Rose Bowl Game

I've never run a marathon but I'd imagine watching the fifth game of the day is kind like hitting the 18th or 19th mile, if it included sitting in a chair for eight hours.

Wisconsin vs. Stanford

A game of two teams that play your daddy's football.  Run, run and run some more.  Of course, the game features the theme of bowl season, a coaching change.  Wisconsin's Bret Bielema left to take the Arkansas job so current athletic director and former head coach Barry Alvarez is back to coach the Badgers.  With Ohio State ineligible, I would have much rather have seen Northwestern in this game to represent the Big 10 but they ain't here. 

Stanford is coming off another very good season, having beat Oregon in their PAC 12 division and a win over UCLA to make it to Pasadena.

I watched all of this one, being the only game on.  As always, one of the most beautiful settings in all of sports. The games are really starting to get on Mrs. Keith's nerves. She must have asked six times today if I was tired of watching football.  I've done this now for seven straight years, you'd think she knows what days the most games are on.  Today is one of those days.

This game was expected to be a grinder and it was.  Stanford able to grind better than Wisconsin, getting a score on their first couple drives, forcing the Badgers to play catch up all game.  Wisconsin came alive in the second quarter, adding two touchdowns, making this a game.  17-14 Stanford at the half.

The second half was old style, Big 10 football.  A defensive battle between the 30's.  Cleanly played, not too many penalties.  Stanford finally put together a long, clock eating drive but couldn't convert to into the end zone.  20-14 but not much time left.

Finally, the game ending turnover, Wisconsin with an interception, game over.  Both teams with a great effort in a well played game.

Stanford 20  Wisconsin 14

Game notes:

-This was Stanford's first Rose Bowl win since 1972.  The Big 10 is 1-9 in their last nine Rose Bowl games.

-It's often speculated that Brett Musberger gambles on college games and you can tell what team he has money on by the way he calls a game.  If that's so, he had Wisconsin and the points today.  If he did, he lost.

-Famed anthropologist Jane Goodall was the Rose Parade grand marshall and was on the field for the coin toss.

 
The pregame emcee pronounced her last name "Goodell," as in the NFL commissioner.  Is it asking too much to learn how to say someone's name? 

-Swag for the players:  A trip to and through the gift suite, Fossil watch, Oakley backpack, New Era Thirty9 Thirty cap.  What, no football?

-While I was watching the game I found my BowlQuest VII souvenir for the year, a Schutt bowl game mini helmet.

Why the Sun Bowl?  Because it was the only bowl game mini helmet I could find on ebay.  Last year, I bought an Armed Forces Bowl scarf.  Such is BowlQuest.

I had Stanford in this one, making me 5-for-5 on the day.  Need Florida State to win for the New Year's Day pick 6.  After tonight, we get to single game situations the rest of the way. 

Outback Bowl/Capital One Bowl

Two marquee games for the Big 10 to make a statement against the SEC.  Keep those remote control batteries fresh.

It appears that Capital One has finally tired of the vikings they've been using in their ads for the past couple years, favoring Jimmy Fallon and Alec Baldwin.  Probably a good choice.

#23 Nebraska vs. #7 Georgia

Two big boy programs, with the Cornhuskers coming off a beating at the hands of Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship Game while Georgia went down to Alabama in the SEC Championship game.  Which team would be more interested in ending a disappointing season on an up note?

This was actually the fourth game I worked in for the day, picking it up in the third quarter.  Nebraska's "black shirt" defense must have gone on winter break before the Big 10 championship game and stayed on vacation for this bowl game.  Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray lit up the Nebraska defense for five touchdown passes.  Murray made a case for coming out early with the draft stock of so many other college QB's falling in these games.

Georgia wasn't playing great defense either, and this game was tight at 31-31 going into the fourth quarter.  The last two Bulldogs scores cemented this one with Nebraska having no late game heroics in them.  At least they didn't give up 70 like they did to Wisconsin. But still, 115 points in two games doesn't make Bo Pelini happy.

Georgia 45  Nebraska 31

Game notes:

-The games first score came on a blocked punt that went into the end zone but not one of the several Georgia players near the ball could get a handle on it and it went through the end zone for a safety.  Someone needed to cue up the Benny Hill music.

-Nebraska has inexplicably come apart on defense, giving up 589 yards to Georgia following the debacle in Indy in December.

-Huskers head coach Bo Pelini has a Twitter account and follows eight other accounts.  Seven of them are Nebraska related.  The other is the Cleveland Indians.

-Bowl swag:  $420 shopping trip to a local Best Buy, Fossil watch.  Note, the players can only use the money at Best Buy during the team's official trip to the store.

-This game is the former Tangerine Bowl.  I miss the old bowls. 

Having seen Nebraska fall apart against Wisconsin, I had Georgia to win this one.

One last chance for the Big 10 to make a statement against another very good SEC team.  If you've seen Michigan play all season, which I did, you're not giving them much of a chance.

Michigan vs. South Carolina 

I caught the second quarter of this game and then was back for maybe the most exciting finish to a game all season, let alone the bowl games.

It's really too bad there are so many games instead of a rational amount so fans could see all the games instead of switching constantly.  What, normal people don't watch every game?  Okay then.  You get my point.  Spread out good match-ups instead of serving up games with Tulsa and Ball State.

From what I saw, this was a really good back and forth game.  I thought South Carolina would blow out the Wolverines.  Michigan really didn't have much in the way of impressive wins all season (MSU could and should have beat them, try throwing long once or twice Dan Roushar).

Huge game for South Carolina's Ace Sanders who had three touchdowns including a 63-yard punt return for a score.  And check this hit by the Gamecocks Jadeveon Clowney in the fourth quarter.

Good grief.  This guy should be the number pick in the NFL draft.

Michigan did strike late and had a 28-27 lead but South Carolina was not to be denied and went in for the score late.  You knew the old ball coach Steve Spurrier wasn't going to try a field goal.

South Carolina 33  Michigan 28

Game notes:

-There have been some really good games in the giant mound of bowls but this finish was the best.  Both teams really wanted this one and the bigger, faster, more talented team won in the end.

-I really wish I had watched more of this game.  I love seeing Michigan lose. That's probably not healthy.

-Sure, there was bowl week fun for the teams including Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson meeting a giraffe.

-Bowl swag:  So so, $150 Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, ring, cap, Outback Steakhouse gift card.


-Because South Carolina won, Outback Steakhouse is offering a free bloomin' onion January 2nd.  If it's anything like the offer they made to veterans in November, you'll be waiting at least an hour to get a table.  Americans love free crap.

-And for those that have some love of conference, thankfully Northwestern won earlier.  

Bowl picks taking a serious uptick today.  Big surprise, all teams I've seen play.  4-for-4 today with two more games to go. 

Heart of Texas Bowl/Gator Bowl

Lots of games to start the day, meaning one quarter of each, back to back.  Will the Big 10 finally shut up some of the barking about the SEC?  Can Northwestern win its first bowl game since Truman was President?

Oklahoma State vs. Purdue

This one was over when they announced the bowl match-ups.  The clear and obvious top confidence choice in your college bowl confidence pool.  (One guy in the pool I'm in had this game for only eight points.  Okay.)

Purdue is only in the this game because Ohio State and Penn State were not eligible for postseason play. If they had been, Michigan State would likely have been in this game.  The Cowboys were 17 point favorites, which seemed low but Vegas tries to keep money on both sides of the line.

Purdue didn't beat a team with a winning record all season and came limping into Dallas losers of three of their last four.  Their head coach had been fired.  They probably had the team bus break down on the way to the stadium and had to fix it themselves.  (It is an engineering school.)

Five Boilermaker turnovers is the only stat you need to know about.  I watched the first quarter and that was plenty with so many other games underway or coming up.

Oklahoma State 58  Purdue 14

Game notes:

-Here's how bad it was.  Early on, Purdue decided to go for a fake punt deep on their own side of the field. That led to an easy Cowboys score.  Then down 14-0 still in the first, Purdue decided to try a field goal at the Oklahoma State's 17-yard line.  What?

-Plenty of leg room at the old Cotton Bowl for this game.

-This game was a big bowl game step back for an Oklahoma State team that was better than its 7-5 record.  Last year this team was a breath away from the BCS title game.

-If this game went away, no one would care. Toss in the Little Caesars Bowl, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and the BBVA Compass Bowl and get the total down to 31.  Still too many games, but that would be a good start.

-Bowl swag:  Lousy game, lousy gifts for the players - Backpacks, long-sleeve dry-fit shirts, stocking caps.

Obviously I picked this one correctly, with my highest confidence pick, 35.

Northwestern vs. Mississippi State

COWBELLS...COWBELLS...COWBELLS...COWBELLS...COWBELLS...COWBELLS

Yeah, another bowl game with the well traveling Bulldogs fans from Starkeville who shake their cowbells from the opening kick to the final whistle.  This is by far the most annoying fan base in all 35 games of BowlQuest.  I find myself having to turn the sound way down because the bell ringing never ends.

The big story here is Northwestern having not won a bowl game in their last nine tries and not having won a game since the 1949 Rose Bowl.

Turnovers again the number one factor in a game, with Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell throwing four of them.

I arrived in the second quarter of this game with Northwestern already up 10-0.  Mississippi State would answer with a touchdown (COWBELLS) and it looked like a game at half, 13-7.  I turned the game off at this point to start watching the Outback Bowl.

Back in the fourth quarter to see if the Wildcats can get it done.  And they did.  Russell threw his fourth interception inside the red zone with less than 10 minutes to play.  Northwestern added one more score and was able to overcome three of their own turnovers to win the game and get the bowl monkey off their back.

Northwestern 34  Mississippi State 20

-The Big 10 scores a win over the monolithic SEC!  Two more B10 vs. SEC games going on at the same time.

-Pat Fitzgerald is a really good coach and I'm surprised more bigger schools haven't made a run at him. He has tons of energy and his players really seem to buy in to his program and style of coaching.

-Taxslayer is back for a second year as bowl game sponsor.  They do your taxes for $9.99 and have Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a spokesperson.  Earnhardt drove the Taxslayer car onto the field before the game.

"Get the damn car off my lawn!" 

-Bowl swag:  Okay, not great.  Fossil watch, Dome hat, Mercury garment bag and carry-on bag, Jostens ring, football.  Nice touch, the game sent the players their luggage before the game with their names stamped on each piece.  

I had Northwestern in this one because I believed they would get it done.  And I wanted to see 20,000 bell ringing nitwits go home unhappy.

Four games left in the day. 

Liberty Bowl/Chick-Fil-A Bowl

The back half of a four game day.  Music City and USC's flat tire of a performance in the Sun Bowl down, time to head to Memphis and Atlanta.

Iowa State vs. Tulsa

The only rematch of a 2012 regular season game.  The Golden Hurricane lost up in Iowa to the Cyclones in the biggest high wind related game of the year so let's bring the storming schools together in Memphis.

After that Sun Bowl I wasn't much in the mood for a usually entertaining game.  The first quarter belonged to Iowa State but then the Tulsa running game and run defense kicked in and the Cyclones never scored again.

I was in charge of cooking dinner for New Years Eve so I had the game on while kicking around the kitchen.  For dinner, I picked up a couple pounds of shrimp for an old family favorite, barbeque shrimp St. John's Bayou.

Lots of butter, garlic and spices on the shrimp on crusty, toasted bread. Easy to make and delicious.  A tossed salad and a couple glasses of red wine for me, nice.  This was gone quick, too.

While cooking and eating, Tulsa just ground out the second half while Iowa State could do nothing.

Hero of the game, Tulsa running back Trey Watts, the son of former Oklahoma great J.C. Watts.  He carried the ball for 149 yards, leading a Tulsa ground attack that put up 320 total yards.

Tulsa 31  Iowa State 17

Game Notes:

-This is one of the older bowl games, back when going to a bowl was a real reward for a good season.  It started in Philadelphia (check the logo) in 1959 but small crowds forced the game to move.  The next destination was Atlantic City in 1964 inside the convention center to avoid the cold weather.  The first indoor game in bowl history, played on a 4-inch thick pad of real grass and 2-inches of burlap underneath.

If the end zones look a bit small, it's because they were only eight yards deep.  Utah whipped West Virginia in the game and it was moved in 1965 to Memphis, where it has been played ever since.

-Big turnout of Iowa State fans at the game.  At least they had the chance to have a fun New Year's Eve on Memphis' Beale Street.

-A lot of bowl games have eating competitions in the days leading up to the game and being in Memphis, the Liberty Bowl has a rib eating contest.  Ethan Tuftee bested the rest and won this Gibson guitar for his rib eating prowess.

Bowl swag - players make out nice in this game:  Sol Republic Tracks HD Anthem headphones, Bulova watch, Nike athletic shoes and sandals, Nike sunglasses, Nike backpack, football.  Bulova, not Fossil, classy.

I thought the Cyclones would win again despite their 6-6 record.  Wrong.

I was making no friends at home with the fourth game of the day so I knew it was probably going to be a one quarter game despite the best match-up of bowl season so far.

#14 Clemson vs. #8 LSU

What a good first quarter.  Both teams were jacked up and ready to play.  We haven't seen much of that in bowl games so far.  Right off the bat, Clemson loses its big play maker Sammy Watkins and LSU takes the ball in for a score.  The game turned into the Tajh Boyd show, Clemson's quarterback who is destined for the NFL.  He lead a swarming, high energy Clemson attack to an answering score, 7-7 first quarter.

My needed quarter in, I acquiesced to the family and flipped things over the all night tribute to Dick Clark on ABC.  Although I was missing the best bowl game so far, it was fun watching the old American Bandstand and New Year's Rockin' Eve clips. A serious lack of Kool & The Gang though.  They were New Year's Rockin' Eve when I was a kid.

While Clemson was winning the game in dramatic fashion, we were hanging with Ryan Seacrest and a shrieking Jenny McCarthy in Times Square.  Ms. McCarthy kept squawking about needing someone to kiss at midnight!!!  In Los Angeles, Fergie was holding things down in an obviously recorded situation.  We counted down to midnight, sprayed some cheap champagne around and sounded an air horn to ring in 2013.

Clemson 25  LSU 24

12/31/12 was not my day - I wrongly picked all four games and Michigan State lost to Minnesota in basketball in their Big 10 Opener.  Hope my picks for New Year's Day work out better.

Music City Bowl/Sun Bowl

Bowl favorites are not favorites to win.  Seems to be the way this bowl season is playing out.  Between coaching changes, failed season expectations, injured players and utter indifference, being favored to win means nothing in these games.  Add in a heaping helping of too many games and you get the abundance of bad football that's been played out over these games so far. 

North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt

I started this game with the boys at the Gaslight Cafe in Pleasant Ridge.  This was an abbreviated version our annual Christmas tradition we call Man Day.  Just the guys out for lunch, shopping and maybe a few beers for Dad along the way.  We couldn't get it in this earlier because they didn't get off from school until the Friday before Christmas and Mrs. Keith and I were out of town that weekend.  So today was the last chance.

The Gaslight Cafe was the destination because the Gaslight burger is ranked as the #4 burger in town by Cincinnati magazine.

Boy #2 and I went for it while Boy #1 must be watching his figure and went for the quarter pound burger.  It's one tasty burger.  And if you go, stick with the chips.  The large crinkle cut fries were a disappointment. The house made chili wasn't bad but too much alongside this monster.

Turns out the Gaslight didn't have the bowl game, favoring the U.C. basketball game.  No problem, these games drag on so I'd catch a quarter of the second half at home.  As noted many times, I've been subbing for my morning show, so the belly buster of a burger combined with mild exhaustion equaled me laying on the couch for the third quarter.

Blah.  Vanderbilt put up 21 points in the second quarter and that's all she wrote in this one.  This game was another with a coaching change, with Jim O'Brien getting the boot in Raleigh so we'll chalk up the Wolf Pack's poor play to that.  As is common in these games, turnovers are a huge factor and NC State's Mike Glennon had three of them with interceptions.

North Carolina State outgained Vanderbilt by 214 yards.  That's seriously inefficient.  

Vandy 38  NC State 24

Game Notes:

-This was Vanderbilt's first 9-win season since 1915.  1915.  They didn't wear helmets that far back.  Commodores coach James Franklin certainly deserves some votes for coach of the year.  He's turned a doormat program into a solid second tier player in the S.E.C.

-Another quarterback hurting his draft stock with lackluster to poor play, this time NC State's Mike Glennon.  Three picks isn't going to get you paid come April, Mike.

-The highlight of NC State's season was ruining Florida State's season when they beat them in October.  That win gave us my favorite football fan picture of the year.

I'm guessing that guy would really enjoy the Gaslight Cafe.

Swag bag for players:  Just like this game, blah.  A trip through the gift suite and a Fossil watch.  Fossil, the official watch of bowl game gift suites.  Bowl sponsor Franklin American should at least offer players parents a discount on a re-fi.

Of course, I picked NC State to win.  Bowl record started to swirl.

The Sun Bowl is sponsored by Hyundai but I like this Vitalis logo better.  I'm taking the Sun Bowl as seriously as the Trojans of USC did.

Southern Cal vs. Georgia Tech

What an embarrassment for Southern Cal, a team that was a preseason favorite to play for (and win) a national championship.  Obviously that didn't happen as they found themselves in El Paso on December 31st.

I put this game on after it was clear the Music City Bowl was a done deal.  I had doubts about Southern Cal in this game because of starting quarterback Matt Barkley being out with a case of "I don't want to get hurt in this meaningless game" and the Trojans being relegated by their own doing to this game instead of something on New Year's Day or later.

Another turnover plagued game with a real lack of effort and game planning by Southern Cal.  They had no  answer to Tech's triple option attack and couldn't find a way to get the ball to their two soon-to-be-NFL playing wide receivers.  No one on offense really seemed to be trying. 

USC head coach Lane Kiffin was dressed as the Unibomber, in a hoodie and shades, maybe hoping no one would recognize him and the awful job he and his staff did all season and for this game. Here's Lane looking thrilled to be part of some pregame folderol.

George Tech 21  USC 7

Game notes:

-This is the only bowl game on CBS because ESPN loves showing crappy football.  Vern Lundquist and Gary Danielson, the SEC A-Team, are called in to do this game yearly.  These guys get to be in El Paso every New Year's Eve day.  Lucky them.
 When it was clear that USC had no intention of making a real effort, they told the story of how Kiffin and his team blew off the bowl game dinner that is planned for both teams.  El Paso takes a lot of pride in this game, their only time each year in the annual spotlight.  They were both obviously disgusted with the team's lack of manners and consideration for the people that put on this game and were waiting to tell this story to shame USC. That they did.

-If they don't jump on a private jet to go home, what can Vern and Gary do on New Year's Eve in El Paso?  Well, the "stars" of American Idol are performing at the nearby Inn of the Mountain Gods.  Yes, that's a real place.  There is an outdoor ball drop at the Lotus club including a performance by the band Biscuit Roller.  Or they can go R&B at the Sunland horse race track with the velvety sounds of Sha'Vone.

-Player swag:  Timely watch, Majestic fleece, Top of the World cap, coin, Helen of Troy hair dryer.  The only game that gives away a hair dryer.  Maybe a late Christmas present for mom, yeah?

Got this one wrong too, picking Southern Cal.  I probably shouldn't gamble.

Finishing the Liberty Bowl now and on to the nightcap, hopefully a good game between Clemson and LSU.  Aw, who am I kidding, it's the ACC vs. the SEC, it will likely be a beat down. Maybe I can pick one game correctly. 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl

After a day of games that started at 11:45am, we hit the Saturday night finale.  Serious doubts about reaching the final whistle.

Before my scattered memories of this game, props to the Buffalo Wild Wing folks who gave a clinic on in-stadium branding.  They left no doubt what company was sponsoring this game.  Beef 'O' Brady's could learn a thing or two from BWW.

TCU vs. Michigan State

From the outset, all bowl predictions were for a close game dominated by defense.  That's been the forecast for every single MSU game this season so why change now?

But oh my.  The Spartans offense looked like it somehow regressed since their last game in November, and there wasn't much room to move backwards.  And despite how good MSU's defense has been, they must also lead the NCAA in giving up a big play followed by a crushing penalty to add 15 yards.

They did all that in the first half and more.  Quarterback Andrew Maxwell looked completely lost, they couldn't get Le'Veon Bell and the running game going and when the receivers did get near the ball, they dropped it as often as they caught it.

Despite a shank, punter Mike Sadler was the first half MVP, pinning the Horned Frogs deep a number of times.  There was also possibly the worst trick play ever in MSU history - an attempted half back pass that wound up going back to Maxwell who almost threw an interception.  Oh for the days of George Perles.

Instead of seeing that play one more time, how about Little Giants?  

13-0 TCU after two quarters and it could have been much worse.

(At this point I'll be honest, it was well past 12am and I had been up since 6am to drive my daughter to work.  My eyes, having seen enough horrible football during the day, could not stay open much longer.)

The MSU offense continued to misfire to start the third quarter.  Fortunately MSU's defense knows how to play games like this and kept TCU out of the end zone.  Finally, the Spartans shook up the offense and put freshman Connor Cook in at QB, leading to the Spartans longest touchdown drive in their bowl history.  13-7 and there was life.  The drive did include a drive saving pass not from Cook, but Bell.  One can only imagine what this season would have been without him. 

Was there a fourth quarter comeback in store for Sparty?  Evidently so but I didn't see it.  Fell asleep.  Just could not keep my eyes open, and no, I wasn't boozing it up.  I even had some iced tea for a bit of caffeine to try and help the cause.  I have no idea what ESPN was thinking other than wanting a prime time game for the west coast.  This game could have been on ABC at 8pm, you know, like every week during the regular season.  I think our local ABC affiliate was showing an infomercial for the Schtickie.  

Punting hero Mike Sadler, who will play on Sundays, sent a 55 yarder back to TCU after another stalled MSU drive and finally, a break!  Muffed punt, Spartans recover.  Bell takes it in and it's 14-13.  But  it's the Spartans so count on more drama.  TCU manages a drive and a field goal from kicker Jaden Oberkrom.  No, he did not Oberkrombie and Flinch!  (That's some Berman-like top dollar humor right there.)

Since I wasn't awake, the finish from the AP:  Starting at their own 25-yard line, the Spartans moved 45 yards in eight plays, setting up Conroy for his second game-winner in a bowl after beating Georgia with a 28-yarder in the third overtime of the 2012 Outback Bowl.

A nice way to wake up Sunday morning.  MSU 17  TCU 16.   NO WAY did I see the Spartans coming back to win after the putrid first half performance.  Credit to Mark Dantonio for not letting the team give up but there are a lot of things that need to be addressed for next season. 

Game notes:

-MSU is the only team in the calendar year to punt 11 times and still win.  Key point, better to punt than turnover the ball not that Spartans didn't try.

-Nice game for Le'Veon Bell in what's likely his final game in green and white.  32 carries, 145 yards, a touchdown and that pass.  We'll just forget about that trick play in the first half.

-Also, a good end after a shaky season for kicker Dan Conroy.  For a guy who was great his junior year, Conroy's misses this year probably cost MSU a 9-3 record.

-A tiger at the Phoenix Zoo picked the Spartans to win, so did I.

-Not much in the way of swag for players:  Gift suite, Fossil watch, Ogio Mercur backpack. Hopefully a Buffalo Wild Wings gift card was in there.

-Did you know Buffalo Wild Wings is the number one account for Dos Equis and Guinness beer in the U.S.?

-Pretty excited about MSU's victory that gave them a winning record?  Maybe you should pop for this smart looking Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl sweater vest. 

 Too Tressel like for you?  Maybe this neon green BWW Bowl lanyard is more your speed.

Me either.  A positive note to the end the season and a break in the bowl games until Monday. 

Alamo Bowl

First match-up of ranked teams.  After three games in the day and the MSU game coming up around 2am, I had zero interest in this one.

#23 Texas vs. #13 Oregon State

Hey, no coaching changes.  But player changes galore for Texas, suspending two players a week or so back and then sending quarterback Case McCoy and another player home for violating team rules.

The roster shake up seemed to have the Longhorns on their heels in the first half, leaving them down 20-10 at the half.  It could have been worse as the Beavers settled for a couple field goals.

Second half, the Alex Okafor show.  Second half beast mode for defensive players has been a growing theme through these games.  The Texas defensive lineman finished with 4.5 sacks (a new Alamo Bowl record!), leading the team that sacked the Oregon State QB 11 times.  Okafor, like Kyle Van Noy from BYU and the Estonian kid of SMU, made a lot of money thanks to this performance.

Back to the Texas QB situation.  David Ash, who replaced McCoy (Colt's little brother), rallied the Longhorns in the fourth quarter.  This is when I turned the game back on after watching an episode of Boardwalk Empire.  I'm just starting to get into the HBO show.  Moves kind of slow but captures the period.

Anyhow, Ash hit for a touchdown pass with a couple minutes to play to give Texas their first lead of the game and it stuck.

Oregon State did have one more shot but their QB continued to get pummeled into the turf in San Antonio.

Texas 31  Oregon St. 27

Game notes:

-A whole lot of orange in San Antonio. 

-Great security there in the Alamodome. At least the guy kept his clothes on.

-Players make out with the bowl swag, one of the best hauls of any game:  Apple iPad mini, Fossil watch, $100 Best Buy gift card, panoramic team photo, Schutt mini helmet.  I'd like to find one of these bowl game mini helmets on ebay.

I had Oregon State in this one, drifting to .500.  Need the Spartans to win in Tempe.  I'm sure their offense will look razor sharp...