40 Acres Sports

Holiday Bowl Marred by Herbstreit and Musberger. I bitched about the awful job they did during my live blog, glad I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

It featured one of the wildest and weirdest plays in recent memory, but the 2007 [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag] ended up being an easier Texas win than anyone expected. The Horns came out fired up and got up on the [tag]Arizona State[/tag] early before finishing with a 52-34 victory.

Here’s how the team did with my keys for the game:

1. Pressure Rudy Carpenter.

The Longhorns not only pressured Carpenter but they eventually knocked him out of the game. Carpenter was rattled early and did not perform well when the Horns were able to hurry him. The team finished the night with four sacks but more importantly was in the quarterback’s face all game long. Defensive coordinator [tag]Duane Akina[/tag] brought blitzes from every direction and every position. Defensive end [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] had a heck of a game (two sacks, tons of pressure) was named the game’s defensive MVP. Verdict: Passed.

2. Don’t turn the ball over.

[tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] didn’t throw any interceptions but did put the ball on the turf with alarming frequency. McCoy fumbled the football four times, but only lost a critical one on a boneheaded play at the end of the first half that could have cost Texas dearly. He also botched two snaps and was bailed out big time (after a great long scramble) when Jermichael Finley fell on his fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. The Horns didn’t protect the football very well but they only turned it over once, so… Verdict: Passed.

3. Don’t forget about the run game.

I don’t think the coaches gave the ball enough to [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] early in the game, but as the game wore on he ended up getting more than his share of touches. Thanks to the big second half lead Charles finished the game with 27 carries and 161 yards. Colt McCoy did what he’s been doing this season, finding a way to make big plays with his feet. The team also went to freshman quarterback [tag]John Chiles[/tag] early to spark the offense and he carried the ran the ball very successfully. Overall the team ran the ball 54 times for a whopping 300 yards in the game. Verdict: Passed.

After Texas’ big victory over [tag]Arizona State[/tag] in Thursday night’s [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag], [tag]Chris Jessee[/tag] was making the most of the news. That’s not the only thing people were talking about as the Longhorns win impressed many of the doubters the team had earned over the course of the season. Check out all the reports on the game from around the Web below. The Austin American-Statesman in particular has several good articles on the game, be sure to check their stuff out.

Here you go:

Austin American-Statesman

• Texas wins wild Holiday Bowl
• Game photos
• Solid win shows what Longhorns could’ve been.
• Is the best yet to come for Horns?
• Holiday Bowl notebook
• The (sometimes warped) view from the press box
• Brown’s stepson made bizarre appearance

Bevo Sports

• Live: Holiday Bowl versus Arizona State
• Video: Chris Jessee wants to get away
• Chris Jessee: I Did Not Touch the Ball

Dallas News

• Longhorns handle Arizona State
• Longhorns playing their best at end
• Texas’ Lokey finds the gravy in grunt work

Blogosphere

• Texas Dominates Holiday Bowl and Arizona State, 52-34
• Texas Staffer Getting the Bartman Treatment
• The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly – Holiday Bowl Version
• Texas’ Out-of-Control Sideline
• On Those Frauds at Arizona State

Other Media

• Instant Analysis: Holiday Bowl
• McCoy, Charles rush Texas past Arizona State
• McCoy shines at Holiday, gaining momentum for 2008
• UT uses Holiday for push into 2008
• Identities revealed in wild Holiday Bowl
• Texas overcomes bizarre interference by Brown’s stepson in 52-34 victory
• Texas starts fast, finishes big
• Un-Holiday Bowl end as ‘Horns hook, line, sink ’em
• McCoy and Orakpo take MVP trophies
• Texas dominates ASU
• Texas is good, but ASU hurt itself

Aggie yell leaders again embarrass state of Texas: Paterno On His Deathbed. WTF was any of that? A skit? Sad and unfunny.

ESPN’s brief postgame interview with Mack Brown’s stepson [tag]Chris Jessee[/tag] has been posted to their beta video site, you can watch it below:

What do you think, did Chris make contact with the football?

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This play/incident has taken away the focus from a great win for the team. Unless something new comes up this will be the last time we talk about Chris Jessee for a while. (And I’m still not sure of the official spelling of his last name, ESPN Video used “Chris Jessie”.) We’ll be posting some postgame and postseason recaps and thoughts over the coming days and weeks.

I didn’t know [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] had any kids before tonight. About two seconds during tonight’s [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag] certainly changed that as Mack’s stepson [tag]Chris Jessee[/tag] accidentally became very famous for all the wrong reasons. If the Longhorns hadn’t come back for the big bowl victory he might have ended up being infamous.

Check out video of the play below:

The look on his face after the replay ruling and the explanation is so pained. He’s definitely a candidate for those Southwest Airlines commercials, “Want to get away?” Chris certainly did after [tag]Arizona State[/tag] turned his blunder into seven points. Put a logo at the end of that YouTube video and send a check to Chris and boom we’ve got ourselves a commercial.

The number of non-players on the sideline is definitely something that should be looked at in the offseason for Texas and I’m sure other teams as well. Most of those guys have no true purpose for being down there and the more people you have around the harder it is to keep everyone where they should be. Safety is an issue as well here, both the players on the field and the sideline are more vulnerable to injuries when there’s people all over the place.

I’m glad it worked out the way it did because this could have been real bad for Chris and Mack. He (and about 4 other guys) should not have been on the field at all, but (not) touching the ball was an honest mistake. He thought it had been a forward pass and so did the ref who briefly called intentional grounding. Enjoy the moment Chris and don’t feel too bad.

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I’ll be posting periodic updates, comments, and vulgarity as the game goes on. It’s kickoff time and I’m as fired up as I’ve been since early on in the season. Let’s see how the Horns respond to a little adversity.

First Quarter

• 2 seconds in to the game and it’s clear Brent Musberger didn’t do any preparation. Brutally mispronounces [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag]’s name and then calls [tag]Lamarr Houston[/tag] the name of some random walk on. Houston takes the very short pooch kick off and the Horns start the game off with the ball out at the 50.
• Looked like a bad read by [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] on the zone read. Picks up close to 10 yards though and the Horns have a 3rd and 3. Big play as the team really needs to get going early.
• 3rd and short run that the line did a terrible job blocking on but [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] breaks it for a 15 yard game.
• [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] is right. Charles was hit out of bounds down low and that should have been a penalty.
• Bad awareness by [tag]Nate Jones[/tag]. He was wide open but let himself drift out of the back of the end zone. Announcers have good comment though about how the design of the end zone in the stadium could be confusing.
• [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] is a gosh damn genius!!!!!!! WoooOoo! Touchdown [tag]Derek Lokey[/tag] for the touchdown!!! That a boy! Bill Belichick would be proud.

Arizona State 0, Texas 7

• The team really looks fired up. Let’s hope that results in some inspired play, and no let down once that energy wears off.
• [tag]Jared Norton[/tag], [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag], and [tag]Scott Derry[/tag] are the starters at linebacker. That might shut some Internet coaches up (for a few minutes.)
• And Norton is already hurt. Damnit.
• Defensive package on 3rd and long includes only 3 down lineman, [tag]Drew Kelson[/tag] and [tag]Deon Beasley[/tag] in there as extra pass defenders. Nice new look.
• Designed QB draw play. I don’t mind McCoy scrambling (in fact he’s been darn good at it this season) but not sure we should be calling too many first quarter QB runs in the huddle.
• As Musberger talks about [tag]Chris Hall[/tag] I just noticed that freshman [tag]Kyle Hix[/tag] is getting the start at right tackle and they’ve moved [tag]Adam Ulatoski[/tag] to the left side.
• [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] on the reverse pass. Not really anybody open and Cosby does the smart thing and just throws it away. Or maybe it twas just a terrible throw. The play wasn’t blocked well and the receivers were all covered as well.
• [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] in there on this series. Norton back in there as well.
• Fumble! Maybe. They called it a fumble on the field at least as corner [tag]Brandon Foster[/tag] appears to rip the ball out as the ASU running back falls to the ground. Looks like he had it out before his knee was down and doesn’t look like there’s 100% evidence of the contrary. Replay confirms, Texas ball!
• Hot damn! Hey there [tag]John Chiles[/tag], I vaguely remember you buddy. The young dual threat QB is in there and on the first play Charles takes the zone read hand off close to 50 yards. On the very Next play Chiles keeps it on the same play off the left end for the touchdown! (Psst… where has this been all year?)

Arizona State 0, Texas 14

• In case you hadn’t noticed, yes I’m about 5 minutes behind live on the DVR. I’ll be caught up after one or two commercial breaks.
• Wonder what the wind situation is like. [tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag]’s kickoffs have all been pretty short.
• Has Roger Clemens hired investigator to “discredit Brian McNamee” or two prove that he didn’t take steroids? Those are two very different things.
• Not only did senior [tag]Robert Killebrew[/tag] not get the start at linebacker but I haven’t seen him in on defense at all yet tonight. Two series in a row where it’s nothing but the young guys and Derry is off the field as well.
• [tag]Erick Jackson[/tag] got really burned on a deep pass but gets back just in time because of the underthrown ball (and maybe a little early) and the ball is tipped up and safety [tag]Marcus Griffin[/tag] has the ball come right to him for the interception.
• I like the fair catch trash talk by the ASU punt returner. “Did you see the way I waved my arm and caught the ball. You can’t handle this!”
• Killebrew, Derry, and [tag]Rashad Bobino[/tag] in there for this series.
• Can Musberger get anyone’s name right? It’s Dick Tomey, not Toomey. Dufus.
• Finally. McCoy scrambles and throws deep on the run and get its to his open receiver Cosby for a huge 55 yard gain. That a boy Colt.
• And Charles runs tough and right through the Sun Devils’ defense for the 15-yard TD run. Heck of a run and refusal to get tackled by one guy. The Horns are now up 3 scores and it’s still the first quarter. Come on guys keep this up, don’t let an ASU score or anything swing this momentum.

Arizona State 0, Texas 21

• Veteran linebackers in for second series in a row. [tag]Henry Melton[/tag] getting some early playing time at defensive end.
• Bobino shaken up. Now both middle linebackers have needed to be helped up by the medical staff but both were able to walk off on their own power.
• We’re bring multiple linebackers on every play and if we don’t start getting to Carpenter a step quicker we could be in trouble.

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2007 Holiday Bowl
	#11 Arizona State (10-2) vs. #19 Texas (9-3) Dec. 27, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)

One of the biggest games of the 2007-08 bowl season, the [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag] features the 19th ranked Texas Longhorns facing off against the 11th ranked [tag]Arizona State[/tag] Sun Devils. Each of the two teams are capable of putting up big time points and neither defense may be able to say anything about it. Like Holiday Bowls in years past, this game has all the makings of a high scoring, close game that will come down to a wild finish.

When Texas is on offense things will fall on [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag]’s still young shoulders. The team can still win when the sophomore quarterback doesn’t play his best, but it will be up to McCoy to manage the game, protect the football, and convert a few big third downs if the Horns are going to come out on top. Running back [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] may be the Horns biggest weapon, but has disappeared at times this season due to scheme and playcalling. Get Charles rolling early and the Horns could roll as well.

Arizona State’s offense is equally potent and QB Rudy Carpenter is one of the nation’s most skilled passers. If the offensive line can give him time to throw the Texas secondary can be exploited. The Longhorns will need defensive tackle [tag]Frank Okam[/tag] and his line mates to get pressure on the QB without help from the linebackers. If the linebackers can help out with pass coverage then cornerback [tag]Deon Beasley[/tag] and the rest of the secondary might stand a chance.

Players to Watch: ASU QB Rudy Carpenter, ASU LB Robert James, ASU S Troy Nolan, UT QB Colt McCoy, UT RB Jamaal Charles, UT DT Frank Okam, UT CB Deon Beasley

Prediction: Arizona State 31, Texas 41

SI.com Holiday Bowl breakdown. Mandel thinks the Horns win by three.

Despite being ranked eight spots lower in the polls the Texas Longhorns head into their their bowl game against [tag]Arizona State[/tag] as a 2.5 point favorite. Year after year the [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag] is one of most exciting bowl games and this year should be no different.

Here are the keys for Texas to come out on top:

1. Pressure Rudy Carpenter.

Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter has spent a lot of time on the turf this season. He was sacked 51 times this year, more than any other QB in Division 1A college football. The Texas front four has gotten virtually no pressure and no defensive lineman has more than Frank Okam‘s five sacks, that’s a big reason the pass defense is one of the worst in the country. If those guys can’t pressure and hurry Carpenter Thursday night he’ll have a huge game and it’ll be a very long night for Texas fans.

2. Don’t turn the ball over.

This one is kind of obvious but if [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] and the Texas offense don’t protect the football better they’ll fail to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2000 ended with a Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon. After throwing only 7 interceptions last year McCoy made enough bad decisions and bad throws that he’s thrown 18 this season. He has to get rid of the ball before taking the big hit and not continue to force passes into coverage. If Colt finishes the game with no fumbles and no interceptions Texas beats the Sun Devils.

3. Don’t forget about the run game.

Despite the game never being out of reach and [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] having good success running the football, the Longhorns went away from the run early in the November loss to the Aggies. Charles averaged 5.4 yards on only 17 carries in that game. To beat Arizona State the Horns can’t make that mistake again. A heavy dose of Charles on the ground would also have the added benefit of keeping the ASU offense off the field. Even if Texas gets behind early there’s no need to abandon the gameplan.