Bowl Quest Day 11

Moving into multiple games, ramping up each day until the Bowl-gasm on Saturday.  Tuesday night we were treated to two upsets, neither of which I predicted correctly for the ESPN Bowl Mania game so my record is now a horrible 4-7. That's good for about middle of the pack nationally.  You'd think that for someone who watches so much college football I could pick these games better but apparently not.

The Champs Sports Bowl had North Carolina State taking on West Virginia.  It was a reward for N.C. State to be in this game while it was probably not the game West Virginia expected to be in as they were favorites to win the Big East.  They were such favorites that despite their 9-3 record going into the game their coach Bill Stewart is being replaced.  The Wolfpack was obviously more motivated, coming out on top 23-7 for coach Tom O'Brien.  I checked out of this one at halftime which turned out to be a good decision.



Game Notes:
-Turnovers were the name of the game again.  West Virginia had five including four fumbles.  Lots of fumbling going on in the bowl games so far.  
-West Virginia must have the same agreement for uniforms that Oregon has with Nike.  The Mountaineers wear a different uni for every game and the ugly gray motif they wore for this game reflected their overall attitude.  Dismal looking on them and on the field.
-ESPN spent a lot of time talking to WVU Athletic Director Oliver Luck about the coaching change and his son Andrew the Heisman runner-up who is the quarterback at Stanford.  At least they were talking to Luck when WVU scored their only touchdown so he could do a fist pump on the air.  
-I've always like NC State coach Tom O'Brien when he was with Boston College and he looks to have the Wolfpack program headed in the right direction.  The win was O'Brien's 100th as a head coach.

Didn't watch this one because of the late start at 10pm.  The boy said he had it covered and would get at least one quarter.  I have no idea if he did or not but he was asleep on the couch when I left at 3:30 this morning so I'm guessing he did.  I tried calling home to ask him but the home phone was unplugged.  I then tried calling any one of the three cell phones I pay for (wife, son 1, son 2) and no one answered those either.  Glad I'm shelling out money every month for all these phones. 


12:14pm update:  The boy, on his cell phone, just texted that in the quarter he watched there was a "home run" play and then not much else happened.  He's not as wordy as I am and he also used the phrase "home run" on purpose as he knows I can't stand it when football broadcasters use it.  If it were a home run, then it would be baseball.  As football doesn't have a "home plate" it cannot be a home run, instead it's an end zone play, touchdown play or for God's sake, come up with something original.  One of many of the football announcer's lazy cliches and a huge pet peeve of mine just like when they say "reverse" when it's an end around.



Iowa surprised No. 12 Missouri 27-24.  We may be getting some guest blogging by an Iowa fan later today.


5:30pm:  Here's the update from Hawkeye fan Bobby Hansen, it's a lot, you've been warned.


Left Charlotte at 11:30PM Tuesday night and was going thru Cincy around 6AM this morning. Tried to call with a bowlquest update. You sounded good. Was able to listen live for a couple hours this morning. Got back home this afternoon at 2:30 Eastern Time, 1:30 Iowa Time. Below is a bowlquest for you... maybe a little wordy... but an exciting game.

You knew that a Black & Gold/Yellow team would win this game... both teams sport the same colors. Iowa looking to redeem it's self after falling apart late in the season. Missouri was looking for a SOLID win to complete it's season and get an 11 win season. Even though both Campuses are within 250 miles of each other, both schools haven't played each other since 1910. Back then, the 12-game rivalry was plagued by dirty play, riots and racial discrimination ended following a particularly brutal game in 1910.

Iowa starts off solid like it has all year and races out to a 17-3 lead behind the rushing of true Freshman Runningback Marcus Coker. Due to injuries, suspensions, and players leaving the team, this looked to be Iowa's weak spot but Coker rushed for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. Missouri wasn't going to play dead and scored a touchdown late in the 2nd Qtr to close to within a touchdown at 17-10 and looked to tie the game right before half-time, but an interception by the Iowa Defense stopped Missouri deep in Iowa territory. Half-time score Iowa 17 Missouri 10.

The 3rd Qtr kicks off and Iowa was able to stop Missouri's opening drive & was able to score a Field Goal halfway thru the 3rd Qtr to pull ahead to a 20-10 lead. Missouri was having no problem with their passing game putting up over 400 yards passing and raced back with 2 touchdowns, one in the 3rd and another one starting the 4th Qtr. Missouri now leads 24-20 over Iowa. Iowa, like it has so many times this season couldn't get the Offense clicking in the 2nd half and Senior QB Ricky Stanzi was not in his rhythm and it looked like Missouri had control of this game with the ball and moving down the field with about 4 1/2 minutes to go when Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert gets picked off by Iowa's Micah Hyde (who's older brother plays for Michigan St.). Hyde weaves his way down field from side to side and takes the interception 72 yards for the score and re-ignites the Iowa Team and fan base.

Missouri has one last attempt and starts moving the ball back down field until an Iowa "Bend but don't Break" defense stop Missouri on a 4th down & 7 at the Iowa 33. The play was ruled a completed pass initially.. but after further review, Missouri's TJ Moe had bobbled the ball and then going out of bounds and the play was overruled. Iowa takes over on downs and on a 3rd and 3 with just over a minute left, Stanzi connects with TE Alan Reisner and Reisner scrambles to the Missouri 1 yard line where Iowa now takes a knee and runs out the clock.

Unlike the rest of the season, Iowa takes the win late in the game and defeats Missouri 27-24 in the Insight Bowl.


Good Luck Sparty Saturday in Orlando!!! 


Thanks Bobby, that was way more than we needed but who isn't excited about the Insight Bowl and being able to guest blog for Bowl Quest V.  Good history lesson too, who knew the hatred ran so deep.  "My plow's better than your plow."  "Like fun Show Me boy!"  "Jeepers corn head, them's fightin' words!"  And then it came to blows and a race riot evidently.  Nice Big 10 win for Iowa. 


Note to ESPN - don't start games at 6:30 followed by a 10:00 game.  I know the Insight Bowl is in Arizona but unless you're going to have west coast teams in the game no one cares for the very late start.  These games could have easily been scheduled for 5:00 and 8:30. 


Three games today starting at 2:30 with the Military Bowl, then the Texas Bowl and finishing with the Alamo Bowl.  The Texas Bowl used to be on the NFL Network but they are out of the bowl game business.