Rose Parade 2013

Rose Parade 2013, a set on Flickr.

Here's some stuff from Pasadena...

Florida State: 2013 Orange Bowl Champions

EJ Manuel, Lonnie Pryor lead Florida State Seminoles to Orange Bowl win over Northern Illinois

By Manny Navarro
mnavarro@MiamiHerald.com

Joe Rimkus Jr. / Miami Herald Staff

Quarterback EJ Manuel scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Discover Orange Bowl game with Northern Illinois and Florida State University on January 1,2013.

Jordan Lynch said he planned to have Florida State’s defense worn down and on its knees by the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s Discover Orange Bowl.The Seminoles were hardly wheezing.
After what could best be described as a first half to forget, Northern Illinois’ dual-threat quarterback rallied the first Mid-American Conference champions to reach a BCS bowl game to within a touchdown in the third quarter.
But in the end, EJ Manuel, Lonnie Pryor and Florida State’s defense proved to be too much as Seminoles made their first BCS Bowl appearance in seven years a good one by holding on for a 31-10 victory in front of 72,074 at Sun Life Stadium.
Manuel threw a touchdown pass before the half — a 6-yarder to former Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas standout Rashad Greene — and ran for another on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Seminoles, two-touchdown favorites coming in, completed just their third 12-win season in school history.
Pryor, who came in having run for 242 yards during the season, posted a career-high 130 yards rushing and scored on runs of 60 yards and 37 yards on a night the senior fullback will surely remember.
The Huskies, who came in having won 21 of its past 22 games including back-to-back MAC championships and became the first school from a nonautomatic qualifying conference to play in a BCS bowl game, trailed 17-3 early in the third quarter and appeared headed toward a blowout loss before Lynch and the Huskies offense came to life.
On third-and-15 from NIU’s 8-yard line, Lynch hit Akeem Daniels streaking down the Florida State sideline for a 55-yard gain. Two plays later, Lynch reeled off his longest run of the night — a 22-yard scamper — down to the FSU 11. On the next play, Lynch hit Martel Moore on a crossing route and he did the rest, diving into the end zone with 9:55 to play in the third quarter to make it 17-10.
Feeling a rush of momentum, NIU coach Rod Carey — who took over for the departed Dave Doeren (N.C. State) — called for an onside kick moments later, and the Huskies recovered. Cornerback Paris Logan pounced on the ball at the NIU 47-yard line.
But after driving down to FSU 23-yard line, Lynch scrambled and flung a pass toward receiver Jamison Wells. FSU safety Terrence Brooks stepped in front of it and picked it off. He returned the interception 20 yards.
Trailing 24-10 in the fourth quarter, NIU (12-2) ran a reverse to Da’Ron Brown. But he was hit in the backfield by FSU’s Xavier Rhodes, who forced a fumble and recovered it at the NIU 42.
Two plays later, Pryor was sprinting untouched toward the end zone.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/02/v-print/3164108/ej-manuel-leads-florida-state.html#storylink=cpy

Stanford: 2013 Rose Bowl Champions

 In the end, Stanford held on to win the 99th Rose Bowl ever played, running out to a big lead in the first half and then hanging on for dear life.

 Jordan Williamson’s second field goal of the game, a 22-yarder with 4:23 left, proved to be the decisive score, putting Stanford up 20-14. A subsequent interception by defensive back Usua Amanam iced it for Stanford.

Early on, it looked like it would be a runaway game for the Cardinal.

A little trickery went a long way for Stanford the first time it had the ball. Wide receiver Drew Terrell took a handoff on a reverse and launched a 34-yard pass that Jamal-Rashad Patterson hauled in down the middle. The Badgers weren’t fooled on the play, but Patterson made a fine leaping grab.

On the next play, wide receiver Kelsey Young ran around the left side for a 16-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Hogan’s 43-yard pass to tight end Zach Ertz set up a 3-yard Stepfan Taylor touchdown on the Cardinal’s second possession.

Wisconsin drove 74 yards only to come up empty. An apparent 8-yard touchdown by Ball was nullified by a holding call. Curt Phillips threw what originally was ruled a 10-yard scoring pass to tight end Jacob Pedersen. But on a replay review, Pedersen was ruled down at the 1-yard line.

That set up a 4^th-and-goal play, and defensive end Ben Gardner stopped James White, who took a direct snap, for no gain.

Wisconsin forced a punt and soon was threatening again. A tipped pass was caught by Jared Abbrederis for a 22-yard gain, and Ball bolted 10 yards for a touchdown on the next play.

A 47-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson boosted Stanford’s lead to 17-7.

The Badgers took over on their 15-yard line with 2:23 left in the half and drove 85 yards. Stanford was caught with its guard down on a first-down play at the Wisconsin 29, and quarterback Phillips ran 38 yards down the left side. Phillips cut the lead to 17-14 on a 4-yard pass to Jordan Fredrick with 19 seconds left before the break.

Wisconsin outgained Stanford 151-99 in the first half and had an edge in possession time by about four minutes.

The second half became a defensive struggle, as Stanford’s offense stalled. In the end, it was the defense that won the game, and the Rose Bowl, for Stanford.

South Carolina: 2013 Outback Bowl Champions

TAMPA, Fla. -- Shortly before the carnage came two conversations.

After Michigan's Floyd Simmons gained not-quite-four yards on a fourth-and-four play in the fourth quarter of the Outback Bowl, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier watched as referee Jeff Maconaghy awarded a first down in spite of the fact that the nose of the ball didn't reach the first-down marker. Spurrier asked a nearby official for an explanation. Spurrier's memory of the exchange goes like this:

Spurrier: "You know the ball did not touch the first-down marker?"

Official: "I know it didn't."

Spurrier: "Well, why'd he give it to 'em?"

Official: "I don't know."

"That's what he said. We felt like he was pointing the wrong way. I asked if he meant that way," Spurrier said later, pointing in opposite directions. "He wasn't going to change his mind."

As the Gamecocks' defense prepared to retake the field following a booth review of the play, the conversation turned to big plays. After the apparent optical illusion that cost them a critical stop while trailing by a point, 22-21, free safety D.J. Swearinger implored his teammates to not leave the game in the hands of the officials. In the huddle, sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney internalized this sentiment. If a Gamecock was to make a big play, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2011 would make it. "When they gave them that first down," South Carolina defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said, "it made him turn it up a notch."

Michigan took the field for its first-down play. Quarterback Devin Gardner handed off to Vincent Smith. Then...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"That's the hardest hit I've ever seen in my coaching career," said Ward, a 24-year veteran of the profession.

On the sideline, receiver Bruce Ellington -- who would later catch the game-winning touchdown -- never saw Clowney cruise missile into Smith six yards behind the line of scrimmage. Ellington didn't see Smith's helmet finally fall to earth 11 yards behind the line of scrimmage. "I just heard it," Ellington said. "I kind of jumped." After he finally saw the play, Ellington still couldn't believe it. "Man," he said. "That's a freak of nature."

South Carolina defensive tackle J.T. Surratt did see the hit, but the visual couldn't compete with the noise the collision produced. "It sounded," Surratt said, "like a car wreck."

The ball popped free as Smith careened toward the ground. In a move that will only further endear him to the 32 NFL general managers who covet him, the 6-foot-5, 273-pound Clowney plucked the ball from the turf and ran for a yard before the pile collapsed on top of him. "I was trying," Clowney said, "to score a touchdown." Within seconds, word of the hit had traveled around the world on Twitter. Within minutes, people across the country stared at their phones or their tablets and watched Clowney splatter Smith on a continuous loop. A debate raged as to where the hit ranked in the pantheon of football collisions. The closest comparison was the montage of Forest Whitaker's Jefferson in Fast Times at Ridgemont High after his car was vandalized.

The hit was perfect. It was clean. Clowney struck Smith's chest first. Smith, to his credit, popped up immediately. "He's a tough dude," Clowney said. Meanwhile, Clowney laughed at the notion that the hit was revenge for Smith's inadvertent first-half collision with Clowney's -- what's the phrase? -- first-round draft picks that left Clowney on the ground in pain. "He laughed about it," Clowney said. "I said, 'I'm going to get you later on.'"

South Carolina

33

Michigan

28

Final

That Clowney's hit overshadowed a back-and-forth contest between two excellent teams, one that finally turned on a 32-yard touchdown pass from a backup quarterback to a guy who also plays point guard on the school's basketball team with 11 seconds remaining, should explain the beauty of the hit. Everything else in the Gamecocks' 33-28 win -- the gutsy play of South Carolina quarterbacks Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson, that final catch by Ellington, the creativity of Michigan's offense with Devin Gardner comfortable at quarterback and Denard Robinson playing a Swiss Army Knife position -- seemed secondary to that moment when Clowney met Smith and millions of people simultaneously said "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

The collision actually required a perfect storm of circumstances.

First, Spurrier had to yank Clowney near the end of the first half because Clowney looked and played tired. This angered Clowney, and he promised himself he'd play hard enough to stay on the field. Second, the officials had to make that curious call on the measurement after the fake punt. This not only fired up the entire South Carolina defense, but it also inspired Ward to be aggressive on the next play in an attempt to grab back the momentum.

Ward called a stunt named Cali. It requires Clowney to dip inside to allow the boundary corner (Victor Hampton) access to an outside rushing lane.

Meanwhile, Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges had called a Power run to the left side. Wolverines offensive tackle Taylor Lewan -- whose play against Clowney on Tuesday further solidified his place near the top of the NFL draft if he chooses to turn pro -- noticed something amiss about Clowney's alignment. "The end lined up on me in such a gray area that I had to call a Deuce to the inside," Lewan said. Lewan explained that a Deuce call ties the tackle to the guard, and their responsibilities are the lineman nearest the guard and the backside linebacker. By making the Deuce call, Lewan had untied himself from tight end Mike Kwiatkowski, who had anticipated working in tandem with Lewan on the play. Lewan said Kwiatkowski didn't hear the Deuce call, and video replays make that quite obvious. Kwiatkowski fired off the line at an angle that would have been perfect had he and Lewan been working a combo block. But Lewan was working a combo block with guard Ricky Barnum. Clowney, the owner of one of college football's quickest first steps, shot the gap before Kwiatkowski could realize what happened. "He's got that little slip move," Spurrier said. "When they come at him, they get nothing but air." Smith never had a chance. "That miscommunication," Lewan said. "Those are the plays that can lose games."

On the next play, South Carolina's Shaw hit Ace Sanders for a 31-yard touchdown. At some point between the hit and Ellington's catch for the win, someone pulled Clowney aside on the sideline, pulled out a smartphone and showed him footage of the clip on YouTube. "Somebody just said, 'Make a big play,'" Clowney said. "It just came to me."

All it ultimately took was a properly motivated freak of nature, a prescient stunt call, a misheard offensive line call and a seemingly botched measurement that left everyone in garnet seeing red. "I'm glad the ref did that now," Spurrier said.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130101/south-carolina-michigan-outback-bowl/#ixzz2GnEsRp5s

Georgia: 2013 Capital One Bowl Champions

ORLANDO – The players wore hats reading “CHAMPIONS” in all cap letters. The fact that “Capital One Bowl” — and not SEC or BCS — also was stitched on the caps in a much smaller script might deflate that declaration a bit, but it doesn’t take away from where Georgia may be headed.

Were the Bulldogs great in their final game of the 2012 season? Hardly. The defense, purported to be loaded with NFL talent, too often played sloppy and undisciplined. The quarterback, Aaron Murray, threw two interceptions in the team’s first three possessions. It is what happens sometimes in bowl games. The Dogs didn’t save their best for last. Their best came in the next-to-last game against Alabama.

But ultimately, what came out of Georgia’s 45-31 win over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl were signs that this program isn’t likely to take a step back next season.

There will be new players. There will be a different team personality. The schedule will be tougher. But the Bulldogs just finished a season that saw them go 12-2 and come within five yards of winning the SEC championship and going to the BCS title game. They rebounded from the crushing loss in the SEC championship game to win a significant bowl game. They showed resiliency by losing two starting wide receivers (Marlon Brown, Michael Bennett) during the season and a third in Tuesday’s game (Malcolm Mitchell). They endured several early season suspensions on defense and played without two defensive starters against Nebraska (John Jenkins, Abry Jones).

Jarvis Jones and several defensive starters now are expected to leave for the NFL. Maybe Murray comes back, but probably not. But Georgia is in a good place now, a player again on the national scene, and nobody could have seen that coming two years ago in Memphis when the team schlepped off the field a loser to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl, dragging a 6-7 record.

“The seniors started a legacy here,” freshman running back Todd Gurley said Tuesday. “They’re passing it down to us, and we’re just going to keep moving forward and winning each year. I know a lot of teams will have the goal of going to the national championship next year, but we really believe that. We’re going to bring in a great recruiting class and we’re going to get it done next year.”

Todd Gurley, here breaking through for a 24-yard touchdown, finished with 125 yards rushing to lead the Bulldogs. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)

As flawed as the Dogs looked against Nebraska, the result and the season projected well for the future.

It starts with the two freshmen in the backfield, Gurley and Keith Marshall. There were questions about the running game going into the season following the excommunication of Isaiah Crowell, but the two quickly eased concerns. In the final game of the season, Gurley rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown and Marshall made a difficult back-shoulder, 24-yard touchdown catch to give the Dogs a 38-31 lead early in the fourth quarter.

There’s the future.

It doesn’t matter if the starting quarterback is Murray or Hutson Mason. Georgia’s offense should function well, and the team should be in the middle of things again.

When asked about Marshall’s catch, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, “We’ve kept things pretty simple for him and Todd because they’re freshmen. But that play there gives us a level of confidence next year that we can expand their package.”

Gurley, Bobo said, brought “a physicality to the offense that we needed. He did a great job leading us as a freshman. I told him after the game, ‘You had a great year, but now you have a chance to be great. So let’s go to work.’”

Marshall said he battled knee tendinitis before the season, affecting his workouts. “I lost some of my explosiveness,” he said. “But it’s finally feeling better. I’m looking forward to getting started on my workouts.”

And then this: “Honestly, I feel we’re the best team in the country. We can play with anybody. We were one play away this year.”

There were hiccups Tuesday. The first half took nearly two hours. The two teams combined for 47 points, five offensive touchdowns, three interceptions (including Nebraska’s pick-six against Murray), a field goal and a blocked punt for a safety. The Dogs trailed 24-23, then 31-23. But Murray, after starting 11 for 24, stopped scaring NFL scouts. He connected with Chris Conley for a 49-yard touchdown, then later scrambled away from pressure to connect with Marshall. Later, he found Conley again on a “jailbreak screen” against Nebraska’s blitz — nice call by Bobo – for an 87-yard score. Checkmate.

It ended well. There’s reason to believe it could end well next season, too.

By Jeff Schultz

Northwestern: 2013 Gator Bowl Champions

By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune reporter

3:12 p.m. CST, January 1, 2013

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Streak is over: Northwestern beat Mississippi State 34-20 on Tuesday in the Gator Bowl, a victory that ends the school’s nine-game bowl losing streak.

The Wildcats' streak had been tied for longest in NCAA history. It spanned 64 seasons.

It gives Northwestern its third 10-win season, just its second bowl victory (with the 1949 Rose) and lets Pat Fitzgerald stand alone among NU coaches. He is Northwestern's winningest coach (50-39).

Fitzgerald, his voice in tatters, said on the Gator Bowl podium after the game: "We tell our guys: Act like you’ve been there before. Well, we haven’t been there before. As (linebacker) David Nwabuisi just said: 'We’re here now.’ And we’re here to stay!'"

And then he insisted on another singing of the fight song, screaming: "Let ‘em hear you all the way back in Chicago!"

Given that it’s Northwestern, it can never be easy. After Trevor Siemian (12-of-21, 120 yards) revived a stagnant offense to guide the Wildcats to a pair of third-quarter touchdown drives, the Wildcats led 27-13 heading into the final frame.

That was an “Uh-oh” for NU fans, stung by defeats to Penn State and Nebraska in which the Wildcats blew double-digit fourth-quarter leads.

The Bulldogs came out firing in the fourth quarter, scoring when Tyler Russell hit Malcolm Johnson on a 14-yard strike.

The teams entered a combined plus-30 in turnover margin, but the game featured seven interceptions, four thrown by Russell.

Facing pressure on a 3rd-and-5 from the 15, Russell chucked one up and cornerback Nick VanHoose snagged it and returned the ball the 39 yards to the 5.

Venric Mark took it home from the 3 to put Northwestern up 34-20 with 8:10 to play.

The third quarter started poorly, with Kain Colter (9-of-15, 76 passing yards, 75 rushing yards) throwing his second interception. He did not put enough zip on a sideline pass to Kyle Prater, and free safety Nickoe Whitley streaked across the field to pick it off.

But Tyris Jones scored on a three-yard run and Siemian scored from four yards out to put Northwestern ahead 27-13.

At halftime, Northwestern was up 13-10 on the scoreboard, but it felt as if the Wildcats are losing.

Why? Because Mississippi State had scored 10 straight points. And the Bulldogs had the only touchdown drive of the first half, a six-play, 62-yarder that ended with Russell’s perfect 18-yard toss to Arceto Clark in the back of the end zone.

That touchdown came with 66 seconds left, and Northwestern had a three-and-out to essentially end the half.

NU’s last four drives ended this way: interception, punt, punt, punt.

Colter completed 7 of 10 passes for just 65 yards. And either because of pressure or just giving up too quickly on routes, he scrambled on several third downs. Siemian was 3-for-6.

Venric Mark had a 22-yard rush. His other eight carries had netted a total of eight yards.

The Wildcats had to be very disappointed with a three-point lead given that Russell, Mississippi State’s normally reliable quarterback, has thrown three interceptions.

The first was a gift – a short throw that defensive lineman Quentin Williams caught while dropping off in coverage. Williams returned in 29 yards to get Northwestern on the board just 47 seconds into the game.

Ibraheim Campbell made a great play on the second, baiting Russell to throw and then breaking toward the sideline to make the grab.

On the third, David Nwabuisi pressure Russell, whose pass was tipped by Williams and caught by Chi Chi Ariguzo.

NU’s offense produced just two scores – field goals of 34 and 37 yards by Jeff Budzien.

NU’s first drive could have resulted in a touchdown had Dan Vitale avoided a shoestring tackle at the 14 or Colter had not missed an open Mark in the end zone.

On NU’s next drive, Siemian underthrew an open Christian Jones for a potential score.

tgreenstein@tribune.com

Twitter @TeddyGreenstein

Copyright © 2012 Chicago Tribune Company, LLC

Oklahoma State: 2013 Heart Of Dallas Bowl Champions

DALLAS (AP) -- Clint Chelf threw three of Oklahoma State's five touchdown passes and the Cowboys shook off a disappointing Big 12 finish by dominating Purdue 58-14 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on Tuesday.

The Cowboys, a year removed from a Fiesta Bowl win that capped the best season in school history, forced five turnovers and had another short touchdown drive after a 64-yard punt return fromJosh Stewart.

It was the biggest bowl win for Oklahoma State since coach Mike Gundy was the quarterback in a 62-14 rout of Wyoming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl. The Cowboys (8-5) missed out on upper-tier bowls after narrow losses in their last two Big 12 games.

With former Purdue quarterbacks Drew Brees and Kyle Orton watching, Robert Mavre didn't get to 100 yards passing until Oklahoma State led 45-0 as the Boilermakers (6-7) fell to 0-4 on New Year's Day.

Leading 28-0 at halftime, Oklahoma State erased any lingering doubt three plays into the second half when Justin Gilbert stripped Purdue receiver O.J. Ross on a short completion. The loose ball shot straight to Daytawion Lowe, who ran 37 yards down the sideline in front of the Purdue bench for a 35-0 lead.

Lowe's score was the third fumble return for a touchdown at historic Cotton Bowl Stadium dating to the namesake bowl game that started in 1937 and moved to Cowboys Stadium in 2009.

Oklahoma State's 58 points were the most in a bowl game at the Fair Park stadium, topping the 55 scored by Keyshawn Johnson and Southern California against Texas Tech in 1995.

The Cowboys pushed the lead to 45-0 on Chelf's third touchdown pass, a leaping 37-yard grab in the end zone by Isaiah Anderson, who had 78 yards receiving. Chelf was 17 of 22 for 197 yards before J.W. Walsh replaced him in the third quarter.

Walsh had two touchdown passes, and freshman Wes Lunt, who won the quarterback job in summer workouts before getting hurt during the season, played the last half of the fourth quarter.

Purdue finally scored late in the third quarter when Mavre found a wide open Brandon Cottom for a 32-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. Mavre finished 21 of 34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions, but was just 11 of 20 for 80 yards before the first scoring drive.

Gundy didn't hide the disappointment of Oklahoma State's bowl status sliding with an overtime loss to Oklahoma when the rival Sooners tied the score late in regulation, followed by a loss at Baylor to end the regular season. But the Cowboys seemed motivated enough against the Boilermakers.

Oklahoma State went up 14-0 on a pair of short touchdown drives set up by a 64-yard punt return by Josh Stewart and Shamiel Gary's interception of a pass tipped by Calvin Barnett. Both scores on came on passes from Chelf.

Purdue answered with its best scoring chance of the first half when Akeem Shavers, who had 93 yards rushing, ran 24 yards to the Oklahoma State 23. After Gary made a strong tackle in the open field on third down, Sam McCartney missed a 34-yard field goal.

The Cowboys then went 80 yards the other way, sparked by a 26-yard completion to Blake Jackson, who had a 7-yard scoring catch earlier. Oklahoma State scored on fourth-and-1 when Walsh, the short-yardage specialist, replaced Chelf and threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Jeremy Seaton.

Trailing 21-0, the Boilermakers were in scoring range again when Marve threw high on fourth-and-2 to an open Kurt Freytag, who got a hand on the ball but couldn't make a juggling catch.

Purdue's best moment came on its first possession when interim coach Patrick Higgins ran a fake punt from his 13, and punter Cody Webster easily picked up the first down with a 16-yard run. Webster ended up punting anyway five plays late.

Clemson: 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Champions

ATLANTA -- Clemson got one last impressive drive from Tajh Boyd and company to record its first 11-win season since its 1981 national championship team.

And Tigers coach Dabo Swinney thinks this is only the beginning.

Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 14 Clemson a wild 25-24 win over No. 9 Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Monday night.

Trailing 24-22, Clemson (11-2) took possession on its 20 with 1:39 remaining. Boyd passed to DeAndre Hopkins for 26 yards on a fourth-and-16 play during the decisive 10-play drive.

Catanzaro's kick set off a wild celebration on the field and in the stands. Some players collapsed on the field in apparent disbelief while most of Clemson's orange jerseys met in a midfield circle.

Clemson reached 11 wins for only the fourth time in school history and the first time since the 12-0 1981 team.

"You can't win 12 until you win 11," Swinney said. "You can't win a national championship until you learn how to win games like this.

"This was a landmark win."

Catanzaro had an extra point blocked in the second quarter, but he said that didn't cause him to doubt his chances to make the last-second field goal.

"I was ready when the opportunity came to me," Catanzaro said. "It was next-kick mentality. I was so thankful for the opportunity."

Catanzaro, a former walk-on from Greenville, S.C., made 16 of 17 field goals in the regular season.

"I didn't have any doubt," Swinney said of the junior kicker. "He's just a clutch player all the way."

Boyd completed 36 of 50 passes for 346 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He set career highs for attempts and completions while winning the game MVP award.

"Tajh Boyd was phenomenal," LSU coach Les Miles said. "I did not expect the heroic, if you will, efforts that he had."

Hopkins, who had 13 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns, also had receptions for 7 and 13 yards in the final drive. LSU safety Greg Reid was flagged for pass interference while defending Hopkins.

Jeremy Hill ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns for LSU (10-3), which carried a 24-13 lead into the final quarter.

After Hopkins' second TD catch, LSU got the ball with 2:43 remaining and threw three straight passes. Only one was complete in the three-and-out series that took only about 1 minute off the clock, leaving Clemson with enough time for its winning drive against LSU's exhausted defense.

Hill did not have a carry in the fourth quarter.

"We had to throw the football," Miles said.

"We were not running the football. They were in a position where they outnumbered us in the run."

LSU's three passes allowed Swinney to save his timeouts.

"I had three timeouts," Swinney said. "If he runs it three times, I can call timeout, timeout, timeout.

"I think (Miles) was trying to win the game. I think he felt confident in the plays. I know he knew he needed to get a first down, because if he gets a first down I have to start burning timeouts."

Boyd said having 1:39 to stage the final drive "is like having 10, 15 minutes for us."

"When I saw that clock and that we had three timeouts I said, 'Let's get it.'"

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger was sacked six times and completed 14 of 23 passes for 120 yards. He also threw for a touchdown and an interception.

"It's a tough thing to figure our pass protection was as poor as it was," Miles said. "That's the piece that needs fixing and frankly we've got some young players here we'll address and improve and make some strides going forward."

LSU scored 10 points off Clemson's two lost fumbles, including one by Sammy Watkins on the second play of the game that set up Hill's first touchdown.

Hopkins scored on an 11-yard reception in the second quarter and a 12-yard grab in the fourth. LSU's Bennie Logan blocked Catanzaro's extra point attempt following Hopkins' first touchdown.

Clemson had a chance to tie it after Hopkins' second TD, but Boyd's pass for the 2-point conversion was incomplete.

Michael Ford had a 43-yard kickoff return for LSU to open the second half. On first down, Hill broke through the line for a 57-yard touchdown run. His 12th rushing touchdown brokeDalton Hilliard's LSU record for a freshman set in 1982.

Clemson lost Watkins to a right ankle injury on his early fumble. X-rays were negative.

Clemson already was without backup receiver Martavis Bryant, who was suspended for the game for failing to meet academic requirements.

Clemson's second costly fumble came midway through the third quarter. Andre Ellington ran for 8 yards but lost the ball when hit by defensive end Sam Montgomery. Reid recovered the fumble at the Clemson 29, setting up Drew Alleman's 20-yard field goal.

The injury to Watkins left the spotlight on Hopkins, Clemson's leading receiver. He had catches of 17 and 12 yards as Clemson pulled even with an 11-play drive capped by Boyd's 11-yard touchdown run.

After LSU regained the lead on Mettenberger's 6-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry, Hopkins had a 31-yard catch to set up his 11-yard score late in the second quarter.

Hopkins' sliding grab gave him TD receptions in 10 straight games to set an Atlantic Coast Conference record. Virginia's Herman Moore had touchdown catches in nine straight games in 1990.

Tulsa: 2012 Liberty Bowl Champions

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Iowa State scored on Edwin Arceo's 33-yard field goal, Jeremy Reeves' 31-yard interception return and Ernst Brun's 69-yard reception of a Sam B. Richardson pass. 

All of that occurred during the first quarter of Monday's AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and Iowa State surged to a double-digit lead. 

After that, the University of Tulsa defense dominated the afternoon. 

On 11 offensive possessions after surging to a 10-point advantage, the Cyclones punted seven times, had two passes intercepted (one each by safety Marco Nelson and cornerback Dexter McCoil), lost a fumble (recovered by TU defensive end Brentom Todd) and missed a field goal. 

During the final three quarters, Iowa State was scoreless while mustering only 133 yards. TU countered with a 317-yard ground game and rolled to a 31-17 victory over the Cyclones. 

Voted the game's most valuable player, Hurricane junior tailback Trey Watts rushed for 149 yards. Tailback Alex Singleton, one of 18 seniors playing for the final time in TU blue, ran for three touchdowns - extending his program-record, single-season total to 24. 

Alluding to the combination of Tulsa's defense and a run game that averaged 5.3 yards per attempt, quarterback Cody Green said, "This was the perfect game for us." 

Green scored on an 8-yard keeper as the Golden Hurricane ended a streak of 16 consecutive losses to Big 12 opponents (a streak that included this season's opening-day defeat at Iowa State). 

At 11-3, the 2012 Hurricane is only the second team in program history to have reached the 11-win mark. However, the 2008 TU squad was not the Conference USA champion. The 2012 Hurricane captured two significant trophies - one for winning the C-USA title and one for conquering Iowa State. 

"This is a group that bought in. They pulled together and believed in each other," TU coach Bill Blankenship said. "They wanted to be coached. It was really cool. 

"I think a game like this shows that we can play with people across the country. We're going to graduate 18 great seniors, but we've been able to redshirt two classes behind them. I think we're going to be good in the future." 

During the second half of the Liberty Bowl, the Cyclone offense never crossed midfield. TU's defense recorded five sacks - pushing its school-record 2012 total to an astounding 53 - and Iowa State was 2-of-14 on third-down conversions. 

The Cyclones, scheduled to visit TU's Chapman Stadium next September, finished with a 6-7 record. 

"We came ready to play, obviously, by the way we started the game," Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said. "And then we were outplayed for the next 45 minutes." 

In games in which opponents score more than 24 points, the Rhoads-coached Cyclones are 1-23. 

The Hurricane was reeling after the Reeves interception return gave Iowa State a 10-0 cushion. Tulsa countered with a 75-yard drive that included Ja'Terian Douglas' runs of 17 and 12 yards, a Green 12-yarder and Singleton's 2-yard TD dive behind left guard Jake Alexander. 

"We drove the length of the field," Blankenship said. "(The Hurricane offense) needed to answer when things weren't looking good." 

Iowa State responded almost immediately, capitalizing on a Hurricane coverage failure and converting on the Richardson-to-Brun pass for 69 yards and a 17-7 difference. The 25,000 Iowa State fans in attendance cheered and danced. 

"We never wavered. Not for a second," Watts said. "We knew we made a mistake and gave (the Cyclones) a touchdown, but we knew we just had to rally. Just keep playing. Stick to our game plan." 

From that point, 7,000 TU fans did most of the cheering and all of the dancing. 

Within a span of 3 1/2 minutes, Tulsa got touchdowns from Green and Singleton. 

When halftime arrived, the Hurricane held a 21-17 lead. 

When halftime ended, the real misery began for the Iowa State offense. 

During the second half, the Cyclones had more turnovers (three) than first downs (two). Tulsa has Conference USA's best defense and best offensive line, and Iowa State was overwhelmed by both Monday. 

"That's how we became champions," Hurricane defensive coordinator Brent Guy said. "That's how we won the game today." 

Original Print Headline: A bellwether win

Georgia Tech: 2012 Sun Bowl Champions

EL PASO, Texas — 

Bowl champion hats were worn askew. Players piled together for an impromptu team photo, index fingers waving. The Ramblin’ Wreck tooted joyfully.

Georgia Tech celebrated Monday as seven years of bowl failure met an end in the west Texas desert with a 21-7 win over USC in the Sun Bowl.

“I didn’t think it’d feel this good,” offensive tackle Will Jackson said. “It feels awesome.”

The Jackets took down a team that began the season ranked No. 1 in the country and is stocked with future NFL draft picks. They did it in a fashion that has not been the norm since coach Paul Johnson took over in 2008 — with physical, play-making defense.

“We tried to make it interesting the last drive, being knuckleheads,” coach Paul Johnson said, acknowledging a poorly-played possession that extended USC’s life. “Other than that, it was about as good as you can play.”

Given the caliber of opponent, the Yellow Jackets (7-7) defeated the Trojans (7-6) with perhaps the best defensive effort of Johnson’s five-year tenure. Tech limited USC to 205 yards and 10 first downs, season lows for the Trojans as well as the point total.

It bears mention that USC started redshirt freshman Max Wittek in place of the injured Matt Barkley at quarterback, but consider the following: Notre Dame, which will play for the national championship with what may be the best defense in the country, played the Wittek-led Trojans in the final game of the regular season. The Irish gave up more yards, points and first downs to USC than the Jackets did Monday.

It was an emphatic closing argument for interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, who has guided Tech’s defense since Al Groh’s firing six games into the season.

“I think he’s done a great job,” said Johnson, who has held off on making any decisions about the hire. “All of the defensive coaches have done a good job. That was a huge undertaking.”

On the same field where they gave up a 14-point fourth-quarter lead last year in an overtime loss to Utah, the Jackets rose up against the Trojans. With the score 21-7, USC took over on downs at its 29-yard line with 8:32 to play and Wittek promptly drove USC to the Tech 4.

Said A-back Orwin Smith, “I was just (thinking), Please don’t let this happen again.”

On 3rd-and-3, Wittek dropped back to pass. Inside linebacker Quayshawn Nealy dropped back into zone coverage. Wittek threw the ball right at Nealy, who at first bobbled it before securing the interception. With 6:22 left, the game was all but over and then a Tech drive that squeezed almost five minutes from the clock did the rest.

Faced with the challenge of defending Marqise Lee, the nation’s top wide receiver, Tech played zone coverage nearly the whole game, rolling safety help to Lee’s side and using a cornerback to prevent Lee from getting a clean release from the line of scrimmage. Safeties Jemea Thomas and Jamal Golden disguised coverages by shifting before the snap.

It meant that Tech would have to rely heavily on the defensive line to pressure Wittek without blitz pressure.

Defensive ends Izaan Cross and Emmanuel Dieke were particularly up to the challenge, batting down passes at the line and knocking Wittek down or flushing him frpm the pocket. Wittek completed 14 of 37 passes for 107 yards with three interceptions.

Said cornerback Rod Sweeting, “He was rattled the whole game.”

Sweeting intercepted Wittek and also broke up two more passes. After a season in which he has struggled, he was named MVP in his final Tech game.

Said Sweeting, “To go out and play the way we did is a great feeling.”

Tech’s offense rammed the USC defense for 294 rushing yards and 369 total. B-backs David Sims and Zach Laskey combined for 159 yards on just 23 carries, a 6.9 yards-per-carry average.

Quarterback Vad Lee helped give Tech a 7-0 lead on the Jackets’ fourth possession of the game but had two turnovers on the next two possessions. Tevin Washington played the rest of the way as Tech stuck to the run on an afternoon when gusting winds played havoc with the passing game.

Washington guided the crucial possession that put Tech up 21-7, a 62-yard drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters and was boosted by Sims and Laskey. However, after earning a 1st-and-goal from the USC 8, a penalty and a busted run play put Tech in a 3rd-and-goal situation from the 17. Washington rolled left and Smith floated out to the right flat.

“I acted like I was blocking, came across the field, caught it and then tried to make a play,” Smith said.

He slipped a tackle attempt and high-stepped into the end zone.

“It feels great,” Smith said. “I feel like after all the adversity we went through, this just kind of puts icing on the cake. This is what not giving up and hard work can lead to.”

Vanderbilt: 2012 Music City Bowl Champions

Vanderbilt’s last nine-win football season came during World War I, but then a lot of history has been rewritten since coach James Franklin arrived in Nashville two years ago.

And he insists there is much more to come.

Senior running back Zac Stacy ran for 107 yards, and the Commodores forced five North Carolina State turnovers en route to winning the Music City Bowl for the second time in five years, 38-24, on Monday at LP Field.

It was the seventh win in a row for the SEC’s only private institution, which recovered from a 2-4 start to notch its most victories since 1915.

“We really heard that from the time that we arrived on campus, all the things that couldn’t be done or can’t be done, and all the negativity that was surrounding the program,” Franklin said. “We just put our earmuffs on and kept bombarding these guys with the same positive messages.”

“We’re not going anywhere, so everybody better get used to it.”

Vanderbilt senior Jordan Rodgers passed for two touchdowns and ran for one, and Stacy added a scoring run while being named the game’s MVP in his final college contest. Chris Boyd, Wesley Tate and Jordan Matthews also found the end zone for the Commodores.

N.C. State senior quarterback Mike Glennon threw for 383 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times as the Wolfpack (7-6) lost for the fourth time in six games. Dana Bible served as the interim coach after the dismissal of Tom O’Brien. Former Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren is set to take over the program.

“I made a couple of calls on two of those interceptions that should be put on me,” Bible said. “I put him (Glennon) in a position to fail. … The goal was to attack and if they make a play, more power to them.”

Vanderbilt (9-4) is poised to crack the final poll in the Associated Press top 25 rankings for the first time since 1948, when it ended that season No. 12 after going 8-2-1. That was the last year Vanderbilt had a seven-game winning streak.

Franklin is the first coach to lead the Commodores to bowls in consecutive years, and this trip produced better results than a 2011 Liberty Bowl loss to Cincinnati.

“The significance of winning nine games is different,” Franklin said. “It’s different to me. It’s different to the team. I think it’s perceived different than winning six or seven games. When you get into the nine-win category, it’s a completely different conversation you’re in.”

Close to 80 percent of the 55,801 in attendance for an 11 a.m. kickoff were bundled up in black-and-gold attire for what was a de facto home game with Vanderbilt’s campus three miles away. The Commodores had aspirations for a more prestigious bowl, but they have been quite comfortable spending New Year’s Eve in Nashville — they defeated a ranked Boston College team 16-14 in this bowl in 2008.

N.C. State nearly doubled Vanderbilt in yardage, 424-225, but Wolfpack mistakes and big plays from the Commodores cemented the result. Vanderbilt, which didn’t commit a turnover, converted three of four fourth-down attempts despite its struggles on third down (3-of-14).

“It’s just making plays,” Stacy said. “That’s just what we were doing. The defense did a great job today giving us those opportunities to get back on the field.”

Vanderbilt led 28-14 at halftime and opened a 38-17 lead with 5:11 remaining on Rodgers’ 15-yard run. N.C. State tacked on a meaningless score three minutes later when Glennon found Rashard Smith for a 19-yard touchdown.

When the game ended, at least a dozen Commodores players leapt into the stands to be with their fans, celebrating a symbolic leap forward.

“Call it the Music City Leap,” Boyd said.

Vanderbilt cashed in two of N.C. State’s four first-half turnovers, and the last of those provided a huge momentum swing.

N.C. State had pulled to within 21-14 on Tobias Palmer’s 94-yard kickoff return with 3:35 in the half and got the ball back with 1:04 remaining after forcing a Vanderbilt punt. Glennon’s bid to tie the score before halftime ended quickly when his underthrown pass was intercepted by nickelback Eric Samuels, who gave the Commodores possession at the N.C. State 18.

Two plays later, Matthews was in the end zone after slipping a tackle on an 18-yard receiver screen.

“It just changed the momentum of the game,” said Vanderbilt free safety Kenny Ladler, who had an interception and a fumble recovery. “We wanted to take that and run with it.”

Vanderbilt went up 7-0 after winning the coin toss and putting its offense on the field. Boyd toe-tapped his right foot just inside the left sideline while making a one-handed catch and was awarded a 5-yard touchdown upon review, capping a 10-play, 65-yard opening drive.

N.C. State’s string of errors ensued. A snap three feet over the head of the 6-foot-6 Glennon derailed its first series. Ladler intercepted Glennon when he threw downfield on the initial play of N.C. State’s next series. Freshman tailback Shadrack Thornton fumbled when the Wolfpack took possession again.

Vanderbilt failed to generate a first down after either of those turnovers near midfield, but a shift in offensive strategy got the Commodores going.

After N.C. State’s third consecutive giveaway — a fumble by tight end Asa Watson that Ladler returned to the Wolfpack 27 — Vanderbilt went with the direct snaps to Stacy and stuck to the running game. Stacy carried it four times on that drive, including a 6-yard touchdown, and eight consecutive times overall.

Trailing 14-0, N.C. State answered with an 84-yard drive capped by Tony Creece’s 1-yard run for its first score. But freshman Brian Kimbrow responded with a 52-yard kickoff return, and after a penalty, there were only 32 yards between Vanderbilt and its next touchdown. Tate’s 7-yard run made it 21-7.

The 38 points was the most by Vanderbilt in its six bowl appearances, but it was nothing new for a team that eclipsed 40 four times in its final five regular-season games.