Celebrating the New Year with a Big 12 bowl bonanza.
In last night’s Insight Bowl, Oklahoma St. got out to a huge early lead and capped off their 2007 with a winning record by defeated Indiana 49-33. Zac Robinson had a monster game, going 24 of 34 for 302 yards and three touchdowns through the air, and adding 70 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Freshman Dez Bryant caught nine passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and two OSU seniors closed out their careers with solid outings, as running back Dantrell Savage ran for 100 yards and a touchdown, and receiver Adarius Bowman caught six passes for 74 yards and a score.
Just as impressive as their offensive output was the fact that the defense held Indiana receiver James Hardy, one of the country’s top receivers - and biggest at 6′7, to only five catches for 50 yards and no touchdowns.
As we kick off the New Year, a couple of Big 12 teams are in action already. Missouri has put in a tremendous defensive performance in holding Arkansas running back Darren McFadden to only 86 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, and Tigers running back Tony Temple is showing that McFadden and Felix Jones aren’t the only top-notch backs at the Cotton Bowl, as Temple has run for 261 yards and three scores to help Missouri to a 31-7 lead in the fourth. Chase Daniel has had an off-day, going only 11 of 29 for 127 yards and an interception, but thanks to the great game by Temple and the great defensive effort - Arkansas didn’t get on the board until late in the third, when it was already 28-0), Missouri’s looking at a 12-win season.
It’s not going as good for Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl, as they’re down 21-7 to Virginia at halftime. The Cavaliers have done a great job in shutting down Tech’s high-powered offense, outside of the Red Raiders’ second drive of the game, which they scored on to take a 7-0 lead. Since then, Virginia has scored 21 straight points, and have moved the ball well on Tech’s defense, and got a couple of big plays, one on defense in a safety on an intentional grounding penalty on Graham Harrell, and the other on a 96-yard touchdown run by Mikell Simpson. One bright spot for the Red Raiders is that they’ve held Virginia defensive end Chris Long without a sack thus far, though Harrell has been sacked twice.
Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, chase daniel, Cotton Bowl, Darren McFadden, Gator Bowl, Graham Harrell, Indiana Hoosiers, Insight Bowl, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Tony Temple, Virginia Cavaliers, Zac Robinson