Oh How Sweet Sugar Tastes
BCS Bowl Game Lives Up To Expectations
01/01/2007
Written By: Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN NCAA Football Analyst
[New Orleans, Louisiana]-- The
Rutgers Scarlet Knights were playing in just their fourth bowl game of all time, this being by far the biggest. It was the Scarlet Knights first time in any BCS Bowl, as they were heading to New Orleans to take on Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
Perhaps the Scarlet Knights offense was just a little too excited, or nervous, early on. They started out with the ball, but after a
Kordell Young run went nowhere, they elected to throw the ball and test the passing defense of the Sooners. After
Mike Teel's pass was intercepted and returned into Rutgers territory, head coach
Greg Schiano knew it was going to be a tough day.
The Sooners, led by Heisman canidate quarterback Joey Halzle, got into trouble of their own though. Halzle's first pass of the game was intercepted by
Courtney Greene, who was playing in his first game since week six when they took on Syracuse.
Greene proceeded to run the interception back 67 yards for the first score of the game, giving the Scarlet Knights an early 7-0 lead.
After the defensive unit forced Oklahoma to a three and out, the offense was able to gain enough yards to set
Jeremy Ito up with a 56 yard field goal attempt.
"That's why he was an All-American," said Schiano.
Ito's kick was perfect, splitting the uprights, and giving the Scarlet Knights a 10-0 lead.
The Sooners would soon get on the board though, as early in the second quarter Allen Patrick capped off a beautiful drive, led by Halzle, with a one yard touchdown run.
After Ito made his second field goal of the game, this time from 35 yards out, the defense couldn't hold the Sooner offense before the half, allowing them to get into field goal range.
"We gave them a huge oppertunity there at the end of the half," said Schiano.
"We wish we didn't do that, but hey it happened and they made the -- what was it, a 52 yarder?"
The score entering the half was 13-10 Rutgers, and the game was living up to it's potential.
After the Sooners tied the game in the third quarter with another Hartley field goal, the game entered the fourth.
A Oklahoma defensive standup gave Halzle the ball with a chance to put Oklahoma ahead in the game for the first time. A long drive of Allen Patrick runs eventually landed the Sooners on the five, where Joey Halzle found Malcolm Kelly for a five yard strike, putting the Sooners up by seven.
With under two minutes to go, Rutgers was going to need a miracle. They hadn't had much success all game moving the ball, and had failed to score an offensive touchdown all game.
Yet, Mike Teel rose to the occasion, finding receivers
Kenny Britt and
Tiquan Underwood twice during the drive to move them downfield.
Mixed in with a couple of Kordell Young runs, Teel got the big strike he was looking for. With just 0:36 remaining in the game, Teel found tight end
Kevin Brock down the field where he fired the pass. It was caught and Brock was knocked out of bounds, stopping the clock with 0:29 left on the clock, and a Rutgers first and goal from the six.
After Kordell Young was stuffed on first down, Schiano elected to try a playaction pass. The pass fell incomplete and third down was approaching.
Another Young run fell short of the goaline, setting the Scarlet Knights on the three yard line, with a fourth and goal.
Running the hurry up, Schiano elected to give it to the sophomore one more time. This time, it paid off, as Young went into the endzone untouched, to bring the Knights within one. A Jeremy Ito extra point later, and this game was heading to overtime.
When Rutgers won the toss to start the overtime period they elected to defend, figuring if they knew what they atleast needed to get it would be much easier.
The Oklahoma offense threw two incomplete passes to start the drive, followed by a completion to Malcolm Kelly, yet falling short of the first down. Out came Hartley to attempt his third field goal of the game, but the wind carried it wide to the right.
All Rutgers needed was a field goal and they would be crowned Sugar Bowl Champions.
The first play was a screen pass, where Teel found Kenny Britt who carried it for nine yards before being taken down. The next play? A handoff to Kordell Young who broke the run for eleven yards, setting the Scarlet Knights up with the ball on the five yard line.
The very next play, another handoff to Young, who ran the ball into the endzone, crowing the 2007-08 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Sugar Bowl Champions.
"There's no feeling to describe this," said a tearful senior
Pedro Sosa.
"This is what we've worked for, I'm so glad it's paid off, wow. It's something you will never forget."
"You can't describe it," said coach Schiano in an interview after the game.
"You just have to soak it all in while it's hear, because this group of people, this team, they were a remarkable group. They'll never get to play again, and for them to go out like this is something to never forget."
The 2007-08 season was one to treasure, as the
Scarlet Knights won their first big bowl game, and finished the season at
12-1.
When asked about how he likes his chances at a National Championship next year, coach Schiano replied:
"Haha, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We're losing a great senior class, maybe even more with the way a couple of our juniors played. Who knows, but I think we'll be able to compete next year just like we did this year. Let's just continue to remember this moment right here, right now."