I shed a tear as January hits realizing football is over. But we're in for some very good playoff games. Let me give the full predictions
AFC:
Wild Card:
Chargers over Titans-Yes it was close a few weeks ago but Kerry Collins possibly running the Titans offense=doom for Tennessee.
Jaguars over Steelers-Pittsburgh has lost its Willie(the only thing the Rams did for me 2 weeks ago)so the run game is done while Big Ben is big busted up.
Divisionals:
Colts over Chargers-Indy has Marvin Harrison back and I believe they will fix their mistakes from November.
Patriots over Jaguars-This will be interesting for the Pats have not faced them all year(unlike the division champions) look for a classic in Foxboro.
AFC Championship:Patriots over Colts-Manning is winless in the cold Foxboro winter and even with Harrison this won't be his day.
NFC:
Wildcards:
Redskins over Seahawks-Seattle's been mediocre most of the year and doesn't have their passing game up so I see Washington upsetting the 'Hawks.
Giants over Buccaneers-The Bucs don't really have a run game and Garcia will be harassed all day. Also, the G-Men are 7-1 on the road this year.
Divisionals:
Cowboys over Redskins-I think Washington has Dallas' number but I don't think they're going to be able to beat them.
Packers over Giants-Yes, the Giants are a road team and yes, they already faced Green Bay and should know what to do this time after the loss, but they won't win. Theres a difference between Tampa Bay in January and Green Bay in January.
NFC Championship:Cowboys over Packers-Dallas was too much for Green Bay last time and Favre is 0-8 at Texas Stadium.
Super Bowl XLII:Patriots over Cowboys-This WILL be a shootout, I see it coming down to the final play with New England winning 48-45 or some crazy score like that.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Top 10 of the Last 10:The Greatest Team Ever?(Part 3:The Aftermath)
The game was over. Texas had dethroned USC and Vince Young solidified his place in history. In a span of 367 days Vince Young took Texas into the Rose Bowl to beat Michigan, took them to Columbus to beat Ohio State, rally against Oklahoma State, finally defeated Oklahoma, sailed passed Texas A&M, destroyed Colorado, and dethrone USC all seemingly single-handedly. Just as Keith Jackson said, "He should buy some property here, he owns this place." For College Football, it was the end of an era as ABC Sports telecast-ed their last game.
8 months later, ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC and aired their first game,. In April, Keith Jackson retired ending close to 50 years of broadcasting. USC wound up with 574 total yards to Texas' 556. Leinart would finish 29/40 for 365 yards and a touchdown, Young would be 30/40 for 267 yards and 200 rushing yards to combine for 467 total yards and 3 touchdowns(all rushing). LenDale White would have 124 yards and 3 touchdowns. Reggie Bush only had 82 yards and 1 touchdown while Selvin Young had 45 yards and 1 touchdown. The next week, Young and Bush declared themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.
Bush would be the 2nd overall pick to the Saints, Young would be 3rd overall pick to the Titans(LenDale White would follow him), Michael Huff would be the 7th overall pick to the Raiders, and Matt Leinart went to the Cardinals. The next year, USC would go 11-2 winning the Pac 10 and beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl 32-18 while Texas went 11-2 finishing 2nd in the Big 12 South and beating Iowa in the Alamo Bowl 26-24. This year, USC was favorite to win the National Championship but fell to Stanford and Oregon to finish 10-2 and another Pac 10 Championship and will be playing Illinois tomorrow while Texas went 10-3 finishing 2nd in the Big 12 South and beating Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl 52-34. In their rookie years, Bush helped the Saints go 10-6 before losing to Chicago in the NFC Championship, Leinart and the Cards went 5-11, Young turned the Titans from 2-7 to 8-8(with thrillers against Indy, Houston, and the G-men in between). This season Young has led the Titans to their first playoff appearance since 2003.
8 months later, ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC and aired their first game,. In April, Keith Jackson retired ending close to 50 years of broadcasting. USC wound up with 574 total yards to Texas' 556. Leinart would finish 29/40 for 365 yards and a touchdown, Young would be 30/40 for 267 yards and 200 rushing yards to combine for 467 total yards and 3 touchdowns(all rushing). LenDale White would have 124 yards and 3 touchdowns. Reggie Bush only had 82 yards and 1 touchdown while Selvin Young had 45 yards and 1 touchdown. The next week, Young and Bush declared themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.
Bush would be the 2nd overall pick to the Saints, Young would be 3rd overall pick to the Titans(LenDale White would follow him), Michael Huff would be the 7th overall pick to the Raiders, and Matt Leinart went to the Cardinals. The next year, USC would go 11-2 winning the Pac 10 and beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl 32-18 while Texas went 11-2 finishing 2nd in the Big 12 South and beating Iowa in the Alamo Bowl 26-24. This year, USC was favorite to win the National Championship but fell to Stanford and Oregon to finish 10-2 and another Pac 10 Championship and will be playing Illinois tomorrow while Texas went 10-3 finishing 2nd in the Big 12 South and beating Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl 52-34. In their rookie years, Bush helped the Saints go 10-6 before losing to Chicago in the NFC Championship, Leinart and the Cards went 5-11, Young turned the Titans from 2-7 to 8-8(with thrillers against Indy, Houston, and the G-men in between). This season Young has led the Titans to their first playoff appearance since 2003.
The Worst Team Ever:The 2007 St. Louis Rams
Song of the Season:Mad World by Gary Jules
Its over...the season has come to an end and once again its over not in February or even January but December. For the 3rd year in a row. The last time we were in the playoffs Atlanta killed us. The last time we were playing Arizona killed us. Its official Kurt Warner owns the Rams and Scott Linehan should be gone. Let me take this 1 game at a time.
Week 1 vs Carolina:This was make or break. If we win(which I was sure we would've) it was going to be a good year but if we lose, its going to be bad. We start out hot and led 13-7 at halftime. The 2nd half comes along, Pace gets hurt. Panthers 27 Rams 13.
Week 2 vs San Francisco:I made it a goal to sweep the Niners. We did very good stopping Alex Smith and containing Frank Gore but a Torry Holt fumble turns the ship around. However, we managed to gain momentum with stops and a score but a Dante Hall fumble leads to a Niners score. With 50 seconds to go, Wilkens misses a 50 yard field goal and final score:49ers 17 Rams 16.
Week 3 vs Tampa Bay:I didn't watch this one but all I know is that Brian Leonard started instead of Steven Jackson and the Bucs kill our offense. We have yet to beat Tampa since the 1999 NFC Championship. Buccaneers 24 Rams 3
Week 4 vs Dallas:At this point we're literally dead in the water and I was out of my brain on a 5:15. We held Dallas for a while but the Romo run was a momentum shift and we died in the 3rd Quarter. Cowboys 35 Rams 7.
Week 5 vs Arizona:Bulger's gone, Jackson's gone, the O-line is decimated. We took out Leinart early and tried to take out Warner. Freorotte and Leonard played their best games of the year but alas Cardinals 34 Rams 31.
Week 6 vs Baltimore:This made me hate Freorotte. We had several chances to get momentum and beat the Ravens but Freorotte threw 5 picks. Ravens 22 Rams 3.
Week 7 vs Seattle:I made another goal to beat Seattle at least once. Bulger and Jackson are back but ineffective. Seahawks 33 Rams 6.
Week 8 vs Cleveland:Why should I care? Why should I care? I didn't watch this one instead I was in Bunker Hill watching the Dolphins/Giants with my cousin. We were close at the end and it looked as if we were going to make a come-from-behind rally but Bulger was picked off. Browns 27 Rams 20.
Week 10 vs New Orleans:Again didn't watch it at least not until the end. From what I saw we killed the Saints and let them back in only to shove them out. Rams 37 Saints 29.
Week 11 vs San Francisco:Probably the best DEFENSIVE game we played all year. Again we contained Frank Gore and stopped Tim Rattay. Rams 13 49ers 9.
Week 12 vs Seattle:We rode the 2-game winning streak into a match-up against my most hated Rams rival. We fought hard and led 19-7 but lost Bulger and the game after Freorotte fumbled at the 1. Seahawks 24 Rams 19.
Week 13 vs Atlanta:I thought this was easy. We played well but we let them back in in the 2nd half. Freorotte played his best game and we won. Rams 28 Falcons 16.
Week 14 vs Cincinnati:I knew we were screwed the minute I read this on the schedule. We stopped Carson Palmer and Ocho Cinco but forgot about the run game. At the end it bit us in the ass. Brock Berlin didn't help either. Bengals 19 Rams 10.
Week 15 vs Green Bay:This looked easy...until Week 3. We did well for the first half but again fell apart in the 2nd. I missed most of us via blackout. Packers 33 Rams 14.
Week 16 vs Pittsburgh:Damn the NFL Network for broadcasting us all over the country. It was supposed to be a big night because we were retiring Marshall's jersey. Instead we played with no awareness(especially in the 4th Quarter) and our defense imploded. Steelers 41 Rams 24.
Week 17 vs Arizona:Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye. I really cared less. The only positives that can come out of this is me winning my Fantasy league courtesy of Kurt Warner and the firing of Scott Linehan. Cardinals 48 Rams 19.
Whose fault is it that we're 3-13? I'd say coaches and players. The players lost to Carolina, San Francisco, Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle(the 2nd time), and Green Bay. While the rest were do to coaching. If Linehan isn't gone by the end of January then theirs a serious issue.
Its over...the season has come to an end and once again its over not in February or even January but December. For the 3rd year in a row. The last time we were in the playoffs Atlanta killed us. The last time we were playing Arizona killed us. Its official Kurt Warner owns the Rams and Scott Linehan should be gone. Let me take this 1 game at a time.
Week 1 vs Carolina:This was make or break. If we win(which I was sure we would've) it was going to be a good year but if we lose, its going to be bad. We start out hot and led 13-7 at halftime. The 2nd half comes along, Pace gets hurt. Panthers 27 Rams 13.
Week 2 vs San Francisco:I made it a goal to sweep the Niners. We did very good stopping Alex Smith and containing Frank Gore but a Torry Holt fumble turns the ship around. However, we managed to gain momentum with stops and a score but a Dante Hall fumble leads to a Niners score. With 50 seconds to go, Wilkens misses a 50 yard field goal and final score:49ers 17 Rams 16.
Week 3 vs Tampa Bay:I didn't watch this one but all I know is that Brian Leonard started instead of Steven Jackson and the Bucs kill our offense. We have yet to beat Tampa since the 1999 NFC Championship. Buccaneers 24 Rams 3
Week 4 vs Dallas:At this point we're literally dead in the water and I was out of my brain on a 5:15. We held Dallas for a while but the Romo run was a momentum shift and we died in the 3rd Quarter. Cowboys 35 Rams 7.
Week 5 vs Arizona:Bulger's gone, Jackson's gone, the O-line is decimated. We took out Leinart early and tried to take out Warner. Freorotte and Leonard played their best games of the year but alas Cardinals 34 Rams 31.
Week 6 vs Baltimore:This made me hate Freorotte. We had several chances to get momentum and beat the Ravens but Freorotte threw 5 picks. Ravens 22 Rams 3.
Week 7 vs Seattle:I made another goal to beat Seattle at least once. Bulger and Jackson are back but ineffective. Seahawks 33 Rams 6.
Week 8 vs Cleveland:Why should I care? Why should I care? I didn't watch this one instead I was in Bunker Hill watching the Dolphins/Giants with my cousin. We were close at the end and it looked as if we were going to make a come-from-behind rally but Bulger was picked off. Browns 27 Rams 20.
Week 10 vs New Orleans:Again didn't watch it at least not until the end. From what I saw we killed the Saints and let them back in only to shove them out. Rams 37 Saints 29.
Week 11 vs San Francisco:Probably the best DEFENSIVE game we played all year. Again we contained Frank Gore and stopped Tim Rattay. Rams 13 49ers 9.
Week 12 vs Seattle:We rode the 2-game winning streak into a match-up against my most hated Rams rival. We fought hard and led 19-7 but lost Bulger and the game after Freorotte fumbled at the 1. Seahawks 24 Rams 19.
Week 13 vs Atlanta:I thought this was easy. We played well but we let them back in in the 2nd half. Freorotte played his best game and we won. Rams 28 Falcons 16.
Week 14 vs Cincinnati:I knew we were screwed the minute I read this on the schedule. We stopped Carson Palmer and Ocho Cinco but forgot about the run game. At the end it bit us in the ass. Brock Berlin didn't help either. Bengals 19 Rams 10.
Week 15 vs Green Bay:This looked easy...until Week 3. We did well for the first half but again fell apart in the 2nd. I missed most of us via blackout. Packers 33 Rams 14.
Week 16 vs Pittsburgh:Damn the NFL Network for broadcasting us all over the country. It was supposed to be a big night because we were retiring Marshall's jersey. Instead we played with no awareness(especially in the 4th Quarter) and our defense imploded. Steelers 41 Rams 24.
Week 17 vs Arizona:Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye. I really cared less. The only positives that can come out of this is me winning my Fantasy league courtesy of Kurt Warner and the firing of Scott Linehan. Cardinals 48 Rams 19.
Whose fault is it that we're 3-13? I'd say coaches and players. The players lost to Carolina, San Francisco, Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle(the 2nd time), and Green Bay. While the rest were do to coaching. If Linehan isn't gone by the end of January then theirs a serious issue.
Top 10 of the Last 10:The Greatest Team Ever?(Part 2:The Game)
The days leading up to the game featured ESPN doing a segment on Sports center where they compare the 05 Trojans to other teams. The ESPN Analysts overall stated that the 05 Trojans was the greatest team of all-time even in comparison to the 1944 and 1945 Army Black Knights, the 1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers, the 1987 Miami Hurricanes, the 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers(that averaged over 50+ a game), and the 2001 Miami Hurricanes a team that featured Najeh Davenport, Clinton Portis, Jeremy Shockey, Andre Johnson, Jonathan Vilma, Ed Reed, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, and Sean Taylor. Some criticized ESPN but the Longhorns used it as motivation.
On January 4, 2006, the game was played as a sold out Rose Bowl crowd got ready to watch the most anticipated game in College Football history...USC vs Texas. USC elected to receive the ball to start the game and in their opening drive, the Trojans were stopped on a 3 and out. The Trojans were forced to punt but returner Aaron Ross fumbled the ball and the Trojans got it back at the Texas 48. 4 plays and a LenDale White touchdown later and it was 7-0 USC.
Texas got the ball but both Vince and Cousin Selvin had problems moving the ball and as a result, the Trojans got it back. The rest of the first quarter would be nothing and after 1 it was USC 7 Texas 0. At the start of the 2nd Quarter, USC got the ball at their own 45. Leinart connected with Bush for 35 yards until Bush's ill-fated lateral fell into the hands of the Longhorns preventing the game from becoming a blowout early. At their own 18, the Longhorns drove down the field but only managed a field goal to make it 7-3.
USC once again got the ball back and once again drove down the field until Matt Leinart's pass was intercepted by Michael Griffin preventing the Trojans from going up by 10. Both the Young cousins went to work(with Jamaal Charles in the mix). On 1st and 10 at the Trojans' 22, Young ran for 12 yards then lateraled to Selvin who went for 10 and scored. Unnoticed was that during the play, Vince's knee had gone down but it counted anyways and it was now 9-7 Longhorns.
The Trojans got the ball back but again failed to score. The Longhorns then got it back and a Ramonce Taylor 30 yard run made it 16-7 for Texas. Most of the Pasadena crowd was shocked that the Trojans had fallen behind the way they had(most of the fans were USC fans considering that the Rose Bowl is only 10 minutes from USC's campus). As the 1st half was coming to a close, USC put together a nice little drive for insurance before halftime. Mario Danelo's field goal was good and as a result it was at halftime Texas 16 USC 10.
Texas got the ball to start the 2nd half but the drive went nowhere. Following a few Matt Leinart passes and a LenDale White touchdown, USC took the lead 17-16. The Longhorns retaliated with a touchdown of their own following another Vince Young run to make it 23-17. But once again Leinart drove the Trojans down field and again LenDale White would score to give the Trojans a 1 point lead. The 3rd Quarter would end with Young driving the Longhorns back into Trojans territory. After 3 it was USC 24 Texas 23.
The Longhorns drive ended in a miss, however, as David Pino missed a field goal. USC got the ball back and drove again to make it 31-23 with 11:10 remaining. However, the Young cousins drove the Longhorns back but again the Longhorns had to settle for a field goal to make it 31-26 with 8:33 remaining. The Longhorns defense continued to flounder and again USC scored when Leinart connected with Jarrett to make it 38-26 with 6:26 left. It appeared as if the Trojans would three-peat.
However, no one told the Longhorns offense as Young drove the team down field again to make it 38-33 with 3:58 left. The Longhorns had to stop the Trojans or else USC would be champions. SC again recklessly drove down the field. However, they faced 4th down for the first time in 2 quarters. On 4th down, the handed it off to LenDale White who was stopped short giving the Longhorns the ball with 2:09 left and 1 timeout. 1st and 10 was a loss of 2 for the Longhorns, and 2nd down was incomplete. On 3rd and 12, Young connected with Quan Cosby for 7 yards plus a USC facemask gave Texas a 1st down at the USC 46.
On 1st down, Young connected with Brian Carter for 9 and ran for 7 for a 1st down. On 1st and 10 at the 30, Young went for 17 to Brian Carter to place it at the Trojans 13. However, 1st down was incomplete. On 2nd down, Young ran for 5 to place it at the 8. 3rd down was also incomplete. On 4th and 5 at the 8, Young dropped back and rolled out to his right getting the corner of the end zone and a touchdown for Texas to make it 41-38.
USC would have one more chance with a return and a 25 yard pass to Bush. However, Leinart's 1st down pass was incomplete and time ran out giving Texas the National Championship.
On January 4, 2006, the game was played as a sold out Rose Bowl crowd got ready to watch the most anticipated game in College Football history...USC vs Texas. USC elected to receive the ball to start the game and in their opening drive, the Trojans were stopped on a 3 and out. The Trojans were forced to punt but returner Aaron Ross fumbled the ball and the Trojans got it back at the Texas 48. 4 plays and a LenDale White touchdown later and it was 7-0 USC.
Texas got the ball but both Vince and Cousin Selvin had problems moving the ball and as a result, the Trojans got it back. The rest of the first quarter would be nothing and after 1 it was USC 7 Texas 0. At the start of the 2nd Quarter, USC got the ball at their own 45. Leinart connected with Bush for 35 yards until Bush's ill-fated lateral fell into the hands of the Longhorns preventing the game from becoming a blowout early. At their own 18, the Longhorns drove down the field but only managed a field goal to make it 7-3.
USC once again got the ball back and once again drove down the field until Matt Leinart's pass was intercepted by Michael Griffin preventing the Trojans from going up by 10. Both the Young cousins went to work(with Jamaal Charles in the mix). On 1st and 10 at the Trojans' 22, Young ran for 12 yards then lateraled to Selvin who went for 10 and scored. Unnoticed was that during the play, Vince's knee had gone down but it counted anyways and it was now 9-7 Longhorns.
The Trojans got the ball back but again failed to score. The Longhorns then got it back and a Ramonce Taylor 30 yard run made it 16-7 for Texas. Most of the Pasadena crowd was shocked that the Trojans had fallen behind the way they had(most of the fans were USC fans considering that the Rose Bowl is only 10 minutes from USC's campus). As the 1st half was coming to a close, USC put together a nice little drive for insurance before halftime. Mario Danelo's field goal was good and as a result it was at halftime Texas 16 USC 10.
Texas got the ball to start the 2nd half but the drive went nowhere. Following a few Matt Leinart passes and a LenDale White touchdown, USC took the lead 17-16. The Longhorns retaliated with a touchdown of their own following another Vince Young run to make it 23-17. But once again Leinart drove the Trojans down field and again LenDale White would score to give the Trojans a 1 point lead. The 3rd Quarter would end with Young driving the Longhorns back into Trojans territory. After 3 it was USC 24 Texas 23.
The Longhorns drive ended in a miss, however, as David Pino missed a field goal. USC got the ball back and drove again to make it 31-23 with 11:10 remaining. However, the Young cousins drove the Longhorns back but again the Longhorns had to settle for a field goal to make it 31-26 with 8:33 remaining. The Longhorns defense continued to flounder and again USC scored when Leinart connected with Jarrett to make it 38-26 with 6:26 left. It appeared as if the Trojans would three-peat.
However, no one told the Longhorns offense as Young drove the team down field again to make it 38-33 with 3:58 left. The Longhorns had to stop the Trojans or else USC would be champions. SC again recklessly drove down the field. However, they faced 4th down for the first time in 2 quarters. On 4th down, the handed it off to LenDale White who was stopped short giving the Longhorns the ball with 2:09 left and 1 timeout. 1st and 10 was a loss of 2 for the Longhorns, and 2nd down was incomplete. On 3rd and 12, Young connected with Quan Cosby for 7 yards plus a USC facemask gave Texas a 1st down at the USC 46.
On 1st down, Young connected with Brian Carter for 9 and ran for 7 for a 1st down. On 1st and 10 at the 30, Young went for 17 to Brian Carter to place it at the Trojans 13. However, 1st down was incomplete. On 2nd down, Young ran for 5 to place it at the 8. 3rd down was also incomplete. On 4th and 5 at the 8, Young dropped back and rolled out to his right getting the corner of the end zone and a touchdown for Texas to make it 41-38.
USC would have one more chance with a return and a 25 yard pass to Bush. However, Leinart's 1st down pass was incomplete and time ran out giving Texas the National Championship.
Top 10 of the Last 10:The Greatest Team Ever?(Part 1:The Build-Up)
Recap:
10.Rams/Redskins 2006
9.2005 Fiesta Bowl
8.Rutgers/Louisville 2006
7.2006 Orange Bowl
6.2001 Maryland Terrapins
5b.Stanford/USC 2007
5a.App State/Michigan 2007
The 2005 season depending on how you view it in comparison to other seasons is widely considered to be the greatest season in College Football history. Every week was filled with great games and greater success and great stories. The story for this blog is of the 2006 Rose Bowl between USC and Texas, the National Championship. To get to how we got to this point we go back to the past.
In the 1960's, USC and Texas emerged onto the scene as big time contenders. Under Coach Darryl Royal, the Longhorns ran the Wing-T offense(aka the offense Boonsboro runs)and they did it to perfection. In 1963, the Longhorns won their first National Championship beating Navy 28-6 in the Cotton Bowl. As the decade went on, the Longhorns were the top power in the South and would win it again in 1969 after beating Southwest Conference Rival Arkansas and was rewarded with the National Championship trophy by President Richard Nixon afterward.
In 1976, Royal retired and for the next 25 years, Texas floundered around occasionally winning the Southwest Conference and appearing in the Cotton Bowl. The other team in the picture is the USC Trojans. USC first played football in 1888 beating the Alliance Athletic Club 16-0. The game would be the start of a tradition of winning. In 1932, USC established itself on the map of College Football at a time when only teams east of the Mississippi mattered by winning the National Champion undefeated.
In the 1940's and 50's SC would have up and down seasons but through it all appeared in 5 Rose Bowls winning 3. In 1959, the Trojans hired John McKay and it was the start of good times in Los Angeles as in McKay's tenure, USC won 2 Heisman trophies(Mike Garrett in 1965 and OJ Simpson in 1968), 4 National Championships(1962, 1967, 1972, and 1974), 5 Rose Bowls(1962 over Wisconsin, 1967 over Indiana, 1969 over Michigan, and 1972 and '74 over Ohio State), and 9 conference championships. In 1975, McKay left for the NFL and John Robinson was hired. Within 3 years, Robinson coached USC to 2 National Championships in 1978 and 1979 going 67-14-3 from 1976-1982. After Robinson, USC began a sturdy decline.
In 1983, the Trojans had their first losing season in 22 years by going 4-6-1. However, the Trojans bounced back in 1984 under Coach Ted Tollner and went 9-3 winning the Pac 10 and the Rose Bowl over Ohio State. Despite a successful '84 campaign, Ted Tollner would not last long as the Trojans went 6-6 in 1985 and 7-5 in 1986 ending the '86 season losing to Notre Dame 38-37 after leading 37-17 and Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. In 1987, USC hired Larry Smith. In Smith's first season, USC went 8-4, won the Pac 10 and got back to the Rose Bowl but lost to Michigan State 20-17. However, 1988 brought different fortunes as the Trojans started out 10-0 entering a late-November showdown with 1 Notre Dame in the Coliseum.
With a win, USC would be in contention to be 1 and win the National Championship. However, USC fell short 27-10 and lost the Rose Bowl to Michigan a month later. In 1989, USC had another shot at the 1 Irish with Freshman sensation Quarterback Todd Marinovich. But once again the Irish held strong but the Trojans bounced back and beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl 17-10 3 months later. In 1992, after going 6-5-1, USC fired Larry Smith afterward, the Trojans decided to invest in the past to find a future.
In 1992, USC hired back John Robinson, fresh off of jumping off the sinking Los Angeles Rams ship. In his first year back, Robinson turned USC around sending it back to the top of the Pac 10 sharing the 1993 title at 8-5. In '94 with star receiver Keyshawn Johnson, the Trojans managed to go 8-3-1 en route to a 55-14 blowout of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In 1995, the turnaround was complete and the '95 season was magnificent for the Trojans as they finally ended their 11 game losing streak to Notre Dame, went 9-2-1, won the Pac 10, and beat Northwestern in the Rose Bowl 41-32. Robinson would retire and the next day, Paul Hackett took over.
The Hackett era at SC is forgettable to say the least for the Trojans as they went 33-29 from 1996-2000 and only made 1 bowl appearance(a 28-19 loss to TCU in the Sun Bowl). Meanwhile in Austin, Texas had hit rock bottom by 1998 and was looking for a new coach. So they traveled to Chapel Hill and hired Mack Brown, coach of North Carolina. Mack Brown made an immediate impact and turned the program around quickly going 27-11 in his first two seasons. In 2001, Texas went 11-2 ending the season with a 47-43 victory over Washington. Things wouldn't fare so well for the 6-6 Trojans who fell to Utah 10-6 in the Las Vegas Bowl, the first season under Pete Carroll.
2002, however, for the Trojans turned out to be a great year. The season started out with 2 consecutive wins over Top 25 teams Auburn and Colorado. However, the Trojans hit a bump in the road at Manhatten with a 27-20 loss to Kansas State. They bounced back to shut out Oregon State but fell to Washington State. After that, however, they lost not the rest of the year. The Trojans would go 8-0 to end the season beating ranked teams such as 12 Notre Dame and 3 Iowa in the Orange Bowl by a combined 82-30 to finish at 11-2.
As for the Longhorns, they managed to start 5-0 but fell to Oklahoma and Texas Tech by an average of 7 points earning a spot to the Cotton Bowl(beating LSU 35-20). However, the biggest reward for the Longhorns was earning the 1 recruit in the country...Vince Young. Over the next 2 years, USC would go a combined 25-1 winning 2 National Championships(split with LSU in 03 and beating OU in 04) while picking up star talent such as Reggie Bush, Sedrick Ellis, Steve Smith, Chauncey Washington, LenDale White, Dwayne Jarrett, and Keith Rivers. Meanwhile the Longhorns had trouble winning the Big 12 and beating rival Oklahoma.
In 03, the Longhorns were destroyed by Oklahoma 65-13 and a 12-0 loss against the Sooners in 04 would be the difference for the Longhorns making it to the National Title. However, under Quarterback Vince Young and Running Back Cedric Benson, the Longhorns managed to go 11-1 in 2004, earning a birth to the Rose Bowl where they knocked off Michigan 38-37. After the game Young was quoted in saying "I'll be Back" implying that he'd be in Pasadena again next year...playing for the National Championship. Three days later, USC would destroy Oklahoma 55-19 to win the National Championship in the Orange Bowl.
Going into the 2005 season the general assumption among most College Football fans was that USC was going to run away with their 3rd(or 2 and half or just 2nd depending on how you view)straight National Championship. With a flashy offense and a hard-hitting defense, it seemed that no one could stop the Trojans. Opening day in September would be a demonstration of whats to come for both teams as USC decimated Hawaii in Honolulu 63-17 and Texas demolished Louisiana-Lafeyette 60-3. The following week, both teams faced challenges in the form of Arkansas and Ohio State.
USC managed to destroy Arkansas totaling over 700 yards and winning 70-17 while Texas struggled against the 4 Buckeyes but managed to pull off the upset in Columbus 25-22. In Week 3, USC faced 24 Oregon on the road in what seemed like a challenge turned blow out as the Trojans won 45-13. The following week the Trojans faced the challenge of fighting from behind as they trailed Arizona State 21-3 at halftime and rallied to take the lead with 3 minutes to go to win 38-28. On October 8th, Texas finally faced the demon that had been holding them back for years, Oklahoma. In an uncharacteristic blowout, Texas beat Oklahoma 45-12.
The next week, USC faced a rival of their own, Notre Dame. The Irish was the surprise team of 2005 for they had combined for a 11-13 record over the previous 2 years and had lost to the Trojans 3 times in a row by 31 points. However, this team was explosive and on a cool day in South Bend, they pushed the Trojans to the limit. The Trojans struck first jumping out to a 7-0 lead but Notre Dame responded with a Travis Thomas run to make it 7-7. At the end of 1 the score was:USC 14 Notre Dame 7.
In the 2nd Quarter, the Irish held the Trojans and at halftime it was:Notre Dame 21 USC 14. The 3rd Quarter would be quiet as a Reggie Bush run made it after 3:USC 21 Notre Dame 21. The 4th Quarter would be a tense quarter as Notre Dame took a 24-21 lead to start the quarter but USC took the lead back at 28-24 with 5 minutes to go. However, the Irish were not done as they drove the length of the field to make it 31-28 with 2:04 to go.
The Trojans managed to get the ball at their own 24 with 1:54 remaining. Leinart's first down pass fell incomplete to Dwayne Jarrett. On 2nd Down he was sacked by Trevor Laws losing 10 yards. On 3rd and 20, he connected with Reggie Bush to make it 4th and 9 with under a minute and 20 time go. On 4th and 9, Leinart connected with Dwayne Jarrett for 61 yards and a first down at the Notre Dame 13. Leinart's next pass fell incomplete but he connected with Bush on 2nd and 10 making it 3rd and 4. On 3rd and 4, Bush ran for 5 getting to the Notre Dame 2 yard line.
With under 10 remaining, Leinart rolled left and was tackled 1 yard short and time expired giving Notre Dame a 31-28 victory. Or so the Irish thought at least. With fans pouring onto the field the officials gave SC the ball with 6 seconds to go at the Notre Dame 1 for the ball had been knocked out of bounds. The next(and final play) Leinart faked the spike and was seemingly stopped a yard short until Reggie Bush pushed him in the end zone giving USC the go ahead touchdown and a 34-31 victory. The Trojans had escaped the Irish.
For the next few weeks, neither USC or Texas would be challenged. SC's last real challenge occurred on a warm November night in Los Angeles against Fresno State. Going into the game, the Bulldogs were the Number 16 team in the country with only 1 loss. Many predicted that it would be a blowout but no one told the Bulldogs. Immediately the Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead much to the shock of the LA crowd. But SC would fight back and tie it up. At the end of the 1st Quarter it was USC 7 Fresno State 7.
The 2nd Quarter was much of a surprise itself as Fresno State took an 11 point lead, the 2nd biggest deficit the Trojans faced all year(18 vs ASU). At halftime it was Fresno State 21 USC 13. The 3rd Quarter was all Reggie Bush as he scored two key touchdowns and after 3 it was USC 41 Fresno State 28. With under 10 to go the score remained the same until FSU scored 2 touchdowns in under 15 seconds to make it 42-41. But the Trojans continued to fire as LenDale White scored to make it 47-42. A Mario Danelo field goal would make it 50-42.
The Bulldogs made one final drive attempt at winning and even drove down to the USC 25. However, Paul Pinegar threw his 4th interception of the evening and abruptly, the shootout was over. The Trojans were guaranteed an 11 win season for the 4th year in a row. Reggie Bush had a career performance with 513 total yards. The final weekend of the year would be a display of who's better between the two. USC went up against cross-town rival UCLA(Ranked 11 with a 9-1 record) many predicted it as a challenge for the Trojans.
However, a challenge it was not as USC jumped out to a 24-0 lead going onto win 66-19 as Reggie Bush racked up 260 yards(part of 430 rushing yards by the Trojans)beating his long-time(dating back to High School)rival Maurice Jones-Drew who only had 84. However, as SC was destroying UCLA, the Longhorns made an example of their own in the Big 12 title game. The Colorado Buffaloes were the best team in the Big 12 North at 6-5 and was practically burning out under certain NCAA violations the result was total annihilation of Colorado as in only 37 and a half minutes, the Longhorns racked up 70 points to beat the Buffs 70-3.
In that game, CU only managed under 200 total yards. In comparison, Texas outscored USC but the Trojans had more yards in all categories than the Longhorns. The next day USC and Texas was announced as the National Championship game and a week later, Reggie Bush was awarded with the Heisman trophy. The stage was set and as I always say "Everybody in, everybody in, the shows about to begin, the stars are all here and ready, so everybody in, everybody in".
10.Rams/Redskins 2006
9.2005 Fiesta Bowl
8.Rutgers/Louisville 2006
7.2006 Orange Bowl
6.2001 Maryland Terrapins
5b.Stanford/USC 2007
5a.App State/Michigan 2007
The 2005 season depending on how you view it in comparison to other seasons is widely considered to be the greatest season in College Football history. Every week was filled with great games and greater success and great stories. The story for this blog is of the 2006 Rose Bowl between USC and Texas, the National Championship. To get to how we got to this point we go back to the past.
In the 1960's, USC and Texas emerged onto the scene as big time contenders. Under Coach Darryl Royal, the Longhorns ran the Wing-T offense(aka the offense Boonsboro runs)and they did it to perfection. In 1963, the Longhorns won their first National Championship beating Navy 28-6 in the Cotton Bowl. As the decade went on, the Longhorns were the top power in the South and would win it again in 1969 after beating Southwest Conference Rival Arkansas and was rewarded with the National Championship trophy by President Richard Nixon afterward.
In 1976, Royal retired and for the next 25 years, Texas floundered around occasionally winning the Southwest Conference and appearing in the Cotton Bowl. The other team in the picture is the USC Trojans. USC first played football in 1888 beating the Alliance Athletic Club 16-0. The game would be the start of a tradition of winning. In 1932, USC established itself on the map of College Football at a time when only teams east of the Mississippi mattered by winning the National Champion undefeated.
In the 1940's and 50's SC would have up and down seasons but through it all appeared in 5 Rose Bowls winning 3. In 1959, the Trojans hired John McKay and it was the start of good times in Los Angeles as in McKay's tenure, USC won 2 Heisman trophies(Mike Garrett in 1965 and OJ Simpson in 1968), 4 National Championships(1962, 1967, 1972, and 1974), 5 Rose Bowls(1962 over Wisconsin, 1967 over Indiana, 1969 over Michigan, and 1972 and '74 over Ohio State), and 9 conference championships. In 1975, McKay left for the NFL and John Robinson was hired. Within 3 years, Robinson coached USC to 2 National Championships in 1978 and 1979 going 67-14-3 from 1976-1982. After Robinson, USC began a sturdy decline.
In 1983, the Trojans had their first losing season in 22 years by going 4-6-1. However, the Trojans bounced back in 1984 under Coach Ted Tollner and went 9-3 winning the Pac 10 and the Rose Bowl over Ohio State. Despite a successful '84 campaign, Ted Tollner would not last long as the Trojans went 6-6 in 1985 and 7-5 in 1986 ending the '86 season losing to Notre Dame 38-37 after leading 37-17 and Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. In 1987, USC hired Larry Smith. In Smith's first season, USC went 8-4, won the Pac 10 and got back to the Rose Bowl but lost to Michigan State 20-17. However, 1988 brought different fortunes as the Trojans started out 10-0 entering a late-November showdown with 1 Notre Dame in the Coliseum.
With a win, USC would be in contention to be 1 and win the National Championship. However, USC fell short 27-10 and lost the Rose Bowl to Michigan a month later. In 1989, USC had another shot at the 1 Irish with Freshman sensation Quarterback Todd Marinovich. But once again the Irish held strong but the Trojans bounced back and beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl 17-10 3 months later. In 1992, after going 6-5-1, USC fired Larry Smith afterward, the Trojans decided to invest in the past to find a future.
In 1992, USC hired back John Robinson, fresh off of jumping off the sinking Los Angeles Rams ship. In his first year back, Robinson turned USC around sending it back to the top of the Pac 10 sharing the 1993 title at 8-5. In '94 with star receiver Keyshawn Johnson, the Trojans managed to go 8-3-1 en route to a 55-14 blowout of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In 1995, the turnaround was complete and the '95 season was magnificent for the Trojans as they finally ended their 11 game losing streak to Notre Dame, went 9-2-1, won the Pac 10, and beat Northwestern in the Rose Bowl 41-32. Robinson would retire and the next day, Paul Hackett took over.
The Hackett era at SC is forgettable to say the least for the Trojans as they went 33-29 from 1996-2000 and only made 1 bowl appearance(a 28-19 loss to TCU in the Sun Bowl). Meanwhile in Austin, Texas had hit rock bottom by 1998 and was looking for a new coach. So they traveled to Chapel Hill and hired Mack Brown, coach of North Carolina. Mack Brown made an immediate impact and turned the program around quickly going 27-11 in his first two seasons. In 2001, Texas went 11-2 ending the season with a 47-43 victory over Washington. Things wouldn't fare so well for the 6-6 Trojans who fell to Utah 10-6 in the Las Vegas Bowl, the first season under Pete Carroll.
2002, however, for the Trojans turned out to be a great year. The season started out with 2 consecutive wins over Top 25 teams Auburn and Colorado. However, the Trojans hit a bump in the road at Manhatten with a 27-20 loss to Kansas State. They bounced back to shut out Oregon State but fell to Washington State. After that, however, they lost not the rest of the year. The Trojans would go 8-0 to end the season beating ranked teams such as 12 Notre Dame and 3 Iowa in the Orange Bowl by a combined 82-30 to finish at 11-2.
As for the Longhorns, they managed to start 5-0 but fell to Oklahoma and Texas Tech by an average of 7 points earning a spot to the Cotton Bowl(beating LSU 35-20). However, the biggest reward for the Longhorns was earning the 1 recruit in the country...Vince Young. Over the next 2 years, USC would go a combined 25-1 winning 2 National Championships(split with LSU in 03 and beating OU in 04) while picking up star talent such as Reggie Bush, Sedrick Ellis, Steve Smith, Chauncey Washington, LenDale White, Dwayne Jarrett, and Keith Rivers. Meanwhile the Longhorns had trouble winning the Big 12 and beating rival Oklahoma.
In 03, the Longhorns were destroyed by Oklahoma 65-13 and a 12-0 loss against the Sooners in 04 would be the difference for the Longhorns making it to the National Title. However, under Quarterback Vince Young and Running Back Cedric Benson, the Longhorns managed to go 11-1 in 2004, earning a birth to the Rose Bowl where they knocked off Michigan 38-37. After the game Young was quoted in saying "I'll be Back" implying that he'd be in Pasadena again next year...playing for the National Championship. Three days later, USC would destroy Oklahoma 55-19 to win the National Championship in the Orange Bowl.
Going into the 2005 season the general assumption among most College Football fans was that USC was going to run away with their 3rd(or 2 and half or just 2nd depending on how you view)straight National Championship. With a flashy offense and a hard-hitting defense, it seemed that no one could stop the Trojans. Opening day in September would be a demonstration of whats to come for both teams as USC decimated Hawaii in Honolulu 63-17 and Texas demolished Louisiana-Lafeyette 60-3. The following week, both teams faced challenges in the form of Arkansas and Ohio State.
USC managed to destroy Arkansas totaling over 700 yards and winning 70-17 while Texas struggled against the 4 Buckeyes but managed to pull off the upset in Columbus 25-22. In Week 3, USC faced 24 Oregon on the road in what seemed like a challenge turned blow out as the Trojans won 45-13. The following week the Trojans faced the challenge of fighting from behind as they trailed Arizona State 21-3 at halftime and rallied to take the lead with 3 minutes to go to win 38-28. On October 8th, Texas finally faced the demon that had been holding them back for years, Oklahoma. In an uncharacteristic blowout, Texas beat Oklahoma 45-12.
The next week, USC faced a rival of their own, Notre Dame. The Irish was the surprise team of 2005 for they had combined for a 11-13 record over the previous 2 years and had lost to the Trojans 3 times in a row by 31 points. However, this team was explosive and on a cool day in South Bend, they pushed the Trojans to the limit. The Trojans struck first jumping out to a 7-0 lead but Notre Dame responded with a Travis Thomas run to make it 7-7. At the end of 1 the score was:USC 14 Notre Dame 7.
In the 2nd Quarter, the Irish held the Trojans and at halftime it was:Notre Dame 21 USC 14. The 3rd Quarter would be quiet as a Reggie Bush run made it after 3:USC 21 Notre Dame 21. The 4th Quarter would be a tense quarter as Notre Dame took a 24-21 lead to start the quarter but USC took the lead back at 28-24 with 5 minutes to go. However, the Irish were not done as they drove the length of the field to make it 31-28 with 2:04 to go.
The Trojans managed to get the ball at their own 24 with 1:54 remaining. Leinart's first down pass fell incomplete to Dwayne Jarrett. On 2nd Down he was sacked by Trevor Laws losing 10 yards. On 3rd and 20, he connected with Reggie Bush to make it 4th and 9 with under a minute and 20 time go. On 4th and 9, Leinart connected with Dwayne Jarrett for 61 yards and a first down at the Notre Dame 13. Leinart's next pass fell incomplete but he connected with Bush on 2nd and 10 making it 3rd and 4. On 3rd and 4, Bush ran for 5 getting to the Notre Dame 2 yard line.
With under 10 remaining, Leinart rolled left and was tackled 1 yard short and time expired giving Notre Dame a 31-28 victory. Or so the Irish thought at least. With fans pouring onto the field the officials gave SC the ball with 6 seconds to go at the Notre Dame 1 for the ball had been knocked out of bounds. The next(and final play) Leinart faked the spike and was seemingly stopped a yard short until Reggie Bush pushed him in the end zone giving USC the go ahead touchdown and a 34-31 victory. The Trojans had escaped the Irish.
For the next few weeks, neither USC or Texas would be challenged. SC's last real challenge occurred on a warm November night in Los Angeles against Fresno State. Going into the game, the Bulldogs were the Number 16 team in the country with only 1 loss. Many predicted that it would be a blowout but no one told the Bulldogs. Immediately the Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead much to the shock of the LA crowd. But SC would fight back and tie it up. At the end of the 1st Quarter it was USC 7 Fresno State 7.
The 2nd Quarter was much of a surprise itself as Fresno State took an 11 point lead, the 2nd biggest deficit the Trojans faced all year(18 vs ASU). At halftime it was Fresno State 21 USC 13. The 3rd Quarter was all Reggie Bush as he scored two key touchdowns and after 3 it was USC 41 Fresno State 28. With under 10 to go the score remained the same until FSU scored 2 touchdowns in under 15 seconds to make it 42-41. But the Trojans continued to fire as LenDale White scored to make it 47-42. A Mario Danelo field goal would make it 50-42.
The Bulldogs made one final drive attempt at winning and even drove down to the USC 25. However, Paul Pinegar threw his 4th interception of the evening and abruptly, the shootout was over. The Trojans were guaranteed an 11 win season for the 4th year in a row. Reggie Bush had a career performance with 513 total yards. The final weekend of the year would be a display of who's better between the two. USC went up against cross-town rival UCLA(Ranked 11 with a 9-1 record) many predicted it as a challenge for the Trojans.
However, a challenge it was not as USC jumped out to a 24-0 lead going onto win 66-19 as Reggie Bush racked up 260 yards(part of 430 rushing yards by the Trojans)beating his long-time(dating back to High School)rival Maurice Jones-Drew who only had 84. However, as SC was destroying UCLA, the Longhorns made an example of their own in the Big 12 title game. The Colorado Buffaloes were the best team in the Big 12 North at 6-5 and was practically burning out under certain NCAA violations the result was total annihilation of Colorado as in only 37 and a half minutes, the Longhorns racked up 70 points to beat the Buffs 70-3.
In that game, CU only managed under 200 total yards. In comparison, Texas outscored USC but the Trojans had more yards in all categories than the Longhorns. The next day USC and Texas was announced as the National Championship game and a week later, Reggie Bush was awarded with the Heisman trophy. The stage was set and as I always say "Everybody in, everybody in, the shows about to begin, the stars are all here and ready, so everybody in, everybody in".
2007-2008 Bowl Game Predictions
It that time again folks, another season of College Football and another round of bowl games good or bad. Here are my predictions for each bowl game.
Poinsettia:Utah vs Navy
Prediction:Run vs Pass in this one, I'm not sure if Paul Johnson is coaching this game. If he is, however, I will go with Navy. If not then Utah.
New Orleans:Florida Atlantic vs Memphis
Prediction:FAU has a good defense and Howard Schnellenberger is a helluva coach. FAU wins give it 35-10.
Las Vegas:BYU vs UCLA
Prediction:These two faced off in Pasadena back in September with the Bruins winning 27-17. This will be a different story for BYU is improved and Dorrell is gone. BYU wins 28-24.
New Mexico:Nevada vs New Mexico
Prediction:Haven't seen New Mexico play but Nevada has a damn good offense. However, its a hoem game for the Lobos so I predict a close one. Nevada wins 38-30.
Papajohns.com:Cincinnati vs Southern Miss
Prediction:Classic CUSA match-up. This is Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower's last game. The Eagles should be ready as will Cincy. Close win for the Bearcats 31-20.
Hawaii:Boise State vs East Carolina
Prediction:Should be a nice high scoring affair between the two schools and coaches Chris Peterson and Skip Holtz who are both on the rise. Boise wins in a close one 27-23.
Motor City:Purdue vs Central Michigan
Prediction:Another rematch, wasn't close the first time but will be closer the second. Purdue wins 37-34.
Holiday:Arizona State vs Texas
Prediction:THE Must Watch game prior to New Years, both teams are good, real good. Dennis Erickson has done a fantastic job turning around the Sun Devils. Will be very close and a great game. Colt McCoy and the Longhorns win 31-27.
Emerald:Maryland vs Oregon State
Prediction:Out of the previous 3 bowl games, this will be the toughest for the Terps. Oregon State has the 2nd best rush defense in College Football. However, Friedgen is notorious for having his Terps ready for bowl games. Maryland wins in a low scoring affair, 17-13.
Champ Sports:Boston College vs Michigan State
Prediction:Ryan's last stand will be easy for BC. Eagles win 31-14.
Texas:TCU vs Houston
Prediction:Art Briles won't be coaching but its a home game for the Cougars. TCU wins 41-38.
Alamo:Penn State vs Texas A&M
Prediction:I don't think Franchione is coaching it won't matter anyway. PSU wins 24-14.
Liberty:Central Florida vs Mississippi State
Prediction:Kevin Smith WILL have a big day. He is simply phenominal and MSU has a bad rush defense. I say Central Florida wins 34-27.
Meineke Car Care:Wake Forest vs UCONN
Prediction:Wake STiLL has a good defense, so does UCONN, I think at least. Wake wins 17-10.
Independence:Alabama vs Colorado
Prediction:Nick Saban will be pissed off coming into this game following the criticism from the LA-Monroe game. I say Tide rolls Buffs 24-20 should be a good game.
Insight:Oklahoma State vs Indiana
Prediction:IU has a good offense as does Ok. State. I think IU will come out playing well but will lose 34-30.
Peach:Auburn vs Clemson
Prediction:Tigers win...(Auburn btw)
Music City:Florida State vs Kentucky
Prediction:Andre Woodson is way better than Drew Weatherford or Xavier Lee. I initially thought FSU but I'm going with Kentucky in a close one 27-24.
Humanitarian:Fresno State vs Georgia Tech
Prediction:Tech has no coach and a lot of worries. The Dogs win 17-3.
Sun:USF vs Oregon
Prediction:Oregon is running the spread offense with a pocket passer against a team that shut down WVU. Bulls win 34-7.
Armed Forces:Air Force vs Cal
Prediction:What happened to Cal? From 2 to playing in the lowest Pac 10 bowl. Air Force wins close 21-17.
Capitol One:Florida vs Michigan
Prediction:Yes its Lloyd Carr's last game, yes its Hart, Henne, and Long's last chance to win a bowl. Yes Florida is faster. Florida wins 41-14.
Gator:Virginia vs Texas Tech
Prediction:Virginia lost to NC State and Wyoming, but I still like their defense but they really struggle against the pass and thats all Texas Tech does. Red Raiders roll 34-27.
Cotton:Missouri vs Arkansas
Prediction:Mizzou is PISSED to no end D-Mac should have a big day and it should be close. I think Arkansas will win in a shootout 38-34.
Outback:Tennessee vs Wisconsin
Prediction:Both teams have been shaky but I think the Vols will get their first win against the Big Ten in 5 years they win 16-13 in a low scoring game.
International:Rutgers vs Ball State
Prediction:Ugh...I really don't know I hear Ball State has a good offense and Rutgers has Ray Rice so I guess Rutgers wins 31-24.
GMAC:Bowling Green vs Tulsa
Prediction:Tulsa somehow
Sugar:Georgia vs Hawaii
Prediction:Georgia has a great offense but a shaky defense. Hawaii's defense played well in the last three quarters against Washington. I think it will be close with Hawaii winning 45-42.
Rose:USC vs Illinois
Prediction:How did the Illini even get considered for the Rose Bowl? USC wins big 45-14.
Fiesta:Oklahoma vs West Virginia
Prediction:The best run defense in the country vs the best run offense in the country. This will be a low scoring game because I think OU is just as fast if not faster than WVU. OU wins 14-10.
Orange:Va.Tech vs Kansas
Prediction:Kansas played a weak schedule and Va.Tech is on fire. Hokies win 38-10.
BCS National Championship:Ohio State vs LSU
Prediction:Remember last year? Well expect a closer game. LSU wins 23-20.
Poinsettia:Utah vs Navy
Prediction:Run vs Pass in this one, I'm not sure if Paul Johnson is coaching this game. If he is, however, I will go with Navy. If not then Utah.
New Orleans:Florida Atlantic vs Memphis
Prediction:FAU has a good defense and Howard Schnellenberger is a helluva coach. FAU wins give it 35-10.
Las Vegas:BYU vs UCLA
Prediction:These two faced off in Pasadena back in September with the Bruins winning 27-17. This will be a different story for BYU is improved and Dorrell is gone. BYU wins 28-24.
New Mexico:Nevada vs New Mexico
Prediction:Haven't seen New Mexico play but Nevada has a damn good offense. However, its a hoem game for the Lobos so I predict a close one. Nevada wins 38-30.
Papajohns.com:Cincinnati vs Southern Miss
Prediction:Classic CUSA match-up. This is Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower's last game. The Eagles should be ready as will Cincy. Close win for the Bearcats 31-20.
Hawaii:Boise State vs East Carolina
Prediction:Should be a nice high scoring affair between the two schools and coaches Chris Peterson and Skip Holtz who are both on the rise. Boise wins in a close one 27-23.
Motor City:Purdue vs Central Michigan
Prediction:Another rematch, wasn't close the first time but will be closer the second. Purdue wins 37-34.
Holiday:Arizona State vs Texas
Prediction:THE Must Watch game prior to New Years, both teams are good, real good. Dennis Erickson has done a fantastic job turning around the Sun Devils. Will be very close and a great game. Colt McCoy and the Longhorns win 31-27.
Emerald:Maryland vs Oregon State
Prediction:Out of the previous 3 bowl games, this will be the toughest for the Terps. Oregon State has the 2nd best rush defense in College Football. However, Friedgen is notorious for having his Terps ready for bowl games. Maryland wins in a low scoring affair, 17-13.
Champ Sports:Boston College vs Michigan State
Prediction:Ryan's last stand will be easy for BC. Eagles win 31-14.
Texas:TCU vs Houston
Prediction:Art Briles won't be coaching but its a home game for the Cougars. TCU wins 41-38.
Alamo:Penn State vs Texas A&M
Prediction:I don't think Franchione is coaching it won't matter anyway. PSU wins 24-14.
Liberty:Central Florida vs Mississippi State
Prediction:Kevin Smith WILL have a big day. He is simply phenominal and MSU has a bad rush defense. I say Central Florida wins 34-27.
Meineke Car Care:Wake Forest vs UCONN
Prediction:Wake STiLL has a good defense, so does UCONN, I think at least. Wake wins 17-10.
Independence:Alabama vs Colorado
Prediction:Nick Saban will be pissed off coming into this game following the criticism from the LA-Monroe game. I say Tide rolls Buffs 24-20 should be a good game.
Insight:Oklahoma State vs Indiana
Prediction:IU has a good offense as does Ok. State. I think IU will come out playing well but will lose 34-30.
Peach:Auburn vs Clemson
Prediction:Tigers win...(Auburn btw)
Music City:Florida State vs Kentucky
Prediction:Andre Woodson is way better than Drew Weatherford or Xavier Lee. I initially thought FSU but I'm going with Kentucky in a close one 27-24.
Humanitarian:Fresno State vs Georgia Tech
Prediction:Tech has no coach and a lot of worries. The Dogs win 17-3.
Sun:USF vs Oregon
Prediction:Oregon is running the spread offense with a pocket passer against a team that shut down WVU. Bulls win 34-7.
Armed Forces:Air Force vs Cal
Prediction:What happened to Cal? From 2 to playing in the lowest Pac 10 bowl. Air Force wins close 21-17.
Capitol One:Florida vs Michigan
Prediction:Yes its Lloyd Carr's last game, yes its Hart, Henne, and Long's last chance to win a bowl. Yes Florida is faster. Florida wins 41-14.
Gator:Virginia vs Texas Tech
Prediction:Virginia lost to NC State and Wyoming, but I still like their defense but they really struggle against the pass and thats all Texas Tech does. Red Raiders roll 34-27.
Cotton:Missouri vs Arkansas
Prediction:Mizzou is PISSED to no end D-Mac should have a big day and it should be close. I think Arkansas will win in a shootout 38-34.
Outback:Tennessee vs Wisconsin
Prediction:Both teams have been shaky but I think the Vols will get their first win against the Big Ten in 5 years they win 16-13 in a low scoring game.
International:Rutgers vs Ball State
Prediction:Ugh...I really don't know I hear Ball State has a good offense and Rutgers has Ray Rice so I guess Rutgers wins 31-24.
GMAC:Bowling Green vs Tulsa
Prediction:Tulsa somehow
Sugar:Georgia vs Hawaii
Prediction:Georgia has a great offense but a shaky defense. Hawaii's defense played well in the last three quarters against Washington. I think it will be close with Hawaii winning 45-42.
Rose:USC vs Illinois
Prediction:How did the Illini even get considered for the Rose Bowl? USC wins big 45-14.
Fiesta:Oklahoma vs West Virginia
Prediction:The best run defense in the country vs the best run offense in the country. This will be a low scoring game because I think OU is just as fast if not faster than WVU. OU wins 14-10.
Orange:Va.Tech vs Kansas
Prediction:Kansas played a weak schedule and Va.Tech is on fire. Hokies win 38-10.
BCS National Championship:Ohio State vs LSU
Prediction:Remember last year? Well expect a closer game. LSU wins 23-20.
December 8, 1980
Note:This blog was originally written December 8th of last year. This is a re-post of it with updates.
On this day 27 years ago John Lennon died at the age of 40.I wasn't alive to see the Beatles,I wasn't alive to see the break up of the Beatles,and I wasn't alive to see Lennon's death unfold.But,as a Beatles fan I understand what people must have felt that day.Lennon was about to begin a comeback,when tragedy struck.At 10:50pm that Monday night,John Lennon was walking with wife,Yoko Ono to their home at the Dakota when suddenly a man appeared behind Lennon and yelled out,"Mr.Lennon!".As John turned he was shot 4 times;twice in the left side of his back and twice in the left shoulder.
A doorman walked over finding the dying John Lennon and said to the killer,Mark David Chapman,"Do you know what you've just done?"Chapman responded by saying in cold blood,"I just shot John Lennon".Paramedics responded as John was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital.Chapman co-operated with the police and was arrested.25 minutes later at precisely 11:15pm,John Lennon was pronounced dead at age 40.
News broke out of Lennon being shot on CNN and his death had been announced to the world during the Monday Night Football telecast between the Patriots and the Dolphins.Howard Cosell received word from ABC News and stated as I quote,"This, we have to say it, is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous perhaps of all of The Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival."
The announcement of Lennon's death was a shock to a generation of fans.On December 14,1980 all around the world people stood together in silence to remember John Lennon.Since his death another Beatle has passed,George Harrison(who wrote the song "All those years ago" as a tribute to Lennon) passed away in 2001.Lennon's assassin,Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in 1982 has not gone a day without a single hate letter.His motive for killing Lennon was unnecessary and the murder itself was tragic thing to occur.
If there was a death penalty in New York then he should have been killed by a firing squad with what he did.I hate Mark David Chapman and the fact he's still alive(nevertheless in prison) just annoys me.The son of a bitch got what he wanted and I hope he's happy.He took away from us a musician who despite controversy over remarks was a great guy who believed in peace and helped contribute with Rock n Roll's growth.I wish I had been alived to meet John and when I first became a Beatles fan around 2000 or so I was upset when I found out he had been dead for a while.
If I had a choice to have all the money in the world or a chance to just meet John Lennon,I'd chose to meet John.In 2005,Pink Floyd reunited for the first time in 20 years at the Live 8 Concert.As I witnessed their reunion I wondered what could have been if we had say the Beatles there together with Paul,Ringo,John,and maybe George(if he hadn't passed).
On this day 27 years ago John Lennon died at the age of 40.I wasn't alive to see the Beatles,I wasn't alive to see the break up of the Beatles,and I wasn't alive to see Lennon's death unfold.But,as a Beatles fan I understand what people must have felt that day.Lennon was about to begin a comeback,when tragedy struck.At 10:50pm that Monday night,John Lennon was walking with wife,Yoko Ono to their home at the Dakota when suddenly a man appeared behind Lennon and yelled out,"Mr.Lennon!".As John turned he was shot 4 times;twice in the left side of his back and twice in the left shoulder.
A doorman walked over finding the dying John Lennon and said to the killer,Mark David Chapman,"Do you know what you've just done?"Chapman responded by saying in cold blood,"I just shot John Lennon".Paramedics responded as John was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital.Chapman co-operated with the police and was arrested.25 minutes later at precisely 11:15pm,John Lennon was pronounced dead at age 40.
News broke out of Lennon being shot on CNN and his death had been announced to the world during the Monday Night Football telecast between the Patriots and the Dolphins.Howard Cosell received word from ABC News and stated as I quote,"This, we have to say it, is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous perhaps of all of The Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival."
The announcement of Lennon's death was a shock to a generation of fans.On December 14,1980 all around the world people stood together in silence to remember John Lennon.Since his death another Beatle has passed,George Harrison(who wrote the song "All those years ago" as a tribute to Lennon) passed away in 2001.Lennon's assassin,Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in 1982 has not gone a day without a single hate letter.His motive for killing Lennon was unnecessary and the murder itself was tragic thing to occur.
If there was a death penalty in New York then he should have been killed by a firing squad with what he did.I hate Mark David Chapman and the fact he's still alive(nevertheless in prison) just annoys me.The son of a bitch got what he wanted and I hope he's happy.He took away from us a musician who despite controversy over remarks was a great guy who believed in peace and helped contribute with Rock n Roll's growth.I wish I had been alived to meet John and when I first became a Beatles fan around 2000 or so I was upset when I found out he had been dead for a while.
If I had a choice to have all the money in the world or a chance to just meet John Lennon,I'd chose to meet John.In 2005,Pink Floyd reunited for the first time in 20 years at the Live 8 Concert.As I witnessed their reunion I wondered what could have been if we had say the Beatles there together with Paul,Ringo,John,and maybe George(if he hadn't passed).
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