January 2, 2009
BCS Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: January 1 4:30 on ABC
No. 8 Penn State (11-1) vs. No. 5 Southern California (11-1)
My Pick: USC Trojans
Prediction: USC 28, Penn State 17
USC, on paper, is the best team in the country. I love Penn State, but this is a joke I'm sorry. USC wins this 28-17, if that. Idk if Penn State could get to 17, maybe score 10. The HD Spread Offense won't look like high quality against this USC defense. I'm ready to annoint this defense as the best ever in the history of the game. Penn State's offense is mediocre at best and can't keep up with USC. Like everyone said, I'd love to see this USC defense go against an offense like Texas or Florida. And people are raving about Penn State's defense and you know I looked at it, and yeah knocked a touchdown off of USC's score. Penn State's main strength is its pass rush and if USC can run the ball enough with Joe McKnight and CJ Gable, later in the game it'll open up the play action pass for Mark Sanchez to find his talented receivers.
Result: USC 38, Penn State 24
MVP: Mark Sanchez 28-35 413 yards, 4 TD; rushing touchdown
Honorable Mention: Damian Williams 10 catches for 162 yards, TD
Recap: People wanted to talk about Penn State's defense being able to equal that of USC. Penn State's defense? Defense? No. I said it, and I stand by it, of course I haven't been around that long, but USC is the greatest defense I have ever seen. And their offense is nothing short of explosive. USC took a 31-7 halftime lead.
The score doesn't tell the story at all here. USC dominated this entire game. Penn State's 2nd half scoring was because of the lack of competitiveness left in the USC defense after being up big in the game. The game wasn't nearly as close as the score suggests.
USC struck first offensively with QB Mark Sanchez hitting Damian Williams on a post route one-on-one with a safety for 27 yards and a touchdown. Penn State though responded with a long drive that ended with a Darryl Clark touchdown run on the QB Draw. USC came right back on offense and scored, this time Mark Sanchez with the QB Draw.
It was an unusual day for Penn State as they committed so many unnecessary costly penalties all game long which is unlike Penn State football. Penn State's offense took a big blow when runningback Evan Royster went out for the game with a left knee injury, but on the other side, USC's most explosive tailback Joe McKnight went out after spraining his left toe. Penn State's offense had a tough time against the USC defense while SC's offense continued to pour it on. Penn State thought they got something going when Stephfon Green broke off a big run but the all-american safety Taylor Mays of USC knocked the ball loose and USC recovered the fumble. They went ahead and scored again on a 20 yard screen pass to CJ Gable.
In the 2nd half, the 3rd quarter was all shutout. On USC's best opportunity to score, Gable fumble-prone, fumbled the ball away. Penn State early in the 4th quarter got the ball down to the 5 yard line when Clark fumbled but replay showed he was down. USC's defense was determined to keep Penn State out of the endzone, they had shut out 8 opponents this year in the 2nd half. Penn State scored and USC responded right off the bat with a Sanchez touchdown pass to a wide open Ronald Brown.
Penn State continued to play hard while USC let up and it resulted in a closer game in the box score. USC, punting the ball away with 39 seconds left in the game, snapped the ball past their punter and gave Penn State one last chance to try to score again. Clark threw an interception into the endzone on the last play of the game.
BCS Fedex Orange Bowl: January 1 8:00 on FOX
No. 12 Cincinnati (11-3) vs. No. 19 Virginia Tech (10-4)
My Pick: Virginia Tech Hokies
Prediction: VT 28, Cincy 24
Tyrod Taylor is the man. This shows how bad the system is because I love VT and all but there's no reason why a 4-loss team should be playing in the BCS. However, Virginia Tech will win this game and show that the real team not deserving to be in the BCS is Cincinnati. Cincy's had their struggles having to use 5 different quarterbacks this season. In my opinion, they haven't really faced a defense as fast as them and this is the time for Virginia Tech's young defense to grow up and hold its ground while Tyrod Taylor puts points on the board. Macho Harris is going to create a big turnover late in the game to seal the win for the Hokies.
Result: Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7
MVP: Darren Evans 28 carries for 153 yards, touchdown
Recap: Defense wins ball games. Virginia Tech's 7th ranked defense was confused with the spread offense look of Cincinnati on their first drive. Cincy came out fast and quarterback Tony Pike found Mardy Gilyard for a touchdown. Cincinnati scored for the first and last time. It is pretty hard to keep scoring when you turn the ball over every time.
After Dustin Keys missed a field goal, Tyrod Taylor got the Hokies on the board with a 17 yard TD run slashing right and cutting back left, making 3 people miss on his way to the endzone. The man just makes things happen.
Cincinnati's next drive in the redzone ended with a turnover as Pike tried to force a throw into triple coverage and Stephan Virgil came away with the interception in the endzone with 2:23 left in the half. Taylor, having a great day passing the ball got VT in range and Keys hit the 43 yard field goal with time expiring. VT took a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Virginia Tech has that strong running game with the freshman Darren Evans and also Taylor tucking it and running. They controlled the ball for close to 40 minutes of the game. Cincy's offense barely saw the field in the 2nd half. In fact, I think VT had the ball for 12 minutes of the 3rd quarter.
Pike went on to throw 3 more interceptions, one inside the 10 yard line was picked off with a diving catch by Orion Martin. Three plays later, Evans ran in for a touchdown to cap off the scoring. You can't turn the ball over against a good defense and an offense that controls the clock and expect to win.
AT&T Cotton Bowl: January 2 2:00 on FOX
No. 25 Mississippi (9-4) vs. No. 7 Texas Tech (11-2)
My Pick: Texas Tech Red Raiders
Prediction: Texas Tech 66, Ole Miss 24
Blow out. Texas Tech barely got by Baylor to end the season and Ole Miss has a pretty solid defense, but Tech is gonna go back to the way they uesd to be. Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree won't be stopped. They both have chips on their shoulders for not being Heisman finalists and the entire team has something to prove after not even being included in the conversation with Oklahoma and Texas. Tech pounds Ole Miss with its high powered offense 66-24.
Result: Mississippi 47, Texas Tech 34
MVP: Dexter McCluster 180 total yards, TD
Honorable Mention: Marshay Green interception returned for touchdown and 54 yard punt return
Honorable Mention: Jevan Snead 18-29 292 yards, 3 TD
*Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell sets NCAA record for career TD passes passing Colt Brennan (2007)
Recap: Texas Tech gets out to a 14-0 lead, with that offense game over right? Ole Miss had a different answer. They found a way to stop the Red Raiders offense and it worked to perfection. The answer, keep the Texas Tech offense off the field. They can't score if they're not on the field. Ole Miss controlled a lot of the clock all game long with long scoring drives.
People knew Texas Tech can't play defense, but didn't realize Ole Miss was that good on offense. All year long the debate was about which conference is the best in the country, the SEC or the Big 12. The Big 12 has those big offenses, but what could they do against an SEC defense? Texas Tech got a taste of an SEC defense today. They got pressure on Graham Harrell all game long and forced him into making bad throws. He had thrown 7 interceptions in 568 pass attempts until today when he threw 2 in his first 34 attempts.
Harrell's performance really duplicated what I saw from Colt Brennan and Hawaii last year in the Sugar Bowl. Brennan, like Harrell today, had chances to have a big day on the big stage and improve their draft status. Well, both opponents, Georgia and Mississippi got to pressure on the quarterbacks and put big hits on them the entire game long. It was not the way Brennan wanted to end his career, and this was not the way Harrell wanted to end his career. Ironically, today Harrell broke Brennan's record for most career touchdown passes.
Harrell's number one playmaker Michael Crabtree playing with his high ankle sprain was almost a non-factor. He did have a touchdown catch, but only got 4 catches in the game and stood on the sideline for much of the 4th quarter.
My choice for game MVP, Dexter McCluster got a 4 yard touchdown run out of the 'Wild Rebel' formation to seal the deal for Ole Miss. Tech went down field and scored a touchdown again with their high powered offense, but Ole Miss let up with their blitzes and for Tech, it was too late. On the try for the two-point conversion, the story of the day, Harrell got sacked. The frustrations mounted for Tech as offensive lineman Stephen Hamby and the big Brandon Carter both got called for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The crowd with 40,000 Ole Miss faithful began their chants of "S-E-C" and "OVERRATED." 94% of SportsNation voted Texas Tech to win this game, and the Ole Miss players paid attention to the TV screens. On the sideline, they held up the sign that read "94% said we couldn't. WE DID." Texas Tech is 0-4 all time in the Cotton Bowl.
I was part of that 94% that chose Texas Tech to win this game, but I give all the credit to Ole Miss and their quarterback Jevan Snead (who transferred away from Texas after being Colt McCoy's backup). He showed that he can be a big-time college quarterback and I'm glad that he transferred away from Texas and got this opportunity to start at Ole Miss. Coach Houston Nutt there has done a great job with this program too after this same team went 3-9 last year.
Liberty Bowl: January 2 5:00 on ESPN
Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Carolina (9-4)
My Pick: East Carolina Pirates
Prediction: ECU 19, Kentucky 16
Kentucky has had an up and down season. East Carolina started out hot and slowed up, but then heated up again at the end. I think Kentucky is done in terms of competitiveness. They have nothing left, while East Carolina came back to beat Tulsa and win the Conference USA Championship.
Result: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
MVP: Mike Hartline 19-31 204 yards, TD
Recap: This was just a wild day for the replay officials. These are two very similar teams and it was just a battle of the defenses in the 2nd half. Kentucky has the SEC defense, while East Carolina is notorious at causing turnovers. Kentucky however caused a big fumble with 3 minutes left in the game and big Kentrell Jenkins scooped it up and returned it for the go-ahead touchdown. However, replay showed that Jenkins' knee was down when he had possession of the ball. That was just a blown call by the refs but East Carolina blocked the extra point, their 3rd blocked kick of the day.
Kentucky got all the momentum going their way at the start of the 2nd half. After muffing previous kick returns, David Jones returned that kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Kentucky went on to outscore East Carolina 17-3 with the Pirates having a chance to win the game, but their drive started from the 1 yard line after replay showed that JR Rogers had his knee down when he caught the kickoff. ECU went 3-and-out and punted the ball away hoping to get it back with all 3 timeouts remaining but were not able. In this defensive game, it was Kentucky's that came through with the big plays.
BCS Allstate Sugar Bowl: January 2 8:00 on FOX
No. 6 Utah (12-0) vs. No. 4 Alabama (12-1)
My Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide
Prediction: Alabama 24, Utah 17
Utah's had a great season. I'm a fan of Brian Johnson and the Utes now and I wish they could prove themselves on a big stage and go 13-0 and beat Alabama but it won't happen. Alabama's defense is too good and their rushing attack will put punishing blows to the Utah defense. However, now with the suspension of big left tackle Andre Smith (12/29), Utah might have a chance. Whenever Alabama needs a big play they run to the left behind Smith. Smith likely will be the 2 or 3 overall pick in the draft if he leaves early and not having him is a big blow for Alabama.
Result: Utah 31, Alabama 17
Offensive MVP: Brian Johnson 27-41 336 yards, 3 TD
Defensive MVP: Stevenson Sylvester 3 sacks, fumble recovery
Honorable Mention: Robert Johnson 2 interceptions. Last interception with 1:50 left in the game to seal the win for Utah.
*Utah completes undefeated season. Only undefeated team in FBS (Div. 1)
89.7% of the country voted Alabama to win this game, but Utah shocked everyone when they came out and jumped to a 21-0 lead against this 6th ranked SEC defense of Alabama. Utah went to the no huddle as Alabama was really confused on what to do against their spread offense. With Utah moving at such a fast pace, Alabama was unable to get settled in defensively and stop the Utes. At the end of the quarter, Coach Nick Saban was able to get his entire team together and get them going. The defense took over for the rest of the game. Utah would not score again until the 4th quarter but the 21 points they got in the 1st quarter was all they needed.
Alabama's defense did a good job of making Utah one dimensional by shutting down the running game, but when they needed it on crucial 3rd downs, Utah was able to run for it in short yardage situations.
I have mixed emotions on Utah's defense. They played very well today and sacked John Parker Wilson 8 times and they shut down the powerful running game of Alabama. John Parker Wilson had to go to throwing the ball and made 30 passes today, something that he has never been asked to do during his time here because of Alabama's dominating run game. I like this Utah defense, However, from an analytical standpoint, I have to go to the "What If" scenario. What if Alabama's big left tackle Andre Smith was in this game? Seriously think about it. With Smith in there, Alabama's big offensive line has allowed 12 sacks in 11 games. Without Smith (2 games), Alabama has given up 10 sacks in those 2 games. That's just pass protection. Going to the running game, Alabama always runs left behind Smith. I think there's really enough said there because tonight, with the suspension of Smith, left guard Mike Johnson was moved to left tackle, then got hurt so the right tackle moved to left guard and a true freshman came in to play right tackle and Utah came from the right side all game long. If Smith was there none of that happens. But what's done is done, and Utah deserves this win. I picked them to win when this matchup was first announced, but then I changed to Alabama, but then with the suspension of Smith I thought about it making a huge impact (and it did) so I wanted to go back to Utah but I stuck with my pick and it was a mistake.
What a game though for Brian Johnson. He is one my all-time favorite quarterbacks and for anyone who watched the game tonight, you saw why. This was just a great game. I really do hate Alabama and I'm glad they lost this game because they are overrated and it's about time the entire country realized it. This is a team that should've never been ranked No. 1.
On the other hand, this Utah team, are they No. 1? Some people are saying so and I honestly don't think so. I don't think this team could be Texas, Florida, USC or even Ohio State. But they deserve to be where they are right now and they deserve a chance to prove me wrong on the field. They deserve a chance to go out and play football and beat Texas, beat Florida. But they will never get that chance. This is a team that can compete for a national championship and until college football gets that's playoff system (possibly in 2011), a non-BCS team like Utah from the Mountain West Conference will never be treated equally.
International Bowl: January 3 12:00 on ESPN2
Buffalo (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)
My Pick: Buffalo Bulls
Prediction: Buffalo 13, UConn 7
It's Buffalo's first bowl game in school history and it's been a magical season in terms of their standards. UConn has slipped up in big games and Buffalo will capitalize here with the win.
Result: Connecticut 38, Buffalo 20
MVP: Donald Brown 29 carries for 261 yards , TD
Recap: I really wanted this win for Buffalo and Coach Turner Gill and I thought they could pull of this huge upset. They took control of the game early and got a 20-10 lead off of 5 UConn fumbles.
But, UConn stuck with their gameplan. ESPN asked UConn what their game plan was coming into this game and this is what quarterback Tyler Lorenzen had to say, "Donald Brown...a lot." UConn perfectly executed that game plan.
Buffalo's defense could not stop UConn's running game and gave up 28 unanswered points. Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher, averaged 9.0 yards per carry in this game today. Buffalo often stuck 8 or even 9 men in the box to try to stop the run and they still couldn't do it and that's why they lost this game.
Offensively, Buffalo could not get their own running game going as their featured back James Starks only managed 25 yards on 14 carries.
Buffalo looked like they were in position for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter. A touchdown, a 2-point conversion, an onside kick, and a field goal would've allowed Buffalo to send the game to overtime. It was unlikely, but Buffalo led the nation in overtime games this year.
Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy, who I highlighted as the difference maker for this game, threw what would have been a wonderfully placed touchdown pass to to his star receiver Naaman Roosevelt, but the ball bounced off of Roosevelt's chest and into the arms of UConn's Dahna Deleston who took it 100 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach. A prime example there for all receivers of why you catch the ball with your hands, and not your body.
Willy in my opinion did not have a bad game. His numbers show that he only averaged 5 yards per pass but UConn had a good game plan defensively as well. They played almost a prevent defense the entire game allowing Buffalo to complete all the short underneath passes but not get any big plays over the top. It's a gamble to play that way for a whole game, but UConn's secondary, led by cornerback Darius Butler, is full of sure tacklers who came up and made many tackles for losses today.
BCS Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: January 5 8:00 on FOX
No. 10 Ohio State (10-2) vs. No. 3 TEXAS (11-1)
My Pick: Texas Longhorns
Prediction: Texas 38, Ohio State 27
The motivation factor comes into play here. Is Texas going to come out ready to play? Are they mentally into the game because, yes its still a BCS game, but it's not the national championship game. Texas is not where they were meant to be at at this point in the season. My answer to all of it, yes. Colt McCoy and Texas will come out ready to play. There's actually more on the line than what people think. A convincing win over Ohio State could boost Texas in the AP Poll and clinch a share of the national championship with Florida. If that's not enough motivation for the Longhorns to go out and play well, then here's the big thing: after Florida crushes Oklahoma in the title game, and Texas wins, they finish the season ranked ahead of Oklahoma. It'll be too late because the system fucked up and took away a national championship from Texas, but it's important to finish the season strong.
I said before the key for Texas was going to be their defense containing Terrelle Pryor. If you flush Pryor out of the pocket he'll break off a 60 yard run and they can't let that happen. But now, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has announced that he will play senior former-starter Todd Boeckman in the game and split time with Pryor. Boeckman being benched after the USC game in favor of the true freshman and 1 recruit Pryor, has continued to be a leader on the field without playing and Tressel is making the right move by allowing Boeckman to play in his final game.
With that said, Texas's secondary has been the weakness all season so they'll have to work real hard to cover the Buckeyes receivers. Texas's great run defense should stuff Beanie Wells by penetrating through a mediocre Ohio State offensive line.
Texas, if they win this game, should be a preseason 1 in the rankings next year with Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley coming back and if linebackers Sergio Kindle, Rashad Bobino, and Roddrick Muckelroy do not enter the NFL Draft. They'll lose their defensive line, but we've got big talent waiting in the wings. Texas also returns 4 of 5 on the offensive line. Next year Texas will be the best all-around team.
Result: Texas 24, Ohio State 21
MVP: Quan Cosby 14 catches for 173 yards, 2 TD (game winning TD)
Honorable Mention: Colt McCoy 41-58 414 yards, 2 TD; rushing touchdown
*Colt McCoy sets Texas record with 10th 300 yard game
*Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley become first receiving duo to both amass 1,000 yards in the same season.
WHAT A NIGHT. There ain't no team in the god damn land that can take down my Texas Longhorns now. They have gone through everything anybody could ever throw at them and come out on top. This year was a lot more controversial and they should be playing in the national championship game, but I am going to say this, I think this was a more exciting year than the National Championship year in 2005. So I'm hyped up right now, but let me break the game down.
Texas went into halftime down 6-3 after Colt McCoy threw a lousy interception on the 1 yard line to end a 75 yard drive at the end of the half with nothing. It was a strong defensive battle on both sides when this was supposed to be a game of the offenses.
On the defensive side for Texas, ironically they succeeded in their weak area. The texas secondary played tremendously well except on Blake Gideon's play when Terrelle Pryor caught that fade route for a touchdown, Gideon could've played the ball there, but the weakness was this Texas secondary against the passing game, while Texas's run defenses ranks 2 in the country and they let Ohio State run all over them.
My keys to the game were that Texas establishes their running game and they contain Terrelle Pryor. Ultimately, they didn't really accomplish either, but showed spurts of each at critical moments in the game that willed their way to victory.
I was just out of it when Ohio State took the 21-17 lead with 2 minutes to go. I couldn't sit still and my heart was poundin man. I just kept pacing around.
Colt McCoy led his team down the field 78 yards on 11 plays in 1:49 for the win. Texas also converted a crucial 4th down and 3 that James Kirkendoll barely reached the 1st down marker by a matter of an inch or two, but Colt McCoy perfectly placed the pass so that Kirkendoll's forward progress would get the first down. Before that McCoy completed 4 straight passes to the emerging star Brandon Collins.
After converting on 4th down, McCoy completed another 14 yard pass to Collins. Texas's hurry up offense kept Ohio State on their heels and forced their defense to begin the play flat and McCoy found Quan Cosby in his slant route and yards after the catch are key, as Cosby took it in for the touchdown. 26 yards with 16 seconds left. Cosby was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct because he unnecessarily dove into the endzone, but Texas took the 24-21 game-clinching lead.
GMAC Bowl: January 6 8:00 on ESPN
Tulsa (10-3) vs. No. 22 Ball State (12-1)
My Pick: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Prediction: Tulsa 45, Ball State 31
I changed my pick here. Ball State's 0-6 in bowl games and now their head coach Brady Hoke left them to become the coach at San Diego State. With their coaching situation in a flux, it opens the door for Tulsa to come in blow away the Cardinals. David Johnson was the most efficient passer in the country and puts up a lot of points--more than Ball State can handle.
Result: Tulsa 45, Ball State 13
MVP: Tarrion Adams 19 carries for 207 yards, 3 TD
Honorable Mention: David Johnson 15-25 193 yards, 3 TD
Honorable Mention: Damaris Johnson 135 receiving yards, 76 rushing yards
Recap: I got the Tulsa score right in my prediction, almost got the Ball State score right too if you just flip the 31 around to make it 13 lol. Ball State quarterback, the 4th best NFL QB Prospect (by Scouts, Inc.), Nate Davis was coming off his worst performance with turnovers in the MAC Championship game loss to Buffalo while Tulsa QB David Johnson was coming off his worst performance in the Conference USA championship game loss to East Carolina. Only one of them rebounded.
Davis started right where he left off in the last game by fumbling on Ball State's first possession. This is a Ball State defense that gave up 42 points to Buffalo, so you can't give Tulsa's offense extra possessions, but Davis had 3 turnovers in the game (2 fumbles, 1 interception). Ball State could not get the running game going all night long as MiQuale Lewis was held to 35 yards while Tulsa's Tarrion Adams, the lesser back of the two, had a huge night running the ball. In fact, Tulsa had 439 total rushing yards when it's been their prolific passing attack that has led their offense all season.
Leading 24-13 at halftime, Tulsa came out scoring in the opening drive of the 2nd half with Johnson's 15 yard TD pass to Slick Shelley in the pouring rain. It was all Tulsa in the 2nd half as Nate Davis went 0 for 10 passing and if I remember right, Ball State did not get a single first down in the 2nd half.
FedEx BCS National Championship Game: January 8, 2009 8:00PM on FOX
No. 1 Oklahoma (12-1) vs. No. 2 Florida (12-1)
My Pick: Florida Gators
Prediction: Florida 45, Oklahoma 27
Oklahoma's offense can score on demand, they did so every game of the season except one, when they went up against the defense of Texas. This game will be a replica of that performance as Florida's defense will slow down the Sooners. If Florida's Percy Harvin comes back from his ankle sprain at 100%, Florida will have a big day against Oklahoma offensively. Florida is too fast for OU on both sides of the ball. Oklahoma's offensive line has been the best in the country as Sam Bradford has rarely faced pressure but I expect Carlos Dunlap and Brandon Spikes of Florida to get to Bradford. For Oklahoma, losing DeMarco Murray to injury is a big blow and the running game will have to be kept up by Chris Brown and Mossis Madu. All in all, Florida is the better team, Tim Tebow will win his 2nd national championship in 4 years as Oklahoma will get humiliated again on the big stage in the BCS.
Result: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14
MVP: Tim Tebow 232 passing yards, 2 TD; 109 rushing touchdowns, TD
Honorable Mention: Percy Harvin 14 touches for 171 yards, TD
*With Florida's win, the SEC has won the last 3 national championships
*Oklahoma has lost 5 straight BCS games (in the same time span, Texas hasn't lost)
Recap: Nothing was talked about except the two high powered offenses, and Florida's defense. Nobody really gave Oklahoma's defense a chance and credit them for holding their ground in the 1st half. This was an Oklahoma defense that gave up 45 points to Texas, 41 to Oklahoma State, and held Florida to 24.
Nobody expected this to be a low scoring game, but going into halftime it was tied at 7-7. Oklahoma was driving with time running out in the half before Sam Bradford was intercepted by Major Wright inside the 5 yard line.
Percy Harvin's availability for this game was in question with his high ankle sprain. It was reported that he'd be playing at 90% and that was good enough because no one can contain him, 100% or not. Harvin gained 121 yards on the ground with 9 carries and 50 yards through the air including his 2 yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter out of the 'wildcat' formation which Florida calls the "snap it to Percy" formation.
Sam Bradford threw his second interception of the game in the 4th quarter to Ahmad Black that went through the hands of Bradford's receiver Juaquin Iglesias. That led to Florida's final score in Tim Tebow's 4 yard pass to David Nelson.
Oklahoma thought they were handling the dynamic run game of Florida until the Gators went back to their own version of the triple option in which Oklahoma had no answer in defending.
Oklahoma's offense has had 22 scoring drives of a minute or less this season and got the ball back with 3 minutes and down by 10 points. Once again, as we all saw happen against Texas, Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford FLOPPED when attempting a 4th quarter comeback. The Gators played tenacious defense, stopping the Oklahoma number 1 offense in the country. On 4th down and 4, Florida corner Joe Haden broke up the pass forcing Oklahoma to turn it over on downs. From there, Florida kept the ball in the hands of it's leader on and off the field, Tim Tebow and ran out the clock when they could have taken the Bob Stoops approach of Oklahoma and scored again (son of a bitch runs up the score every time). Great win for the Florida Gators. They didn't play their best, but they played their hardest. In this game, Florida got exposed, but Oklahoma got embarrassed.
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