ISML 2011: Voter Survey Results

Ika-Musume
(Shinryaku! Ika-Musume)

2054

Yui
(Angel Beats!)

Index Prohibitorum
(To Aru Majutsu no Index)

2210

Hirasawa Yui
(K-ON!)

Gokō "Kuroneko" Ruri
(Ore no Imōto)

1876

Kiriya Nozomi
(Mayoi Neko Overrun!)

Sengoku Nadeko
(Bakemonogatari)

2299

Holo
(Spice and Wolf)

Kōsaka Kirino
(Ore no Imōto)

2290

Yamada Aoi
(WORKING!!)

Hiiragi Kagami
(Lucky ☆ Star)

1925

Shiina Minatsu
(Seitokai no Ichizon)

Tachibana Kanade
(Angel Beats!)

2816

Elsea de Lute Irma
(Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai)

Sakagami Tomoyo
(CLANNAD)

1431

Illyasviel von Einzbern
(Fate/stay night)

2010 BCS National Championship: Auburn 22, Oregon 19

It's a final: Auburn wins national championship on Wes Byrum's kick as time expires

Published: Monday, January 10, 2011, 11:14 PM Updated: Monday, January 10, 2011, 11:14 PM

By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times

Kodi Burns finished his Auburn career on a high note with a national championship and this 35-yard touchdown catch (Todd Van Emst photo)

GLENDALE, Ariz. - A quarterback with skills like none other this season, the school's all-time leading scorer and a defense that had just enough presented Auburn the ultimate prize in college football Monday night in the Arizona desert.

Wes Byrum kicked at the game-winning field goal as time expired to give Auburn a 22-19 victory in the BCS national championship game.

Thiller.

Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes and the Tigers' defense came up with big plays to lead Auburn to titl over Oregon in University of Phoenix Stadium in the thriller.

Oregon tied Auburn 19-19 late on a touchdown and 2-point conversion, but big runs from Mike Dyer put Auburn in a position to win it all.

Dyer rolled over a would-be tackler, got up and ran away from Oregon to the Ducks' 23-yard line to set up the winning score.

Neither snow nor rain in the South could prevent a stadium-record crowd of 78,603 from watching Auburn's win.

The Tigers finished their historic season at 14-0, the most wins in school history. It's Auburn's first national title since 1957, and helped ease the pain from the 2004 team that went 13-0 but just missed playing in the BCS title game.

The 2010 team was deserving of the BCS, leaving the game just as it entered it as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Newton threw touchdown passes to Kodi Burns and Emory Blake. Auburn also got a field goal from Wes Byrum. And the Tigers' sometimes-maligned defense stepped up and to stop Oregon's big-play, fast-paced offense. Auburn defensive tackle Mike Blanc dropped the nation's leading rusher, LaMichael James, for a safety late in the second quarter to jump start the Tigers and speed them to victory.

The Tigers quickly followed up the safety with the go-ahead touchdown pass from Newton to Blake.

Leading 19-11 late in the third quarter, Auburn turned back Oregon with a goal line stand. The Ducks had a first down at the Auburn 3. They were turned away when Auburn stopped them on fourth-and-1 from the 1.

Sure-first-round pick Nick Fairley disrupted Oregon's offense throughout.

The Tigers started slowly, but Auburn ran 36 plays in the second quarter, and helped carry the Tigers to a 16-11 halftime lead.

2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Nevada 20, Boston College 13

January 9, 2011
Kraft Bowl: Nevada beats Boston College, 20-13

Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Rishard Matthews caught a touchdown pass and returned a punt for another score, and No. 13/15 Nevada used a strong defensive effort to cap its most successful season ever at college football’s highest level by beating Boston College, 20-13, in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Sunday night.

Colin Kaepernick threw for 192 yards and a touchdown for the Wolf Pack (13-1), which snapped a four-game bowl losing streak by tying a school record for wins in a season set when it played in what used to be Division I-AA.

This game matched BC’s top-ranked rushing defense against Nevada’s high-powered Pistol attack that was third in the nation in rushing. The Eagles (7-6) did a good job controlling the Wolf Pack on the ground, holding them to a season-low 114 yards — more than 190 below their season average.

Kaepernick was held to 22 yards on nine carries, but managed to top 3,000 yards passing for the season. That allowed him to join Brad Smith and Vince Young as the only FBS quarterbacks to rush for at least 1,000 yards and throw for 3,000 in the same season.

With an efficient passing day by Kaepernick, the big plays from Matthews and a stout defense, the Wolf Pack was able to snap Boston College’s five-game winning streak. The Eagles were held to 185 yards.

Freshman Chase Rettig completed 14-of-34 passes for 121 yards with two interceptions. Boston College played without leading rusher Montel Harris, who was listed as the starter but did not play after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in late November.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter, giving Nevada a 20-10 lead heading into the fourth. Boston College was unable to capitalize on an interception that Luke Kuechly returned to the Wolf Pack 6. But two runs netted just a yard and Rettig threw an incompletion on third down, forcing the kick.

After Nevada’s field goal late in the third, Rettig was intercepted by Marlon Johnson on a deflected ball that gave Nevada the ball at the BC 41. Vai Taua fumbled the ball right back but once again the Eagles were unable to take advantage.

Helped by a pair of pass interference penalties, BC got a 32-yard field goal from Nate Freese with 3:52 to play to make it 20-13. The Eagles got the ball back at their 10 with 3:06 to go and got a 32-yard pass from Rettig to Chris Pantale on their first play.

Two plays later, Khalid Wooten intercepted a pass to seal the win and send the some 38,000 Nevada fans who drove a about 2.5 hours from Reno home happy.

The Wolf Pack sold about 15,500 tickets, surpassing California and Navy for the most sold in the nine-year history of this game. The attendance of 41,063 was the second-largest for the bowl. It included one streaker, who ran on the field in the fourth quarter, causing a brief delay.

After an early fumble by Kaepernick led to a 30-yard touchdown run by Andre Williams, Matthews provided the Nevada fans plenty to cheer about in the first half.

First, Matthews got behind the defense as Kaepernick scrambled to his left. Kaepernick then flicked a pass toward the end zone for an easy 27-yard score that tied the game for Nevada.

The Wolf Pack then held the Eagles to a three-and-out on the next possession and Matthews returned the punt 72 yards to make it 14-7. That was Nevada’s first punt return for a score since Oct. 13, 2001. Nevada added a late 32-yard field goal by Anthony Martinez to take a 10-point lead at the half.

The game was sponsored by Kraft, which is using the bowl to promote its efforts to fight hunger in the United States. Instead of a coin for the opening toss, officials tossed an Oreo cookie that was chocolate on one side and vanilla on the other.
First quarter
After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Wolf Pack quickly moved into BC territory before a Kaleb Ramsey sack of Colin Kaepernick killed the drive and forced a punt. On the Pack’s next possession, Kaepernick fumbled on a third-down play and it was recovered by BC’s Donnie Fletcher. Eagles running back Andre Williams scampered 30 yard around the left end on the next play to put BC up 7-0. Nevada answered on its next possession after Kaepernick extended the drive with two completions on third downs and then hit Rishard Matthews on a 27-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-7. After a BC three-and-out, Matthews returned the ensuing punt 72 yards for a touchdown to put Nevada up 14-7.
Second quarter
Nevada was forced to punt shortly after the quarter began. BC’s next drive was extended when Kaelin Burnett was whistled for a personal foul for roughing the quarterback on an incomplete pass on third down, but the Pack held strong after that and forced another punt. Taking over at its own 20, Nevada drove into the redzone but was forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Anthony Martinez that put the Pack up 17-7. Nevada forced another three-and-out – its fourth of the first half – the Pack offense crossed midfield before its drive stalled and punted. Deep in its own territory, BC melted the clock and Nevada led 17-7 at halftime.
Third quarter
After forcing a quick BC punt, the Pack took over at its own 25. Luke Kuechly then picked off Kaepernick two plays later and the BC linebacker returned the ball to the Nevada 6. The Pack defense held firm from there, forcing the Eagles to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Nate Freese that pulled BC within 17-10. After a pair of punts, a 25-yard pass from Kaepernick to Virgil Green on a big third down set up a 27-yard field goal by Martinez to make it 20-10. On BC’s next play from scrimmage, Marlon Johnson picked off a Chase Rettig pass to give Nevada good field position heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter
The Pack drove into BC territory before Vai Taua fumbled and Steele Divitto pounced on the ball for the Eagles. BC took possession on the Pack 25, but couldn’t muster much and was forced into its eighth punt of the night. After three more consecutive punts, BC drove into Nevada territory thanks to a couple of nice plays by Rettig and pass interference calls on Duke Williams and Doyle Miller. Freese nailed a 32-yard field goal to pull BC within 20-13 with 3:52 remaining. The Eagles opted for an onside kick, which was snared by the Pack’s Brandon Wimberly. After Nevada went three-and-out, BC had one finally shot to drive the length of the field and tie the game but Khalid Wooten picked off Rettig with 2:07 remaining to seal the win.

2011 BBVA Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh 27, Kentucky 10

Football: Pitt defeats Kentucky 27-10 in BBVA Compass Bowl

By: Ben Livingston / Staff Writer

Posted on 08. Jan, 2011 in Sports

Going into the bowl, it seemed like the game might serve as a reprieve for the Pitt football team, a chance to get away from the coaching chaos of the last month.

Saturday afternoon, Pitt fought.

The Panthers fought the critics. They fought the doubts about their future. They fought through a mob of fans standing outside the team bus at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. They even physically fought their opponent.

“I’m proud of the guys,” said Phil Bennett, who served as Pitt’s head coach during the game. “They handled a tough situation very well.”And Saturday afternoon, Pitt won. The Panthers (8-5, 5-2 Big East) beat Kentucky (6-7, 2-6 SEC) 27-10 in the BBVA Compass Bowl

But Birmingham turned out to be more of a pressure-cooker for the Panthers than Pittsburgh. Kentucky’s fan base was better represented at Legion Field than Pitt’s was, and Pitt was playing deep in SEC territory.

Bennett said the Wildcats’ fans made it difficult for the Panthers to enter the stadium, but said that this lit a fire under the team. Bennett told the team to run them over and that’s exactly what Pitt did.

Dion Lewis ran for 105 yards on 22 carries, giving him 4.6 yards per carry despite the fact that his longest run was just 10 yards. He was named the game’s most valuable player following the contest.

It was Lewis’ second consecutive game with more than 100 yards rushing, and it came in the wake of reports that Lewis is leaning toward foregoing his final two years of eligibility at Pitt and entering the NFL Draft.

When Lewis was presented with the MVP trophy, Pitt fans began a rousing “one more year” chant.

Lewis said he still isn’t sure about his future.

“I have yet to make a decision. I’m just staying focused on the team,” Lewis said. “I’m going to have a conversation with my parents and my coaches, and we’ll go from there.”

Pitt ran the ball on 46 of its 65 offensive plays, and quarterback Tino Sunseri finished just 9/19 with 96 passing yards, a touchdown pass to tight end Brock DeCicco, and one interception.

Sunseri had a good game on the ground, rushing four times for a total of 53 yards. This included an 11-yard run midway through the second quarter with the score tied 3-3, which ended when Sunseri ran out of bounds at Kentucky’s 47-yard line.

As he ran out, Sunseri was hit by Kentucky linebacker Ronnie Sneed, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Two plays later, Sunseri was hit late again, this time by linebacker Ridge Wilson, after Pitt was called for a false start. This caused a massive scrum to break out, which led to multiple unspecified, offsetting personal fouls.

Pitt’s and Kentucky’s fan sections rose to their feet and cheered loudly after the play, and both teams’ players tried to energize their fans even further.

The game was tied 3-3 at the time, but the Panthers scored the game’s next 17 points, giving them a 20-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

Kentucky defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin said that the Panthers’ physicality threw the Wildcats off their game.

“They look like an SEC team the way they run the ball. They remind you a lot of Auburn and Mississippi State,” Lumpkin said. “We didn’t revert to our training and not retaliate, and that’s what hurt us was the retaliation.”

Pitt was also helped by a strong performance on special teams. Despite the absence of former head coach Dave Wannstedt, who coached special teams, the Panthers held All-American Randall Cobb to 25.25 yards per kick return, just 1.75 yards above his season average.

Pitt also blocked a Kentucky punt shortly after the brawl in the second quarter, and foiled a Wildcats’ fake punt on the first drive of the second half.

Wannstedt was not in attendance but did speak to Bennett before the game.

Left tackle Jason Pinkston said it was emotional playing without Wannstedt,

“We all love him,” Pinkston said. “It was hard leaving the hotel, and having him not walking in front of us. I was in tears. It was tough not having him around, but we got this win for him.”

Pitt safety Dom DeCicco said the team was playing not just for Wannstedt, but also for the coaches that stuck with them through the bowl game.

“We’ve been through a lot these past couple weeks. We felt that we owed it to each other to come out here and get this win with the coaches that stuck by us and Coach Wannstedt,” he said.

DeCicco also commented on the Pitt fan section, which was significantly smaller than Kentucky’s.

“There’s no disrespect to the fans,” DeCicco said. “We know why a lot of them didn’t come.”

As for Bennett, the game was his final one at Pitt. He has accepted an offer to become the defensive coordinator at Baylor next season.

Bennett said that this game was the perfect way to go out.

“If you could write a script, this would be it,” Bennett said. “You had success on both sides of the ball and the kicking game was sound. I am very happy for these kids.”

2011 Cotton Bowl: Louisiana State 41, Texas A&M 24

LSU drops Texas A&M in Cotton Bowl

Associated Press

Jan. 7, 2011, 11:11PM

Nick de la Torre Chronicle

Texas A&M defensive end Von Miller watches LSU players celebrate a touchdown.

ARLINGTON — With rumors swirling about LSU coach Les Miles’ future, Jordan Jefferson threw three touchdown passes toTerrence Toliver and ran for a score to help the 11th-ranked Tigers rally for a 41-24 victory over No. 18 Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.

Miles is likely a leading candidate for the coaching vacancy at Michigan, where he played and was an assistant coach.

In the days leading up to the Cotton Bowl, Miles said his focus was on his Tigers and that he enjoyed where he was.

But LSU (11-2) has now completed its fourth season with at least 11 wins in Miles’ six years. The Tigers had only two 11-win seasons in their history before that.

Texas A&M (9-4) led 10-0 in the first quarter, including a field goal after Jefferson threw an interception, but had its six-game winning streak snapped.

It was the 50th game between the border-state schools, but the first since the 1995 opener. Texas A&M had won the last five games in a series that likely will not be renewed in the regular season any time soon.

Jefferson was 10 of 19 for 158 yards with scoring passes of 42, 2 and 41 yards to Toliver, who had only two TD catches in the regular season.

LSU went ahead for good when Stevan Ridley had a a 17-yard TD run, jumping over a defender near the line and then sweeping right untouched into the end zone for a 21-17 lead with 4:43 left in the first half.

Ryan Tannehill, who had been 5-0 since taking over as the Aggies starting quarterback, then threw two interceptions in a span of three throws — after 127 consecutive attempts without a pick. The second interception was by Eric Reid, who returned it 34 yards to the 2 to set up Jefferson’s short TD pass to Toliver for a 28-17 halftime lead.

Miles was considered a top candidate for the Michigan job three years ago, during LSU’s national championship season.

In an unusual pregame news conference before the 2007 Southeastern Conference championship game, Miles expressed his intention to stay at LSU and later signed a contract extension through 2012. Michigan eventually hired Rich Rodriguez, who was 15-22 when he was fired this week.

There was no pregame talk from Miles before the Cotton Bowl on Friday, after Stanford coach and former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal to go to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.

Before that, Harbaugh had appeared to be at the top of a short list with Miles and San Diego State coach Brady Hoke, also a former Wolverines assistant, as candidates to return to Ann Arbor and replace Rodriguez.

Regardless of what Miles does, LSU will be back in Cowboys Stadium for its 2011 season opener — against Oregon, which plays Auburn for the BCS national championship on Monday night.

2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship: Eastern Washington 20, Delaware 19

Down by 19 in 3rd quarter, E Wash wins FCS crown

Down by 19 points in the middle of the third quarter, getting shut out by the toughest defense to score against among all FCS teams, Eastern Washington finally had something to cheer about. A touchdown pass meant they wouldn't get shut out.

By JAIME ARON

AP Sports Writer

FRISCO, Texas —

Then Bo Levi Mitchell threw another touchdown pass.

And, with 2:47 left, he did it again. When the Eastern Washington defense polished off one last stand, the guys best known for playing their home games on a flaming-red turf had a new claim to fame as national champions, pulling off a stunning 20-19 victory over Delaware on Friday night.

"This game was typical of our season," coach Beau Baldwin said. "We had so many games like this. These guys never give up."

Mitchell grew up outside Houston and began his college career at nearby SMU. Folks in Cheney, Wash., will always consider him one of their own after this performance; he even wore flaming-red cleats to remind him of his new home.

After gaining only 92 yards midway through the third quarter, Mitchell led TD drives that covered 80, 89 and 69 yards and capped them all with passes. Brandon Kaufman got it started with a 22-yarder, then Nicholas Edwards caught a 9-yarder. Kaufman had the title-winner, an 11-yarder in the back of the end zone.

Mitchell was 29 of 43 for 302 yards, and truly led the way as Eastern Washington (13-2) ran only seven times in the second half. He converted a fourth-and-8 on the second TD march and one of those rare runs came on a fourth-and-1 a few plays before the winning touchdown. It was so important officials reviewed it twice, once to adjust the spot, then again to make sure they'd properly reset the chains before that remeasurement.

Edwards had nine catches for 120 yards. Edwards had six catches for 74 yards.

Delaware (12-3) - with Vice President Joe Biden, an alum, watching five rows behind the team's bench - looked like it was going to run away with its second title in eight year.

Pat Devlin led the Blue Hens to a touchdown on their first drive, then field goals on their next two series. Mixing runs and passes, they had 230 yards by halftime. When they stretched the lead to 19-0, they seemed ready to avenge their 2007 title-game loss with Ravens star Joe Flacco as their quarterback.

Instead, they'll go down as the team that blew it.

Delaware stopped being able to run and got out of synch passing, with Eagles defenders Renard Williams and David Gaylord harassing Devlin.

The final play summed up the meltdown. The Blue Hens gained 9 yards on a fourth-and-10, turning the ball over on downs with 47 seconds left.

Devlin finished 22 of 34 for 220 yards. He also threw just his third interception of the season. It didn't hurt, though, as Mitchell threw his only interception a few snaps later.

Andrew Pierce ran 28 times for 142 yards and a touchdown. David Hayes ran for Delaware's other touchdown.

The Football Championship Subdivision is the highest level of college football with a playoff. Eastern Washington finished the regular season at No. 1 and Delaware was No. 5; however, the Blue Hens had been No. 1 before losing their final game of the regular season.

The game drew 13,027 fans to this suburb north of Dallas. This is the first of a three-year commitment to Frisco after 13 straight years in Chattanooga, Tenn.

NCAA President Mark Emmert attended the game. A former chancellor at LSU, he said before the game that he would resist any urge of heading to Cowboys Stadium to watch the Tigers play Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.

2011 GoDaddy.com Bowl: Miami (OH) 35, Middle Tennessee State 21

Miami football makes history

RedHawks become first team in Division I football history to post double-digit wins one year after double-digit losses.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer

Updated 12:18 AM Friday, January 7, 2011

MOBILE, Ala. — Miami University’s football team, a mixed bag of veterans who have been through hard times and freshmen who helped rejuvenate them, made history Thursday night by completing one of the more dramatic turnarounds in college football history.

The RedHawks defeated the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 35-21 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl to become the first team in big-school history to post double-digit victories — finishing with a 10-4 record — a year after enduring double-digit losses (1-11).

Miami’s defense came up with a season-high four interceptions, Thomas Merriweather rushed for two touchdowns and redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Boucher passed for two with interim head coach Lance Guidry on the sideline, though it was the now-departed Michael Haywood who guided the RedHawks through their first nine victories, and it will be new head coach Don Treadwell who will guide them next season.

The Blue Raiders finished 6-7 overall.

Middle Tennessee took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on an 89-yard touchdown drive which took just 2:22 off the clock. Phillip Tanner scored on an 18-yard touchdown run.

The RedHawks answered with 2:29 left in the period on a 3-yard touchdown run by Merriweather after Armand Robinson had turned a short sideline pass from Boucher into a 70-yard gain.

The Blue Raiders took the lead again on the ensuing drive when Dasher broke a 49-yard touchdown run up the middle, but Miami tied it again on another 3-yard run by Merriweather early in the second quarter.

The RedHawks had a chance to take a halftime lead, but an apparent 18-yard touchdown pass from Boucher to Robinson was wiped out by a false start penalty and two plays later Boucher was intercepted at the 2-yard line by MT cornerback T.L. Edwards.

The RedHawks took a 21-14 lead when true freshman Dayonne Nunley intercepted a Dwight Dasher pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown, stretching the ball over the goal line as he was tackled, with 13:22 left in the third quarter. It was Nunley’s sixth interception of the season.

Less than a minute later Tanner’s second touchdown, a 54-yard run, tied it again.

The RedHawks regained the lead on a 17-yard TD strike from Boucher to Chris Givens with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.

Evan Harris, like Nunley, came up with his sixth interception of the year and the RedHawks took over at the MT 17 early in the fourth quarter, but Miami failed to take advantage when defensive end Jarrett Crittenton blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt by Trevor Cook.

Fourth-quarter interceptions by D.J. Brown and Pat Hinkel sealed the win for Miami.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.