BCS DREAMS CIRCLING THE DRAIN AS BOISE LOSES IN O.T.
As a college football fan, the Boise State-Nevada game was an emotional roller coaster. How the fans of both schools handled the last 5-minutes of regulation & into overtime, I can only imagine. Boise's BCS dreams are over after losing in overtime 34-31 to #19 Nevada. It was sad to see their dreams crushed, but in the end they have no one but themselves to blame.
The Broncos cruised to a 24-7 halftime lead, seemingly in control, but after 9-play 58-yard touchdown drive in the 3rd quarter, Nevada was back in the game to stay. The zebras blew a muffed fair catch that Boise recovered, they gave the ball back to Nevada. They promptly marched 68-yards for another touchdown, pulling within 3 points of the #4 ranked Broncos. In the meantime, Boise wasn't doing anything to help keep their defense off the field, 3 & out, 3 & out, 3 & out.
After the Wolfpack tied the score at 24 at the 6-minute mark of the 4th quarter, they were beginning to celebrate in Reno. As Lee Corso would say, "not so fast my friend." After the kickoff was returned to the Boise 21, QB Kellen Moore calmly floated a screen pass to RB Doug Martin & he did the rest, breaking tackles & leaving defenders frozen with a cut, taking it all the way, 79-yards for the go-ahead score with just under 6-minutes to play.
Nevada used all but 13-seconds to tie the game on a 7-yard touchdown pass from QB Colin Kaepernick to WR Rishard Mathews. The Reno fans were rocking Mackay Stadium while the Boise faithful stood in silent disbelief.
Taking a squib kickoff back to the 37-yardline, Boise had a long way to go & only 9-seconds to do it. Moore calmly dropped back & hit a streaking Titus Young at the Nevada 9-yardline, Young making a sensational diving grab & the clock stopped with 2-seconds remaining. Nevada had no timeouts left, so they couldn't freeze the kicker & Kyle Brotzman, who had been 13 of 16 this season, missed the 26-yard attempt, barely pushing it right of the upright. O.T. here we go.
To make a long story short, the Broncos couldn't make a first down & had to settle for a 29-yard FG attempt, Brotzman hooked it left, no good. It was now apparent Boise State & their BCS hopes & dreams, were going down the drain. Nevada couldn't manage a first down either, but when Anthony Martinez trotted out on the field, even tho he'd already had one blocked, you knew he wasn't going to miss & he didn't, straight thru from 34-yards.
Boise State's 24-game winning streak was over, as were their national championship & Rose Bowl dreams. It marked the 2nd loss in Kellen Moore's career. The haters will be out in full force tomorrow, "Boise choked when they finally played a decent team." Maybe they did, I know their kicker really let them down. The call for Ohio State to make a BCS bowl game will be loud tomorrow after they beat a mediocre Michigan team, another one of their "murderer's row." Now Boise will be relegated to an also-ran bowl against a big conference 3rd or 4th place team. Boise will bury them & then all the haters will again line up to take their shots. it was fun while it lasted, but the Boise State Broncos, their supporters & the BCS haters nationwide were hoping for a miracle, it was not to be.
I'll get over it early on tomorrow, Missouri-Kansas, 11:30 AM kickoff at Arrowhead. Try to catch it on your local FOXSports channel. Tigers by four scores. LSU-Arkansas at 2:30 on CBS & "Bedlam" in Stillwater, OU at Okie State, 7PM on ABC.
The Broncos cruised to a 24-7 halftime lead, seemingly in control, but after 9-play 58-yard touchdown drive in the 3rd quarter, Nevada was back in the game to stay. The zebras blew a muffed fair catch that Boise recovered, they gave the ball back to Nevada. They promptly marched 68-yards for another touchdown, pulling within 3 points of the #4 ranked Broncos. In the meantime, Boise wasn't doing anything to help keep their defense off the field, 3 & out, 3 & out, 3 & out.
After the Wolfpack tied the score at 24 at the 6-minute mark of the 4th quarter, they were beginning to celebrate in Reno. As Lee Corso would say, "not so fast my friend." After the kickoff was returned to the Boise 21, QB Kellen Moore calmly floated a screen pass to RB Doug Martin & he did the rest, breaking tackles & leaving defenders frozen with a cut, taking it all the way, 79-yards for the go-ahead score with just under 6-minutes to play.
Nevada used all but 13-seconds to tie the game on a 7-yard touchdown pass from QB Colin Kaepernick to WR Rishard Mathews. The Reno fans were rocking Mackay Stadium while the Boise faithful stood in silent disbelief.
Taking a squib kickoff back to the 37-yardline, Boise had a long way to go & only 9-seconds to do it. Moore calmly dropped back & hit a streaking Titus Young at the Nevada 9-yardline, Young making a sensational diving grab & the clock stopped with 2-seconds remaining. Nevada had no timeouts left, so they couldn't freeze the kicker & Kyle Brotzman, who had been 13 of 16 this season, missed the 26-yard attempt, barely pushing it right of the upright. O.T. here we go.
To make a long story short, the Broncos couldn't make a first down & had to settle for a 29-yard FG attempt, Brotzman hooked it left, no good. It was now apparent Boise State & their BCS hopes & dreams, were going down the drain. Nevada couldn't manage a first down either, but when Anthony Martinez trotted out on the field, even tho he'd already had one blocked, you knew he wasn't going to miss & he didn't, straight thru from 34-yards.
Boise State's 24-game winning streak was over, as were their national championship & Rose Bowl dreams. It marked the 2nd loss in Kellen Moore's career. The haters will be out in full force tomorrow, "Boise choked when they finally played a decent team." Maybe they did, I know their kicker really let them down. The call for Ohio State to make a BCS bowl game will be loud tomorrow after they beat a mediocre Michigan team, another one of their "murderer's row." Now Boise will be relegated to an also-ran bowl against a big conference 3rd or 4th place team. Boise will bury them & then all the haters will again line up to take their shots. it was fun while it lasted, but the Boise State Broncos, their supporters & the BCS haters nationwide were hoping for a miracle, it was not to be.
I'll get over it early on tomorrow, Missouri-Kansas, 11:30 AM kickoff at Arrowhead. Try to catch it on your local FOXSports channel. Tigers by four scores. LSU-Arkansas at 2:30 on CBS & "Bedlam" in Stillwater, OU at Okie State, 7PM on ABC.
Comments