Given the dominance of the SEC West, and particularly when Alabama is top-ranked in the Sugar Bowl, most assumed Michigan State would have little impact on this year's tournament, with Mississippi and Bama as early opponents. But Spartan coach coach Mark Dantonio's team showed themselves to be ready for a challenge, even against the mighty Crimson Tide.
But Bama was Bama early. Derrick Henry's 25 yard TD run and Amari Cooper's 15 yard TD pass reception from Blake Sims sandwiched a Michael Geiger MSU field goal, and Alabama led 14-3 at the end of the first frame. In the second quarter, T.J. Yeldon's 2 yard run provided another Bama score to extend the lead. But another Geiger field goal and a Jeremy Langford TD run cut the lead to 21-13 at halftime.
MSU kept coming in the third, a Connor Cook TD pass and a pick six on an interception by Sims shocked the Superdome crowd, and the Spartans were up 27-21.
However, Sims answered with 5-yard TD run and Bama regained the lead going into the fourth quarter, 28-27.
The score remained the same until just over three minutes to go, when a 65-yard Langford run for TD gave MSU the lead, and the shockwave returned to the Superdome. However, Alabama drove, capped by an Amari Cooper 6 TD pass pass from Blake Sims with under two minutes to go, and Alabama survived a Sugar Bowl scare.
Alabama will move on to their fifth appearance in six years at Football's Final Four, right down the road in Atlanta.
UPDATED TOURNAMENT RESULTS!:
FIRST ROUND:
In Salt Lake City:
7 Mississippi State 34
10 Boise State 35
In Detroit:
8 Michigan State 20
9 Mississippi 3
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):
Sugar:
1 Alabama 35
8 Michigan State 34
Rose:
4 Ohio State 28
5 Texas Christian 42
Orange:
2 Florida State 20
10 Boise State 30
Fiesta:
3 Oregon 60
6 Baylor 41
SEMI-FINALS in Atlanta
1 Alabama
5 Texas Christian
3 Oregon
10 Boise State
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Arlington, Texas
Friday, January 2, 2015
Rose Bowl: TCU's hot start is too much for solid Buckeyes; Horned Frogs outlast OSU 42-28
Four seasons ago, Ohio State nipped TCU to reach Football's Final Four in a classic Orange Bowl. Now, #4 OSU and #5 Texas Christian were again battling in a key game against one-loss teams.
The difference in the game was the opening quarter. TCU's offense, defense, and special teams were running on all cylinders, whereas the Buckeyes were ready but started on slowly before they hit all gears. After a minute of play, Horned Frogs scored on a 31 yard pass to Aaron Green from reciever Kolby Listenbee to take the lead. Ohio State was game, but red zone moments fizzled as they were held to two Sean Nuernberger field goal's in the first quarter. TCU meanwhile added another TD on Aaron Green's 15 yard run to lead 14-6 after a quarter.
The second quarter scoring started on Josh Doctson 12 yard TD pass from TCU QB Trevone Boykin, and Horned Frogs were up 21-6. With three minutes to go in the half, OSU finally broke the plane, as Ezekiel Elliott scored on a 3 yard run. But TCU drove to score a TD before halftime, and held the 28-13 edge at the break.
Buckeyes offense continued to strengthen as Michael Thomas scored on a dazzling tippy toe end zone catch on a 13 yard pass from receiver Evan Spencer to cut the lead to 8. But two quick Trevone Boykin TD passes to Kolby Listenbee (35 yards) and Josh Doctson (27 yards) kept the TCU side of the field buzzing, with a lead to 42-20.
In the fourth, a 47 yard TD pass to Devin Smith continued an excellent string of play Cardale Jones despite some early struggles, and the two-point conversion cut the lead to 42-28, but TCU successfully ran clock and kept the Buckeyes from scoring, and held on to the 14 point win.
Certainly, Ohio State has nothing to be ashamed of and will build on this for next season, but today was the day for Texas Christian to make up for that loss to OSU four years ago. TCU will move onto their first Football's Final Four in Atlanta, and meet the winner of the Alabama/Michigan State Sugar Bowl.
The difference in the game was the opening quarter. TCU's offense, defense, and special teams were running on all cylinders, whereas the Buckeyes were ready but started on slowly before they hit all gears. After a minute of play, Horned Frogs scored on a 31 yard pass to Aaron Green from reciever Kolby Listenbee to take the lead. Ohio State was game, but red zone moments fizzled as they were held to two Sean Nuernberger field goal's in the first quarter. TCU meanwhile added another TD on Aaron Green's 15 yard run to lead 14-6 after a quarter.
The second quarter scoring started on Josh Doctson 12 yard TD pass from TCU QB Trevone Boykin, and Horned Frogs were up 21-6. With three minutes to go in the half, OSU finally broke the plane, as Ezekiel Elliott scored on a 3 yard run. But TCU drove to score a TD before halftime, and held the 28-13 edge at the break.
Buckeyes offense continued to strengthen as Michael Thomas scored on a dazzling tippy toe end zone catch on a 13 yard pass from receiver Evan Spencer to cut the lead to 8. But two quick Trevone Boykin TD passes to Kolby Listenbee (35 yards) and Josh Doctson (27 yards) kept the TCU side of the field buzzing, with a lead to 42-20.
In the fourth, a 47 yard TD pass to Devin Smith continued an excellent string of play Cardale Jones despite some early struggles, and the two-point conversion cut the lead to 42-28, but TCU successfully ran clock and kept the Buckeyes from scoring, and held on to the 14 point win.
Certainly, Ohio State has nothing to be ashamed of and will build on this for next season, but today was the day for Texas Christian to make up for that loss to OSU four years ago. TCU will move onto their first Football's Final Four in Atlanta, and meet the winner of the Alabama/Michigan State Sugar Bowl.
Orange Bowl: Costly turnovers end the Seminoles' winning streak; Boise State shock wave continues, 30-20
#10 Boise State's shocking win over Mississippi State cost the Bulldogs a chance to take on what seemed to be a vulnerable #2, yet defending champion Florida State. The Seminoles had not lost since their Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama two years ago, but FSU built on that loss for a championship run last season. Certainly Boise State gave Florida State a nice path to the Semi-Finals up north in Atlanta.
And it felt like a Florida State breeze early. The Seminoles dominated, and although they seemed to throw away red zone opportunities at will, FSU outscored BSU 13-0 in the first, on two Roberto Aguayo field goals and a Karlos Williams 10 yard TD run. Boise State continued to seem over-matched in the second quarter, but at least kept Florida State off the scoreboard, and halftime remained 13-0.
The Bronces seemed upbeat in the second half, and some trickery led to a Jay Ajayi TD run, to cut the lead to 13-7. However, like the hare watching as the tortoise progressed, FSU responded with a Travis Rudolph 18 yard TD pass from Jameis Winston, and the lead was back to 13, and all seemed well. However, that TD was the only successful possession in a span of four fumble turnovers and an interception, giving Boise State field position that the Broncos probably could not have achieved on their own. After a Grant Hedrick TD pass for BSU, a scrambling Winston fumbled into the arms of Boise State, which ran it in from 58 yards, and shockingly, the Broncos took the 21-20 lead into the fourth quarter.
Turnovers continued to help Boise, and the Broncos kept rolling for another touchdown and field goal, as Florida State self-destructed, losing 30-20.
Boise State becomes the first #10 seed to reach Football's Final Four, where they will take on Oregon in Atlanta.
And it felt like a Florida State breeze early. The Seminoles dominated, and although they seemed to throw away red zone opportunities at will, FSU outscored BSU 13-0 in the first, on two Roberto Aguayo field goals and a Karlos Williams 10 yard TD run. Boise State continued to seem over-matched in the second quarter, but at least kept Florida State off the scoreboard, and halftime remained 13-0.
The Bronces seemed upbeat in the second half, and some trickery led to a Jay Ajayi TD run, to cut the lead to 13-7. However, like the hare watching as the tortoise progressed, FSU responded with a Travis Rudolph 18 yard TD pass from Jameis Winston, and the lead was back to 13, and all seemed well. However, that TD was the only successful possession in a span of four fumble turnovers and an interception, giving Boise State field position that the Broncos probably could not have achieved on their own. After a Grant Hedrick TD pass for BSU, a scrambling Winston fumbled into the arms of Boise State, which ran it in from 58 yards, and shockingly, the Broncos took the 21-20 lead into the fourth quarter.
Turnovers continued to help Boise, and the Broncos kept rolling for another touchdown and field goal, as Florida State self-destructed, losing 30-20.
Boise State becomes the first #10 seed to reach Football's Final Four, where they will take on Oregon in Atlanta.
Fiesta Bowl: Four quarter Duck attack takes down game Baylor; Oregon wins 60-41
Last year in their first tournament appearance, #6 Baylor defensive breakdowns cost them dearly in their Fiesta Bowl loss to #3 Alabama. This season, #6 Baylor looked much stronger, for the three quarters, but teams will need four strong quarters to defeat #3 Oregon and their Heisman QB Marcus Mariota.
But Baylor was up to the task for most of this day. The Bears started the scoring on KD Cannon 49 yard TD pass reception from Bryce Petty. As this game would go for three quarters, the opponent's offence responded, and Oregon took an 8-7 lead on a Royce Freeman 1 yard TD run, followed by Taylor Alie's pass to Christian French for the two-point conversion. Baylor unveiled its own trickery on a 53 yard TD pass from receiver Jay Lee to Corey Coleman, and of course, Oregon answered on Thomas Tyner's 1 yard run, and the Ducks led at the end of the quarter 15-14.
In the second quarter, Bryce Petty's 1 yard run gave the Bears the lead back, and Oregon then scored on a three yard Freeman run (conversion failed). But Baylor closed out the first half scoring with a Chris Callahan 25 yard field goal, and the Bears had the 24-21 locker room lead.
The game continued to see-saw in the third quarter with hot and heavy scoring in the southwestern shoot-out. Baylor scored three times on two Petty TD passes and a Callahan field goal, and Oregon put up three TDs, including two Mariota TD passes to Darren Carrington, and the Ducks led 42-41 entering the fourth.
However, the Baylor defense breakdowns and twice as many penalty yards caught up with the Bears, and Oregon's defense rose to the occasion in the fourth quarter to shut out BU. Two 20+ TD runs, one from Mariota and another from Tyner, a two-point conversion, and an Aidan Schneider field goals left Baylor in Oregon's scoring wake, and the Ducks won, going away, 60-41.
Oregon will move onto the Semi-Finals in Atlanta, and await the winner of the Orange Bowl between Florida State and Boise State.
But Baylor was up to the task for most of this day. The Bears started the scoring on KD Cannon 49 yard TD pass reception from Bryce Petty. As this game would go for three quarters, the opponent's offence responded, and Oregon took an 8-7 lead on a Royce Freeman 1 yard TD run, followed by Taylor Alie's pass to Christian French for the two-point conversion. Baylor unveiled its own trickery on a 53 yard TD pass from receiver Jay Lee to Corey Coleman, and of course, Oregon answered on Thomas Tyner's 1 yard run, and the Ducks led at the end of the quarter 15-14.
In the second quarter, Bryce Petty's 1 yard run gave the Bears the lead back, and Oregon then scored on a three yard Freeman run (conversion failed). But Baylor closed out the first half scoring with a Chris Callahan 25 yard field goal, and the Bears had the 24-21 locker room lead.
The game continued to see-saw in the third quarter with hot and heavy scoring in the southwestern shoot-out. Baylor scored three times on two Petty TD passes and a Callahan field goal, and Oregon put up three TDs, including two Mariota TD passes to Darren Carrington, and the Ducks led 42-41 entering the fourth.
However, the Baylor defense breakdowns and twice as many penalty yards caught up with the Bears, and Oregon's defense rose to the occasion in the fourth quarter to shut out BU. Two 20+ TD runs, one from Mariota and another from Tyner, a two-point conversion, and an Aidan Schneider field goals left Baylor in Oregon's scoring wake, and the Ducks won, going away, 60-41.
Oregon will move onto the Semi-Finals in Atlanta, and await the winner of the Orange Bowl between Florida State and Boise State.
First Round Detroit: Spartan defense shuts down Ole Miss; Michigan State prevails 20-3
When two strong defenses collide, the hits are hard and the scoring rare, which seemed appropriate in the blue collar city where Ford Field resides. The local fans were treated to a game of strong defense and Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook breaking the game open in the fourth quarter.
Both defenses were strong early, but #8 Michigan State scored in the first on Jeremy Langford's 2 yard TD run, and the Spartans led 7-0.
The game remained this way through three quarters, as #9 Ole Miss's offense struggled, but their defense kept them in the game.
Michael Geiger's field goal early in the fourth gave MSU a 10-0, but Mississippi finally scored on Gary Wunderlich's 27 yard field goal, to tighten to 10-3. But QB Cook and the MSU offense controlled the remainder of the game, and scored on R.J. Shelton's 11 yard run and another Michael Geiger field goal, and MSU won it 20-3. The MSU defense also ramped it up in the final frame, making a very long day for Rebel QB Bo Wallace.
The state of Mississppi's football fortunes rose in 2014, but ended abruptly in the tournament's First Round, with both Mississippi and Mississippi State going down. But Michigan State will go on, and head south to face #1 seed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Both defenses were strong early, but #8 Michigan State scored in the first on Jeremy Langford's 2 yard TD run, and the Spartans led 7-0.
The game remained this way through three quarters, as #9 Ole Miss's offense struggled, but their defense kept them in the game.
Michael Geiger's field goal early in the fourth gave MSU a 10-0, but Mississippi finally scored on Gary Wunderlich's 27 yard field goal, to tighten to 10-3. But QB Cook and the MSU offense controlled the remainder of the game, and scored on R.J. Shelton's 11 yard run and another Michael Geiger field goal, and MSU won it 20-3. The MSU defense also ramped it up in the final frame, making a very long day for Rebel QB Bo Wallace.
The state of Mississppi's football fortunes rose in 2014, but ended abruptly in the tournament's First Round, with both Mississippi and Mississippi State going down. But Michigan State will go on, and head south to face #1 seed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
First Round Salt Lake City Shocker!: Boise State ousts Mississippi State, 35-34
This season's tournament was supposed to be crazy, and if the first game is any indication, it is going to be a doo-zee! The general feeling was that #7 Mississippi State would visit Salt Lake City and get a nice little tune-up win over #10 Boise State to prepare for an invasion of the Orange Bowl to take on #2 Florida State. Instead, it is the Broncos who are awaiting the results of the First Round match-up between Michigan State and Mississippi to see if they will play top seed Alabama or Florida State in the next round.
A light rain with temperatures in the 40's greeted the teams as they hit the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium. But the Broncos offense was in high gear like it was summer on the Bonneville Salt Flats. BSU's Jay Ajayi started the scoring with a 56 yard TD run, and Broncos had the only score of the first quarter and led 7-0.
Mississippi State scored early in the second quarter on Evan Sobiesk's 32 yard field goal, but Boise answered with with the hot hand of QB Grant Hedrick, who completed a 57 yard TD pass to Chaz Anderson, and the Broncos were ahead 14-3. The Bulldogs responded on QB Dak Prescott's TD run from 5 yards out, and followed with another Evan Sobiesk field goal from 30 yards, and MSU was within one point, 14-13.
The Bulldogs seemed to gain control of the game as Mississippi State scored on a 42-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half to take the halftime lead 20-14.
And although BSU's offense slowed in the third quarter, the Broncos defense started to rise to the occasion in the second half. After the Broncos regained the lead on running back's Ajayi second TD, using their patented Statue of Liberty, a 16 yard run, BSU cornerback Donte Deayon picked up a Prescott fumble and ran it in the the TD. Boise State's lead was 28-20 entering the final quarter.
Mississippi State responded with a 7 yard TD pass from Prescott to De'Runnya Wilson, but Boise would not wilt either in the drizzle, and returned the favor and Ajayiran it in from 1 yard out for his third TD.
MSU would not go quietly as Prescott and Wilson connected again from 12 yards out, and the score was 35-34, BSU clinging to the lead.
Prescott was scrambling, trying to get the Bulldogs in field goal position in the last seconds, but was tackled by BSU sack specialist Kamalei Correa with his biggest takedown of the season on the game's final play, and Broncos held on.
Boise State magic lives, and after previous season tournament wins against Oklahoma, Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Texas, the Broncos now can lay claim to an SEC win. BSU awaits results of the other First Round game, and will play Florida State in the Orange Bowl if Michigan State wins, or Alabama in the Sugar Bowl if Mississippi wins.
FIRST ROUND:
In Salt Lake City:
7 Mississippi State 34
10 Boise State 35
In Detroit:
8 Michigan State
9 Mississippi
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):
Sugar:
1 Alabama
Michigan State or Boise State
Rose:
4 Ohio State
5 Texas Christian
Orange:
2 Florida State
Mississippi or Boise State
Fiesta:
3 Oregon
6 Baylor
SEMI-FINALS in Atlanta
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Arlington, Texas
A light rain with temperatures in the 40's greeted the teams as they hit the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium. But the Broncos offense was in high gear like it was summer on the Bonneville Salt Flats. BSU's Jay Ajayi started the scoring with a 56 yard TD run, and Broncos had the only score of the first quarter and led 7-0.
Mississippi State scored early in the second quarter on Evan Sobiesk's 32 yard field goal, but Boise answered with with the hot hand of QB Grant Hedrick, who completed a 57 yard TD pass to Chaz Anderson, and the Broncos were ahead 14-3. The Bulldogs responded on QB Dak Prescott's TD run from 5 yards out, and followed with another Evan Sobiesk field goal from 30 yards, and MSU was within one point, 14-13.
The Bulldogs seemed to gain control of the game as Mississippi State scored on a 42-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half to take the halftime lead 20-14.
And although BSU's offense slowed in the third quarter, the Broncos defense started to rise to the occasion in the second half. After the Broncos regained the lead on running back's Ajayi second TD, using their patented Statue of Liberty, a 16 yard run, BSU cornerback Donte Deayon picked up a Prescott fumble and ran it in the the TD. Boise State's lead was 28-20 entering the final quarter.
Mississippi State responded with a 7 yard TD pass from Prescott to De'Runnya Wilson, but Boise would not wilt either in the drizzle, and returned the favor and Ajayiran it in from 1 yard out for his third TD.
MSU would not go quietly as Prescott and Wilson connected again from 12 yards out, and the score was 35-34, BSU clinging to the lead.
Prescott was scrambling, trying to get the Bulldogs in field goal position in the last seconds, but was tackled by BSU sack specialist Kamalei Correa with his biggest takedown of the season on the game's final play, and Broncos held on.
Boise State magic lives, and after previous season tournament wins against Oklahoma, Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Texas, the Broncos now can lay claim to an SEC win. BSU awaits results of the other First Round game, and will play Florida State in the Orange Bowl if Michigan State wins, or Alabama in the Sugar Bowl if Mississippi wins.
FIRST ROUND:
In Salt Lake City:
7 Mississippi State 34
10 Boise State 35
In Detroit:
8 Michigan State
9 Mississippi
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):
Sugar:
1 Alabama
Michigan State or Boise State
Rose:
4 Ohio State
5 Texas Christian
Orange:
2 Florida State
Mississippi or Boise State
Fiesta:
3 Oregon
6 Baylor
SEMI-FINALS in Atlanta
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Arlington, Texas
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