On Tap

January 3, 2010

College Football Bowl Preview: Orange Bowl

Filed under: ACC, ACC Coastal, Adam Robinson, Adrian Clayborn, BCS, Big 10, Brad Jefferson, Clemson Tigers, College, Demaryius Thomas, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Derrick Morgan, Football, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech, Iowa Hawkeyes, Jonathon Dwyer, Josh Nesbitt, Marvin McNutt, Morgan Burnett, NCAA, National Championship, Navy, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State, Orange Bowl, Outback Bowl, Pat Angerer, Paul Johnson, Ricky Stanzi, South Carolina, Sports, Tyler Sash, Virginia Tech — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 11:17 am

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicked off December 19th, with 34 games being played in a three week span.

The Sportmeisters are previewing each of the bowl games, and providing our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Orange Bowl, January 5th, 8:00 PM, Miami, FL

No. 9 Georgia Tech (11-2) vs. No. 10 Iowa (10-2)

About Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets caught fire this season, winning ten of their first eleven, including a huge ACC Coastal showdown against Virginia Tech. They slipped up, losing their rivalry game to Georgia, but bounced back in the ACC Championship, downing Clemson for the second time this season to clinch the ACC’s BCS automatic berth.

Is there any doubt what Georgia Tech is good at? Behind former Navy Coach Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets reeled off the second best rushing attack of 2009 (307.15 yards per game). Despite opponents knowing their not going to pass (135.54 yards per game), they can’t stop the triple option. The misdirectional rushing attack is directly responsible for Georgia Tech being 11th in total offense (442.69 yards per game) and 12th in scoring offense (35.31 points per game). The amazing rushing attack starts with RB Jonathon Dwyer, who recorded 1346 yards and 14 touchdowns as the primary option on the ground. QB Josh Nesbitt, the centerpiece of the offense, picked up 991 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, and when he did throw, he contributed 1689 yards and ten touchdowns. WR Demaryius Thomas has over 1,000 yards in his own right, catching 46 balls for 1154 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

For all the good the offense has done, the defense is a little more down to earth. They give up a lot of yards (357 per game) and a good deal of points (24.85 a game), making a good number of their games shootouts. Junior LB Brad Jefferson is one of the leaders, with 90 tackles (eight for loss). Senior DE Derrick Morgan has more sacks (12.5) than the rest of his team (10.5), to go along with his 52 tackles (18 for loss). Junior CB Morgan Burnett contributed 77 tackles and four interceptions. Georgia Tech can hold a team when they want to, but more often than not, it’s an offensive showcase.

About Iowa: The Hawkeyes were a hot team to start the season, winning nine in a row to develop some legitimate national championship talk. That, and the Big Ten title, all went away as Iowa stumbled to the finish line, losing two of their final three, first to Northwestern and then to Ohio State. They did grab an At-Large bid to allow them a spot in a BCS Bowl.

Iowa is not a good offensive program, ranking 103rd in the run (109.42 yards per game), and 93rd overall (330.75 yards per game). Their lone bright spot is QB Ricky Stanzi, who should be close to 100% after missing two games with injury. He finished with 2186 yards and 15 touchdowns, but also 14 interceptions. Top WR targets Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt combined for 1,340 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Freshman RB Adam Robinson led the ground game with 775 yards and five touchdowns.

When the offense sputters, the defense needs to step up. They do so, ranking 11th in total defense (286.67 yards per game), 10th in points allowed (15.50 per game), and eighth in passing defense (164.67 yards per game). Senior LB Pat Angerer leads the team with 135 tackles (four for loss), a sack, and an interception. Junior DL Adrian Clayborn added 61 tackles (18 for loss) and 9.5 sacks. Sophomore DB Tyler Sash contributed 84 tackles (5.5 for loss), and six interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. The Hawkeye’s offense isn’t always at the top of it’s game, but the defense is usually prepared to step up in need.

The Matchup: Georgia Tech is 22-15 in bowl games. They have been to a bowl for 13 straight seasons, but are currently mired in a four game losing streak.

Iowa is 12-10-1 in it’s bowl history. They are coming off a win in the 2008 Outback Bowl against South Carolina 31-10.

Obviously, the big story is the defense of Iowa versus the offense of Georgia Tech. With Angerer and Clayborn in the middle, this is where the option is a great play. Nesbitt and Dwyer will no doubt look to the middle, but if they continually get stuffed, they can bounce to the outside, forcing Iowa to open up it’s coverage. This should open the middle up.

At the same time, unlike most other teams, Iowa has had plenty of time to prepare for the triple-option. If the run can get stuffed, GT will have to throw, and look for the Hawkeyes to feast on Nesbitt’s passing ability.

Iowa will get Ricky Stanzi back, but he makes mistakes, and if Morgan can get some pressure on him, a turnover or two will occur. If Stanzi has enough time, McNutt and Johnson-Koulianos will wreck havoc on the secondary.

The Prediction: Iowa prepares well for the triple-option, and beats Georgia Tech 27-21.

January 1, 2010

The Sportmeisters Top 10 Games Of The Decade: Game No. 2 – USC Trojans vs. Texas Longhorns – 2005 BCS Championship Game

Filed under: BCS, Big 12, College, David Kirtman, David Pino, Dwayne Jarrett, Football, Frank Okam, Justin Blalock, LenDale White, Mario Danelo, Matt Leinart, NCAA, National Championship, Ramonce Taylor, Reggie Bush, Rose Bowl, Selvin Young, Sports, Steve Smith, Texas Longhorns, USC Trojans, Vince Young — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 12:32 pm

Game # 2 – USC Trojans vs. Texas Longhorns – 2005 BCS Championship Game

With the end of the decade nearing, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan have decided to present their top ten games of the past decade. Today’s discussion is on the second best game from 2000-2009. What follows is a transcript of their discussion.

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we are here to discuss something that will be debated for the next few weeks. With 2010 here, we’re finishing up our countdown of the best games from 2000-2009.

Sportmeister Ryan: Absolutely Derek, these games will bring an enormous amount of discussion, as it did in just us figuring out our list. Let’s move back into college football, looking at the 2005 BCS Championship Game.

SD: Let’s flash back quickly to the 2005 Rose Bowl, also the site of the National Championship. Two-time defending champion USC went wire to wire as #1, finishing 12-0, while Big 12 Champion Texas was right behind them at #2.

SR: Derek, for all the argument we hear about the BCS, this was one of the only years they got it right, and for easy measure. Both teams were the only undefeated squads, making the selection process that much easier.

SD: Some quick numbers on the matchup. The two teams combined for 53 straight wins, the most between two teams (USC 34, Texas 19). Also, just a few weeks prior, Reggie Bush had won the Heisman over fellow teammate Matt Leinart and Longhorn QB Vince Young.

SR: We saw two Heisman teammates in the backfield together, a Rose Bowl first, as well as three finalists going against each other. To top it off, Texas was not highly favored, and with the huge margin of victory by Bush in the Heisman, Young saw it as a slap in the face. A lot of motivation for both teams heading into this game.

SD: An early fumble on a punt return gave USC a short field, where following a 23 yard pass from Leinart to FB David Kirtman, we saw bruiser back LenDale White burst through from four yards out to take the 7-0 lead.

SR: Texas would fumble the ball four times in the game, but that was the only one they lost. Call it jitters or nerves, USC struck first.

SD: Texas would strike back in the second quarter, using a 46 yard field goal by Kicker David Pino to cut the lead to 7-3.

SR: Derek, interesting note here. USC had the chance to go up big, and I mean HUGE. Bush had exploded into Texas territory, hitting the 18 yard line before lateraling it to a teammate. I should say, attempt to lateral, as it was recovered by Texas and killed a huge momentum swing for the Trojans. We then saw Young methodically move Texas down the field before a fumble forced the field goal.

SD: Turnovers would be a problem on the next drive as well, which saw a Leinart pass intercepted at the 25 yard line of Texas. The Longhorns once again used the momentum, driving the field and scoring thanks to Young’s own lateral following a run, which was caught by RB Selvin Young, who went the final 12 yards for the score. Texas would miss the extra point, but still took the lead 9-7.

SR: Nine points in two drives, both off of turnovers. USC is lucky it was still early in the game, because mistakes like that will kill you!

SD: A short field on Texas’s next possession saw RB Ramonce Taylor rush in from 30 yards out to put Texas up 16-7.

SR: Three straight drives, 16 unanswered points. USC looked nowhere near the dominant team it had been all season.

SD: USC did drive down the field with the half winding down, looking to cut the deficit, but two straight sacks by DT Frank Okam forced a Mario Danelo field goal, putting the score at 16-10 in favor of Texas at the half.

SR: USC needed to make some adjustments, starting with turnovers, and ending with watching Vince Young.

SD: Texas got the ball back at the beginning of the half, but were forced to punt. USC took advantage, marching 62 yard before White scored from three yards out, putting USC up 17-16.

SR: That extra point Texas missed earlier now had a little more weight on it than before.

SD: The next possession once again saw Texas take the lead, as Young scored from 14 yards out to make it 23-17.

SR: USC would come back once again, thanks to a risky 4th and 1 from the Texas 12, where White busted through all the way to paydirt, giving USC the 24-23 lead to close out the third quarter, as Pino from Texas missed a field goal which would have put the Longhorns up two.

SD: Heisman Winner Bush had only one touchdown, but made it count, closing out an 80 yard drive with a 26 yard touchdown scamper to put USC up further 31-23.

SR: Again, that extra point making a difference, as now Texas would need a touchdown and a conversion to tie.

SD: Texas got down to the USC 17, but another Young fumble forced the field goal, which Pino made from 34 yards out to cut the gap to five, 31-26.

SR: Field goals will not win championship games. Texas needed to get in the end zone, or USC was going to put this one away.

SD: On the ensuing possession, a stupid roughing-the-passer penalty gave USC life, and Leinart used it, finding Dwayne Jarrett from 22 yards out to go up 38-26 with under seven minutes to go.

SR: That penalty was easily the dumbest move Texas made all day. 12 points in seven minutes, not easy to make up.

SD: They did, starting with a 69 yard drive that saw Young account for the entire offense, capping it off with a 17 yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 38-33 with under four minutes to go.

SR: Young statistically had one of the best games of his career, who compiled 200 yards on the ground, and 267 in the air, and three rushing touchdowns.

SD: USC marched down to the Texas 45, taking precious time off the clock before a White fumble, recovered by Steve Smith, saw Texas take a timeout with 2:13 left, and fourth and two. USC decided to put the game in the hands of the offense and go for it.

SR: This was the worst move by Carroll. Going for it, and leaving your best player (Bush) on the bench! Everyone knew it was a dive to White, who promptly got stuffed, giving all the momentum to Texas and a short field for Young to work with. Remember, USC used that same play all game, why wouldn’t Texas be able to stop it by now?

SD: Young moved Texas down to the nine yard line, and on fourth and five with under a minute, took a shotgun snap. Young found all his receivers covered, so he did what he does best, and took off toward the end zone.

SR: It was a footrace between Young and the USC defense, until Justin Blalock freed enough room for Vince Young to waltz into the end zone, untouched, to go up 39-33 with 19 seconds left. In another blunder, USC wasted a timeout before the two point conversion, which is an untimed down!

SD: Young would rush it in for the two point conversion, and thanks to that critical mistake, USC was unable to move the ball down the field, and as a Leinart to Jarrett pass sailed high, Texas was champions, winning 41-38.

SR: This game had it all and that is why we have named it our number two game of the decade. Stay tuned for the rest of our Top 10 coming up in the next few weeks. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com.

College Football Bowl Preview: Liberty Bowl

Filed under: Adrian Davis, Arkansas Razorbacks, BCS, C-USA, C.J. Wilson, Case Keenum, Chris Johnson, College, Cotton Bowl, Dominique Lindsay, Dwayne Harris, ECU, East Carolina Pirates, FBS, Football, Greg Childs, Houston, Houston Cougars, Jarius Wright, Jerry Franklin, Joe Adams, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU, Liberty Bowl, Missouri Tigers, Nick Johnson, Patrick Pinkney, Ryan Mallet, Sports, Van Eskridge — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 4:16 am

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicked off December 19th, with 34 games being played in a three week span.

The Sportmeisters are previewing each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and providing our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Liberty Bowl, January 2nd, 5:30 PM, Memphis, TN

East Carolina (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5)

About East Carolina: ECU made some heads turn with their stellar play at the beginning of last season, but that wasn’t the case in 2009. They lost two of their first three games, before winning four out of six to pull themselves to 5-4. They then reeled off four straight wins, including the C-USA Championship over Houston, to finish at 9-4.

ECU provides a balanced attack that ranks somewhere in the middle of the FBS. Senior RB Dominique Lindsay rushed for 1,029 yards and five touchdowns, making him the first ECU back to clear 1,000 yards since Chris Johnson. Senior QB Patrick Pinkney does make some mistakes (ten interceptions), but still managed to throw for 2738 yards and 14 touchdowns. Junior WR Dwayne Harris is his top target, reeling in 79 balls for 914 yards and six touchdowns. He also managed to score five rushing touchdowns on the season. Pinkney benefited from an offensive line that only gave up .85 sacks a game (eighth in NCAA FBS). Over the last seven ECU games, Pinkney was sacked once.

Defensively, ECU is an enigma. They give up a lot of yards (385.62 per game, 76th in NCAA FBS), but opponents only score 22.08 points a game (38th in NCAA FBS). A big reason for that is turnovers. They recorded 33 turnovers, finishing with a +14 margin. Going back to 2006, ECU has had 30+ turnovers yearly, including one a game since 2007. Senior DB Van Eskridge is the biggest ball-hawker, pulling six interceptions to go with 93 tackles. Senior DE C.J. Wilson likes to hang out in the backfield, accumulating 56 tackles (10.5 for loss), and 5.5 sacks. Senior LB Nick Johnson contributed 93 tackles (7.5 for loss), and two interceptions. ECU gets pushed back to the limit defensively, but usually can pull in an interception and kill a drive.

About Arkansas: Arkansas had a tough start to their season, losing two of their first three, with both losses coming to foes in the Top 25. They went 2-2 over their next four games, putting them at 3-4 at the halfway mark of the season. They reeled off four straight wins, all by double digits, before a season-ending loss against LSU finished them at 7-5.

The Razorbacks boast one of the most potent offenses, ranking 14th in total yards with 439.33 yards a game. That is led by their tenth ranked passing offense, which puts up 303.33 yards a game. That directly leads to the eighth ranked scoring offense, averaging 37.33 points a game. Sophomore QB Ryan Mallet directed the high-flying Razorbacks, putting up 3422 yards and 29 touchdowns. His top target is Sophomore WR Greg Childs, who has 45 catches for 862 yards and seven touchdowns. WRs Jarius Wright and Joe Adams combined for 1144 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.

For all that good on offense, Arkansas struggles defensively. Their biggest offender is the pass defense, which gives up 251.75 yards a game (104th out of 119 teams). It’s a big reason their defense gives up 401.83 yards a game (90th in NCAA FBS). They do know how to force turnovers, finishing the 2009 campaign with a +13 margin. Sophomore LB Jerry Franklin is the leader of the squad, piling up 84 tackles (5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, and a fumble return for a touchdown. Senior DL Adrian Davis contributed 46 tackles (9.5 for loss) and 5.5 sacks. When playing against Arkansas, expect a high-scoring affair, on both sides of the ball.

The Matchup: ECU is 5-5 in bowl games. This will be their fourth straight bowl appearance, and second straight Liberty Bowl, where they lost to Kentucky last season 25-19.

Arkansas is 11-22-3 in its bowl history. They have lost two in a row, most recently the 2007 Cotton Bowl to Missouri 38-7.

Expect a high scoring affair in this one. ECU is used to high-powered offenses, most recently facing Houston and Case Keenum, but Mallet has a lot more weapons at his disposal. It starts with his 6-7 frame, allowing him to keep in the pocket longer, giving his receivers more time to get open. Look for ECU to lay off the blitzing, keeping seven in coverage, and expect their front four, led by Wilson, to get some pressure on Mallet. If Mallet can get rattled, which is what the front four did to Keenum, look for the secondary to get some late Christmas gifts in the form of interceptions.

ECU has an average offense, but they are facing a decidedly horrific defense, especially against the pass. Pinkney has a lot of interceptions (14), so he needs to settle down in the face of pressure. Pinkney has a tendency to pat the ball before throwing, so if the secondary can get a read on this, that interception number could go up before the day is out.

The Prediction: Mallet has the tools and the technique to lead Arkansas over an ECU squad that went 0-3 against BCS Conferences. Arkansas 33-28.

December 29, 2009

College Football Bowl Preview: Sugar Bowl

Filed under: Aaron Hernandez, Alabama, Alex Daniels, Andre Revels, Armon Binns, BCS, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chris Rainey, Cincinnati Bearcats, College, FBS, Florida Gators, Football, Jeffrey Demps, Joe Haden, Mardy Gilyard, NCAA, National Championship, Oklahoma, Orange Bowl, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, Rutgers, SEC, SEC Championship, Sports, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike, Urban Meyer, Virginia Tech, Zach Collaros — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 6:57 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA postseason kicked off Dec. 19, with 34 games being played in a three-week span.

Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving the recruiting that soon follows.

The Sportmeisters will preview each of the games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Sugar Bowl, January 1st, 8:30 PM, New Orleans, LA

No. 4 Cincinnati (12-0) vs. No. 5 Florida (12-1)

About Cincinnati: After an opening season win against Rutgers, the Bearcats stood tall, and said, we are here, get used to it. Opponents tumbled, all in a row, as Cincinnati ran the table, heading into the bowl game a perfect 12-0.

The Bearcats work effectively with an offense ranked sixth in NCAA FBS (464.25 yards a game). This is led by their sixth ranked passing attack (320.33 yards a game), that puts up the sixth most points in NCAA FBS (39.83). Senior QB Tony Pike threw for 2350 yards and 26 touchdowns in nine games of work, missing three straight weeks towards the end of October for injury. However, Cincy fans need not worry, as backup QB Zach Collaros filled in admirably, throwing for 1434 yards and 10 touchdowns. Should Pike’s injury flair up, the Bearcats are one of few teams who can be confident with their backup. Senior WR Mardy Gilyard benefits the most from the two QBs, catching 80 balls for 1150 yards and 11 touchdowns in the Cincinnati Spread Offense. Junior WR Armon Binns contributed 56 catches for 859 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Cincinnati defense was solid in 2009, holding opponents to 20.75 points a game (24th in NCAA FBS). They used their pressure exclusively, finishing third in tackles for loss per game (8.42). Senior LB Andre Revels leads the team with 103 tackles (3.5 for loss), and an interception. Senior DE Alex Daniels contributed 50 tackles (8 for loss), and 6.5 sacks. His 6.5 sacks were key for a team averaging 2.92 sacks a game (eighth in NCAA FBS). Cincinnati struggled towards the end, winning two key games by four points total. They will need to find that fire to escape with a victory.

About Florida: The Gators had national title on it’s mind, and no opponent was going to stop them. They steamrolled through their schedule, winning all but one game by at least ten points, averaging a 20 point score margin. Then they got to the SEC Championship, a matchup of #1 UF and #2 Alabama. Unlike last year, UF would have no answer for the undefeated Tide, and succumbed 32-13, falling to the Sugar Bowl.

The Gators sport a top offense, averaging 442.38 yards a game (12th in NCAA FBS), led by the 10th ranked running game (225.23 yards a game). They are led by three-time Heisman finalist QB Tim Tebow, who is the heart and soul of the UF offense. He piled up 3272 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns. Senior WR Riley Cooper and Junior TE Aaron Hernandez are Tebow’s top targets in the Spread offense UF runs so effectively. The two combined for 1519 yards and 12 touchdowns. When Tebow wasn’t running with the ball, the opportunity was given to RBs Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey to shine. The two combined for 1286 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Led by one of the top Defensive Coordinators in Charlie Strong, the Gators held opponents to a mere 11.54 points per game (third in the nation), and a measly 253.08 yards a game (fourth in NCAA FBS). Six of their 13 opponents failed to score double digits in 2009. The pass defense is especially effective, ranked third in the nation, giving up only 151.46 yards a game. Junior CB Joe Haden leads the secondary with 62 tackles, three sacks, and four interceptions. Senior LB Brandon Spikes was one of the vocal leaders of the defense, piling up 62 tackles (five for loss), 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions, both of which were returned for scores. Junior DE Carlos Dunlap lead the team with nine tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks on the season. UF is one of the best all-around teams in NCAA this season, with an effective offense and defense.

The Matchup: Cincinnati is 5-5 in bowl games. This is their fourth straight bowl appearance, and second straight BCS game. They lose their first BCS game, the 2008 Orange Bowl, 20-7 to Virginia Tech.

Florida is 17-19 in bowl games. This is their 19th straight bowl appearance, and second straight BCS game. They defeated Oklahoma 24-14 to clinch their third NCAA National Championship last season.

Florida has a solid pass rush, averaging 2.69 sacks a game, led by playmaker Dunlap, returning from suspension. With the abilities of their secondary, if Dunlap and company can get past one of the top offensive lines (11 sacks given up in 2009), they can force Pike to throw or take the sack. Pike is less mobile than Collaros, so pressure might force an uncharacteristic mistake or two. UF’s secondary is one of the best in the nation, but must have proper field discipline, not leaving their assignment, or Pike will hit Gilyard or Binns, easily.

Cincinnati will have to mix up the rush, and bring plenty of heat, in its attempts to control Tebow. Cooper and Hernandez are not Percy Harvin from 2008, so the “X-Factor” player is not an option for Florida. The Bearcats are weakest against runs inside the tackles, which explains why a Safety will cheat up. Florida won’t run straight up the middle, but should use a play action (the Tebow stutter-step), that could freeze the defense just long enough for him to find someone 10-15 yards down the field. Tebow will get his shots in his last game as a Florida Gator.

On an extra note, don’t expect the Urban Meyer situation to affect either team. While it will be discussed at length during the game, the focus will be on the action on the field.

The Prediction: Florida has playmakers on defense Pike hasn’t seen all year, and Tebow shines in his last game. UF 31-20.

College Football Bowl Preview: Rose Bowl

Filed under: BCS, Big 10, Boise State, Brandon Saine, California, Casey Matthews, Chip Kelly, Civil War, College, Daniel Herron, DeVier Posey, Ed Dickson, FBS, Football, Jeff Maehl, Jeremiah Masoli, John Boyett, Kenny Rowe, Kurt Coleman, LaMichael James, LeGarrette Blount, NCAA, Non-AQ, Ohio State, Oregon Ducks, Pac-10, Rose Bowl, Ross Homan, Sports, Stanford, Terrelle Pryor, USC Trojans, Utah — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 5:58 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicks off December 19th, with 34 games being played in a three week span. Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving recruiting that follows afterwords. The Sportmeisters will preview each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Rose Bowl, January 1st, 4:30 PM, Pasadena, CA

No. 8 Ohio State (10-2) vs. No. 7 Oregon (10-2)

About Ohio State: Ohio State nearly got upset in their season opener, and then lost at the end to USC. Not the best way to start off a hopeful BCS run. They got their act together, reeling off wins in nine of their last ten games to clinch the Big Ten title and a shot in the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State has one of the most well-known QBs in Sophomore Terrelle Pryor, but it’s more for his legs now, than arm. The Buckeyes are a paltry 106th in NCAA FBS in passing yards (165.92), but hold down the 19th spot in rushing yards (198.92). That starts with leading rusher Pryor, who has 707 yards and seven touchdowns. He gets support from RBs Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron, who have combined for 1401 yards and 11 touchdowns. This gives Ohio State a plethora of options in their running game. When Pryor does have to pass, he’ll more often than not throw to Sophomore WR DeVier Posey, who leads the team with 52 catches for 727 yards and seven touchdowns.

In true Big Ten fashion, Ohio State uses their defense to win championships. They enjoy slowing it down and grinding out, and when you have a top five defense, why not? Ohio State gives up a mere 262.50 yards a game (fifth in NCAA FBS), and opponents only score 12.17 points a game, also fifth in NCAA FBS. The Buckeyes defense is aggressive, and has a +1.33 turnover margin, good for fourth in NCAA FBS. They are led by Senior DB Kurt Coleman, who has 64 tackles (2.5 for loss), a sack, three forced fumbles, and a team leading five interceptions. Junior LB Ross Homan leads the squad with 96 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions. Ohio State will punish you defensively, giving their offense a short field to score points

About Oregon: Chip Kelly’s coaching debut was marred after an opening-season loss to Non-AQ Boise State, and the actions of LeGarrette Blount. Oregon refused to quit, even after suspending Blount, winning seven straight. Three of those seven wins were over ranked programs such as Utah, California, and USC. An upset loss at Stanford put the Pac-10 title in doubts, but Oregon pushed on, winning three more in a row, including a Civil War victory over Oregon State to clinch the Pac-10 title.

Oregon boasts an offense capable of scoring 37.67 points a game (seventh in NCAA FBS), thanks to their ability to move the ball (25th in NCAA FBS with 424.67 yards a game). That mostly comes from the sixth ranked rushing attack (236.08 yards a game). Once Blount was suspended, the question became, who would fill in? That responsibility fell on RB LaMichael James, a Freshman won ran for 1476 yards and 14 touchdowns. Right behind him is athletic QB Jeremiah Masoli, who compiled 2725 total yards and 27 touchdowns. WR Jeff Maehl and TE Ed Dickson are the primary go-to receivers for Masoli, combining for 1237 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Oregon does have an effective defense, giving up 329.42 yards a game (32nd in NCAA FBS) and 23.58 points (52nd in NCAA FBS). While numbers-wise, it is nothing special, they do have some playmakers when needed. Junior LB Kenny Rowe is one of those bright spots, with 36 tackles (11 for loss), 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Freshman DB John Boyett leads the team with 78 tackles and two interceptions. Oregon will wear opposing defense’s down, and run right to glory.

The Matchup: Ohio State is 18-22 in bowl games, losing three straight, all BCS games. This is their tenth straight bowl appearance, with this being their fifth straight BCS game.

Oregon is 9-13, having won two bowl games in a row. This will be their fifth straight bowl game.

Ohio State is 7-0 against Oregon, including a win in the 1958 Rose Bowl. The most recent matchup between the two was a 24-14 win for the Buckeyes in 1987.

Ohio State will run on Oregon, using an option zone-read between Pryor, Saine and Herron. This will make it tough for Oregon’s defense, which gives up close to 140 yards a game, to stop all three options. With Pryor’s issue in the pocket, Oregon will be best limiting the blitzes, instead putting a LB such as Casey Matthews on him in a Spy formation. With a number of rushing options, Oregon will have to sit at home and not overpursue, or risk watching one of the three head straight to the end zone.

Much like Ohio State, Oregon will use an option for Masoli and James. Both have amazing breakaway speed, but Ohio State has a top five defense that is smart in their pursuits. Despite lacking a star, Ohio State has a number of personnel they will rotate around, showing different looks to Masoli. These looks will be to keep both inside the tackles, where they will have more difficult gaining big chunks of yards.

The Prediction: Ohio State is the more disciplined team, and I expect them to prevent big gains from Masoli and James. Ohio State 31-20.

College Football Bowl Preview: Chick-Fil-A Bowl

Filed under: ACC, Alabama, BCS, Bryce Brown, Bud Foster, Chick-Fil-A Bowl, Cincinnati Bearcats, Cody Grimm, College, Cornhuskers, Darren Evans, Eric Berry, FBS, Football, Georgia Tech, Hurricanes, Jonathon Crompton, Lane Kiffin, Miami, Montario Hardesty, Monte Kiffin, NCAA, Nebraska, North Carolina Tar Heels, Orange Bowl, Ryan Williams, South Carolina, Sports, Tennessee Volunteers, UNC, Virginia Tech — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 12:23 am

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicks off December 19th, with 34 games being played in a three week span. Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving recruiting that follows afterwords. The Sportmeisters will preview each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Chick-Fil-A Bowl, December 31st, 7:30 PM, Atlanta, GA

Tennessee (7-5) vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech (9-3)

About Tennessee: Tennessee definitely had the biggest offseason, thanks to the mouth of their new Coach, Lane Kiffin. Kiffin took shots at anyone and everyone, expecting big results. He got some, but not what to the level of his brash boasting. A few moral victories considering of three losses by four or less points is nice, but the ‘W’s are what count. Tennessee didn’t hit .500 until Halloween, when they upset South Carolina to get up to 4-4. That started the Volunteers, who won four of their last five to get up to 7-5.

Tennessee made some big jumps offensively from where they were in 2008, but they are still sitting near the middle of the pack. They do score frequently, ranking 32nd in points per game with 30.58. Senior RB Montario Hardesty got over previous injuries to rush for 1306 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 108 yard per game average ranks him 19th in NCAA FBS. Senior QB Jonathon Crompton started off slow, but turned up the heat at the same time as Tennessee. He threw for 2565 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Defensively, Kiffin brought in dad Monte Kiffin as Defensive Coordinator. The elder Kiffin, famous for his “Tampa Two” scheme, wasted no time bringing it to Knoxville. What followed was a defense that finished 18th in total yards (308.83 yards a game) and 10th in pass defense (165.92 yards a game). The most widely heralded player is Junior CB Eric Berry, who is expected to turn pro following the game. His numbers are down from 2008, but he still finished with 83 tackles (six for loss), two fumble returns, and two interceptions. Tennessee plays in a tough conference, and has the ability to step up in a big game and perform above expectations.

About Virginia Tech: Even an opening game loss to Alabama couldn’t stop the Hokies from making a BCS Championship run. They won five in a row, including wins over ranked teams such as Nebraska and Miami, before running into Georgia Tech and their triple option. That knocked them out of the BCS race, and an upset loss to North Carolina the next week destroyed any ACC Championship hopes. Tech bounced back to win four in a row to come into the bowl game at 9-3.

Virginia Tech had extreme expectations for returning Sophomore RB Darren Evans, who rushed for an ACC Freshman record 1,265 yards. Those expectations took a blow when Evans was lost for the season with an ACL injury. Enter Freshman RB Ryan Williams, who quickly became the Lou Gehrig to Evans’s Wally Pipp. Williams destroyed the previous record held by Evans, rushing for 1538 yards and 19 touchdowns. His 128.17 yards a game is fifth in the nation, and he is a big reason the Hokies are 15th in rushing offense in NCAA FBS (206.42 yards a game). Junior QB Tyrod Taylor is a threat passing or running, and his game management was key for the Hokies. He finished with 2446 total yards and 17 total touchdowns.

The Virginia Tech defense has one of the most respected coaches in Bud Foster running it. There is a reason for that too. His defense enters the bowl game 14th in total defense (300.08 yards a game) and 11th in scoring defense (15.75 points a game). Special notice is to the passing defense, which held opponents to a mere 161.42 yards a game (sixth in NCAA FBS). Senior LB Cody Grimm led the team with 98 tackles (9.5 for loss), three sacks, six forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Though the defense is down from their standard top five numbers, they are still a forced to be reckoned with, and have the ability to cause a turnover at any momeny.

The Matchup: Tennessee is 25-22 in bowl games, winning their most recent game in 2007.

Virginia Tech is 8-14 in bowl games, winning their 2008 matchup against Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. They have been to a bowl for 17 straight season, though this is their first one since 2006 that it wasn’t a BCS game.

Tennessee holds the series advantage 5-2, meeting last in 1994.

Virginia Tech plans on shoving the ball right down Tennessee’s throat. It’s an attempt to force the Safeties (namely, Berry) to move up into a run stopping defense. This would allow single coverage on the outside for Taylor to throw to a hole in the Tampa Two zone defense. Taylor only has four interceptions, so don’t expect forced throws, but rather, tucking it in and running.

Hardesty will get yards for Tennessee, but look for Freshman RB Bryce Brown to get some time and turn heads. Virginia Tech struggles stopping the run, and these two should combine for some big yards. Foster will throw a lot of pressure at Crompton, so mistakes need to be minimal.

The Prediction: Virginia Tech gets pressure on Crompton, forcing turnovers. This will allow Evans a short field to power through for paydirt. Virginia Tech 34-21.

December 28, 2009

College Football Bowl Preview: Texas Bowl

Filed under: Aldon Smith, Army, BCS, Big 12, Blaine Gabbert, Chance Harridge, Chase Daniel, College, Danario Alexander, FBS, Football, Missouri Tigers, NCAA, Navy, Notre Dame, Orange Bowl, Ricky Dobbs, Ross Pospisil, Sean Weatherspoon, Sports, Temple Owls, Texas Bowl, Tim Tebow, Vince Murray — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 9:12 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicks off December 19th, with 34 games being played in a three week span. Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving recruiting that follows afterwords. The Sportmeisters will preview each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Texas Bowl, December 31st, 3:30 PM, Houston, TX

Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (9-4)

About Missouri: The Tigers came in with high hopes for 2009, and started off living up to the expectations, winning four in a row. Then the meat of the schedule came in, and Missouri flailed, losing three straight to ranked teams. They bounced back win four of their last five to finish at 8-4.

With the departure of Chase Daniel, most expected Missouri to fall off in their passing game. Enter Sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert, who was directly responsible for the Tigers’ 13th ranked passing attack (285 yards a game). Gabbert finished the season with 3302 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has not thrown an interception since Halloween. Senior WR Danario Alexander’s numbers more than double anyone else on the Tigers roster. His 107 catches for 1644 yards and 13 touchdowns is a big reason for Missouri’s success. Alexander also leads all FBS receivers with 137 yards per game.

Defensively, Missouri could stop the run (12th in NCAA FBS), but in the pass-happy antics of the Big 12, sputtered against the pass (109th in NCAA FBS). Senior LB Sean Weatherspoon leads the squad with 104 tackles (14.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, and an interception. Freshman DE Aldon Smith is a tough one to contain. He led the team with 11 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss (59 tackles total). As is the case with the Big 12, Missouri will throw early and often, and if you try to run, you might be stopped, but those numbers seem misleading.

About Navy: The Midshipmen started off slow, losing two of their first three games, both against BCS opponents. They ran for glory, reeling off five straight wins before a close loss against Temple. They regained themselves to win three of their last four, including rivalry wins over Army and Notre Dame, to finish 9-4.

Navy, much like a few other teams in NCAA FBS, like to run. A lot, in fact, which is the big reason they average 272.46 yards a game in the rush (fourth in NCAA FBS). It’s also the reason why they are last in passing offense (71.38 yards a game). The triple option is their primary weapon, and it usually starts with Junior QB Ricky Dobbs. Despite missing a game, Dobbs still rushed for 1026 yards and scored 24 rushing touchdowns. That is a new record, breaking the previous one held by Tim Tebow and Chance Harridge. As is the case with the triple option, if you stop one, there are others still available. Junior RB Vince Murray has been that other option, rushing for 925 yards and six touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, Navy is good, but nothing special. They are 20th in scoring, allowing only 19.92 points a game. The rest of their numbers are in that range between the top and middle third of NCAA FBS. Senior LB Ross Pospisil leads the team with 98 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Navy is undersized, and it shows in their pressure. They are 103rd in sacks (1.38 per game) and 120th in tackles for loss (3.54 per game). However, they have speed, and a rushing attack that eats up the clock, which will work in their favor.

The Matchup: Missouri is 12-14 in bowl games, having won two in a row during their current five game bowl appearance streak.

Navy is 6-8-1 in their bowl history, trying to snap out of a three game losing streak. This is their seventh consecutive bowl appearance.

The two teams have not faced since 1961, when Missouri beat Navy in the Orange Bowl. Missouri is 2-0 against the Navy all-time.

In this game, the numbers can be a bit misleading. Yes, Missouri is ranked high on their rush defense, but they play in the Big 12. The Big 12 does not rush often, so the numbers seem skewed. On the other side, Navy has a decent pass defense, but they are facing off against a spread offense. They are undersized, which could make stopping a 6-5 receiver a bit more challenging. The winner will come from whoever can utilize their strengths better.

For Navy, they will need to run the option successfully, eating clock and keeping Gabbert on the sideline. When Gabbert does get in, him and Alexander will need to exploit Navy’s small corners for big gains.

The Prediction: Missouri throws it early and often, and Navy can’t play catch up when they only run the ball. Missouri 38-20.

College Football Bowl Preview: Sun Bowl

Filed under: Andrew Luck, BCS, BYU, Big 12, Chris Brown, College, DeMarco Murray, Delano Howell, FBS, Football, Georgia Tech, Jeremy Beal, Jermaine Gresham, Landry Jones, NCAA, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon Ducks, Ryan Broyles, Sam Bradford, Seattle Bowl, Sports, Stanford, Sun Bowl, Tavita Pritchard, Texas Longhorns, Thomas Keiser, Toby Gerhart, Travis Lewis, USC Trojans — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 8:01 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicks off December 19th, with 33 games being played in a three week span. Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving recruiting that follows afterwords. The Sportmeisters will preview each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Sun Bowl, December 31st, 2:00 PM, El Paso, TX

University of Oklahoma (7-5) vs. No. 21 Stanford University (8-4)

About Oklahoma: With a National Championship appearance and a Heisman trophy winner returning, Oklahoma should be waltzing into the national title game again, right? Wrong. Oklahoma lost returning Heisman trophy winner Sam Bradford during the opening season loss to BYU, damaging the National Championship hopes. Oklahoma wasn’t out of the BCS race until Bradford return and reinjured his shoulder in a Big 12 loss to Texas. At that point, Bradford and TE Jermaine Gresham were done for the season, and Oklahoma was playing for pride. They concluded their season by winning four out of six, including blanking then No. 12 Oklahoma State 27-0 to end their disappointing season on a positive note at 7-5.

Despite the loss of Bradford, Oklahoma still had the 17th best passing offense in NCAA FBS (278.50 yards per game). Freshman QB Landry Jones stepped in and performed as well as someone could in his position. He threw for 2780 yards and 23 touchdowns. Sophomore WR Ryan Broyles was his target, early and often, and he performed, catching 76 balls for 964 yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior RB DeMarco Murray took on an all-around role, working his way towards 1135 all-purpose yards and 11 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns. Senior RB Chris Brown contributed 728 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

When the offense sputters, the defense needs to step up. The Sooner defense did just that, placing seventh in total defense (273.50 yards per game), seventh in rushing defense (88.58 yards per game) and seventh in scoring defense (13.50 points per game). Junior DE Jeremy Beal led a Sooners defense that was fifth in sacks per game (3.08) and eighth in tackles for loss (7.83 per game). Beal himself contributed 11 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Sophomore LB Travis Lewis led the team with 100 tackles on the season.

About Stanford: The Cardinals started off their season winning four of five, including three conference wins. Then the wall hit, and Stanford lost two conference games in a row to fall to 4-3. They bounced back, winning four of five, including wins over ranked teams such as Oregon and USC, to end their season 8-4.

Stanford is an offensive powerhouse, especially on the ground. They are tenth in scoring (36.17 points per game), led a rushing attack that is 11th in NCAA FBS (224.33 yards per game). Senior RB Toby Gerhart was a Heisman finalist after his dismantling of defenses. He rushed for an NCAA leading 1736 yards and 26 touchdowns. His 144.67 yards per game was second in NCAA rushing. Freshman QB Andrew Luck didn’t throw too often, but when he had too, he connected. He threw for 2575 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions. He is hurt though, and could miss the bowl game, in which case, Senior QB Tavita Pritchard will step into the role. Either way, both are expected to manage the game, behind an Offensive Line that is second in sacks allowed (.50 per game).

Stanford’s defense is muddled in the middle of the pack, ranking no higher than 60th in any of the categories. Their pass defense is especially questionable, ranking 105th with 252 yards per game against them. Sophomore DE Thomas Keiser leads an injury riddled defense with eight sacks and 42 tackles (14.5 for loss). Sophomore DB Delano Howell led the team with 75 tackles and two interceptions.

The Matchup: Oklahoma is 24-17-1 in bowl games. They have lost three in a row (all BCS games) in their current 11 bowl appearance streak.

Stanford is 9-10-1 in bowl games. This is their first appearance since 2001, when they lost the Seattle Bowl to Georgia Tech.

Oklahoma currently holds a 3-1 advantage against Stanford.

The big matchup is the Oklahoma run defense against Gerhart of Stanford. Gerhart has been kept under 100 yards only twice all season, but only one time was he held scoreless and under 100 yards (24-17 loss to Stanford in week 2). With Oklahoma’s ability to get in the backfield and disrupt the offense, Gerhart could be in for a long day if he can’t find daylight early.

On the other side, Oklahoma, with Jones playing most of the season, should be prepared to manhandle a weak defensive secondary of Stanford. Look for them to throw constantly early to gain a big lead, with Broyles and Murray being the big targets. Once they get the lead, they’ll chip away yards and clock behind Murray and Brown.

The Prediction: Oklahoma expected bigger and better this season, and they’ll take it out on Stanford. Oklahoma 30-13.

The Sportmeisters Top 10 Games Of The Decade: Game #5 – Oklahoma Sooners vs. Boise State Broncos – 2007 Fiesta Bowl

Filed under: Adrian Peterson, Allen Patrick, BCS, Big 12, Boise State, Chris Petersen, Chrissy Popadics, College, Derek Schouman, Drisan James, Fiesta Bowl, Football, Garrett Hartley, Ian Johnson, Jared Zabransky, Jerard Rabb, Manuel Johnson, Marcus Walker, NCAA, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Paul Thompson, Quentin Chaney, Utah, Vinny Perralta, WAC — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 3:11 pm

Game # 5 – Oklahoma Sooners vs. Boise State Broncos – 2007 Fiesta Bowl

With the end of the decade nearing, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan have decided to present their top ten games of the past decade. Today’s discussion is on the fifth best game from 2000-2009. What follows is a transcript of their discussion.

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we are here to discuss something that will be debated for the next few weeks. With 2010 on the horizon, we are naming our top ten games of the decade.

Sportmeister Ryan: Absolutely Derek, these games will bring an enormous amount of discussion, as it did in just us figuring out our list. We’ve made it halfway through, and sitting in the fifth spot, the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State.

SD: Let’s go to the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Boise State had gone 13-0 during the season and was ranked seventh. They thought that they belonged in the BCS Championship game.

SR: Nine of their twelve victories came by double digits. Boise State was destroying opponents. Unfortunately, they were not in one of the “Big Six” – the BCS automatic qualifiers, which diluted their perfect record heading into the game. Nevertheless, the WAC Champions were in their first BCS game, and only one of two undefeated teams.

SD: Oklahoma was eighth after an 11-2 campaign, but still won the Big 12 title over Nebraska, earning the qualifying spot and making it to their fourth BCS bowl in five years

SR: Oklahoma was a seven point favorite in the game, and, even though a non-automatic qualifier had already won a BCS Bowl (Utah-2004 Fiesta Bowl), a lot of critics and pundits expected Boise State to get manhandled.

SD: Boise State used that expectation to surprise Oklahoma early, scoring touchdowns on their opening drives thanks to a 49 yard pass from QB Jared Zabransky to WR Drisan James, and a two yard touchdown run by RB Ian Johnson.

SR: Quick note; after Boise State’s first touchdown, the defense forced a fumble on the next possession, with it being recovered on the Oklahoma nine yard line. Two plays later, Johnson was in. Great special teams and defense made that second touchdown happen.

SD: Oklahoma, like all good teams, found a way to fight back, scoring on a QB Paul Thompson to WR Manuel Johnson touchdown and a K Garrett Hartley field goal to cut the lead to 14-10.

SR: Using an effective two minute drill, Boise State used the Zabransky to James connection again, this time for 32 yards, to give the Broncos a 21-10 halftime lead. That was big with the Broncos getting the ball half to start the second half.

SD: Fortunatley for Oklahoma, they held Boise State scoreless until a Thompson pass was intercepted and returned 27 yards for a touchdown. 28-10, this game is getting out of hand, right Ryan?

SR: It started to, but on the next drive, Oklahoma marched the field, getting to the Boise State 45, but the drive stalled, and they punted. Boise State fumbled the recovery, and Oklahoma recovered on the Boise State 11.

SD: Two plays later, RB Adrian Peterson, in his first game since breaking his left collarbone in October, scores from nine yards out to make it 28-17.

SR: This would end up being Peterson’s last game, but he made it count, and Oklahoma really used the Peterson/Allen Patrick combination well the entire game.

SD: That touchdown would just be the start. A field goal at the top of the fourth quarter by Hartley made it 28-20, and then, the final 2:40 seconds would make for some exciting football.

SR: Both teams traded drives until Oklahoma took the ball over with 2:40 to play at the Oklahoma 23. Thompson played his best drive right there, accounting for 62 yards to move Oklahoma to the Boise State 15.

SD: A ten yard pass interference would place the ball at the Boise State five, and then Thompson, perfect for the drive, finished it with a five yard touchdown pass to Quentin Chaney. The ensuing two point conversion tied the game up at 28-28.

SR: 18 unanswered points! Momentum had switched sides, and was wearing Sooner Red!

SD: Boise State took over at their 25 yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, Zabransky threw a pass that was intercepted by Marcus Walker, and he went 34 yards untouched for the score to give Oklahoma their first lead all game 35-28.

SR: I remember watching when Oklahoma scored those two touchdowns in a 30 second span. I was ready to turn the TV off and go to bed. There was no way Boise State could recover from Oklahoma scoring 25 straight points, including 15 in a matter of seconds.

SD: Ye of little faith, Ryan. With 54 seconds left on the clock, Boise State took over at their own 22. On the first play, Zabransky hit Derek Schouman for a 36 yard gain, putting Boise State on Oklahoma’s 42 yard line. An eight yard sack on the next play would force Boise State to use their final timeout.

SR: Two straight incompletions followed, putting Boise State at 4th and 18 on the 50 yard line. The next play was magical.

SD: Using a play they rarely ran successful in practice, Zabransky hit James 15 yards across the middle, who then lateraled to Jerard Rabb who ran the final 35 yards to score and tie the game 35-35.

SR: What just happened there? Boise State was down for the count, and with the game on the line, they ran a hook-and-ladder gimmick play? The Broncos played with nothing to lose, and everything to gain, and it showed right there on that play.

SD: We move to Overtime, where on what would be his last college snap, Adrian Peterson ran 25 yards right into the end zone, giving Oklahoma the 42-35 lead.

SR: Peterson finished with 77 yards and two touchdowns. Not a bad game for a guy who missed over half the season.

SD: Boise State would get down to the six yard line, but once again, met fourth down. Once again breaking out the gimmick play, WR Vinny Perralta took the snap, rolled right, and then hit Schouman in the end zone to put Boise State down 42-41.

SR: Instead of going for the extra point, Head Coach Chris Petersen decided to roll the dice one more time, lining up for a two point conversion to decide the game.

SD: Using another trick play, Zabransky took the snap, faked a quick throw right, then put the ball behind his back where Johnson grabbed it and scooted untouched for the two point conversion, giving Boise State the lead, and the win, 43-42.

SR: Johnson would go on to run to his then-girlfriend Chrissy Popadics, and propose to her, where she enthusiastically said yes. What a way to end the game. Three trick plays to tie and win the game, and a proposal too. What a finish.

SD: This game had it all and that is why we have named it our number five game of the decade. Stay tuned for the rest of our Top 10 coming up in the next few weeks. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com.

December 27, 2009

College Football Bowl Preview: Holiday Bowl

Filed under: Arizona Wildcats, BCS, BYU, Big 12, Big 12 North Championship, Clemson Tigers, College, Cornhuskers, FBS, Football, Gator Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Jared Crick, Juron Criner, Keola Antolin, Las Vegas Bowl, Matt O’Hanlon, NCAA, Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, Nic Grigsby, Nick Foles, Niles Paul, Ricky Elmore, Roy Helu Jr., Sports, Trevin Wade — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — SportmeisterRyan @ 9:46 am

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA post-season kicks off December 19th, with 33 games being played in a three week span. Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving recruiting that follows afterwords. The Sportmeisters will preview each of the 33 games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Holiday Bowl, December 30th, 8:00 PM, San Diego, CA

No. 20 Arizona (8-4) vs. No. 22 Nebraska (9-4)

About Arizona: Arizona never found complete consistency, starting off 4-2 before winning three, then losing two, and winning two to finish 8-4.

The Wildcats are a middle of the pack team offensively, finishing in the top fifty in all major categories. Sophomore QB Nick Foles took over the starter role midway through the season, and hasn’t let it go. He has thrown for 2437 and 19 touchdowns. Sophomore WR Juron Criner is his top target, with 43 catches for 579 yards and nine touchdowns. Sophomore RB Keola Antolin and Junior RB Nic Grigsby (who is expected to play despite missing the last two games) have combined for 1128 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Arizona finds more success stopping the run defensively, 22nd in NCAA FBS with 111.92 yards a game. They are 21st overall in defense, with opponents averaging 315.83 yards a game. Junior DL Ricky Elmore leads a defense that averages 2.83 sacks a game (13th in NCAA FBS). He has 10.5 himself, to go along with 43 tackles (11.5 for loss). Sophomore DB Trevin Wade has 66 tackles and five interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Arizona isn’t a dominating team, but they know how to methodically beat their opponents.

About Nebraska: The Cornhuskers have been trying to get back to dominance since their run of championships in the 90s. They started off 2009 winning four of five, and if not for a last second touchdown, would have been 5-0. They fell flat, losing two in a row, before a five game winning streak earned them the Big 12 North Championship. Another last second score kept them from BCS lore, but they still earn a bowl shot and a chance at ten wins.

Nebraska’s offense is horrific, which is shocking considering the Big 12 has been an offensive conference as of late. They finished 102nd out of 120 teams in total offense (317.15 yards per game). A big chunk of that was a lack of a passing game (175.92 yards per game) which was 101st in NCAA FBS. The lone offensive bright spot was Junior RB Roy Helu Jr., who rushed for 1139 yards and ten touchdowns. Junior WR Niles Paul’s 673 receiving yards were twice as much as anyone else on Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers earned their victories thanks to a top ten defense. 2nd overall in points given up (11.23 per game) and ninth in total defense (284.54 yards per game), it was defense that truly won games for Nebraska. Of course, when one mentions Nebraska Cornhusker defense, Senior DL Ndamukong Suh comes to mind first and foremost. The Heisman trophy finalist had 82 tackles (19.5 for loss), 12 sacks, and an interception. He even blocked three kicks for the Cornhuskers. Sophomore DL Jared Crick had 9.5 sacks, part of a squad that was third in NCAA FBS in sacks per game (3.23). Senior DB Matt O’Hanlon led the secondary with 64 tackles, two sacks, five interceptions (one for touchdown), and a forced fumble. Simply put, Nebraska is all defense, all the time.

The Matchup: Arizona is 6-7-1 in bowl games. This is their second straight year of being in bowl game, and they won their 2008 matchup against BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Nebraska is 23-22 in bowl games. After a run of 35 straight bowl appearances was snapped, they are trying to get back to that tradition. This is their second straight game, after winning their 2008 Gator Bowl appearance over Clemson.

These two teams met in the 1998 Holiday Bowl, with Arizona squeaking out a 23-20 win.

This game will be a defensive showdown, and it starts with Nebraska. Even with Arizona’s number of weapons, all the offense’s eyes will be on Suh, who had 4.5 sacks in the Big 12 Championship. He will get his licks, but the Wildcats need to do whatever it takes to keep him out of the play.

If Arizona’s run defense can hold down Helu, the Wildcats will have neutralized Nebraska’s biggest weapon, giving them a greater chance at winning. This game will come down to defense and turnovers. Don’t tune it for a blowout.

The Prediction: Suh will be the dominant force, but Arizona’s defense will neutralize Nebraska, and they win a slow, defensive battle, 13-10.

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