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South Florida (9-3) vs. Oregon (8-4) Monday, Dec. 31 | 2 p.m., CBS Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas Bowl Web site |
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PREGAME KNOWLEDGE
Laughable and/or unknown title sponsor: Brut (what’s that?)
Announcers subject to our devastating witticisms: TBA
Conventional wisdom: This post-Dennis Dixon version of the Ducks doesn’t even deserve a bowl bid and stands little chance offensively against a defense that powered USF’s breakout season. Matt Grothe, the Bulls’ dual-threat quarterback, will test the Oregon defense as well.
All-star to watch: South Florida DE George Selvie (#95)
31.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks
Read up: USF is bowling for Ducks, and the Oracle has a video preview … Bulls coach Jim Leavitt has a new extracurricular activity … The Ducks are glad to be going to a better bowl that the rival OSU Beavers.
Best counterprogramming: “Just Shoot Me”
Come on, it’s Monday afternoon! What else is on? I can’t get enough of that Laura San Giacomo. TBS, 2 episodes, 2-3 p.m.
Who’s watching — Adam Marantz, UWIRE, doing his last ounce of work in 2007.
2:16 – Alright, a couple minutes into the battle of the former No. 2’s and the ball’s going back and forth. These teams look like they have a little rust after so much time off.
2:33 – Dennis Dixon looks like the most excited guy on the field…and he’s on the sidelines with a headset.
2:38 – Freshman Justin Roper is looking good on this drive. Of course as I type he makes a terrible pass that should have been intercepted. The top turnover-producing USF team should have had that going the other way.
2:40 – Roper redeems himself, touchdown to Strong…what a ridiculously strange two-point conversion. I don’t even know why they’re going for a two-point conversion. But the kicker just gets over the plane, 8-0 Ducks.
2:46 – Oregon’s defense keeps shutting down the Bulls run game. They’ve been doing it all year. USF needs to put Grothe in control of the football and not try to match Brut (subliminal sponsor plug) strength on the line with the Ducks.
2:51 – Interesting tidbit: Aside from the BCS title game, no other bowl game this year features two teams that were ranked higher than this Sun Bowl.
3:03 – Looks like they’re giving out yellow flags as souvenirs. 12 penalties in the first quarter. Still 8-0 Ducks, but the Bulls are in the red zone and should be on the board soon. This game would have been great to watch in October when both teams were rolling. The matchup has since lost its luster.
3:07 – What should have been 6 turns out to be 3 after a 27 yard field goal. 8-3 Oregon.
3:15 – This is the kind of game Oregon wanted. Their obviously controlling the tempo and doing what they need to do to keep scoring. They hit a field goal to make it 11-3.
3:17 – I can’t remember seeing a Brut commercial ever before. Now I know why.
3:21 – That’s got to be embarrassing, jump early off the line and then get leveled onto your backside before the ball is snapped.
3:23 – Not only are there a bunch of flags already, but a lot of them are personal fouls. These refs aren’t letting much go this game. A couple of these late hits have been pretty technical. Legitimate, but picky.
3:26 – Finally Grothe shows some life. He gets in trouble and scrambles 20 yards for the first down. That’s how South Florida is going to win this game. Not with his arm, but with his legs.
3:28 – OK, unless he uses his arm AFTER he scrambles out of the pocket. A great escape from a sack and touchdown pass to Johnson. 11-9.
3:32 – A shift in momentum, another nice play for a two-point conversion. We’re tied at 11. Both teams are trying to set their own pace. If USF comes strong at the Duck offense on this drive, it could easily swing the game the other way.
3:35 – 3 late hit personal fouls on one play! Two on USF’s defense, one on Oregon’s offense. These Mid-American officials are calling a flag football game out there.
3:39 – Holding against Oregon. Let’s just start our New Year’s Eve drinking games now.
3:46 – The second half game plan for South Florida should be to just go out there and stop calling plays. Grothe makes his best contributions when he’s in trouble. If every USF offesnive play snowballs and he’s under pressure, then USF will run away with it. Somehow, I highly doubt Jim Leavitt is listening.
3:49 – I guess even the camera crew doesn’t expect much from Oregon on offense. But lo and behold, they come back from a replay to see Jonathan Stewart booking it 71 yards to the house. 18-11 Ducks.
3:58 – A nice string of plays by USF quickly gets them down into the red zone with a minute left in the half. This is the best ball movement all game for either team.
4:07 – Oregon couldn’t ice USF kicker Delbert Alvarado. 18-14 at halftime. What started out as an ugly game could get pretty interesting in the second half. Both teams are jockeying for pace. I think USF can only get better and Oregon will have to rely on big breakthrough runs by Jonathan Stewart to stay in the game.
4:09 – The real workhorses of the first half: The officials. 18 penalties in the first half. That ties the Sun Bowl record already. A lot of those calls have been very questionable. I woulnd’t be surprised if the flags stay in their pockets a bit more in the second half after a halftime phone call.
4:11 – I don’t know who Baby Bash is, but he’s the halftime performer in El Paso. About as entertaining as the Liberty Bowl.
4:14 – As warm and beautiful a day as the commentators are claiming it is, I can’t help but notice their sideline correspondent Sam Ryan is wrapped up in a parka, scarf and gloves.
4:15 – Why not show the best plays from the SEC during halftime of a bowl game featuring a Big East and Pac-10 team? It makes sense to me.
4:38 – And we’re back. The Bulls can’t capitalize on the opening drive of the second half. I’m looking for some trick plays by Oregon early on to re-establish itself.
4:43 – Nice run under pressure by Roper. He can’t see that yellow first down marker like I can. Great foresight. First down Ducks.
4:45 – Followed by a 41-yard run by Stewart. Looks more and more like he can single-handedly beat the Bulls with some explosive runs.
4:47 – Picture perfect route by Jason Williams. Picture perfect pass by Roper. Touchdown, Ducks. 25-14. The more I see Roper work out his kinks, the more I think Cody Kempt will be shopping schools next year.
4:51 – An unsung hero if Oregon can hang on: Matt Evensen’s powerful leg on kickoffs keeps forcing touchbacks, denying any good field position for the Bulls.
4:53 – Bulls WR Taurus Johnson gets cute on a trick play and coughs up the ball. Oregon recovers. Congratulations to the 2007 Brut Sun Bowl - the most penalized Sun Bowl in history!
5:00 – Oregon is squashing any momentum the Bulls gained at the end of the first half. Another touchdown pass for Roper to Ed Dickson. 32-14. This freshman is getting more and more comfortable in the pocket. Not a bad line for a guy making his first bowl start. Check out this line: 11/21, 135 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs. Very impressive.
5:04 – I can’t type this stuff up fast enough. Walter Thurmond picks off Grothe and runs back a touchdown. Thurmond was due, he’s had his hand on at least three balls today. This is turning into a blowout. 39-14 Ducks.
5:07 – Another touchback for Evensen. That’s five for him. I don’t think South Florida could do anything with the field position anyway.
5:09 – Grothe’s getting desperate. Another interception for Oregon. Now Jonathan Stewart can pad his MVP day by keeping the ball on the ground.
5:15 – Touchdown number 4 for Roper. Everyone up here in Duck country should be excited about his composure. He’s not only showing USF and the college football pundits what he can do, he’s proving that he can be a leader for his teammates for years to come.
5:29 – The third quarter is finally over. Let’s see if USF can keep the hemmoraging down in the fourth. Here’s some quick third-quarter notes: Grothe: 2 INTs, Stewart: 67 yards rushing, 28 passing and a touchdown, Roper: 3 TDs, Oregon scored 28 unanswered points and as predicted, not nearly as many flags. Looks like this game is all but over and Stewart will breaks some records if he stays in to run down the clock.
5:35 – USF’s George Selvie is nowhere to be found throughout this game. Stewart isn’t jut taking time off the clock now, he’s pounding through the Bulls D-line. 32 yards on 2 carries this drive.
5:52 – These last 8 minutes are a moot point. Grothe is out after a big hit. As disappointing a game as this is for the Bulls, I have to believe they’ll make another run in the Big East next season. Despite a rough outing by Grothe today, I’m sure he’s going to be on early 2008 Heisman lists come August.
5:55 – Something to be happy about: Grant Gregory comes off the bench for South Florida to throw a touchdown to A.J. Love. Pride points for the Bulls. 49-21.
6:09 – Game over. 56-21. A big day for Oregon sports. Let’s see if the Trail Blazers can pick up where the Ducks left off to keep their 13-game winning streak alive (Sorry for the NBA plug out of the blue, but I don’t want to dwell on this one-sided affair anymore).
POSTGAME WRAP
Final thoughts
The Ducks had nothing to lose and the Bulls had something to prove. But unlike USF RB Mike Ford, Jonathan Stewart was able to take a lot of pressure off of his quarterback and have the best performance of any running back so far this bowl season. The only guys with more face time than Stewart were the Mid-American officials: 21 penalties in total, and most of them were iffy. Is there a commission-based pay scale for throwing flags in the Mid-American Conference?
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