BRACKET #13
(13) 1988 Notre Dame - 31
(525) 2000 Clemson - 17
Quite possibly Lou Holtz's best team in the tourny, they did not disappoint in this one, as Tommy Bowden had no answer for the Notre Dame D. The Defensive trio of Chris Zorich, Mike Stonebreaker and Frank Stams, shut down the rushing offense of the Tigers and limited the dynamic Woodrow Dantzler to a very rough day. Clemson started out strong on the opening drive as Dantzler hit Rod Gardner on the games first play for 58 yards and set up a short Travis Zachary touchdown. Then a fumble by QB Tony Rice on their opening drive set up another short yardage touchdown by Zachary and Clemson was up 14-0 after 5 minutes, it looked the upset of the tournament. But then the Rocket took off and returned the next kickoff for a 82 yard touchdown, then the rest of the afternoon Woodrow was pounded into the turf and was limited to 60 yards total offense in the second half. Also the Irish offense stabilized with Tony Rice and he led them to the next round. Stat line: LB Frank Stams 10 tackles 6 Tfls 4 sacks.
(269) 1985 UCLA - 25
(244) 2005 TCU - 24
In a game that game down to one play it was UCLA wideout Mike Sherrard in the back of the end zone and getting the one foot down over TCU DB Marvin White to give the Bruins their only touchdown of the day and secure the victory and move on to the next round. UCLA kicker John Lee was the story in this one kicking 6 FG's as the TCU defense played a great game until the the very last play. DL Chase Ortiz and Tommy Blake were the 3rd down specialists in this one stifling the Bruin offense 10 times in the redzone, keeping the score close all game. With the score 18-17, QB Tye Gunn filling in for the injured Jeff Ballard ran for a 25 yard touchdown to put the Frogs up 24-18. After a very good 50 yard kick off return by Mel Farr Jr. at the 3 minute mark it set up the drive to cap the victory.
(141) 2001 Florida - 37
(372) 1979 Purdue - 16
The Fun and Gun was alive and well in this one as the Gators had their way with the very overmatched Purdue squad led by Jim Young. Purdue QB Mark Herrman was sacked 8 times on the day and was knocked out the game several times in this one. Gator DL Alex Brown led the charge with 5 sacks and Tron Lafavor 2 sacks, Mike Nattiel and Andra Davis with 1 each limited the Boilermakers to only 160 yards total offense. The Gator secondary also showed up with Lito Sheppard picking off two passes (one for a TD) and Marquand Manuel getting the other as this was over before it started. The Gator OL gave QB Rex Grossman all day to pick apart the defense and hit 8 different players with 2 or more receptions on the day. TB Ernest Graham also rushed for 150 yards and this Florida team maybe one to watch in the next round. The is another team in which it is probably the coaches best as Steve Spurrier leds these Gators to the next round.
(397) 2007 BYU - 20
(116) 1987 Syracuse - 26
This was a battle between two prolific offenses from two decades. BYU led by Max Hall and the Cuse QB Don McPhearson, but it was a defensive play by DL Rob Burnett that sealed the victory for the Orangemen. Max Hall who passed for 340 yards was pressed on the last play and chased down by Burnett and fumbled into the waiting arms of LB Terry Bowden, which set up a 25 yard touchdown from McPhearson to WR Tommy Kane to put the Orange up for good.
Bracket Semifinals:
(13) 1988 Notre Dame vs (269) 1985 UCLA
(116) 1987 Syracuse vs (141) 2001 Florida
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BRACKET #52
(77) 1993 Notre Dame - 31
(589) 2007 Cincinnati - 23
The pesky Bearcats almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tourny, but it was a Bobby Taylor interception of Dustin Grutza, and returned it for a touchdown in the 4th to seal the victory for the Irish. DL Brian Young's pressure on Grutza forced him to make a quick decision and it cost the Bearcats the game. Despite the interception the Bearcats D held the Irish to only 320 total offense. DT Terril Byrd got 5 TFLS and the dynamic duo of DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens each had a intercepion of QB Kevin McDougal. The star for the Irish offense in this game was RB Lee Becton who carried the Irish for 120 yards and 2 TD's, also WR Lake Dawson also added a 32 yard touchdown. So Brian Kelly in his 1st year with the Bearcats, came close to pulling off the upset of the tournament.
(333) 1994 Colorado State - 26
(180) 1997 UCLA - 34
In another close game it took the special teams of Colorado State to keep the game close but it was Cade McNown to Danny Farmer too much as the Bruin slide by to the next round. Colorado State used a Fake punt by Punter Matt McDougal to complete a pass to DB Andre Strode streaking down the sideline to cut the lead to 20-17. After a long drive by the Bruins to get down to the 32 yard line, a blocked FG by Ram DB Ray Jackson brought the Rams down to the UCLA 19. After 3 plays, Anthony Hill then pitched to EJ Watson and he pushed in way in the endzone to give the Rams their first lead of the game at 23-20(Rams missed the xp). After the fireworks of the Rams special teams were over it was the Cade to Farmer show. At the start of the 4th quarter Cade hit Farmer on one drive 6 times and set up a short Skip Hicks 5 yard TD, then later in the 4th after a UCLA S Shaun Williams interception of QB Anthony Hill, Danny Farmer caught a 62 yard touchdown to secure the 3rd round victory. Stat line: Skip Hicks 15 carries 141 yards.
(205) 2000 Oregon - 20
(308) 1996 Alabama - 21
In a very close battle, it was a Interception of Joey Harrington by Alabama DB Fernando Bryant in the final drive to seal the victory for the Tide. Joey Harrington was batted around in the first half by Michael Myers and Duane Rudd limiting him to only 120 yards passing at the half. In the second half it was all Harrington, with his team down 14-0, he hit WR Keenan Howry for a 60 yard TD and then on the next drive found a wide open Justin Peele in the end zone to knot the game up at 14-14. Then the game came down to four plays in the 4th quarter, Bama QB Freddie Kitchens, who played very close to vest all day tried to thread the needle to WR Calvin Hill but it was picked off by Oregon Ball hawk Rashad Bauman. Then on the following play Joey Harrington hit TB Maurice Morris in the flat and he did the rest scoring from 42 yards out and making the score 20-14(missed XP by Josh Frankel, who kick was tipped by DT Ozell Powell). After that the Tide went on a methodical 14 play drive with RB tandem Dennis Riddle and Shaun Alexander, and a crucial 3rd down completion to TE Rod Rutledge to set up the 5 yard screen up the middle score by Riddle, which gave the Tide the 21-20 advantage. But Joey Harrington didn't give up he took the Ducks down the field in 1 minute 30 but force it into double coverage and Deshea Townsend tipped the ball into the waiting hands of Fernando Bryant. Great Game!
(461) 2003 Bowling Green - 21
(52) 2002 USC - 37
This was a game of Run vs the Pass, and the pass was just too much. Bowling Green pounded the ball for 344 yards on the ground and USC threw for 424 as the Trojans move on to the next round. USC jumped all over the Falcons as Carson Palmer scored on his first 3 drives with two scores to Keary Colbert and one to Mike Williams to go out to the 21-0 lead. The Falcons looked really overmatched. But then Bowling Green coach Urban Meyer rallied his troops at the end of 1st quarter and the team responded as run game woke up and Raishuan Stover busted thru the Trojan DL and rumbled 66 yards for the Falcons first score, then on a fumble by Sultan McCullough, RB BJ Lane scored on a 14 yard run to cut the lead to 21-14. Another USC fumble by Mike Williams put the ball into Bowling QB Josh Harris with 1 minute left before the half and he drove the team 48 yards for the 6 yard scamper to knot the game at 21-21 at the half. USC coach was livid in the halftime speech to his team and they came out with a vengence after the half as Carson Palmer hit Kareem Kelly for a 52 yard score and Sultan McCullough made up for a fumble early in the game and plunged in for a 4 yard score to pull away from Urban Meyer Falcons. To add insult to injury the Trojans DB Troy Polamalu pounded QB Josh Harris in his endzone to get the safety and the Trojans celebrated by doing a tribute to the old fun bunch, which sent Urban Meyer thru the roof. Stat lines: Bowling Green RB PJ Pope 146 yards 1 TD, RB Raishaun Stover 107 yards 1 TD, USC RB Sultan McCullough 132 yards 1 TD, 9 different USC players caught a pass from Carson Palmer, Carson Palmer 372 yards 4 TD, Bowling Green had 5 sacks to USC 1.
Bracket Semifinals:
(77) 1993 Notre Dame vs (180) 1997 UCLA
(52) 2002 USC vs (308) 1996 Alabama
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