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

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 Sun
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