January 1 - Cotton Bowl: Missouri 38  Arkansas 7

Razorbacks stop QB Chase Daniels to let Tony Temple run wild!

Read our Review of the Texas Bowl Tour below!

Texas Bowl Tour 2008

Horned Frogs stop late Cougar rally, 20-13

Houston, TX -  After getting up at 4 am to catch our three and a half hour flight to Dallas, driving four hours to Houston, and enjoying a few hours at the Texas Fan Fest in the Reliant Stadium parking lot, Guest Game Analyst (GGA) and official Texas Bowl Tour photographer Eric Koreivo and I settled into our 500-level front row seats hovering directly over the 50-yard line at beautiful Reliant Stadium with its roof closed to watch our first game of the Tour between the Texas Christian Horned Frogs (7-5) of the Mountain West conference and the Houston Cougars (8-4) of Conference-USA.  Both offenses had to shake off the cob webs during the first period following a month-long layoff as the first period could have been dubbed “Punt-fest following Fan-fest”.    With :08 left in the first period, Houston Frosh QB Case Keenum avoided several tacklers of an intense three-man rush and finally fired the ball downfield to wide-open RB Andre Kohn who turned to score the game’s first touchdown from 67 yards out. T.J. Lawrence converted to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead.

     TCU returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the Houston 28. TCU Frosh QB Andy Dalton faked a hand-off on a dive play and took it around the left side himself for a three yard TD run.  PK Chris Manfredini made the extra point to knot the score, 7-7.  Houston started a drive from its own ten late in the half.  On fourth and six at TCU’s thirty-six, Keenum scrambled again to avoid a loss and connected with WR Jeron Harvey (4 catches, 64 yards) at the Horned Frog’s sixteen.  With: 10 left, Lawrence connected for a 39-yard FG to take a 10-7 lead for the “Coogs”.  For some reason, UH attempted an onsides kick on the ensuing play and TCU had possession on the Houston forty-five.  Dalton heaved a bomb into the end zone where OLB James Francis made the only turnover of the night and preserved the tenuous Houston lead.

     Fan fest featured both schools' bands, team walks, drinks, foods, music, Houston Texan cheerleaders, and autographs from 2007 Texas Gridiron Legends including former college and pro players like Ray Childress and Mike Renfro among others.  In addition was former Cougar Head Coach and Hall of Famer Bill Yeoman.  Finding out the night before on the Texas Bowl web site that the coach famous for developing the veer offense would be there, I searched through my treasured game program collection and dug out the program from the only Houston game previously attended – the 1980 Garden State Bowl between Houston and Navy.  I was unaware that the 35-0 Cougar victory was the last post-season win for the school which fell seven times since!  We watched the TCU band perform while keeping an eye out for the coach to join the other Legends.  When he did, we got in line to thrust the Hall of Fame Coach this piece of nostalgia.  He was probably a little confused at first since the cover showed action from the 1979 Garden State Bowl between California and Temple. “Houston vs. Navy” is barely legible in green over the photo, so I quickly turned to the page with his picture and he got a big kick out of it and said,  “Oh, where did you get this?” Then I asked him, “Coach, when are you ever going to get up to your alma mater (Army) and show them how to run the veer?” inferring the successes of sister academies Air Force and Navy with run-oriented offenses.  I don’t think he understood my line of questioning fully, but I thought his response was interesting.  “You know if I was coaching today, the way these defenses are now, we would average 40 points a game (with the veer).”  His comment sparked two thoughts of mine we didn’t have time to get into.  One, what were his thoughts about today’s defenses compared to those when he coached?  Two, it makes me anxious now to see if Paul Johnson’s conversion of Georgia Tech to the triple-option becomes successful, and if it is, will other programs consider using similar offensive tactics such as the veer?  We’ll be interested to watch how this develops.  It was fun to meet Bill Yeoman for a few brief minutes, and we thanked him for signing the 27 year-old program.

     Manfredini’s 30-yard FG tied the score in the third, 10-10, for the only score of the period.  The Cougars played without the services of leading rusher Joseph Turner who injured his knee early in the game.  As the stanza ended, TCU was in the midst of a long drive staring from their own twenty as the result of a touchback, down to the Houston sixteen.

     Within the first minute of the final period, RB Justin Watts ran it in from the seven and Texas Christian had its first lead, 17-10.  Houston struggled to move the ball once again without the services of its leading RB, but P Chase Turner was effective keeping TCU deep in their own territory averaging 50.2 yards on six kicks.  Dalton (21 of 30 passes for 249 yards) did enough to move his team up from the twenty following another touchback to get his team into position for Manfredini’s second FG of the night, a 36-yarder to extend the Horned Frog lead, 20-10.  But Houston's Case Keenum (230 of 38 for 335 yards) picked up the slack with no effective running game and a lot of scrambling on his behalf.  From his own thirty-five, he drove the team to the TCU thirty where Lawrence’s FG attempt went wide right.  With 3:14 remaining, he started his team from the twenty-five.  His scrambling and ability to break tackles in the backfield along with good sideline routes to stop the clock allowed Lawrence to convert a 32-yarder to close the gap, 20-13, with 1:57 left in the game.  Interim Head Coach Chris Thurmond effectively used his team’s final three time-outs as the Cougars defense held and forced the Frogs to punt.  With 1:32 left, Houston took over from its own two.  Keenum effectively moved his team down the field completing passes for first downs to stop the clock to get to the TCU thirty-four with :18 left in the Texas Bowl.  Three attempts into the end zone fell incomplete.  TCU called time-out with one play and :01 left.  Keenum dropped back, but this time he could not elude DE Chase Ortiz who recorded a sack to end the game.

Extra points:  Our Texas Bowl Tour had gotten us off to a great start!  Dalton was named the game’s MVP, but both redshirt freshman QBs put on impressive performances after rocky starts.  Dalton set TCU season passing records for attempts (371) and completions (222).  Incoming Houston Head Coach Kevin Sumlin, from Oklahoma, looks like he has a QB for the next three years to build around in Case Keenum.  He keeps current offensive coordinator Jason Phillips on his coaching staff to maintain some continuity to the Cougar offense, and needs to improve his pass protection.  The attendance was announced at 62,907 as the third highest bowl crowd in Houston since 1960, but because this game was broadcast on the NFL Network, it made us wonder if they use the NFL policy of counting “now shows” because so many of the 71,525 seats were empty.  We estimated half that number.  We watched a short but good fireworks display on our way outside the covered stadium with its retractable roof, and stayed in Bayport before heading to San Antonio on Saturday morning for the second leg of our Tour.

    Nittany Lion Comeback gives Paterno 23rd Bowl win in 500th game

San Antonio, TX - Texas A&M fans chanted, sang, and swayed in the Alamo Dome prior to the opening kickoff and seemingly built some momentum to get their beloved Aggies (7-5) off to a 14-0 lead over Penn State in the first quarter.  Following a missed Penn State field goal, the Aggies drove 70 yards culminating with a one-yard sweep to the right as RB Mike Goodson (65 yards, 2 TDs) took it in for A&M's first score.  PK Mike Szymanski converted the PAT for the 7-0 lead.  Penn State's A.J. Wallace fumbled the kickoff return and the Aggies recovered at teh Penn State sixteen.  A&M wasted no time scoring when Goodson took it in from there on the very next play to go up 14-0 under the leadership of interim Head Coach Gary Darnell who has the distinction of having coached a team in the most lop-sided victory we've ever seen when his Western Michigan team lost to VA Tech in 2005, 63-0.  He will be replaced by Green Bay Packer assistant Mike Sherman after the season. 

     Penn State started its first possession of the second period from its own thirty-five.  On fourth and three at the Aggie's thirty, Penn State pulled one out of somebody else's playbook as QB Anthony Morrelli (15 of 31, 143 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD) threw long into the end zone where WR Deon Butler extended himself for a tremendous diving catch!  The play was reviewed and the call stood for a TD.  Kevin Kelly put up the extra point for the 14-7 score.  One female Aggie fan sitting next to me egging me on earlier to cheer for her Aggies was told that her team owed Penn State a fumble.  Goodson obliged and Wallace who fumbled earlier, recovered the ball for the Lions at the Aggies' eleven before it rolled out of bounds.  JR QB Daryll Clark replaced Morrelli and ran the QB draw up the middle to even the score along with the extra point, 14-14.  A&M's next drive was thwarted  by a call rarely seen as offensive guard Kirk Elder grabbed a defender's facemask during a big gain.  In the final minute of the period on a third and twenty at the forty-nine, Morrelli connected with WR Terrell Golden for a 30-yard pass play.  It set up Kevin Kelly's 25-yard FG with :19 remaining to take a 17-14 lead.  A&M gave it one more try before time expired with a multi-lateral play that resulted in a fumble recovery by All-American LB Dan Connor.  For your halftime entertainment, check out the following photos taken by GGA Eric Koreivo: 

     PSU's A.J. Wallace intercepted a Stephen McGee (19 of 31, 164 yards, 1 INT) pass, and PSU went for broke as Morrelli heaved a deep pass only to be intercepted by Aggie DB Stephen Hodge on his own two-yard line.  If Morrrelli wans't making bad decisions by throwing into double coverage, his receivers could not get open.  The Lions ran very simple, unimaginative pass patterns.  Whenever Clark came in at QB, he ran a keeper although he was effective (6 runs for 50 yards).  RB Rodney Kinlaw kept the chains moving for the Lions as he tallied 143 yards on 21 carries.  Despite the start from the two, the Aggies drove all the way to the PSU twenty-one where Szymanski nailed a 38-yard FG to tie the score at 17-all.  Two big plays on the drive got the Aggies there.  A shovel pass fumbled by Jovorskie Lane was recovered by OL Travis Schneider for a first down at their own twenty, and on a fourth and one, TE Martellus Bennett caught a pass and extended his body for another critical first down.  With the score tied, PSU next started from their own sixteen.  Frosh RB Evan Royster  replaced Kinlaw, the game's offensive MVP, who went out with a leg injury, and ran hard up the middle for an exciting 38-yard TD run to retake the lead for the Lions before the period expired, 24-17.

     In period four, Penn State seemed to be in control when A&M got pinned back at their own one when the return man muffed the punt and recovered it there.  Three times on the ensuing drive, McGee completed  third down pass attempts to continue the drive until they got to a fourth and one at the Penn State two-yard line.  Darnell called time-out to make teh call that would turn the game around for either team.  McGee rolled right on an option instead of going straight up the middle himself or giving to Lane, his 263-lb fullback, and slipped on his butt!  The drive died and PSU took over on downs from their own six with 7:48 left, but that turned out to be the ball game.  The teams exchanged punts with the Lions taking over finally from their own 20 with 2:01 left.  They ran the clock out, and JoePa's team finished their 9-4 season with his record setting 23rd bowl win in his record-setting 34th bowl game in his 500th game as Head Coach of Penn State.  The Aggies finished 7-6 overall as A&M fans look forward to a new start next season under Mike Sherman.

Extra Points:  We stayed to watch the balloons fall and the fireworks explode as Penn State celebrated its victory and collected its Alamo Bowl Trophy on the portable stage wheeled in.  In addition to Kinlaw winning to Offensive MVP, JR LB Sean Lee was named Defensive Player of the Game.  He will receive consideration next season as the third Penn State LB in four years to be considered for the Bednarik Award.  He had 14 tackles in this game and over the last three seasons, we think he's played right up to par alongside Posluszny and Connor.

     About 80% of the announced crowd of 66,166 - largest of all Alamo Bowls - left before the award ceremony since most were A&M fans.  A&M LB Mark Dodge was the recipient of a Sportsmanship Award.

     Joe Paterno was blunt in his game-ending speech saying that he was proud that his team played hard and that the Aggie fans could be proud that their team played hard, too, in what he described as a hard-fought, well-played, hard-hitting football game.  But, he said, everything being equal, he was happy that the final outcome was in his team's favor and not the other way around as a smile crossed his face shown on the big screen above! 

     His 372nd win puts him now only one behind Bobby Bowden whose Seminole lost to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.  With his 372nd win of 500 games, Joe's winning percentage (including ties overall) comes .744.  We are right on course with him as the 58 wins of the 78 we've seen him coach in comes to a winning percentage of .743!

     Losing only four starters, Connor and Morrelli among them next season, JoePa and the PSU faithful are expecting a lot of wins next season and a shot at the national championship, or at least a BCS Bowl bid next year.  We look forward to some good games in Happy Valley next season.  And since we bought Outback Bowl tickets last season and Alamo Bowl tickets this season before Penn State was selected, we'll start working on Rose Bowl tickets early next year so Joe can follow CollegeFootballFan.com to a BCS bowl next season, or maybe even the championship game in Miami!

Cal's Riley rallies Bears past Air Force, 42-36

Ft. Worth, TX - We awoke early on the morning of the last day of 2007 to trek down I-35 to catch the pre-game activities of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to be played at Amon G. Carter Stadium, home of the TCU Horned Frogs.  A parking lot next to the stadium was reserved for festivities dubbed the "Armed Forces Adventure".  One could ride in a flight simulator, do pull-ups for Marine Corps prizes, donate a few bucks to the troops overseas, listen to the Marine Corp jazz band, sit atop armored vehicles, get recruited into the service of your choice, and get inducted all in the same day!  Oh, and you then get to watch a football game before they ship you to Parris Island, SC, or some other exotic, vacation spot.  But I 'm too old and Eric's too young for induction, so we settled on watching a football game.

     Our timing could not have been any better to attend this bowl as we got to see one of the three most legitimate teams for this particular game get invited, the 9-3 Falcons of the US Air Force Academy.  It added greatly to the spirit of the crowd and ceremonies as many fans from local air bases and military bases came in to support the Cadets against the Cal Bears, a team that fell way short of expectations this year after starting off 5-0 for a number two ranking before losing six of the last seven game to finish 6-6 overall.  Much of the blame for the demise came at the expense of the injured foot of QB Nate Longshore.  After missing the Oregon State game to go 5-1, he returned but his immobility seemed to affect the entire offense as their scoring capabilities declined drastically.  The Bears average of 39.4 over the first five games fell to an average of 20.3 thereafter.  Despite the 6-6 record, the Bears had a nice-sized contingent of fans as well among the 44,009 in attendance.  Air Force fed off the crowd's energy to begin the game, and they deferred to Cal on the coin toss to take advantage of a strong wind later that lasted throughout the day.

     Air Force got rolling on its first possession driving 87 yards before QB Shaun Carney (108 yards rushing for 1TD, 68 yards passing for 1TD) started left and reversed direction for a two-yard TD run.  Ryan Harrison converted to give Air Force a quick 7-0 lead.  The Falcons took back over on their own thirty-five after the defense held Cal on a fourth down and sixteen.  As USAFA fans exchanged chants of "Air" and  "Force" across Carter Stadium, the boys in blue were moving again with a good mixture of running and passing.

     Carney connected with his TE Travis Dekker n the flat for a 7-yard TD pass to take a 14-0 lead.  The strong wind helped Air Force get the ball back on the ensuing kickoff as they kicked into it.  The ball went high and got pushed back by the wind landing on top of an unsuspecting Cal blocker near the Cal forty where Air Force recovered it.  The drive resulted in an eight-yard TD ruin by TB Jim Ollis (101 yards rushing, 1 TD) on an option play to the right.  Up 21-0 early in the second, Air Force seemed in full control against a Cal team who probably didn't want to be there.  The entry of WRs DeSean Jackson and Robert Jordan, benched for disciplinary actions in the first period helped, too. Bear Head Coach Jeff Tedford decided to replace QB Nate Longshore with Kevin RIley, a freshman.  Riley (16 of 19, 269 yards, 3 TDs)  wasted no time after Cal fair caught the high wind-held kickoff once again to start from their own thirty.  Under pressure at the Air Force forty, Riley threw deep into the back of the end zone where Jackson hauled it in to put the Bears on the board and Jordan King put up the extra point to trail, 21-7.  The score gave the Cal defense some life, and they force the Falcons to a three-and-out.  Riley engineered the next drive seventy yards connecting with Lavelle Hawkins on a five-yard pass to get the Bears within a touchdown, 21-14.  Cal's final drive of the first half finished with an incomplete pass into the end zone with :06 left, but it was a sign of how easily the Bears could move the ball in the second half.

     The highlight of the pregame Armed Forces Adventure was the Navy's Blue Angel flight simulator.  About 16 passengers board at the same time.  I tried not to crush Eric on my right on the slippery seat as we tilted, bounced, "turned", dove, and "flew" straight up. It was great!  The halftime ceremonies were not only unique in honoring past and present servicemen alike, but all five services inducted recruits at an actual swearing-in ceremony.  Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, a Fort Worth native was honored with an award.  The Cal Bear band and the Air Force "Flight of Sound" band performed finishing with the "one and only Air Force song."

     Air force looked to regain control to start the third period as PK Ryan Harrison booted a  29-yard FG into the wind to give Air Force some life and to extend the lead, 24-14.  Cal countered with Rule still at QB as he fired and 18-yard TD pass to Robert Jordan over the middle to close the gap, 24-21.  RB Chad Hall returned the next kickoff to the forty-five.  The turning point of this game took place on a third and goal as Carney attempted to turn the corner on an option right and was met head-on by two tacklers and hit low by a third short of the goal line.  He clutched his right knee ad couldn't get up.  He had to be carried off the field and would never return.  He was later seen on a stretcher with his leg packed in ice.  First year Head Coach Troy Calhoun settled for Harrison's 20-yard FG to extend their lead, 27-21, but the Air Force offense would not be the same with without its skillful, experienced senior QB.  In the meantime, Riley continued to pick the Air Force defense apart.  He hit Robert Jordan with a 52-yardpass to bring the Golden Bears to the Air Force four-yard line before TB Justin Forsett carried it over the right side for Cal's first lead, 28-27.  Shea Smith, a junior from Permian HS in Odessa, TX ("Friday Night Lights") replaced Carney, but the "O" was not the same.

     Two pass completions by Riley took Cal to the AF 25 before Justin Forsett (140 yards, 2 TDs) ran through the left side for a 21-yard TD run and a 35-27 lead.  Air Force in typical academy fashion played to win despite the loss of Carney.  Hall ran an option to the left for 19 yards to the Cal 34 to set up and eventual 47-yard FG by Harrison to close the score, 35-30, with 7:25 left.  However, Cal's ground game was clicking as Forsett's ability to change direction quickly made Air Force miss tackles. Riley score on a two-yard keeper to lead 42-30.  The Falcons were forced to punt and Cal had the ball on its own thirty-four with 3:57 left.  Things looked over for the Falcons until the next play when they stripped James Montgomery of the ball and Air Force pounced on it at the Cal thirty-seven.  Cal had been able to stifle the option most of the second halvf so on fourth and thirteen at the forty, Smith fired 23 yards to Dekker to give AF life at the Cal seventeen.  Smith took the ball thirteen yards before Chad Hall ran four yards up the middle to put Air Force within six, 42-36.  It was questionable why the Falcons decided to go for two at this point since they needed six to win whether they had 38 or 37 points, but what really hurt Air Force was when Smith called his team's second time-out of the half to meet at the sideline to discuss a two-point play that provided no advantage for the Cadets.  Air Force was now down to one time-out!  The conversion failed.  Cal recovered the onsides kick at the Air Force forty.  a second time-out would have been to stop the clock to help get the ball back one more time, but the strategy became moot after the Bears picked up a first down.  It was over.  The outcome was decided by the fortunes of two quarterbacks.  One was lost, and one was found. It was a shame for Casey and his teammates that Carney's serious injuries (ACL and MCL reported by Troy Calhoun)  ended his career in his final bowl game because it would have been fun to see this fiery, tough competitor lead his team right to the end, but the Falcons gave it their all even without him.  Casey and Riley were both named game MVPs for their respective teams at the end of the game.  Both teams thrive offensively with these tow on the field.  With Air Force in the appropriate bowl, our Armed Forces Adventure on New Year's Eve day was enjoyed both on and off the field.

Missouri outclasses Arkansas, 38-7

Dallas, TX - After three competitive bowl games each decided by six or seven points, we hoped that our Tour finale at the Cotton Bowl would be something special.  Being an Arkansas Razorback fan for some reason, Eric got caught up in the pre-game Razorback cheers with the Arkansas fans who sat around us even though we sat on the Big Twelve side of the AT&T Cotton Bowl.  I warned him though that this could be a blow-out.  Arkansas impressed people with a triple OT win over LSU in their regular season finale, but this one-dimensional offense tallied a lot of points and stats against Troy State, UT Chattanooga, North Texas State, and Florida International.  I took exception to a Hog fans's yell on their first defensive stop  when he yelled, "Yeah, this is SEC football, baby!"  That's funny, I thought Arkansas won the Sun Belt Conference, or at least they tried to!  Go pad your stats during the regular season.  Missouri doesn't play Sun Belt ball just like USC doesn't as displayed when they thrashed these Hogs in 2005 and 2006, the last time Arkansas played a non-conference BCS opponent.

     Despite mistakes by the Tigers like a few dropped passes and a few calls that the refs called Arkansas' way, Missouri took a 21-0 lead in the third period as RB Tony Temple scored the Tigers' first three touchdowns, one in each period, on his way to a record-breaking Cotton Bowl performance.  Arkansas interim Head Coach Reggie Herring made his defense as one-dimensional as his team's offense by loading up on defensive backs to stop QB Chase Daniels and his receivers Jeremy Maclin, William Franklin, and TE Martin Rucker.  Daniels had no pressure, but the number of DBs provided full coverage to shut down the passing game.  Gary Pinkel's coaching staff adapted quickly and got the ball into the hands of Temple who scored on runs of 22 yards in the first, four yards in the second, four yards again in the third, and on a 40-tard run in the fourth for a record day of 281 yards on the ground.  Once Temple found the big gaps in the line, there was plenty of open space as the Razorbacks defenders all played deep pass coverage.  He had 159 yards by halftime.

    The second half started with a squib kick  by Arkansas.  Temple's 4-yard TD capped the 48-yard drive.  RB Felix Jones finally broke free for the Razorbacks but fumbled when Missouri took over on their own 38-yard line to change the Cotton Bowl into the Turnover Bowl!  Missouri's drive ended though when Temple fumbled the ball back to Arkansas who took over on their own twenty.  QB Casey Dick's next pass was tipped and ended up in the hands of safety William Moore who had nothing but green ahead of him for a 26-yard TD return.  With the aid of a questionable late hit call along the Arkansas sideline, the Hogs got some help on the next drive resulting in Darren McFadden's 3-yard TD run.  The Heisman runner-up finished with 105 yards on 21 carries. 

     Missouri's first fourth quarter drive ended when DE Adrian Davis intercepted, and their second started when they recovered his fumble to start over again on the AU forty-eight.  Davis redeemed himself somewhat when he recovered a fumble to take back the ball on their twenty-seven.  Hog TE Andrew Davie caught a pass but fumbled away to Darnell Terrel who put the Tigers on offense at their own forty.  Chase Daniels (12 of 29, 1 INT, 136 yards) scrambled to hit wide-open William Franklin right in the breadbasket for a potential long TD, but the ball fell right through his hands.  The Tigers went into punt formation, but return man Jerrell Norton accommodated when he dropped the ball for Missouri to take over on AU's eleven.  Though the Tiger moved four yards backwards, they came away with Jeff Wolfert's 32-yard FG to go up, 31-7.  Not only had we seen enough of a butt-kicking by this time, we knew we'd have to fight traffic out of the State Fairgrounds and buy gas before dropping off our rental for our 5:40 flight home.  The TV coverage for a New Year's Day Bowl was like a professional game as the action was stopped by too many "media" time-outs prolonging the time of the game.  We walked quickly out with many Arkansas fans to find our car at the outskirts where we parked and listened to crowd reactions before learning of Temple's 40-yard touchdown dash and the 38-7 final score.

     Overall, the 72nd edition of the Cotton Bowl was a letdown.  Heisman candidates Chase Daniels and Darren McFadden did not impress.  Looking at the records and the levels of competition played throughout the season, the game was a mismatch.  Number six Missouri should have been playing in the Orange or Rose Bowl.  Arkansas did not deserve a New Year's Bowl Bid wit the padded W-L record they brought in with them.  They got here mostly because of their fan base proximity to Dallas.  Florida, Auburn, or Tennessee should have been matched up against a ranked team like Mizzou.  The Cotton Bowl will get better games in the future as its supposedly works its way back into the BCS mix when it changes venues to the new stadium being built by the Dallas Cowboys.  If the Rose Bowl wants to keep its game traditional like it did this year between USC and non-deserving Illinois, shift it out of the BCS rotation.  Missouri beat the Illini in the opener and with a #6 ranking, they deserved a shot at the Trojans in the Rose Bowl more than Illinois did. 

     Overall, Eric and I had a great Bowl Tour during our five days and four bowl games in Texas.  Eric took all the pictures during our trip displayed on this page.  It was a great way to end a crazy and exciting college football season.  Eric's already wondering what 's in store for the end of next season as we did Florida last year and Texas this year.  There are  a few ideas looming, but I'm wondering what we'll come up with as well.  Check out this site for updates throughout the off-season.  Now that we've "seen them all", we're game for anything next season!