ROSE BOWL: Hogs hold off Lions

Hogs win 34-27 stopping Penn State on 4th and 4 with 40 secs to play. Hogs had another 4th and 2 stop from the 2 or 3 earlier in the quarter. Actually led 34-20 with about 5 minutes. Penn State quickly scored to make it 34-27 with about three and a half to play. I pretty much figure I can run out the clock or close to it. Fumble and he moved down to the wild finish. Just a great game. That3 4-20 lead was the only time a team led by more than one score. Big play IMO wasan 80 yard TD run by Ben Cowins in the first quarter. I knew I'd need a cheap TD somewhere!I guess Mark and Bill aren't playing until Monday. This will seem like the long break real schools take before the bowl games! --contributed by Wayne Poniewaz--

FIESTA BOWL: Nittany Lions claw 'Noles 42-28

The Lions avenged an early season 25 point loss to the Seminoles. They were lead by Kerry Collins who was 15-23 passing 309 yards 4 TD and 1 INT which was returned for a TD. Freddie Scott and Bobby Engram lead the receiving combining for 10 catches for 208 yards and 4 TD.The Seminoles #1 Offense in BCS still managed 560 yards of Offense but struggled on 3rd and 4th down conversions going a combined 9-21.Charlie Ward led the way offensively going 36-57 thru the air for 341 yards and 2 TD and 1 INT he would also be sacked twice.Penn St's bend but not break approach really worked although Florida St. moved the ball they were often long time consuming drives.Penn St. now (6-3) will meet (6-2) 77 Arkansas in the BCS Semifinals. Florida St. finished the season 5-4. --submitted by Mike Kenney--

ORANGE BOWL: Sooners nip Gators 22-21

The first meeting between these team came down to the final play. In that game Oklahoma had driven down to the Florida 27 yard line and was well within field goal range to possibly force a overtime. Thompson went back to pass on play action and due to the Gator pressure was sacked and also fumbled away any chance OU had of getting it to overtime.

This time around the game once again would come down to the final seconds before a winner would jubilantly celebrate on the Orange Bowl field.

Florida would start this game out in fashion as they would take the opening drive from its own 25 to the Sooner 19 yard line in just 8 plays. Oklahoma was just trying to find a way to stop the drive and force a field goal when lady luck struck on the Sooners side. Danny Wuerffel (26-39-321) would be picked by FS Ricky Dixon to end the threat.

Starting from its own 31, Jamielle Holieway and company would masterfully move down the field with the wishbone and a occasional rare pass. 11 plays and 5:19 seconds later HB Anthony Stafford (9-49) would go in from 5 yards out to give the Sooners a 7-0 lead. Both teams would exchange a punts but Florida would start its first scoring drive very late in this quarter.

It wouldn't take them long to finalize it in the 2nd quarter though as with 14:52 left RB Eugene McCaslin would take it in from 4 outs to tie the game at 7 apiece. OU would come right back and RD Lasher would kick a 29 yard field goal to put OU back on top at 10-7. That lead would last less than 3 minutes as Florida went 80 yards in 6 plays and tore through a darn good OU defense as Wuerfful would find RB Elijah Williams wide open for a 27 yard strike. OU would go into the locker room down 14-13 at the half as Lasher added a 30 yard field goal late in the half.

OU would take its first lead since the opening quarter to start the 3rd as they marched 60 yards in 9 plays as Holieway (24-93 rushing and 6-12-123 passing) went in from 2 yards out. Knowing they needed to go for 2, they rushed out and Holieway could not handle the snap and the conversion was no good. Late in the 3rd, the Gators were driving for the go ahead score at the Sooners 21 yard line. Backup QB Shottenhiemer would find Green for a 11 yard gain but as he was hit he lost the ball and OU recovered ending yet another Gator scoring opportunity.

Trailing now 19-14 to begin the 4th, Florida would put together a impressive 96 yard drive in 16 plays to retake the lead. Reidel Anthony (7-139) would take in a 8 yard pass from Wuerffel and with the extra point UF led again 21-19. Oklahoma would be forced to punt as the Gator defense gave very little ground. UF would start its next drive at the Gators own 12 with only 6:13 left.

Facing a 3rd and two from its own 34, OU was playing run but UF OC Marc Wiess made one heck of a call. On play action completely fooling the OU defense, Wuerffel would find Anthony in the flat and he would race 60 yards down to the OU 6 yard line. At this point the OU coaches figured it was pretty much over. A holding call though would push the Gators back and eventually were force to attempt the field goal. Bart Edmiston was called upon to force OU to score a touchdown to win. The 31 yard attempt sailed right and OU dodged a bullet.

With only 3:01 left OU would now have to go about 50 yards just to get into field goal range. With the wishbone even that may not be enough time. With just :59 seconds left OU was within field goal range sitting at the Gators 17. Lasher again would come out and this time the kick would either break the Sooners or Lasher was going to be a hero. Lasher would not miss and with only now :55 to go and a 22-21- lead all they had to do was make the tackles.

Green though had other ideas as he took that kickoff and ran it back to the OU 40. Sooner fans began to rustle around. Surely UF would get into Field Goal range as they still had 45 ticks to play. Weurffel on 2nd down PA would find Green for a 11 yard gain but he had forgotten something as OU players pounced on the ball.

OU then the Sooners just ran the clock down and OU wins either way.
--submitted by Bill Vogt--

SUN BOWL [Tuscon, AZ]: Lions claw Wolverines 27-7 to complete season sweep

Penn St. jumped out early again in the second meeting after holding Mich. to a 3 and out the Lions marched 69 yards on 12 plays with Ki-Jana Carter finishing off the drive with an 8 yard TD scamper. He would gain 132 yards for the day.After adding a FG to end the 1st Qtr. the Wolverines went a nice drive themselves and found paydirt on a 1 yard Michael Hart TD plunge capping an 8 play 48 yard drive. "I was like here we go this is going to be a battle" said coach Kenny.His team would answer after Conway added another FG and following a Michigan punt the Lions found themselves pinned on their own 2 late in the 1st Half. I said "Lets just run the clock out and get into the lockeroom" Kijana Carter had other plans as he broke an inside run and sprinted 58 yards before running out of gas. 2 plays later Mike Archie would weave his way to the end zone on a screen pass to increase the lead to 27-7.

"We were really holding our breath that 2nd half, we know they are capable of moving the ball and putting points on the board, as they did in the first game" "But our defense really rose to occasion" Penn St. who ranked 12th in the 12 team league in rushing defense giving up 5.0 ypr came up big only allowing 3 ypc this night holding talented running back Michael Hart to 67 yards on 20 carries. "Anytime you keep him under 100 yards mission accomplished" The defense really got pressure on Chad Henne to sacking him 4 times. "He's someone you can't give time to sit back and find those talented receivers". Kerry Collins continued his stellar QB play completing 13 of 20 passes for 154 yards and 2 TD's. He now has 14 TD's to only 2 INT's for the season

Motor City Bowl: Florida 71, USC 63 (4 OT)

Two incredible offensive teams hooked up for an Instant Bowl Classic. Both teams combined for over 1,200 yards on offense. With just over 9 minutes left to go in the game Florida thought it had a comfortable 21 point lead. NEVER think your lead is comfortable, when your team features a pass happy offense not designed to run out the clock. USC scored 21 unanswered points to tie the game at 49 apiece and force OT. USC's final score was aided by a brilliant onside kick recovery.

OT was a microcosm of regulation as neither team could stop the other. Both SC and FL had 4th down convert or go home opportunities in OT. Florida converted 1 and USC converted 1 of 2. With it all on the line USC had a 3rd and 4 and elected to run an exhausted Reggie Bush, who was met by a stiff run D by Florida that was keying him. This setup the big 4th and 3. With Florida already up by 8 thanks to a 3 yd Reidel Anthony reception, SC had to convert and score or the game was over. Matt Leinart threw a short pass attempt to Steve Smith who was double teamed. The ball fell to the harmlessly to the carpet at Ford field to end this classic contest.

Both teams were visibly exhausted. USC's coach Geller said at his post game press conference, "Both defenses left early". Coach Weiss of Florida responded, "I suspect both defenses never even boarded their respective planes to Detroit". Danny Wuerffel was selected the game's MVP as he threw for 484 yards and 8 TD's (4 in OT). Reidel Anthony caught 5 of those TD passes for 158 yards. Reggie Bush on his own outrushed Florida with 153 yard on 26 carries. Bush had 57 more yards on 4 receptions and would have been voted game MVP if SC won. Dwayne Jarrett had almost 200 yards (196) on 13 big receptions to lead all receivers.

Michigan holds off Ohio St 31-24 to claim top spot in CFB's most storied rivalry.

Michigan jumped out to a 21 point lead early in the second quarter before the Buckeyes started coming back. Ohio State cut the lead to 7 on a Damon Moore 55 yd interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter, but Michigan added a field goal to take a 10 point half time lead. Neither team scored in the third quarter. Then the Buckeyes got a field goal early in the fourth in make it a one touchdown game. With just over five minutes to play, the Buckeyes were facing a 4th and 9 from the Michigan 42. Buckeye coach Alan Bernardo then made the call of the game, having his punter Bartholomew run a fake punt and the result was a 42 yard run for a touchdown. The two teams traded three and outs and Michigan had the ball on their own 36 with 1:53 remaining. Chad Henne then hit Manningham for 6 yards, Arrington for 18, Massey for 10 and Hart for 21 on consecutive plays to leave Michigan with a first an goal from the 9 a nd 1:17 remaining. Three Michael Hart runs later burned all the Buckeye time outs and ended in a touchdown for Michigan with 56 ticks on the clock. From his own 20, Joe Germaine hit Jon Lumpkin for 32 yards to the Michigan 48. But Shawn Crable came through to get Michigan's only sack of Germaine for an 11 yard loss. A spike left the Buckeyes with 2 plays. They were only able to pick up seven yards, and Michigan came away with a victory in the game selected as the one number sports rivalry by Sports Illustrated. 31-24.
Chad Henne was 21-38 for 344 yards, 2 tds, 3 ints. Joe Germaine was 24-40, 168 yards, 1 td, 1 int.
Mike hart rushed for 134 yards on 28 carries and 2 tds. Mike Wiley was 17-68. Steve Breaston caught 8 passes for 131 yards, 1 td, mostly in the first half. Mario Manningham caught 5 passes for 109 yards including a 61 yard td reception. Daryll Boston caught 8 passes for 63 yards and 1 rd.