COLLEGE FOOTBALL - 2009 SEASON
03/09/09 - Oregon (8) @ (19) Boise State - #14 ranked Boise State started their season with a bang, beating #16 Oregon in Boise. A high-scoring game was expected but only the Broncos showed up as QB Kellen Moore (19-29-197-1) had a big game, pacing the Broncos to a 13-0 lead at the half. Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli (14-27-121-0) had a bad game but was not helped by a running game that only had 44 yards. Oregon's terrible night was capped by a post-game punch from RB LeGarrette Blount that felled a Bronco player and was caught on camera. Blount then tried to get into the crowd at some hecklers but was hauled away by team-mates. The punch earned Blount a season-long suspension (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Jones/Davie/Cox, PAL)
03/09/09 - North Texas (20) @ (10) Ball State - North Texas scored a big upset over Ball State as the Mean Green ended the Cardinals 14 game regular season win streak. UNT's Redshirt Freshman QB Riley Dodge (23-33-216-1 + 12-73-0) had a huge game and was aided by a strong running game led by RB Cam Montgomery (17-149-0). The win was UNT's first in the season opener since 2005 (10, 2 Discs, ESPN U - Neal/Walker, NTSC)
05/09/09 - San Jose State (3) @ (56) USC - For the 1st time ever, USC started a season opener with a true Freshman QB in Matt Barkley, and after a slow start, he led his team to a win. Barkley (15-19-233-1) was also supported by a strong running game that amassed 342 total yards, led by RB Joe McKnight (14-145-2). The Spartans were led by QB's Kyle Reed (9-17-66-0) and Jordan LaSecla (5-10-43-0) and actually led 3-0 at the end of the 1st quarter before finally being over-run (10, Low Audio, 2 Discs, FOX - Tompkins/Papadakis/Eaves, NTSC)
05/09/09 - BYU (14) v (13) Oklahoma - In the 1st ever College Football game at the new Cowboys Stadium, BYU shocked the football world by beating #3 ranked Oklahoma. BYU used a great gameplan on both sides of the ball and BYU QB Max Hall (26-38-329-2) led the Cougars to a late TD to seal the Sooners fate. Oklahoma lost star QB and returning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford (10-14-96-1) to injury on the last play of the 1st half and had to rely on back-up QB Landry Jones (6-12-51-0) to see out the game (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Nessler/Blackledge/Cox, NTSC)
05/09/09 - Navy (27) @ (31) Ohio State - #6 Ohio State survived a scare from the Middies, as they used an intercepted 2 point conversion try returned for 2 points inside the final minute to finally clinch the game. Buckeyes QB Terelle Pryor (14-21-174-1 + 6-30-1) had a big game and staked his team to a 29-14 lead in the 4th quarter before Navy QB Ricky Dobbs (9-13-156-2 + 18-85-2) engineered 2 quick scores, including an 85 yard TD pass, to bring the Middies within 2 points of the tie. But Ohio State snuffed out the chance and took the win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Pasch/Griese/Spielman, PAL)
05/09/09 - Missouri (37) v (9) Illinois - Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert (25-33-319-3 + 10-39-1) celebrated his first career start with a big win over Illinois. The Tigers held a 16-3 lead at the half and never looked back. Illinois QB Juice Williams (18-28-179-0 + 13-27-0) had an off day and was missing star WR Aurelius Benn for most of the game with an injury (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Franklin/Cunningham, PAL)
05/09/09 - Stanford (39) @ (13) Washington State - Stanford opened their PAC-10 campaign with a convincing road win in Pullman. Led by Freshman QB Andrew Luck (11-23-193-1 + 6-53-1), in his 1st college game, + RB Toby Gerhart (23-121-2), the Cardinal raced out to a 22-3 lead at the half then coasted home in the 2nd half. The Cardinal also featured WR Chris Owusu (3-86-1 + 85 yard kick-off return TD). The Cougars were led by alternating QB's Kevin Lopina (10-16-122-1) and Marshall Lobbestael (8-13-78-0) (9, Game LIP by the network with 44 seconds left - No scoring missed, 1 Disc, FOX - Glasgow/Strong/Stiles, PAL)
05/09/09 - Alabama (34) v (24) Virginia Tech - #5 Alabama started their season with a big win over #7 Virginia Tech. The Tide were starting a new QB in Greg McElroy (15-30-230-1) and he had a steady game. He was also helped by his rushing attack led by Mark Ingram (26-150-1). Tech were actually ahead 17-16 at the half but Alabama scored 3 TD's in the 4th quarter to take the win. Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor (9-20-91-0 + 10--26) had a poor game in defeat. Coverage includes Gameday Live (10, 3rd Quarter JIP 10:08 - No scoring missed, 3 Discs, ESPN - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
07/09/09 - Cincinnati (47) @ (15) Rutgers - Cincinnati took a big step to repeating as Big East Champs with a dominating win over Rutgers. Bearcats QB Tony Pike (27-34-362-3) and RB/TE Travis Kelce (3 rushes for 18 yards and 2 TD's) were the main weapons, guiding there team to a 31-7 lead at the half, but the defense played their part by forcing Rutgers QB Domenec Natale (8-12-108-0) into 3 interceptions. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was forced to start True Freshman QB Tom Savage (15-23-135-1) for the 2nd half (his 1st career game) and he provided a spark but the game was already lost. The game was also notable as Brian Griese premiered as a colour commentator for ESPN (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Wischusen/Griese, PAL)
07/09/09 - Miami (38) @ (34) Florida State - The season opener for both teams proved a classic as both teams combined for 32 points in the 4th quarter, with Miami scoring the all-important final ones. Miami QB Jacory Harris (21-34-386-2) and Florida State QB Christian Ponder (24-41-294-2) both had big games (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Nessler/Blackledge/Andrews, PAL)
10/09/09 - Clemson (27) @ (30) Georgia Tech - Georgia Tech survived a furious 2nd half comeback from Clemson to register their 1st ACC win of the season. Tech raced out to a 24-0 lead in the 2nd quarter thanks to RB Anthony Allen (82 yard run) and 2 Special Teams scores (85 yard punt return + TD pass off a fake FG). But Clemson re-grouped under QB Kyle Parker (15-31-261-3 inc. TD passes of 63 and 77 yards) and took the lead for the 1st time in the 4th quarter before Tech won the game on a 36 yard FG in the last minute (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
12/09/09 - Notre Dame (34) @ (38) Michigan - "Year 2" of the Rich Rodriguez era found its signature win as the Wolverines upset the #18 ranked Irish. Michigan Freshman QB Tate Forcier (23-33-240-2 + 13-70-1) had a huge game as he kept his team in contention against Notre Dame and he settled the game with the winning TD pass with 11 seconds left. Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen (25-42-336-3) had a big game in defeat (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - McDonough/Millen/Rowe, PAL)
12/09/09 - Houston (45) @ (35) Oklahoma State - Houston caused a major upset as they beat #5 Oklahoma State. The highly-touted Cowboys couldn't cope with Cougars QB Case Keenum (32-46-366-3) as he led Houston to a 24-7 lead at the half. But Cowboys QB Zac Robinson (18-31-240-1 + 13-17-0) found his feet in the 3rd quarter and scored 21 points to take the lead before Keenum rallied the Cougars with 3 TD's to finish off the Cowboys and take the shock win (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Land/Reasons/Jones, NTSC)
12/09/09 - USC (18) @ (15) Ohio State - In a battle between the 2 heavyweights of College Football, it was USC that came out the victor with a last minute TD drive. USC's True Freshman QB Matt Barkley (15-31-195-0) led the Trojans on a 14 play, 86 yard drive to win the game and deprive Ohio State of their 1st win over a top 5 team in 6 attempts. Buckeye QB Terelle Pryor (11-25-177-0 + 10-36-0) had a solid game but wasn't helped by a weak ground attack. Conversely, Barkley was ably supported by his running game, as the Trojans RB's Joe McKnight (16-60-0) and Stafon Johnson (11-50-2) made the big plays when they were needed. Coverage includes Gameday Live (10, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
19/09/09 - Tennessee (13) @ (23) Florida - After all the pre-season trash talking by new Vols coach Lane Kiffin, the old enemies finally got together on the field. The predicted blow-out by the reigning National Champions never materialised as the Vols played the Gators tough but couldn't overcome a 23-6 deficit in the 2nd half. Gators QB Tim Tebow (14-19-115-0 + 24-76-1) had a quiet game statistically but made key plays at the right time, although his 4th quarter fumble allowed the Vols to pull within 10 points. Vols RB Montario Hardesty (20-96-1) cashed in the fumble but the Gators defense then shut-down the Vols and claimed the win (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
19/09/09 - Texas Tech (24) @ (34) Texas - #2 ranked Texas gained a measure of revenge for their 2008 loss to Tech with a primetime win in Austin. Texas QB Colt McCoy (24-34-205-1) and Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts (46-62-420-3), in his 1st career road start, both had good games. The Longhorns needed 2 TD's in the 4th quarter to finally pull away and claim the win. Coverage includes Gameday Live (10, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
20/09/09 - Georgia (52) @ (41) Arkansas - In a shootout, #23 ranked Georgia finally found enough Defense in the 4th quarter to shut-down Arkansas and take the win. Both QB's had huge games with Georgia QB Joe Cox (18-25-375-5) tieing a team record for TD passes in a game, and Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett (21-39-408-5) setting single game records for passing yards and TD passes. Both teams combined for 5 TD's over 40 yards and over 1000 yards of total offense. Georgia also featured WR AJ.Green (7-137-2) and RB Richard Samuel (16-104-1). Arkansas also featured WR's Greg Childs (5-140-2) and Jarius Wright (4-108-1) (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Nessler/Blackledge/Andrews, NTSC)
20/09/09 - West Virginia (30) @ (41) Auburn - In an offensive shootout, Auburn used a big defensive play to settle the game. Both teams combined for over 900 yards of Offense with Auburn QB Chris Todd (16-31-284-4 inc. 82 yard TD pass) and West Virginia RB Noel Devine (15-128-3 inc. 71 yard TD run) both having big games. QB Jarret Brown (18-32-221-1) had a tough time against the Auburn defense, throwing 4 interceptions, the last of which was returned 15 yards for the clinching score with 3 minutes remaining (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Jones/Davie/Cox, NTSC)
20/09/09 - Northwestern (34) @ (37) Syracuse - Syracuse coach Doug Marrone finally earned his 1st win after a dramatic shootout in the Carrier Dome. The Orange led 24-17 at the break with QB Greg Paulus (24-35-346-2) having a big game but Northwestern QB Mike Kafka (35-42-390-3) matched him. The 2nd half was no less dramatic and the game was tied at 34-34 in the final minute before Kafka made a crucial mistake, turning over the ball on an interception. Syracuse eeked out a few extra yards then kicked the game-winning 40 yard FG on the final play. Syracuse also featured on Offense WR Mike Williams (11-209-2) and on Defense LB's Doug Hogue (11 tackles) and Derrell Smith (10 tackles, two forced fumbles, two sacks) (10, 2 Discs, Time Warner - Larsen/Liedka/Watson, NTSC)
20/09/09 - USC (13) @ (16) Washington - In a big upset, Washington played #3 ranked USC right to the wire and won the game on a 22 yard FG with 3 seconds remaining. USC started the game the better team, opening up a quick 10-0 lead thanks to QB Aaron Corp (13-22-110-0), in place of injured starter Matt Barkley, and RB Joe McKnight (11-100-1). But Washington fought back behind the play of QB Jake Locker (21-35-237-0) and kicker Eric Folk (3 FG's) to take a 13-10 lead in the 4th quarter. USC tied the game with a FG of their own before Locker led the Huskies on a 68 yard drive to Folk's 3rd FG of the game and the upset win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN U - Gannon/Norrie/Kessenich, NTSC)
24/09/09 - Mississippi (10) @ (16) South Carolina - South Carolina recorded a big upset over #4 Ole Miss, using great defense to hold Heisman-hopeful Mississippi QB Jevan Snead (7-21-107-1) in check. South Carolina led 16-3 at the start of the 4th quarter and held off a late charge by the Rebels to take the win. The Gamecocks were led by QB Stephen Garcia (16-34-220-1) on Offense and by DL Eric Norwood (2 sacks, 1 blocked punt) on Defense (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
26/09/09 - California (3) @ (42) Oregon - Oregon pulled out of their scoring slump with a domination of the #6 ranked Cal Bears. Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli (21-25-253-3 + 8-21-0) led the Ducks to a 25-3 lead at the half and the defense then shut-out the Bears in the 2nd half to secure victory. The Bears star RB Jahvid Best (16-55-0) failed to get untracked and QB Kevin Riley (12-31-123-0) couldn't pick up the slack, while the Ducks had no trouble rolling up 524 yards of total offense. The Ducks also wore their 1994 throwback uniforms (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Gannon/Norrie, PAL)
26/09/09 - Iowa (21) @ (10) Penn State - In a rain-soaked Beaver Stadium, Iowa repeated their shock upset of 2008 by beating #5 Penn State. The Nittany Lions started strong, scoring the first 10 points including a 79 yard TD pass on the game's first play, but the Hawkeyes then used a big defensive effort (4 turnovers + 1 blocked punt returned for a TD) to take control of the game. Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi (11-26-135-0) also played his part. Penn State QB Daryll Clark (12-32-198-1) had an average game but was under pressure in the 2nd half, with Iowa LB Pat Angerer (14 tackles, 1 forced fumble and a 38 yard interception return) leading the charge (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
26/09/09 - Indiana (33) @ (36) Michigan - Michigan continued their winning run with a come-from-behind victory over the Hoosiers. Indiana led 23-21 at the half and took the lead 33-29 in the 4th quarter on an 85 yard TD run from Darius Willis (16-152-2). But Wolverines QB Tate Forcier (11-21-184-2) calmly guided his team downfield and threw the game winning 26 yard TD pass with 2:29 left. The Hoosiers also featured QB Ben Chappell (21-38-270-0). Michigan also featured RB's Carlos Brown (11-83-1) and Brandon Minor (12-50-1) (10, Re-Broadcast missing start of 3rd quarter upto 10:24, 2 Discs, ESPN - Ward/Bentley, PAL)
26/09/09 - Texas Tech (28) @ (29) Houston - Houston registered their 1st ever win over a Big-12 school with a shootout victory against Texas Tech. Both teams combined for 1,063 yards of total offense with Houston QB Case Keenum (38-58-435-1) and Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts (30-45-321-1) leading their teams. Tech led 21-13 at the half but the Cougars defense held firm in the 2nd half and after they had forced the Red Raiders to punt late in the game, Kennum led his team on a 95 yard drive to the winning TD, a 4 yard QB sneak with 49 seconds left. Houston also featured RB Charles Sims (7-30-0 + 10-122-0). Texas Tech also featured RB Baron Batch (19-114-2) and WR Aaron Torres (6-90-0) (10, Slight audio distortion upto 12:07 of 1st quarter, 2 Discs, ESPN - Patrick/James/Cox, NTSC)
26/09/09 - South Florida (17) @ (7) Florida State - The 1st ever meeting between the 2 schools turned out to be a huge upset as South Florida cashed in a big game by their QB to beat #18 ranked Florida State. Bulls QB BJ Daniels (8-21-215-2 + 23-126-0), making his 1st career start, had a huge game and became the 1st QB since 1986 to rush for over 100 yards on the Seminoles. Florida State QB Christian Ponder (25-37-269-0) did his best to keep the Seminoles in contention but 4 fumbles and only 19 yards rushing by the Offense were too much to overcome (9, Slight pixellation, 1 Disc, ESPN - Matvik/Diaz-Infante, PAL)
03/10/09 - USC (30) @ (3) California - #7 USC rolled over #24 California behind a strong rushing attack and a smothering defense. USC QB Matt Barkley (20-35-282-0) had an up-and-down game but was well supported by a ground game that amassed 174 yards and 2 TD's, with Joe McKnight (20-121-2) the main threat. USC also scored on a 66 yard punt return. The Trojans defense held Cal's star RB Jahvid Best (15-48-0) in check and pressured QB Kevin Riley (15-40-198-0) all game, denying the Bears any chance of a comeback (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Franklin/Cunningham/Smith, PAL)
03/10/09 - New Mexico (28) @ (48) Texas Tech - After a 2 game road trip that resulted in 2 losses, the Red Raiders returned to winning ways at home with a hard-fought win over the Lobos. Texas Tech held only a 14-7 lead at the half after the Lobos defense managed to rattle Tech QB Taylor Potts (13-23-215-0) and knock him out of the game. Back-up QB Steven Sheffield (16-23-238-3) stepped in and led Tech to 21 points in the 3rd quarter to seal the win despite a 4th quarter rally from the Lobos. Tech also featured RB Baron Batch (8-47-1) and WR's Tramain Swindall (5-139-0) and Aaron Torres (7-61-1). New Mexico featured QB Donovan Porterie (30-56-316-2) and RB A.J. Butler (26-102-1) (9, 1 Disc, FOX - Land/Reasons/Jones, PAL)
03/10/09 - LSU (20) @ (13) Georgia - A typical SEC slug-fest through 3 quarters exploded into a shootout in the 4th quarter and it was the Tigers that celebrated the victory with the winning TD with 46 seconds left. LSU dominated Georgia in the 1st half, allowing them only 1 first down and no points. But the Bulldogs also played inspired defense and forced LSU to settle for 2 FG's. But in the 4th quarter both teams found their feet and scored a combined 27 points. Georgia WR AJ.Green (5-99-1) scored on a 16 yard TD pass from QB Joe Cox (18-34-229-2) with 1:09 left to give the 'Dogs a 1 point lead but LSU drove downfield to win the game on a 33 yard TD run by RB Charles Scott (19-95-2) with 46 seconds left to take the win. LSU also featured QB Jordan Jefferson (18-27-212-0). Georgia were led on defense by LB Rennie Curran (16 tackles) (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
03/10/09 - Oklahoma (20) @ (21) Miami - #17 ranked Miami rolled back the years with a big win over #8 ranked Oklahoma. Miami QB Jacory Harris (19-28-202-3) had a big game as he overcame 2 early interceptions and a 10-0 deficit to lead the Canes to the win. Oklahoma were without starting QB Sam Bradford due to injury, but back-up QB Landry Jones (18-30-188-1) had a good game in relief. Miami also featured RB Javarris James (15-150-0) (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, NTSC)
10/10/09 - Auburn (23) @ (44) Arkansas - Arkansas ended the #17 ranked Tigers unbeaten record with a big offensive and defensive show. Arkansas opened up a 27-3 lead at the half thanks to QB Ryan Mallett (24-37-274-2) but Auburn QB Chris Todd (15-28-133-0) rallied the Tigers, guiding his team to 3 TD's in the 4th quarter to pull within 11 points. The Razorback defense then sealed the win with a strong final quarter (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Pasch/Griese/Spielman, PAL)
10/10/09 - Duke (49) @ (28) North Carolina State - Duke ended their 6 year road losing streak with a big win over the Wolfpack. Duke QB Thaddeus Lewis (40-50-459-5) had a career day, setting a team record for completions and posting the 4th highest passing yardage in a game. Both teams started fast and were tied at 21-21 at the half. But Duke found a little Defense in the 2nd half and held NC State scoreless except for a 93 yard kick-off return TD in the 3rd quarter. Lewis was helped out by WR's Donovan Varner (7-154-0) and Conner Vernon (10-86-1). NC State were led by QB Russell Wilson (15 27 172-1 + 11-58-1) (9, 1 Disc, ESPN U - Blackburn/Arbuckle, PAL)
10/10/09 - Georgia Tech (49) @ (44) Florida State - On a stormy night in Tallahassee, #22 Georgia Tech beat Florida State at Doak Campbell stadium for the 1st time ever. The hero for the Yellow Jackets was QB Josh Nesbitt (4 8 131-1 + 27-140-3) and he was aided by RB Jonathan Dwyer (14-102-2). Florida State QB Christian Ponder (26-36-359-5) had a huge game and was supported by RB Jermain Thomas (19-98-1) but the Seminoles defense just couldn't stop the Georgia Tech option attack (10, 2 Discs, ESPN 2 - Jones/Davie/Cox, NTSC)
10/10/09 - Kansas State (14) @ (66) Texas Tech - In his 1st career start, Texas Tech QB Steven Sheffield (33-41-490-7) had a huge game to lead Tech to a big win. Tech led 38-0 at the half, with Sheffield throwing 5 TD passes, and coasted home. Kansas State only managed 284 yards of total offense, led by back-up QB Carson Coffman (11-16-131-0) (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Land/Reasons/Jones, NTSC)
10/10/09 - Arizona (33) @ (36) Washington - A wild game in Seattle ended in bizarre fashion as the Huskies scored 2 TD's in the final 3 minutes to beat the visting Wildcats. Both teams were evenly matched until the 4th quarter when Arizona managed to get on top 33-21. But with 3 minutes remaining Washington scored 2 TD's to take the lead for good with the final score coming in bizarre fashion as a pass intended for a WR bounced off the WR's foot and into the arms of DB Mason Foster, who returned it 37 yards for the winning score. Washington were led by QB Jake Locker (12-23-140-3). Arizona were led by QB Nick Foles (39-53-384-1) and WR David Roberts (12-138-1) (10, 3 Discs, FOX - Glasgow/Strong/Mueller/Stiles, NTSC)
17/10/09 - Stanford (38) @ (43) Arizona - In a shootout in the desert, Arizona rallied from a 15 point deficit to beat the Cardinals. Arizona QB Nick Foles (40-51-415-3) and Stanford QB Andrew Luck (21-35-423-3) both had big games. The Cardinal were leading 38-29 entering the 4th quarter before the Wildcats ripped of 2 big TD runs (43 yards and 57 yards) to take the win. Arizona also featured RB Nic Grigsby (7-89-1) and WR's Juron Criner (12-152-0) and David Douglas (7-92-2). Stanford also featured RB Toby Gerhart (28-123-2) and WR Chris Owusu (5-116-1) (10, 2 Discs, Versus - Thulin/Stouffer/Johnson, NTSC)
17/10/09 - Texas Tech (31) @ (10) Nebraska - Texas Tech rolled into Lincoln and used great defense to upset #15 ranked Nebraska. Texas Tech QB Steven Sheffield (23-32-234-1) had a steady game on Offense but it was the Defense that secured the win by forcing 5 sacks, 1 fumble and 1 interception and also held the Cornhuskers to 285 total yards of Offense. The stars of the Defense were DL Brandon Sharpe (4 sacks) and LB Brian Duncan (8 tackles). Nebraska featured QB Zac Lee (16-22-128-0) who had a rough game in defeat and was replaced late in the game by Cody Green (7-16-87-1) (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Patrick/James/Cox, NTSC)
17/10/09 - Texas (16) v (13) Oklahoma - #3 Texas and #20 Oklahoma continued their "Red River Rivalry" with a huge defensive game that forced 8 turnovers. The Longhorns defense knocked Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford out of the game in the 1st quarter but back-up Landry Jones (24-43-250-1) played well in relief, although his 2 interceptions in the 4th quarter ended any chance of a Sooner win. Texas QB Colt McCoy (21-39-127-1) had a tough game, under constant pressure from the Sooners defense. Coverage includes Gameday Live (10, Last 3 minutes of game time in the 1st Quarter the audio misses every other word - rest of the game is OK, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
17/10/09 - Arkansas (20) @ (23) Florida - #1 Florida were taken to the limit by a tough Arkansas team and had to kick a 27 yard FG with 9 seconds left to take the win. Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett (12-27-224-1) had a good game against a strong Gators defense and put his team in a position to win in the 4th quarter, but his team missed a game-winning FG with 3 minutes left. The Gators, led by QB Tim Tebow (17-26-255-1), then marched downfield to the winning kick. Florida lost 4 fumbles to a hard-hitting Arkansas defense (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
17/10/09 - USC (34) @ (27) Notre Dame - USC extended their win streak over Notre Dame to 8 games with a tight win in South Bend. USC held a 34-14 lead in the 4th quarter thanks to QB Matt Barkley (19-29-380-2) but the Irish mounted a late comeback, led by QB Jimmy Clausen (24-43-260-2), and pulled within 7 points to set up a dramatic finish. Notre Dame got down to the USC 4 yard line on the last play but the USC defense held firm to take the win (10, 2 Discs, NBC - Hammond/Haden/Flanagan, NTSC)
22/10/09 - Florida State (30) @ (27) North Carolina - Florida State completed an improbable comeback against the Tarheels and their 3rd ranked Defense, as they rallied from a 24-6 deficit in the 3rd quarter. The hero for the Seminoles was QB Christian Ponder (33-40-395-3 inc. 98 yd TD pass) who had a huge game, and he was helped by WR Rod Owens (9-199-1). North Carolina were led by QB T.J. Yates (12-25-64-1) and RB Shaun Draughn (23-126-0). The Tarheels wore All-Navy uniforms for the 1st time ever and had alumni Julius Peppers and Lawrence Taylor on the sidelines (10, Re-broadcast missing action in the 2nd quarter between 9:26 and 1:56 - No scoring missed, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
24/10/09 - Idaho (45) @ (70) Nevada - 2 unbeaten WAC teams met at Mackay Stadium in Reno, but it was only the Wolfpack that emerged with their record intact, exploding Offensively to beat the visiting Vandals. Nevada rolled up 662 total yards of Offense, including 484 yards on the ground. Nevada started fast and were up 21-0 early, but Idaho pulled the game back and went in at the half only 28-24 down. The Wolfpack dominated the 2nd half, though, and scored on all 6 of their 2nd half possessions to close out the game. Nevada were led by QB Colin Kaepernick (13-21-178-2 + 15-230-4), RB Vai Taua (17-146-2), WR Brandon Wimberly (5-62-0) and DE's Montay Moch (2 tackles, 1 sack) and Kevin Basped (1 tackle, 1 sack). Idaho featured QB Nathan Enderle (15-26-342-4), RB Deonte' Jackson (7-88-1) and WR's Max Komar (10-136-3) and Maurice Shaw (5-183-2) (8, 1 Disc, GoVandalsTV - Akamian/Floyd, PAL)
31/10/09 - Indiana (24) @ (42) Iowa - Unranked Indiana put a scare into #7 ranked Iowa but the Hawkeyes put in a 28 point 4th quarter to win the game and keep their unbeaten record. Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi (13-26-337-2 inc. TD passes of 92 and 66 yards) had a big 4th quarter but his 5 interceptions (4 in the 3rd quarter alone) almost gave the game away. Indiana were inspired in the 1st half with QB Ben Chappell (23-41-227-2) and RB Brandon Wegher (25-118-3) having big games but the Hawakeyes had too much for the Hoosiers late in the game and they dropped to 4-5 (10, 1st half is a re-broadcast and the 2nd half is the live broadcast - the re-broadcast is missing the last 4:00 of the 1st quarter + between 10:48 and 6:06 of the 2nd quarter - no scoring missed, 2 Discs, ESPN - Jones/Davie/Cox, PAL)
31/10/09 - Georgia (17) v (41) Florida - #1 Florida continued their unbeaten streak with a solid win over the Bulldogs. In the 2nd quarter Florida QB Tim Tebow (15-21-164-2 + 18-85-2) set an SEC mark for career rushing TD's, erasing the old mark held by Georgia RB Herschel Walker since 1983. Florida led 24-10 at the break and the Gators defense held the Georgia offense to only 7 points in the 2nd half to see out the win. Bulldogs QB Joe Cox (11-20-165-2) had a rough game, throwing 3 interceptions of which 1 was returned for a TD. Georgia wore black helmets for the first time (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
31/10/09 - USC (20) @ (47) Oregon - #10 Oregon handed #4 USC their worst defeat since 1997 with a big win in Autzen Stadium on Halloween. Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli (19-31-222-1 + 13-164-1) had a big game and was well supported by RB LaMichael James (24-183-1) as Oregon took a 24-17 lead in at the half. The defense then stepped up in the 2nd half, allowing only 3 points as the Ducks saw out the game. The win put Oregon top of the PAC-10 standings. USC were led by QB Matt Barkley (21-38-187-2) who had a steady game but he wasn't helped by a defense that gave up 613 total yards to the Ducks (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
31/10/09 - Southern Mississippi (43) @ (50) Houston - #17 ranked Houston extended their win streak to 4 games with a tight conference win over Southern Mississippi. Houston led 30-22 at the half but found themselves tied at 43-43 with 57 seconds left after both teams combined to score 31 points in the 4th quarter. Houston QB Case Keenum (44-54-559-5) then calmly guided his team 77 yards to the winning score, a 28 yard TD pass, with 21 seconds left. Houston also featured RB Charles Sims (14-95-1) and WR's James Cleveland (13 190-2) and Tyron Carrier (10 88-0). Southern Mississippi were led by QB Martevious Young (20 34 334-3), WR Gerald Baptiste (8-186-3) and RB Damion Fletcher (26-136-1) (10, 1 Disc, CSS - Stewart/Oliver, NTSC)
31/10/09 - Kansas (21) @ (42) Texas Tech - Texas Tech got back to winning ways with a big win against the Jayhawks. A tight defensive game exploded in the 4th quarter as the Red Raiders scored 28 points to take the win, with RB Baron Batch (17-123-4) the hero as he scored 3 TD's. The Red Raider defense also had a big game, forcing 4 fumbles and 6 sacks, led by DL Brandon Sharpe (5 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and DL Colby Whitlock (4 tackles, 2 sacks). Texas Tech started Freshman QB Seth Doege (14-28-159-1), in his 1st career start, but he was replaced at the half by Taylor Potts (11-19-94-0). Kansas were led by QB Todd Ressing (20-35-181-1) (9, Network JIP 7:29 1st Quarter - 7-0 Kansas, Slight pixellation, 1 Disc, ABC - Franklin/Cunningham, PAL)
07/11/09 - Oklahoma (3) @ (10) Nebraska - The 2 old enemies played out a traditional defensive game on primetime television and it was the Cornhuskers that found just enough Offense to take the win. The Huskers defense intercepted Sooners QB Landry Jones (26-58-245-0) 5 times, returning one to the Sooners 1 yard line to set up the only TD of the game. The Oklahoma defense was equally impressive, holding Nebraska to 180 total yards. Nebraska were led on Offense by QB Zac Lee (5-9-35-1) and RB Roy Helu (20-138-0) and on Defense by DB Matt O'Hanlon (12 tackles, 3 interceptions) (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Franklin/Cunningham/Smith, PAL)
07/11/09 - Houston (46) @ (45) Tulsa - #13 ranked Houston staged a remarkable comeback to beat the Golden Hurricanes, scoring 9 points in the final 21 seconds and scoring the winning 51 yard FG on the final play of the game. Tulsa looked certain to score the upset as they sacked Houston QB Case Keenum (40-60-522-3) on the game-tying 2 point conversion with 21 seconds remaining. But Houston recovered the onside kick and completed 2 passes to put the Houston kicker in range for the game winner. Tulsa QB GJ Kinne (19-25-334-3 + 16-100-1) had a huge game and he was helped by RB Charles Clay (9-27-2 + 2-68-2). Both teams combined for 1,229 yards of total offense (10, 1 Disc, CCS - Hart/Taylor, NTSC)
07/11/09 - Purdue (38) @ (36) Michigan - For the first time since 1966, Purdue beat Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Boilermakers, led by QB Joey Elliott (28-39-367-2 + 10-20-1), fought back from a 24-10 deficit at the half by scoring 21 points in the 4th quarter and then held off a late Wolverine rally to take the win. Michigan pulled within 2 points with a TD with 2:10 left, but QB Tate Forcier (15-24-212-1 + 18-32-1) was sacked attempting the 2 point conversion and Purdue recovered the onside kick to seal the victory. Michigan also featured RB Brandon Minor (19-154-3) (9, Slight pixellation, 1 Disc, Big 10 Network - Larrivee/Martin/Thompson, PAL)
07/11/09 - Oregon (42) @ (51) Stanford - Stanford upset the PAC-10 title race with a big win over #7 ranked Oregon. The hero for Stanford was RB Toby Gerhart (38-223-3) whose 223 yards rushing set a Stanford single game record and pushed him over 1000 yards for the season. Stanford also featured QB Andrew Luck (12-20-251-2) and WR Chris Owusu (4-111-1). Oregon were led by QB Jeremiah Masoli (21-37-334-3 + 10-55-1) and RB LaMichael James (18-125-1 inc. 60 yard TD run) (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Tompkins/Papadakis/Haarlow, NTSC)
14/11/09 - Notre Dame (22) @ (27) Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh turned up the heat on under-fire Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis with a big win over Notre Dame. With the win, Pittsburgh moved to 9-1 for the first time since 1982. The Panthers held a 27-9 lead in the 4th quarter behind the play of QB Bill Stull (15-27-236-1), RB Dion Lewis (21-152-1 inc. 50 yard TD run) and WR Jonathan Baldwin (5-142-1) before the Irish started a comeback, led by QB Jimmy Clausen (27-42-283-1) and WR Golden Tate (9-113-1 + 87 yard punt return TD). But the Panthers held on and celebrated the win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
14/11/09 - Stanford (55) @ (21) USC - #24 Stanford beat #11 USC for the 2nd straight time at the LA Coliseum, using a big 4th quarter to take the win. Stanford led 21-7 at the half and then used a 27 point 4th quarter to hold off a USC comeback. Stanford featured QB Andrew Luck (12-22-144-2) and RB Toby Gerhart (29-178-3). USC were led by QB Matt Barkley (21-31-196-1) and RB Joe McKnight (16-142-1). The result was the worst loss for USC since 1966 and the 55 points were the most ever scored against USC (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Tompkins/Papadakis/Eaves, NTSC)
19/11/09 - Colorado (28) @ (31) Oklahoma State - #12 ranked Oklahoma State, led by their 3rd string QB, survived a big upset bid by the Buffaloes. The Cowboys switched to 3rd string QB Brandon Weedon (10-15-168-2) in the 2nd half after a poor 1st half and the switch worked as the Cowboys rallied to win the game. Weeden also had help from RB Ken Toston (30-172-1) who had a big game. Colorado were led by QB Tyler Hansen (23-36-169-2) but he wasn't helped by a rushing attack that could only manage 13 total yards. Oklahoma State wore black uniforms for the first time since 1994 (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
21/11/09 - Ohio State (21) @ (10) Michigan - #9 ranked Ohio State continued their win streak against their big rivals, beating them for the 6th straight year, and claimed their 5th straight Big 10 Title. The loss condemned Michigan to a 2nd straight year with a losing record an no bowl invitation. The Buckeyes lent on a strong ground attack and a stifling Defense to beat the Wolverines, with the Defense led by DB Kurt Coleman (4 tackles, 2 interceptions) and LB Brian Rolle (9 tackles, 3 for a loss) and the Offense led by QB Terrelle Pryor (9-17-67-1 + 19-74-0) and RB's Dan Herron (19-96-0) and Brandon Saine (12-84-1). On a miserable day for the Wolverines Offense, the Buckeyes defense forced Michigan QB Tate Forcier (23-38-226-1) into 4 interceptions and a lost fumble that was recovered in the end-zone for a TD. Ohio State wore 1954 Throwback uniforms (10, 2 Discs, ABC - McDonough/Millen/Rowe, PAL)
21/11/09 - LSU (23) @ (25) Mississippi - A wild game in Oxford ended with the Rebels claiming 2nd spot in the SEC West. Both teams played great defense for 3 quarters before the Offense's took charge. Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead (14-21-206-0) and RB Dexter McCluster (24-148-0 + 1 TD pass) led the Rebels while QB Jordan Jefferson (19-37-250-2) and WR Terrance Toliver (5-107-0) led the Tigers. The game ended bizarrely when the Tigers completed a 42 yard "Hail Mary" pass to the Ole Miss 6 yard line with 1 second left but, rather than try a game winning FG, they decided to spike the ball. The final second ticked off the clock before the ball could be spiked and Mississippi celebrated the win (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
21/11/09 - Oregon (44) @ (41) Arizona - In a shootout in Tucson, #11 ranked Oregon beat a feisty Arizona team to put themselves in the driving seat to win the PAC-10 title. In a back-and-forth game, it was the Ducks that had the ball last in regulation, down by 7 points, and they forced overtime when QB Jeremiah Masoli (26-47-284-3 + 16-61-3) threw the game-tieing TD with 6 seconds left in the game. Both teams went to a 2nd overtime where Masoli clinched the win with a 1 yard TD run. Arizona QB Nick Foles (30-46-314-4) had a big game in defeat. Disc 1 is Gameday Live and is PAL format. Discs 2 and 3 are the game and are NTSC format (10, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, NTSC)
21/11/09 - Connecticut (33) @ (30) Notre Dame - In the biggest win in team history, Connecticut beat a struggling Notre Dame in 2 overtimes to finally win one for their murdered team-mate, Jasper Howard. The Irish started strong, racing out to a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter thanks to QB Jimmy Clausen (30-45-329-2). But the Huskies, led by Notre Dame transfer QB Zach Frazer (12-25-141-1), got back into the game and had a chance to win in regulation, but a last play FG was missed. The Huskies had another chance to win in overtime and this time RB Andre Dixon (20-114-1) sealed the deal with a TD run and UConn celebrated the upset win. The game proved to be the final home game for Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis as he was sacked at the end of the season. It also proved to be the last home game for Clausen as he declared early for the NFL Draft (10, 3 Discs, NBC - Hammond/Haden/Flanagan, NTSC)
21/11/09 - Oklahoma (13) @ (41) Texas Tech - On a record-setting day, Texas Tech gave the Sooners their worst loss since 2005, out-scoring Oklahoma 24-7 in the 2nd half. Tech was led on Offense by QB Taylor Potts (35-53-390-2) and RB Baron Batch (24-126-2) and on Defense by DL Brandon Sharpe (4 tackles, 2.5 sacks), LB Brian Duncan (6 tackles) and DB Jamar Wall (4 tackles, 1 interception). Oklahoma featured QB Landry Jones (18-35-262-1). The win gave Texas Tech coach Mike Leach his 83rd win, breaking the previous record held by Spike Dykes. The game also turned out to be coach Leach's last home game as he was fired 39 days later (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Meyers/Klatt/Lapham/Knox, NTSC)
21/11/09 - California (34) @ (28) Stanford - For the 1st time since 1991, both teams entered the "Big Game" ranked and it was the #25 ranked Bears that upset the #17 ranked Cardinal to re-claim The Axe. The Bears over-turned a 14-10 deficit at the half and led 34-28 late in the game. Stanford attempted a final game-winning drive but an interception at the Bears 3 yard line inside the final 2 minutes secured the upset win for California. The Bears featured QB Kevin Riley (17-31-235-1), RB Shane Vereen (42-193-3) and WR's Anthony Miller (3-53-0) and Marvin Jones (4-45-1). Stanford featured QB Andrew Luck (10-30-157-0), RB Toby Gerhart (20-136-4) and WR Chris Owusu (2-49-0) (9, Downloaded from the internet, 1 Disc, Versus - Thulin/Stouffer/Johnson, NTSC)
26/11/09 - Texas (49) @ (39) Texas A&M - The #3 ranked Longhorns moved to 12-0 with a shootout win over their big rivals, but the Aggies gave them all they could handle. Texas QB Colt McCoy (24-40-304-4 + 18-175-1) had a big game and also scored on a 65 yard TD run. Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson (26-33-342-4 + 14-97-0) also had a huge game and brought the team back from a 35-21 deficit in the 3rd quarter to within 3 points at 42-39. But the Longhorns responded straight away with a 95 yard kick-off return for a TD to deflate the Aggies and seal the win. The Longhorns wore throwback uniforms (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
28/11/09 - Florida State (10) @ (37) Florida - On Senior day in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, #1 ranked Florida QB Tim Tebow (17-21-221-3 + 15-90-2) said goodbye to his fans in style, leading the Gators to their 6th straight win over their big rivals in his final home game. Florida led 24-0 at the half and coasted home in the 2nd half. The win moved Florida to 12-0. Florida also featured on Offense RB Jeffery Demps (7-106-0) and WR's Aaron Hernandez (5-83-2) and Riley Cooper (3-62-1), and on Defense LB Brandon Spikes and DB Joe Haden. Florida State were led by Freshman QB EJ.Manuel (19-31-186-1) and he had a steady game despite throwing 2 interceptions and suffering 3 sacks. 3 days after the game Florida State coach Bobby Bowden announced his retirement (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
28/11/09 - Rice (14) @ (73) Houston - #25 ranked Houston avenged their 2008 loss to the Owls with a points explosion at Robertson Stadium. Led by QB Case Keenum (25-31-323-2), the Cougars scored 59 points in the 1st half, tieing a team record. The win booked Houston a place in the CUSA title game (10, 1 Disc, CSS - Stewart/Oliver, PAL)
28/11/09 - Missouri (41) @ (39) Kansas - In a shootout at Arrowhead Stadium, Missouri scored 5 points in the final 2:39 to beat their arch-rivals. Kansas led 21-13 at the half thanks to 3 TD passes from QB Todd Reesing (37-55-498-4) but Missouri and QB Blaine Gabbert (23-41-303-1) used a big 3rd quarter to get back in the game. With 2:59 left Kansas led 39-36 but the Tigers scored a Safety and then kicked a 27 yard FG on last play of the game to take the win. Missouri also featured WR Danerio Alexander (15-233-1), Kansas also featured WR Dezmon Briscoe (14-242-2). Missouri wore one-off uniforms that included black-on-black helmets (10, No commentary upto 12:39 1st Quarter, 2 Discs, ABC - Lamont/Pearson, NTSC)
28/11/09 - Texas Tech (20) v (13) Baylor - Both teams faced off at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, and it was the Red Raiders that took the win although it needed a goal-line stand on the last play of the game to get it. The underdog Bears led 10-3 at the half with QB Blake Szymanski (22-35-238-0) leading the way and the defense, led by LB Joe Pawelek (12 tackles), keeping the Texas Tech offense away from any scoring opportunities. But in the 3rd quarter, Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts (31-49-269-2) threw 2 TD passes to put the Red Raiders in control and the Defense, led by Brandon Sharpe (6 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble), stopped the Bears on 4 plays from the Tech 10 yard line in the final seconds to take the win and book a place in the Alamo Bowl. The game also proved to be the last as Texas Tech coach for Mike Leach as on the 28th of December, he was suspended and then fired from his job (10, 2 Discs, FOX - McLaughlin/Reasons/Jones, NTSC)
28/11/09 - Notre Dame (38) @ (45) Stanford - In a shootout in Palo Alto, Stanford used a big game from Heisman-hopeful RB Toby Gerhart to beat Notre Dame and ultimately cost Irish coach Charlie Weis his job. Gerhart (29-205-3 + 1 TD pass) had a big game and was well supported by QB Andrew Luck (14-20-198-0). Notre Dame led 24-20 at the half thanks to 3 TD passes from QB Jimmy Clausen (23-30-340-5) and the game went back-and-forth into the 4th quarter before Gerhart won the game with his TD pass and a TD run with 52 seconds left. Notre Dame also featured WR Golden Tate (10-201-3), whose yardage set a single-season receiving yardage record for the University (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
03/12/09 - Oregon State (33) @ (37) Oregon - In a winner-takes-all game, the Ducks clinched their 1st Rose Bowl berth since 1995 with an emotional win over their big rivals. The Beavers led 23-21 at the half thanks to their 3 offensive stars ; QB Sean Canfield (24-36-306-2), RB Jaquizz Rodgers (16-64-1) and WR James Rodgers (10-139-1). But the Ducks turned the screw in the 2nd half as QB Jeremiah Masoli (14-21-201-1 + 10-40-0) and RB's LaMichael James (25-166-3) and LeGarrette Blount (9-51-1) took over and led the Ducks to the win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Fowler/James/Palmer/Andrews, PAL)
05/12/09 - Cincinnati (45) @ (44) Pittsburgh - #5 ranked Cincinnati fought back from a 21 point deficit to stay unbeaten and win the Big East Championship. Amidst snow flurries, the Panthers rode star RB Dion Lewis (47-194-3) to a career day and he led his team to a 31-17 lead at the half. But the Bearcats staged a comeback, led by QB Tony Pike (22-44-302-3), WR Mardy Gilyard (5-118-1 + 256 yards on kick-off returns inc. 99 yard KO return TD) and TE/RB Travis Kelce (8-47-2), and tied the game with a 29 yard TD pass with 39 seconds left in the game. The PAT proved the game-winner and sent the Bearcats to their 1st ever BCS bowl. 6 days after the game, Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly resigned to take the Head Coach job at Notre Dame (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - McDonough/Millen/Rowe, PAL)
05/12/09 - SEC Championship - Florida (13) v (32) Alabama - The inevitable happened, as predicted all season, as #1 Florida met #2 Alabama for the SEC Championship and a place in the National Championship game. A tight game in the 1st half ended with the Tide holding a slender 19-13 lead. But the 2nd half was all Alabama. They held the Gators scoreless, keeping the ball away from Gators QB Tim Tebow (20-35-247-1 + 10-63-0) with a heavy dose of RB Mark Ingram (28-113-3) and great game management from QB Greg McElroy (12-18-239-1). The win gave Alabama their 22nd SEC title but their first in 10 years (10, Disc 1 is Gameday Live and is PAL format - Disc 2 is the game in NTSC format, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, NTSC)
05/12/09 - Fresno State (53) @ (52) Illinois - In a shootout that featured 964 yards of total offense, the game bizarrely ended on a 2 point conversion with 2 seconds left. Both teams traded scores throughout the game but it was Illinois that led 52-45 with 6 minutes remaining, thanks to QB Juice Williams (8-16-211-3 + 14-56-0) and RB Michael LeShoure (11-184-2). But Fresno State QB Ryan Colburn (13-20-183-2) and RB Ryan Matthews (32-173-3) brought their team within 1 point with a 19 yard TD pass on 4th down with 2 seconds left. Bulldogs coach Pat Hill went for the win with a 2 point conversion and looked to have failed when Colburn was sacked. But Colburn managed to throw the ball towards the end-zone as he was tackled and the ball ricocheted around before ending up in Offensive Linemen Devan Cunningham's hands and he fell into the end-zone for the winning points (10, 2 Discs, Big10 Network - Larrivee/Martin/Thompson, NTSC)
05/12/09 - Big 12 Championship - Texas (13) v (12) Nebraska - #3 ranked Texas used a last play 46 yard FG to beat #21 ranked Nebraska and advance to the BCS title game. The underdog Cornhuskers nearly pulled the upset, using a great defensive effort from DL Ndumakong Suh (4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, 10 total tackles), and held a 12-10 lead with 1:44 left in the game. But Texas QB Colt McCoy (20-36-184-0), under-fire all game, led the 'Horns back down the field and into FG range where kicker Hunter Lawrence won the game. The kick nearly never happended as McCoy threw a pass out of bounds to stop the clock but ran out of time to get the FG unit on. Upon review, though, the play was seen to end with 1 second left allowing time for the game-winning kick (10, 2 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
12/12/09 - FCS Semi-Final - Appalachian State (17) @ (24) Montana - Montana survived blizzard conditions and a last minute fight-back from the Mountaineers to reach the Final for the 2nd straight year. The Mountaineers led 10-7 at the half but after the break the snowy weather closed in and the Grizzlies took advantage, scoring 10 points in the 4th quarter to take the win. Montana QB Andrew Selle (11-27-161-1) threw the winning TD pass with 1:31 left. Mountaineers QB Armanti Edwards (28-54-353-0 + 15-54-0), in his final college game, guided his team downfield to the Grizzlies 3 yard line but his final pass was dropped at the goal-line and Montana celebrated the win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Harris/Arbuckle, NTSC)
18/12/09 - FCS Championship Game - Montana (21) v (23) Villanova - Villanova finally won their 1st ever FCS Championship, using a big 2nd half to win the game. Montana led 14-6 at the half, with QB Andrew Selle (27-35-351-3) having a big half, throwing 2 TD passes. But the Wildcats regrouped, led by RB Matt Szczur (14-159-2), and scored 14 points to take the lead. A late Montana TD wasn't enough to wrestle the result their way and the Wildcats claimed the win (10, 2 Discs, ESPN 2 - Colinns/Huard/Capuano, PAL)
19/12/09 - New Mexico Bowl - Fresno State (28) v (35) Wyoming - Wyoming scored a big upset by beating Fresno State in 2 overtimes, and secured their 1st bowl win since 2004. A tight 1st half ended in a 14-14 tie but the Bulldogs took charge in the 2nd half and led 28-17 in the 4th quarter thanks to RB Ryan Matthews (31-144-2). The Cowboys then took charge, led by Freshman QB Austyn Carta-Samuels (17-31-201-3 + 19-71-0) and a strong defensive effort from game MVP Mitch Unrein, and sent the game into Overtime with a 37 yard FG with 20 seconds left. Both teams went into a 2nd overtime where Carta-Samuels threw a TD pass and the Cowboys defense shut down Matthews to win the game (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Gannon/Norrie, PAL)
20/12/09 - New Orleans Bowl - Southern Mississippi (32) v (42) Middle Tennessee State - A shootout in the Superdome produced a record breaking performance by MTSU QB Dwight Dasher (15-25-162-2 + 26-201-2). His 201 yards rushing set an all-time bowl record as the Blue Raiders upset the Golden Eagles. Southern Mississippi led 17-14 at the half but Dasher rallied his team despite leaving the game for a short time in the 3rd quarter due to injury (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Lamont/Pearson, PAL)
24/12/09 - Hawaii Bowl - SMU (45) v (10) Nevada - In their 1st Bowl game since 1984, SMU scored a huge upset against the favoured Wolfpack. SMU QB Kyle Padron (32-41-460-2) set a team passing yardage record en-route to the MVP award as the Mustangs led 31-0 at the half and never looked back. SMU also featured WR's Aldrick Robinson (9-176-0) and Emmanuel Sanders (7-124-1). Nevada were led by QB Colin Kaepernick (15-29-177-1 + 13-23-0) but were missing star RB's Vai Taua (Suspension) and Luke Lippincott (Injury) (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Gannon/Norrie, PAL)
26/12/09 - Meineke Car Care Bowl - North Carolina (17) v (19) Pittsburgh - Pitt finished their season 10-3 for their biggest win total in 28 years but needed a FG in the final minute to do it. Both teams were evenly matched, with the Panthers led by RB Dion Lewis (28-159-1) and the Tarheels by QB TJ Yates (19-32-183-2), but the game was decided by Pitt kicker Dan Hutchins who nailed a 33 yard FG, his 4th of the game, with 52 seconds left to win the game (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Wischusen/Griese/Spielman/Kessenich, PAL)
26/12/09 - Emerald Bowl - Boston College (13) v (24) USC - USC, playing in their 1st non-BCS game in 7 years, over-powered the Eagles and ended their season on a high note. USC led 14-13 at the half thanks to 2 TD passes from QB Matt Barkley (27-37-350-2) and the defense did their bit to keep BC QB Dave Shinskie (14-33-218-1) and RB Montel Harris (23-102-1) out of the end-zone in the 2nd half to take the win. USC also featured WR Damian Williams (12-189-0) but were missing star RB Joe McKnight to suspension (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Tessitore/Gilmore/Harris, PAL)
28/12/09 - Independence Bowl - Texas A&M (20) v (44) Georgia - The Bulldogs ended a tumultuous season with a big bowl win, using great Special Teams and Defense to beat the Aggies. Georgia broke open a close game with an 81 yard kick-off return for a TD, a blocked FG and a blocked punt, all of which led to 24 points. Georgia led 14-7 at the half and, behind the play of QB Joe Cox (15-28-158-2), WR AJ Green (6-57-0) and RB Caleb King (16-60-2), scored 30 points in the 2nd half to seal the win. Texas A&M were led by QB Jerrod Johnson (29-58-362-2) who had a good game but his 2 interceptions in the 2nd half halted any chance of a comeback (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Franklin/Cunningham/Kessenich, PAL)
29/12/09 - EagleBank Bowl - UCLA (30) v (21) Temple - On a freezing day in the Nations capital, UCLA won their 1st Bowl game since 2005 by upsetting the Owls. Temple were playing in their 1st bowl game in 30 years and started fast, taking a 21-10 lead in at the half. But the Bruins adjusted to the icy field and kept the Owls scoreless in the 2nd half while scoring 20 unanswered points. UCLA were led by QB Kevin Prince (16-31-221-2), RB Chane Moline (15-69-0) and DL Brian Price. Temple were led by QB Vaughn Charlton (13-23-159-1) and RB Bernard Pierce (12-53-0), although he left the game in the 2nd half which turned the game in UCLA's favour (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Wischusen/Griese/Stone, PAL)
30/12/09 - Humanitarian Bowl - Bowling Green (42) v (43) Idaho - On a record setting day in Boise, Idaho ended their long Bowl drought to upset the Falcons. Both teams combined for a shootout and it came down to who had the ball last. Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan (33-47-387-4) threw a 51 yard TD pass with 32 seconds left, but it left enough time for Idaho QB Nathan Enderle (15-28-240-4) to march downfield and score with 4 seconds left. Idaho coach Robb Akey decided to go for 2 and the win and Enderle obliged. The Bowl win was Idaho's first since 1998. Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes (17-219-3) had a huge game, setting an NCAA record for catches in a season (155). Both teams combined for 990 yards of total offense (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Collins/Huard/Cox, PAL)
31/12/09 - Armed Forces Bowl - Houston (20) v (47) Air Force - A battle of Offensive philosophies saw the Falcons and their rushing attack overcome Houston and their passing attack. Houston QB Case Keenum (24-41-222-1) had a poor day, throwing 6 interceptions, while the Falcons rushed for 402 yards with RB's Jared Tew (26-173-2) and Asher Clark (17-129-2) leading the way. Air Force lead 24-6 at the half and never looked back (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Lamont/Pearson/Capuano, PAL)
31/12/09 - Sun Bowl - Oklahoma (31) v (27) Stanford - The Sun Bowl lived up to its reputation as an Offensive showcase as Oklahoma out-lasted Stanford to win their 1st Bowl game since 2005. Stanford led 24-17 at the half thanks to star RB Toby Gerhart (32-135-1) but the Sooners put the squeeze on Gerhart in the 2nd half and Oklahoma QB Landry Jones (30-51-418-3) and WR Ryan Broyles (13-156-3) took back the lead and the win. Broyles 13 catches were a Sun Bowl record. Stanford were led by QB Tavita Pritchard (8-19-117-0) as regular starter Andrew Luck was injured (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Bolerjack/Beuerlein/Ryan, PAL)
01/01/10 - Outback Bowl - Northwestern (35) v (38) Auburn - In a wild shootout, both teams battled to Overtime where Auburn stopped a Northwestern trick-play at the 2 yard line to win the game. Auburn jumped out to a 21-7 lead at the half before Northwestern QB Mike Kafka (47-78-532-4) brought the Wildcats back into the game with 3 TD passes in the 2nd half that forced overtime. Auburn got on the board with a FG and on 4th down Northwestern lined up for the tieing FG. But the Wildcats faked the kick and when they tried to run the ball into the end-zone, they were tackled 2 yards short, giving the Tigers the win. Auburn were led by QB Chris Todd (20-31-235-1) and RB Ben Tate (20-108-2) (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Pasch/Griese/Spielman/Stone, PAL)
01/01/10 - Gator Bowl - West Virginia (21) v (33) Florida State - Florida State sent retiring Head Coach Bobby Bowden out a winner as the Seminoles cameback from an early 14-3 deficit to beat the Mountaineers. West Virginia, led by QB Jarrett Brown (8-15-92-0), got out to a quick start but Florida State, led by back-up QB EJ Manuel (17-24-189-0 + 14-70-1) battled back to take the lead at the half then held off the Mountaineers with a 20 point 2nd half to take the win. West Virginia also featured RB Noel Devine (16-168-1). Florida State also featured RB Jermaine Thomas (25-121-2). Bowden was retiring after a 57 year coaching career (10, 2 Discs, CBS - Lundquist/Danielson/Wolfson, PAL)
01/01/10 - Rose Bowl - Ohio State (26) v (17) Oregon - #8 ranked Ohio State finally banished their BCS failures with a big win over PAC-10 champions and #7 ranked Oregon and claimed their 1st Rose Bowl title since 1996. The star was Ohio State's QB Terrelle Pryor (23-37-266-2 + 20-72-0) who turned in an MVP performance. Both teams were evenly matched and traded scores before the Buckeyes defense finally took control in the 2nd half and kept the Ducks scoreless in the 4th quarter when Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli (9-20-81-0 + 6-9-1) attempted a comeback. Covergage includes Gameday Live (10, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)
01/01/10 - Sugar Bowl - Florida (51) v (24) Cincinnati - In Florida QB Tim Tebow's final game as a Gator, he put in an MVP performance to lead #5 ranked Florida over #4 ranked Cincinnati. Tebow (31-35-482-3 + 14-51-1) had a career day in passing yards as he led the Gators to a 30-3 lead at the half, and the Gators cruised home. Cincinnati were led by QB Tony Pike (27-45-170-3) who had a tough time against the Florida defense, and also TE/RB Travis Kelce (1 rush for 19 yards) (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Brennaman/Billick/Myers, PAL)
02/01/10 - Alamo Bowl - Michigan State (31) v (41) Texas Tech - After a turbulent few weeks for both teams, it was Texas Tech that finished on a high note as they rallied with 2 TD's in the 4th quarter for the win. The Spartans had suspened 14 players before the game while the Red Raiders had fired Head Coach Mike Leach 4 days before the game. Texas Tech led 20-14 at the half but trailed 31-27 early in the 4th quarter before Tech back-up QB Steven Sheffield (9-11-88-1) led 2 TD drives to take the win. Tech also featured starting QB Taylor Potts (29-43-372-2), who left due to injury, and RB Baron Batch (22-100-2). Michigan State were led by QB Kirk Cousins (13-27-220-1) and RB Edwin Baker (12-97-1) (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Patrick/Davie, PAL)
04/01/10 - Fiesta Bowl - Boise State (17) v (10) TCU - #6 Boise State upset #3 TCU, ending the season 14-0, but needed a gutsy call in the 4th quarter to get the win. Both teams struggled for Offensive production, so in the 4th quarter with the game tied at 10-10, Boise State executed a fake punt on their own 33 yard line for a 29 yard gain and 4 plays later the Broncos scored the game winning TD on a 2 yard run. Boise State were led by QB Kellen Moore (23-39-211-0) while TCU were led by QB Andy Dalton (25-44-272-1). Both teams only managed 300 yards of Offense each (10, 2 Discs, FOX - Rosen/Ryan/Myers, PAL)
06/01/10 - GMAC Bowl - Central Michigan (44) v (41) Troy - CMU QB Dan LeFevour ended his college career in the best possible way ; with a 2 overtime win over the Trojans. A low scoring game in the 1st half exploded into life in the 2nd half and CMU found themselves down 31-19 at the start of the 4th quarter. But LeFevour (33-55-395-1 + 9-12-1) suddenly found his rhythm and led CMU into overtime where they blocked a Troy FG before converting their own for the win. Troy were led by QB Levi Brown (31-56-386-1) and RB DuJuan Harris (14-112-2) (10, 2 Discs, ESPN - Tessitore/Gilmore/Harris, PAL)
07/01/10 - BCS Title Game - Texas (21) v (37) Alabama - #1 Alabama claimed their 1st National Championship since 1992 with a tight win over #2 Texas. Texas lost their starting QB Colt McCoy on their 5th play of the game to injury and Alabama took advantage, posting a 24-6 lead at half-time. But back-up QB Garrett Gilbert (15-40-186-2) rallied the Longhorns and pulled his team to within 3 points before the Tide scored 2 late TD's to ice the game and take the win. The MVP of the game was Heisman Trophy winning RB Mark Ingram (22-116-2) and he was supported by QB Greg McElroy (6-11-58-0). The Tide defense, led by DL Marcell Dareus and Terrence Cody, LB Rolando McLain and DB Javier Arenas forced 4 interceptions and held Texas to only 81 yards rushing. Disc 1 is 37 minutes of ESPN pre-game + ABC Pre-game + the National Anthem (10, 3 Discs, ABC - Musberger/Herbstreit/Salters, PAL)