmon became the first player in major-college football history to have at least 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown catch in 12 consecutive games.
For the season, Blackmon has 20 touchdown receptions, breaking Dez Bryant's 2008 school record of 19. Also, with a season total of 1,782 receiving yards, Blackmon has the distinction of being the most prolific sophomore pass-catcher in college football history.
After recovering a first-quarter punt that was muffed by Arizona's William Wright, OSU struck for a quick Smith touchdown. The Cowboys followed with Blackmon's 71-yard TD and a 14-0 lead.
Arizona countered with a 63-yard drive, capped by Juron Criner's 5-yard TD reception. In 54 game minutes after the Criner touchdown, the Wildcats mustered only one more score - an Alex Zendejas field goal in the third period.
Copyright © 2010, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved
2010 Texas Bowl: Illinois 38, Baylor 14
Illini roll to the finish
Last Modified: Dec 29, 2010 11:36PM
HOUSTON — The goal was to put a little positive spin on a season that had been going south.
Mission accomplished. Delivering a rock-solid effort on both sides of the ball, Illinois handled Baylor 38-14 on Wednesday night in the Texas Bowl.
If Illinois had played this way against Minnesota and Fresno State, it really could have ignited its fan base and raised its profile around the college-football world. But that doesn’t diminish all the good feelings it generated.
With this victory, the Illini (7-6) can claim a winning season. Considering they had backed into their first bowl in three years, losing three of their last four games, they avoided the dubious distinction of having a losing season despite making bowl trip.
In addition, having beaten Baylor (7-6), which was a one-point favorite, the Illini can take a lot of pride in their offseason business when they start trying to build on this year’s success. Illinois, after all, is a team that has not had back-to-back winning seasons since 1989-90.
‘‘To get here is a good thing,’’ said game MVP Mikel Leshoure, who ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns. ‘‘To win is even better. It tops our season off with a winning season. And it shows that hard work pays off.’’
Leshoure’s big night made him Illinois’ single-season rushing leader (1,697 yards) and scoring leader (122 points) and gave him the record for touchdowns in a season (20).
It was also the first win in four tries at bowl games for Ron Zook as a head coach.
‘‘It’s hard to win games. They’re all big,’’ Zook said, downplaying that breakthrough. ‘‘I don’t know that there was a lot of people that gave us much of a chance in this game. If you can prove people wrong, you get satisfaction from that. But that’s not why you do it.’’
With the thunderclaps of a nasty storm booming through the retractable roof of Reliant Stadium, Illinois opened a 16-0 lead in the first half.
The offense, which settled three times for field goals from Derek Dimke, wasn’t as electric as the Texas sky, but it was pretty effective. Led by Nathan Scheelhaase, who completed all 13 of his first-half passes, the Illini scored on their first four possessions.
Among the highlights were a 32-yard catch by Darius Milines and a 52-yard catch by Ryan Lankford. Both are freshmen, and both made big-time plays.
When Illinois marched down the field with the second-half kickoff and opened a 24-0 lead, it seemed poised to romp.
The Bears didn’t go along with that script. Scoring the next 14 points, they closed to 24-14 with 13:43 to play. But that was all they got as the defense came up with a big effort.
‘‘We had those weeks to heal up,’’ defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said. ‘‘The depth issue is something we have to address. But the guys played about as good as they could play tonight, and we knew we were gonna need that. That’s the 12th-rated offense in the country [in yardage]. Our guys played so fast and so hard.’’
Copyright © 2010 — Sun-Times Media, LLC
2010 Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman: Maryland 51, East Carolina 20
baltimoresun.com
6:37 PM EST, December 29, 2010
WASHINGTON
Like a band on its farewell tour, the 2010 Maryland Terrapins gathered one final time Wednesday for a game that sent coach Ralph Friedgen out the way he began -- with a victory.
If nothing else, Maryland's 51-20 victory over East Carolina in the Military Bowl provided temporary comfort to Friedgen, who had likened his final days at his alma mater to a "slow death."
Against the overmatched Pirates, Friedgen got a 91-yard touchdown run and 200 total yards from tailback Da'rel Scott, playing his last Maryland game. Scott was voted the game's MVP. Maryland (9-4) also got four rushing touchdowns from goal-line specialist D.J. Adams.
East Carolina entered the game ranked last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, surrendering 479 yards per game. As Maryland well knew, the Pirates are particularly susceptible to the run.
Friedgen learned officially on Dec. 20 that the final season of his contract was being bought out. But he was not the only one exiting after the game.
Many of his assistant coaches will not be returning. It was also the last game for standout linebacker Alex Wujciak and 15 other seniors and -- perhaps -- receiver-returner Torrey Smith, who may leave for the NFL.
Maryland fans serenaded Friedgen with chants of "Ralph, Ralph." A fan hung a banner with "RALPH" in red letters.
"Thank you, Coach Friedgen," said another banner. Scott gestured for fans in the stands to applaud the coach at the end.
When it was over, Friedgen -- wearing khaki pants, a black jacket and white Terps ball cap -- walked to the stands and huddled with his players as the band played the alma mater.
Friedgen, 63, was hired in 2001 from Georgia Tech, where he was offensive coordinator. The Terps won, 23-7, in his debut.
"What I remember is we played North Carolina and the first play from scrimmage went 70 yards for a touchdown -- for them. And I know everybody in the stands said, 'Here we go again.' But our kids hung in there and we ended up beating them," Friedgen said in an interview.
On Wednesday, Maryland took a 6-0 lead on its second possession. Receiver Kevin Dorsey jostled with cornerback Travis Simmons along the sideline before hauling in 45-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked.
Adams' 1-yard scoring run pushed Maryland's lead to 16-3 in the second quarter. The touchdown was set up by Davin Meggett's 44-yard run to the 22.
Maryland used its multiple blitz packages to pressure quarterback Dominique Davis, who was 35-for-57 for 268 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Maryland upped the lead to 30-10 in the third quarter on an 11-play drive capped by Adams' 1-yard run -- his third touchdown of the day. The key play was a 31-yard swing pass to Meggett.
The Military Bowl (formerly known as the EagleBank Bowl), in its third season, was played at RFK Stadium. The building with the distinctive curving roof was home to the Redskins, who left for FedEx Field in 1997, and to baseball's Senators until they departed for Texas in 1971.
The stadium is distinctly old-school, just like the man who coached his last Maryland game there.
jeff.barker@baltsun.com
Maryland 51, East Carolina 20
Terps give Friedgen proper sendoff with big win
Rushing attack propels Maryland to rout of East Carolina in Military Bowl
By Jeff Barker, The Baltimore Sun6:37 PM EST, December 29, 2010
WASHINGTON
If nothing else, Maryland's 51-20 victory over East Carolina in the Military Bowl provided temporary comfort to Friedgen, who had likened his final days at his alma mater to a "slow death."
Against the overmatched Pirates, Friedgen got a 91-yard touchdown run and 200 total yards from tailback Da'rel Scott, playing his last Maryland game. Scott was voted the game's MVP. Maryland (9-4) also got four rushing touchdowns from goal-line specialist D.J. Adams.
East Carolina entered the game ranked last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, surrendering 479 yards per game. As Maryland well knew, the Pirates are particularly susceptible to the run.
Friedgen learned officially on Dec. 20 that the final season of his contract was being bought out. But he was not the only one exiting after the game.
Many of his assistant coaches will not be returning. It was also the last game for standout linebacker Alex Wujciak and 15 other seniors and -- perhaps -- receiver-returner Torrey Smith, who may leave for the NFL.
Maryland fans serenaded Friedgen with chants of "Ralph, Ralph." A fan hung a banner with "RALPH" in red letters.
"Thank you, Coach Friedgen," said another banner. Scott gestured for fans in the stands to applaud the coach at the end.
When it was over, Friedgen -- wearing khaki pants, a black jacket and white Terps ball cap -- walked to the stands and huddled with his players as the band played the alma mater.
Friedgen, 63, was hired in 2001 from Georgia Tech, where he was offensive coordinator. The Terps won, 23-7, in his debut.
"What I remember is we played North Carolina and the first play from scrimmage went 70 yards for a touchdown -- for them. And I know everybody in the stands said, 'Here we go again.' But our kids hung in there and we ended up beating them," Friedgen said in an interview.
On Wednesday, Maryland took a 6-0 lead on its second possession. Receiver Kevin Dorsey jostled with cornerback Travis Simmons along the sideline before hauling in 45-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked.
Adams' 1-yard scoring run pushed Maryland's lead to 16-3 in the second quarter. The touchdown was set up by Davin Meggett's 44-yard run to the 22.
Maryland used its multiple blitz packages to pressure quarterback Dominique Davis, who was 35-for-57 for 268 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Maryland upped the lead to 30-10 in the third quarter on an 11-play drive capped by Adams' 1-yard run -- his third touchdown of the day. The key play was a 31-yard swing pass to Meggett.
The Military Bowl (formerly known as the EagleBank Bowl), in its third season, was played at RFK Stadium. The building with the distinctive curving roof was home to the Redskins, who left for FedEx Field in 1997, and to baseball's Senators until they departed for Texas in 1971.
The stadium is distinctly old-school, just like the man who coached his last Maryland game there.
jeff.barker@baltsun.com
Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun
2010 Insight Bowl: Iowa 27, Missouri 24
Iowa tops Mizzou in Insight Bowl
Don Doxsie | Posted: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 12:45 am
TEMPE, Ariz. - On a night of broken records at the 22nd annual Insight Bowl, it must have looked to Iowa football fans as if the outcome also was going to be a broken record.
The Hawkeyes again looked good early, opening a sizable lead against a quality opponent. They again had the lead with 5 minutes to go. But the opponent again seemed to be driving for a go-ahead score in the final minutes, just as it did in all five of the Hawkeyes' losses this season.
One thing was different this time: The Iowa defense came up with the big defensive stop with 2 minutes, 15 seconds to go and the Hawkeyes held on for a dramatic 27-24 victory over 14th-ranked Missouri in the at Sun Devil Stadium.
Freshman running back Marcus Coker led the way with 219 yards on 33 carries - Iowa records for a bowl game - but it took an instant replay reversal to get the Hawkeyes home.
Missouri faced a fourth-and-6 situation at the Iowa 43-yard line and quarterback Blaine Gabbert and receiver T.J. Moe - both set some records of their own - appeared to have hooked up on a 10-yard pass play to keep the drive going. But the replay showed that Moe did not complete the diving catch and the ball went over to Iowa.
Unlike their five regular-season losses, the Hawkeyes managed to make the plays they needed to make after that. Coker carried on three straight plays and on third-and-3 Ricky Stanzi flipped a short pass to Allen Reisner that turned into a 39-yard gain to the 1-yard line. With Missouri out of timeouts, Stanzi simply took a knee on the next play to run out the clock.
"I'm so proud of the effort of our entire team," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said after the game. "Each and every guy who played did a great job."
Gabbert set Insight Bowl records with 41 completions and 57 pass attempts and Moe set a record with 15 receptions.
However, Gabbert's only interception of the game allowed the Hawkeyes (8-5) to reclaim the lead after the Missouri quarterback drove his team for two touchdowns in the third quarter.
Gabbert's short flip along the left sideline was picked off by Micah Hyde, who raced all the way to the opposite sideline and found a clear path to the end zone for a 72-yard score with 5:32 remaining in the game. Mike Meyer's extra point hit the right upright and bounced through to give Iowa a 27-24 lead.
Hyde was named the defensive player of the game, and Coker was the offensive MVP.
Coker, making the fourth start of his career, helped get the Hawkeyes off to a fast start. He reached the 100-yard mark less than 20 minutes into the game and scored the second and third touchdowns of his career to give the Hawkeyes a 17-3 lead.
The second TD was a 62-yard scamper in which Coker found a gaping hole on the right side of the line between guard Josh Koeppel and tackle Marcus Zusevics.
Missouri stayed in the game with its relentless spread attack.
It cut the lead to 17-10 on Henry Josey's 10-yard touchdown run and was closing in on a tying score late in the half when the Iowa defense finally stepped up. Gabbert tried to hit Jarrell Jackson in the end zone but Shaun Prater had tight coverage on Jackson, and the ball caromed away into the hands of former Pleasant Valley star Brett Greenwood with 28 seconds to go in the half.
Iowa pushed it to 20-10 in the third quarter after a 93-yard drive produced a 21-yard field goal by Meyer.
But Missouri responded with back-to-back touchdown drives to grab the lead. First, Gabbert capped a 77-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. Then, after Stanzi was intercepted by Kevin Rutland, the Tigers drove 57 yards for the go-ahead points, scoring them on a 3-yard pass from Gabbert to All-American tight end Mike Egnew.
It was the 25th bowl game in Iowa history but this marked the first time the Hawkeyes have claimed three bowl victories in a row.
The game also shattered the Insight Bowl attendance record. The crowd of 53,453 was more than 4,000 more than the previous record for the 1997 game between Arizona and New Mexico.
2010 Champs Sports Bowl: North Carolina State 23, West Virginia 7
Published Tue, Dec 28, 2010 10:02 PM
Modified Tue, Dec 28, 2010 10:50 PM
Modified Tue, Dec 28, 2010 10:50 PM
Tudor: Wilson pitch-perfect in win
ORLANDO, Fla. If Russell Wilson wanted to go out on a high note, his pitch was near perfect Tuesday night in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Against three-point favorite West Virginia, the N.C. State quarterback had one of his most impressive performances in an already extraordinary football career.
Playing on the same Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium turf where Philip Rivers ended his four-year State career on Dec. 22, 2003 in a 56-26 bowl rout of Kansas, Wilson directed a 23-7 victory that may serve as his football so-long show.
A redshirt junior, Wilson soon will make the decision to either return for another season with the Wolfpack or devote his energy to a professional baseball career with the Colorado Rockies.
Odds point to the latter and have since Wilson signed the baseball contract in mid summer and spent approximately a month in the minor leagues.
Even as he waived to a lingering crowd of State fans during the post-game awards ceremony, Wilson remained noncommittal about his intentions.
“I just can’t say when I’ll make a decision,” Wilson said. “It’s something I need to think about. This is not about me tonight, and it shouldn’t be. This night is about N.C. State, all about N.C. State.”
State coach Tom O’Brien said he and Wilson would discuss the situation and reach a decision during the next week or so.
As Wilson headed to locker room with the game most valuable player award in tow, fans chanted “One More Year! One More Year!” time after time.
“He’s just a great player, a heck of a player,” said West Virginia Bill Stewart. “He’s just a neat guy. I’m sure he’ll have a great career in baseball, too.”
If Wilson does leave, State fans can only salute his impact and memory. He’ll be recalled not only as one of the school’s all-time best players, but a regular godsend for O’Brien and the stability of the program.
Until Wilson first began to emerge as a force midway through the 2008 season, there was some sense of desperation among some Pack fans.
With the exit of once popular former coach Chuck Amato and long past Rivers’ glory run, State fans wondered when – or if – another dynamic leader would surface.
For all of the sophisticated recruiting conducted by college teams, most quarterbacks don’t pan out to be big winners, much less record setters.
Wilson wasn’t heavily recruited, but he certainly did a ton of heavy lifting.
He entered Tuesday’s game, his 37th, with 8,270 yards passing and 74 touchdown throws.
Although the Pack’s receivers dropped far too many passes, Wilson hit running back Mustafa Greene for an early touchdown and frequently kept drives alive with hot-route passes and elusive scrambles.
Wilson then punctuated his performance with an improbable 7-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Jarvis Williams, an Orlando native, with 3:55 left.
In the game MVP voting, Wilson won going away after finishing with 275 yards passing, 41 rushing and two touchdown passes.
Rivers, on an 8-5 overall (4-4 ACC) team in ’03, left with more staggering stats. He passed for 475 yards and five TDs in the game, ending his days at State with 95 TD passes and 13,582 yards passing in 51 games.
But if Wilson should re-up for another football tour, he should rival Rivers’ numbers and possibly make the Wolfpack (9-4, 5-3 ACC) next season’s preseason Atlantic Division favorite.
If he goes, the offense will be turned over to inexperienced understudy Mike Glennon and the 2011 schedule will start amid much mystery.
But the 2010 Wolfpack season was about a lot more than Wilson. Picked in preseason to be one of the ACC’s weakest teams, State came within a few plays of winning really big. All four losses were close. One was in overtime at ECU and another was by one point at Clemson.
It ended amid near record cold and with 48,962 fans on hand against a West Virginia team that was ranked 22nd and featured one of the country’s top defenses.
The Wolfpack defense, led by linebacker Nate Irving in his last college game, was better throughout.
But the game changer was No. 16, a uniform number the Wolfpack isn’t likely to issue to anyone else for a while.
Wilson’s number may not get retired – a la Rivers’ 17 or Roman Gabriel’s 18 – but Wilson won’t soon be forgotten. Nor should he.
caulton.tudor@newsobserver.com or 919-829-8946
2010 X League
X League Division I 2010
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| Final Stage | |||
| Semifinals | |||
| 12/5 | Panasonic Denko Impulse | IBM BigBlue | 31-28 |
| 12/5 | Kajima Deers | Obic Seagulls | ot 21-28 |
| Japan X Bowl | |||
| 12/20 | Panasonic Denko Impulse | Obic Seagulls | 16-20 |
| Rice Bowl | |||
| 1/3 | Obic Seagulls | Ritsumeikan University Panthers | 00-00 |
2010 Hokuriku League
Hokuriku League Division I 2010
| The Hokuriku League is the college football league of the Hokuriku region in Western Japan. The champion of the Hokuriku League competes with the champions of the Kyūshū League, Tōkai League and the Chushikoku League for the right to face one of the top three teams of the Kansai League in the Flash Bowl semifinals.
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Hometowns:
Fukui (Fukui), Fukui Prefectural (Eiheiji), Kanazawa (Kanazawa), Kanazawa Tech (Nonoichi),
Toyama (Toyama).
Fukui (Fukui), Fukui Prefectural (Eiheiji), Kanazawa (Kanazawa), Kanazawa Tech (Nonoichi),
Toyama (Toyama).
2010 Chushikoku League
Chushikoku League Division I 2010
| The Chushikoku League is the college football league of the Chushikoku region in Westerb Japan. The champion of the Chushikoku League competes with the champions of the Kyūshū League, Tōkai League and the Hokuriku region for the right to face one of the top three teams of the Kansai League in the Flash Bowl semifinals.
All their games counted as 0-1 losses. |
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Hometowns:
Ehime, Matsuyama (all Matsuyama), Hiroshima (Hiroshima), Shimane (Matsue), Yamaguchi (Yamaguchi).
Ehime, Matsuyama (all Matsuyama), Hiroshima (Hiroshima), Shimane (Matsue), Yamaguchi (Yamaguchi).
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