Three (more) Bowl Games

Three bowl games were played so far this week. Two of them were decided in the last minute while the third was a blowout from the opening kickoff!

Tuesday, Florida International and Marshall were tied 10 all at the half and at the end of the third quarter of the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. Only when the Thundering Herd tallied 10 in the final quarter was the game decided. Marshall was able to break the tie with a 39-yard field goal--set up after a blocked punt—with just 5:16 left. Rakeem Cato (27-39 for 226 yards and 2 TDs) hit Aaron Dobson on a 35-yard TD pass with seconds left to ice the victory.

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Wednesday, Mountain West Champions TCU squared off against Western Athletic Conference champion Louisiana Tech in the Poinsettia Bowl. This game was also tied 10-10 at the half but it was clear that the Bulldogs were outplaying the Horned frogs—right up until the last five minutes of the half. It was then that an interception set up an Ed Wesley 7-yard TD run to tie the game.

TCU’s Matthew Tucker scored another TD on a 1-yard run early in the second half, but then momentum then flipped back to Louisiana Tech as they converted two TCU turnovers into TDs to take a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter. TCU tied the game again with 7:49 to go as Luke Shivers scored on a 1-yard run capping a time consuming, 72-yard, 18-play drive. After a three-and-out series by the Bulldogs, the Horned Frogs took the lead for good when they scored on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Casey Pachall (15 of 29 for 206 yards) to Skye Dawson with 4:26 remaining. Not the last minute, but close.

TCU amassed 190 yards on the ground. Colby Cameron completed 21 of 43 passes for 264 yards and two TDs for the Bulldogs.

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Thursday evening, the Boise State Broncos rolled over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas in a game punctuated by BIG plays. The Broncos scored on the opening kickoff (100 yards by Doug Martin who also rushed for 151 yards for the night) and held a 7-0 lead with just 14 seconds off the clock.

Two first half touchdown passes by Kellen Moore and another by receiver Matt Miller gave the Broncos a 28-3 lead at the half.
When Arizona State’s Rashad Ross returned the kickoff starting the second half 98 yards for a TD it looked, for a moment, that there might be a chance for a game. Wasn’t to be, however.

The Broncos’ defense added touchdowns on a 100-yard interception return and a 26-yard interception return. And Doug Martin kept slashing through the line for yard after yard. When the night was over, he had 301 all-purpose yards, a new Las Vegas Bowl record.

While a Boise victory usually means big numbers by Kellen Moore, the biggest number he posted this time was 50. He’s the first quarterback to lead his team to 50 victories during his career. He did complete 26 of 34 for 293 yards and the two TDs. He also tossed two interceptions and fumbled once. Most unusual.

On the ASU side of the line, wide receiver Gerell Robinson set a bowl record with 241 yards on 13 catches. Brock Osweiler completed 30 of 47 passes for 395 yards and two TDs.