Broncos 18, Dolphins 15 (OT): Tim Tebow Leads Denver Broncos Over Miami Dolphins

The Broncos’ coaching staff, which had made him the starter just two weeks ago, had so little confidence in him that through three quarters, he attempted just eight passes.

But with five minutes left and the Miami Dolphins playing prevent defense, Tebow turned into the player who inspires fans to erect billboards and opposing teams to honor him when he visits, rallying the Broncos to two touchdowns.

And when Denver lined up for the 2-point attempt that would send the game to overtime, it seemed that only the Dolphins had never seen highlights from Tebow’s Heisman Trophy-winning career. They had their defense spread across the field, leaving gaping holes between each player. Tebow took the snap and ran off right tackle, untouched, for the conversion.

From there, the result seemed a fait accompli. The Broncos won, 18-15, on Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal, giving them their second victory of the season and sinking the Dolphins to 0-6.

After the game, to the delight of a few hundred University of Florida fans left on the field, Tebow came out of the locker room to greet some of his former college teammates. He had led them to a national championship on the same field, when his legend took flight. The Broncos got no greater clarity Sunday about who their quarterback of the future is.

But they do understand now the ineffable quality Tebow seems to summon when things appear bleakest, and why so many people clamor for Tebow to have a chance.

“There’s competitive greatness,” Denver Coach John Fox said. “Not everybody that plays in this league has it. It’s a great quality to have. We have a guy — No. 7 that I work with every day — he had it. He definitely had it.”

Comparing Tebow to the former Broncos great John Elway, who is Denver’s executive vice president for football operations, should delight the Broncos fans who had implored Fox to start Tebow after Kyle Orton faltered in the first month of the season.

But even the way the Broncos played in overtime summed up the difficult and delicate decision that Fox and the Broncos face with Tebow. They have made him the starter now because they must find out if he can be their quarterback of the future.

The concerns that led them to make Orton the starter for opening day, however, seem to be lingering. In overtime, Tebow did not throw a pass, as the Broncos essentially reapplied the training wheels they had left on him for most of the game.

After the game, Fox said bluntly that if Tebow had completed more than three of his first eight passes, maybe Denver would have had him throw more, because the situation became dire.

On the game’s final drive, which started at the Dolphins’ 36 after Denver recovered a fumble, the Broncos had Tebow hand off three times, signaling that they would rather take their chances with a long field-goal attempt from a kicker who had missed two shorter tries earlier in the game.

Other than the victory, the game might have been the worst-case situation for the Broncos. They fear that the Tebow on display for most of the game is the real one, a better runner than passer, and that he may never be the accurate pocket passer they crave. Broncos coaches were clearly spooked when, on the Broncos’ first drive of the game, they used something resembling the spread option that Tebow ran to such great success in college.

But on his first pass, under pressure, he was nearly intercepted. After that, the Broncos (2-4) seemed to travel back to the 1970s, calling for handoff after handoff.

In the first three quarters, Tebow completed 3 of 8 passes for 24 yards and was sacked four times. He looked so bad that it was reasonable to wonder if the Broncos would give him another start.

“As a football player, as an athlete, you can’t lose confidence in yourself — or you’ve lost already,” Tebow said.

In the fourth quarter, he was 10 of 19 for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns, and there is no way coaches can ignore his ability to steer a team to victory even if the road there is sometimes ugly. So the Tebow experiment will live on, charming fans, confusing coaches and making everyone else wonder if there might be a place for a very different kind of N.F.L. quarterback.

“I’ve just got to play better in the first three quarters,” Tebow said, “so we don’t have to make that comeback.”

The Broncos would love for it to be that easy.

View the original article here

No. 20 Georgia Tech Sputters at Miami, Loses 24-7

And this latest trip knocked the Yellow Jackets out of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division — and almost certainly will bump them from the national polls as well.

Held to 211 yards of offense and only 134 on the ground, No. 20 Georgia Tech sputtered in just about every aspect of Saturday's 24-7 loss to Miami. The Yellow Jackets turned the ball over three times, including on their first play from scrimmage, plus allowed a touchdown on a fumbled punt return and gave up a 48-yard kickoff return that set up another Miami score.

"What's killing us right now is we're not executing," Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington said.

Georgia Tech (6-2, 3-2 ACC) was held 306 yards below their season average in total offense, 214 off their rushing average and nearly 36 points off their average in scoring — all of those stats ranking among the top 10 nationally in each category entering the day. Even a banged-up Miami defensive line proved too tough, and it was the first time since 2006 that Georgia Tech didn't have a run or pass play of more than 20 yards in an ACC game.

The Jackets' long play on Saturday: 17 yards.

"I am frustrated that we couldn't find something to do better on offense," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "Clearly they had a better plan than we did, because we couldn't get any rhythm, couldn't get anything going. We couldn't hit any good plays."

In its last 35 games, Georgia Tech has rushed for less than 200 yards only three times, all at Sun Life Stadium — 95 at Miami in 2009, 143 against Iowa at the Orange Bowl following the 2009 season, and then Saturday.

"Clearly, we had an exceptional plan on defense," Miami coach Al Golden said.

JoJo Nicholas recovered a fumbled punt for a touchdown plus added an interception, Lamar Miller ran for 93 yards and a score and Mike James also had a touchdown run for Miami (4-3, 2-2), which won consecutive games for the first time this season and has now beaten Georgia Tech three straight times by a combined score of 92-34.

"Everybody talks about the ACC race or this and that," Golden said. "I'm trying to teach them the process. The process, when it takes traction, is what allows you to win multiple games in a row. That's it."

Washington threw right to Nicholas on the Yellow Jackets' first offensive snap of the game, a mistake that set Miami up at the Georgia Tech 46. It was doubly costly for the Yellow Jackets, with center Jay Finch going down with what appeared to be a knee injury and eventually getting carted off the sideline for evaluation.

The Hurricanes needed 12 plays to score from there, James going in from 2 yards out for a 7-0 lead.

Nicholas' other big plays in the first half?

Lots of hustle, and lots of help from Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech wide receiver Roddy Jones took a pitch and ran 34 yards with 4:09 left in the first quarter, fighting Nicholas off a little too vehemently for the last few of those. Jones was pulled down by an illegal horse-collar tackle, but he also got his fingers inside Nicholas' face mask while stiff-arming the Miami safety on the play.

The penalties offset, and the big gain was wiped away.

And that pretty much told the story of Georgia Tech's day.

With 10:17 left in the half, Zach Laskey dropped back to receive a punt for Georgia Tech, the bouncing ball coming straight at him as he stood at the 9-yard line. He tried to grab it as a horde of Hurricanes sprinted toward him, misplayed it and could only watch as the football kept going into the end zone. Nicholas dove on it just past the goal line for a touchdown that put Miami up 14-0.

"On that punt, my job is to get to the ball," Nicholas said. "It just so happened the ball came to me."

A 20-play, 92-yard drive put Georgia Tech on the scoreboard late in the half. Washington controlled virtually the entire series, and his 1-yard touchdown plunge with 1:02 left cut Miami's lead in half.

"A heck of a drive," Johnson said.

Miami had a heck of an answer.

Travis Benjamin ran the ensuing kickoff back 48 yards, and Harris hit Tommy Streeter with a 32-yard gain on first down to get Miami to the Georgia Tech 14. Two plays later, Miller ran up the middle for a touchdown from there with 25 seconds left in the half, restoring the 14-point cushion and getting help from a sealing block by guard Jon Feliciano.

It was a costly celebration. Feliciano got hurt jumping around after the score, leaving the game with a leg injury. He rejoined his teammates on the sideline late in the third quarter, on crutches and wearing a walking boot on his left ankle. An X-ray was negative, but Golden is not sure of Feliciano's status.

View the original article here

Tim Tebow's First Start for Denver in Miami Commands Spotlight

(Reuters) - It says everything about Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's stature that Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, featuring teams with a combined 1-9 record, is so anticipated simply because it is his first since being handed the starting job.

The former Heisman Trophy-winning leader of a great University of Florida team was named the new starting quarterback for the Broncos after replacing Kyle Orton against San Diego last week.

Coming into that game after the half, Tebow threw for 79 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 37 yards and another touchdown, providing instant energy that almost created a comeback win.

He is clean-cut, athletic and a practicing Christian -- all of which help his appeal -- but his popularity is also as much to do with his evident passion for the game, an approach that seems to be rooted in another era of American football.

Tebow started three games at the end of last season when the campaign was already well over for Denver and in various appearances in 12 NFL games he has passed for six touchdowns and run for seven.

Skeptics doubted whether Tebow had the ability to make the switch from the free-style, running and improvising approach he took, with spectacular results for the Florida Gators, to the more rigid, pocket-passing demands of the professional game.

However, it has been hard to judge when he has been restricted to cameo appearances.

"I believe that I've improved," Tebow told reporters this week. "Every day is a learning opportunity for me and I'm trying to get a little better every day.

"(I'm) constantly working on things, improving my decision making, my accuracy, my footwork and overall just leadership. Those are the main things I've been focusing on."

ACCURATE ASSESSMENT

Now he has been named as a starter, with all that entails in terms of preparation, and is up against a winless Dolphins team, there is a chance to assess more accurately whether the clean-cut, all-American boy has the right stuff for the NFL.

Such was Tebow's popularity at Gainesville, the Northern Florida campus town where he played, that thousands of Gator fans are expected to take the five-hour drive south to Miami for the game.

Many of those fans have already been encouraged by the Dolphins, who had already deemed Sunday's game an appreciation day for the 2008 national-championship winning Florida team that Tebow led.

It will be a strange atmosphere in the Miami stadium with so many fans rooting for the opposition quarterback -- as well as the inevitable mass media attention that follows Tebow.

Not that Tebow is likely to be fazed by the occasion.

"Something I learned in my freshman year at Florida is to only worry about what I can control because if you worry about the rest of it it's honestly going to give you a lot of anxiety and it won't help you at all," he said.

"That's kind of been my philosophy and kind of stuck to it."

Elsewhere the league's only unbeaten team, Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers, are at the Minnesota Vikings in one of the league's sharpest rivalries.

The New Orleans Saints hope to bounce back from last week's loss at Tampa when they host the winless Indianapolis Colts, who are suffering a nightmare season without their starting quarterback Peyton Manning.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

View the original article here

Miami 24, Georgia Tech 7: Miami’s Defense Tames Georgia Tech

Lamar Miller rushed for 93 yards and a score for Miami (4-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which won consecutive games for the first time this season.

Miami’s defense was dominant, holding the Yellow Jackets more than 300 yards and nearly 36 points below their season averages entering the game.

Mike James also had a touchdown run for Miami, which has beaten Georgia Tech three straight times by a combined score of 92-34.

“Everybody talks about the A.C.C. race or this and that,” Miami Coach Al Golden said. “I’m trying to teach them the process. The process, when it takes traction, is what allows you to win multiple games in a row. That’s it.”

Georgia Tech (6-2, 3-2) came into the contest averaging 517 yards a game. The Yellow Jackets got only 211 on Saturday, their lowest total since a loss to Iowa in the Orange Bowl after the 2009 season.

In its last 35 games, Georgia Tech has rushed for less than 200 yards only three times, all at Sun Life Stadium — 95 at Miami in 2009, 143 in the Orange Bowl and 134 in this one.

“It’s frustrating every time you lose,” said Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington, who threw for 63 yards and ran for 36 more — a team high. “All week long we had a good game plan to come out and get a victory. It’s frustrating for me because I feel I let the team down.”

Washington threw right to Nicholas on the Yellow Jackets’ first offensive snap of the game, a mistake that set up Miami at the Georgia Tech 46. It was doubly costly for the Yellow Jackets, with center Jay Finch going down with what appeared to be a knee injury. Finch was carted off the sideline for evaluation.

The Hurricanes needed 12 plays to score from there, quarterback Jacory Harris extending the drive with a 13-yard pass to Phillip Dorsett on fourth-and-3 from the 39, and James capping it with a 2-yard run for a 7-0 Miami lead.

Nicholas’ other big plays in the first half included lots of hustle, and lots of help from Georgia Tech.

“Something we’re doing ain’t right,” Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson said.

Yellow Jackets wide receiver Roddy Jones took a pitch and ran 34 yards with 4 minutes 9 seconds left in the first quarter, fighting Nicholas off a little too vehemently for the last few of those yards. Jones was pulled down by an illegal horse-collar tackle, but he also got his fingers inside Nicholas’s face mask while stiff-arming the Miami safety on the play. The penalties offset, and the big gain was wiped away.

With 10:17 left in the half, Nicholas again found himself in the right place at the right time for Miami.

Zach Laskey dropped back to receive a punt for Georgia Tech, the bouncing ball coming straight at him as he stood at the 9. He tried to grab it as a horde of Hurricanes sprinted toward him, misplayed it, and could only watch as the football kept going into the end zone. Nicholas dived on it just past the goal line for a touchdown that put Miami up, 14-0.

“On that punt, my job is to get to the ball,” Nicholas said. “It just so happened the ball came to me.”

In the first half alone, Georgia Tech failed on a fake-punt attempt, had the interception to help create one Miami touchdown and then the blown punt return to give the Hurricanes seven more points. Nonetheless, with 1:02 left in the half, the Yellow Jackets were within 14-7.

A 20-play, 92-yard drive got Georgia Tech on the scoreboard. Washington completed all three of his passes during the marathon possession and also rushed the ball nine times for 22 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown plunge.

“We never hit any big plays,” Johnson said. “We had a heck of a drive in the second quarter to get back in the game, then we give up the touchdown.”

That they did.

Travis Benjamin ran back the ensuing kickoff 48 yards, and Harris hit Tommy Streeter with a 32-yard gain on first down to get Miami to the Georgia Tech 14.

Two plays later, Miller ran up the middle for a touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half, restoring the 14-point cushion and getting help from a sealing block by guard Jon Feliciano.

It was a costly celebration. Feliciano was hurt jumping around after the score, leaving the game with a leg injury. He rejoined his teammates on the sideline late in the third quarter, on crutches and wearing a walking boot on his left ankle. An X-ray was negative, but Golden was not sure of Feliciano’s status.

View the original article here

One Reader's Thoughts on the Miami Situation

Regular contributer Regan offers his thoughts about the Canes.

There is a difference between "fault" and "responsibility", but it's not one that really matters.

I actually didn't like the Miami Hurricanes when I was growing up in the 80's. I went to Clemson games with my dad, and all I knew of the 'Canes were things like this . The stories of brawls, running up the score, and thuggery were all we really heard about 'The U', and it took a long time before I actually came to understand the mentality of the program.

By the time I was looking for colleges to attend in 1995, I liked what I saw at the University of Miami and seriously considered going there. Funding issues kept me in-state, and I went to a school with no CFB team. It was a few years later during college that my interest in CFB resurged, and I started watching Miami football again. It was a totally different situation with Butch Davis having cleaned up the program. Losing by five touchdowns to FSU, a 5-6 season, massive reductions, etc. were disheartening for a program - but at least they were clean. Redeemed, if you will. I'm a sucker for redemption stories and started pulling for 'The U' like they were my own, because I didn't actually have one.

Then came 2000-2001, when the 'Canes returned to full form - this time with class. It was a wonderful story. The Michael Irvins of the past had been replaced by the Ken Dorseys; the team was stand-up and winning at the same time, after doing their time in the doghouse. The years went by and the 'Canes started a down slide - inevitable when you have so much success, but even the guys that came after were classy, good guys. People like Brock Berlin and Frank Gore were wonderful guys who could be role models for kids across America. Then, as the losses piled up, pressure was put on Coker to be fired.

The On-Field Brawl against FIU was the turning point for many, including me. Coker had to go, because that wasn't Miami anymore. The 'Canes weren't beholden to the shadows of the past, despite the fact that few seemed to notice - things had to change. When Randy Shannon took over, it was a sigh of relief at how much of a disciplinarian he was. He reigned in those kids and Miami's compliance had become a shining example of how a team could wash itself clean of it's old ways. Efforts at compliance were massive. Even when Shannon was fired, the job he'd done with the program's reputation was stellar, and when Al Golden was announced to replace him, worries were put to rest about the classiness of the program's future.

That was four days ago. Now, people are openly calling for the 'Death Penalty'. There was absolutely no warning - and I follow this sport every single day, on-season and off.

No warning that something was out there that went this deep. That hit this many players I'd built up so much respect for. And all because of what? A guy in prison for a ponzi scheme that tainted the team over eight years.

Over the last year we've seen unprecedented levels of NCAA crackdowns on teams because of improper benefits, recruiting violations, etc. If you're a fair person, you'll consider Miami innocent until proven guilty, but if you're an informed person, you'd realize at this point that there is just too much out there to be truly fair to the 'Canes.

In this down economy, we have seen many respected institutions and companies ruined by gold-digging CEO's who then jumped ship, dragging down the company's name and stock while making out like the bandits they were. The same thing is happening in College Football, but the NCAA could stop it - by updating the way it goes about enforcement.

I can only hope that the NCAA will one day figure out that the best way to punish improper behavior is to punish those individuals that behave improperly, not the kids that will play three years down the road, or the fans who in some cases see their schools penalized for the actions of a coach long gone (Lane Kiffin comes to mind). Discussions and agreements with the NFL and NBA must happen to ensure that kids that take benefits and gifts will only do so at the threat of losing down the road. Consequences for bad behavior must be borne by those who actually commit these acts, or they will continue.

Sadly, none of this will help Miami. At the end of the day, it's looking like up to six former assistant coaches were complicit, and that justifies the set of encyclopedias the NCAA will hurl at Coral Gables. Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, and anyone else on the roster who took this guy's bait need to be cut loose. Now. Golden and those who actually are clean at Miami are going to have to weather this storm with their heads held high, knowing they are staring at a tidal wave on the horizon.

And I'll still be cheering them on, and would ask others to also - because it's not their fault.

It's not even The University of Miami's "fault". But at the end of the day it is their responsibility.

And while there is a difference between "fault" and "responsibility", it's not one that really matters.

Posted by War Eagle Atlanta

View the original article here

Gridiron Gab Week Fifteen Preview: Buffalo at Miami

Well, if it were not for the loss against the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago, the Dolphins would be right in the middle of the playoff race right about now. Instead, despite a win against the New York Jets, the Dolphins still are on the outside looking in. Even with a win this week against the Buffalo Bills, it will take a lot as well as Miami winning out, for them to make the playoffs. But for that to happen, they have to beat the Bills first of all, and to do that they will need to follow these three keys;

3. Improvements To Be Made:

After last weeks game there were numerous improvements that needed to be done. From the pass protection, to the quarterback play, to even catching the ball, things needed to be corrected before this weeks game.

While the Bills are a lowly team this year, that does not mean that they cannot come out on top Sunday. This is a division game and anything can happen. We all saw what the Bills did to us last year around this time, and it very well could happen again if our offense does not get its act together. The whole offensive unit was down last week and while it may be chalked up to a complete fluke, one can wonder with just how good this offense is? Every week I have called for them to show us what they’ve really got, and to show everyone the potential that they have, but every week my calls go unanswered.

So based off last weeks performance, we will see this weekend whether or not this offense can make the correct adjustments, and get their act together, but time is running out for them to show up this year.

2. Act 2:

Last week the defense led this team to victory against the Jets. The last time the Bills and Fins met up in Miami on Opening Weekend, it was the defense that led the team to victory as well, thanks to an inept offense. So what will be in store for Act 2 of this defensive performance? It is against the much weaker teams that show you how good your team really is, and whether or not they are simply mediocre, or belong up there with the solid teams that feast on their weaker foes.

On paper the Dolphins defense, which is ranked in the top ten this year, should manhandle the Bills offense. Our corners have been playing shutdown ball as of late, our front seven, especially Cameron Wake, has been getting to the quarterback on a consistent basis, and our linebackers have been stuffing the run game after game. This defense is simpy one of the best in the league, and because of it, we should have a couple more wins that we do. So in the case that the offense craps the bed once again tomorrow, it will be on the shoulders of the defense to carry this team to victory against the Bills. I’m specifically looking for Wake to continue his torrid pace of getting to the QB this weekend against a weak Buffalo line.

1. Play Up To Your Potential:

I’ve already mentioned it a couple times above. The Dolphins are simply a better team than the Bills, and the end result should show it. The Dolphins have a top 10 defense finally, and it has looked dominant as of late, and has more than made up for the ineptitude of the offense. But over the past couple of years the Dolphins have been prone to losing games they should not, such as the Browns game, and Bills game last year. If the Dolphins are to show us that they truly are improving somewhat, they must beat the Bills handily, and not make this a close game. The Dolphins also need to show that they can win at home. This is something they have struggled mightily with so far this season. A win against a division rival at home would be nice, and a stepping stone for the Dolphins. While we all know that the Dolphins are better than the Bills, they must prove it on the field for everyone else to believe it as well.

Final Prediction:

Sadly, I see this one ending up in the defense’s hands again. But the Fins will come out victorious, 17-10. While it won’t come down to the special teams and the battle of field possession like last week, it will be another division showdown, and another defensive battle. While the door is open for the offense to open up, I really do not see it happening at this point in the season.

View the original article here

Q&A: Miami (Ohio) interim coach Guidry

Lance Guidry takes over as interim coach at Miami (Ohio) after Mike Haywood’s departure and will lead the team in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Middle Tennessee on Jan. 6. I had a chance to catch up with Guidry on Friday afternoon, and here is a little of what he had to say:

How are you going to prepare the team for the bowl game?

Lance Guidry: We're going to stay with what we've been doing offensively and defensively, and on special teams, keep practicing the same way just like Coach Haywood would want us to. It's going to be a business trip. The kids when they heard Coach Haywood was leaving were upset. Some were upset more than others, but it's my job to get the troops rallied and that's what we're going to do. We're going to play hard.

Will there be other changes to the coaching staff for the game?

LG: Everybody is staying intact for the game, which is good, and one reason I said I would take it. Coach (Bill) Elias and Coach Haywood are the only two going. Everybody that has a position is staying on, so things are rolling as if it would have if Coach was still here.

Why did you decide to take the interim coach job?

LG: I was recruiting down south and I was in Louisiana and they called me told me to get on a plane. I knew he applied for the job and was close to getting it. I figured "uh oh" he got it. When I got back, we had a meeting at 10 at night. It was 9:40 and I was talking on the phone with my wife, walking through the offices. When they heard my voice, the equipment manager said, "Guidry get in here." Athletic director Brad Bates and associate athletic director Jason Lener were in there with Coach Elias, Coach Haywood and (offensive coordinator) Morris Watts. They were all smiling. I'm like, "what's going on?" I didn't know what to expect. They said, "we want you to be to be the interim coach." I said, "don't do this to me." But then I asked, "OK who’s with me?" They said, "everybody’s is going to be with you. Do you want it?" I said, "Yeah, I'll take it." Brad said they thought I’d be the best guy being I'd be enthusiastic and get the kids out of a funk quick. I'm honored they want me to do it.

So what did you tell the team?

LG: When I got in front of them, I told them don't forget what got them here. It was hard work. Two years ago they were coming off a really bad season. Everything was new. All the early morning runs we had and all that, getting our butt kicked being 1-11 to where we are right now. I said whoever the head coach is, he needs a good football team. That's what they wanted to hear. I told them, "I'm jumping into this thing with two feet in. I'm not thinking about going to Pittsburgh. I have to coach the game. They believe in me, so I think we'll be OK.”

Do you want to be the head coach?

LG: I've got mixed feelings. I'm not going to go out there on a limb and do that. I haven’t told Brad that I’m interested. There are going to be a bunch of good applicants with this job. If they ask me to apply I would probably apply, but I’m not going to lobby for it.

Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

View the original article here

Miami (Ohio), your 2010 MAC champs

If there is a more incredible story among the non-AQs this season, please show it to me.

Miami (Ohio) pulled off a stunner Friday night in Detroit, upsetting the heavily favored Northern Illinois Huskies to win the MAC championship -- one season removed from a 1-11 record.

Where do we start handing out the credit? First of course is MAC Coach of the Year Mike Haywood, who has engineered the biggest turnaround in college football this season. Miami won nine games, and he has completely changed the culture in the program, laying down tough rules and expecting nothing but hard work and discipline. His team also won with games on the line -- Miami is 7-0 in games decided by seven points or fewer.

Many might question his decision to go for a fake field goal midway through the third quarter, with the RedHawks up 20-14. When you are the underdog, conventional wisdom calls for you to try to take as many points as you can get. Maybe Haywood was skittish because his special teams had been shaky -- with an extra point and field goal blocked already in the game.

But the fake field goal was less than inspired. Holder Mike Scherpenberg took the ball up the middle and came up short. After Northern Illinois scored late in the fourth quarter to go up 21-20, you thought those special-teams miscues would come back to cost the RedHawks.

[+] Enlarge Steven King/Icon SMIChris Givens came down with a 31-yard pass on fourth-and-20 to keep the game-winning drive alive.But redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Boucher would not be denied. On fourth-and-20 with time ticking down, he completed a 31-yard pass to Chris Givens. Northern Illinois got its hands on the ball and tipped it, and Givens was right there for the catch. After a sack, Northern Illinois sent the house at Boucher. Making a terrific read, he spotted a wide open Armand Robinson running loose, and hit him for the 33-yard touchdown reception with 33 seconds left, and the improbable 26-21 win.

Where else does the credit go? The Miami defense, which did an incredible job slowing down the top-rated Northern Illinois rushing attack. The RedHawks loaded the box and limited MAC Offensive Player of the Year Chad Spann to 54 yards on the ground. Northern Illinois had just 92 total yards rushing. With the running game taken away, Chandler Harnish was not nearly as effective, and that ended up costing the Huskies.

Boucher deserves his share of credit, too. He was making his third career start, filling in for starter Zac Dysert, out with a lacerated spleen. But Boucher showed the calm and poise of a veteran, throwing for 333 yards and not wilting under the intense pressure late in the game. How often do we see freshmen making the plays he made to win the game?

"I've imagined it so many times -- winning the game in the last minute," Boucher said.

For Northern Illinois, it was another heartbreaker in the MAC title game. In its last appearance in this contest in 2005, Akron beat the Huskies 31-30 with a 36-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining.

In a strange twist, Northern Illinois had one shot to win with the ball at the RedHawks' 32-yard line with 10 seconds left. But Harnish, scrambling to find an open receiver, never felt the pass rush coming at him and was sacked to end the game.

The Huskies had won nine straight, and garnered their first Top 25 ranking since 2003. “We’ll bounce back," coach Jerry Kill said. "They’ll go back to work and learn. This hurts, and it should hurt. That’s part of life -- you don’t win all the time. This is when you find out who you are.”

We know what Miami is -- incredibly, improbably MAC champion.

"What an unbelievable feeling," Robinson said. "You'd never think something like this would happen after a 1-11 season."

Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

View the original article here

Miami Heat LeBron James Dwyane Wade Chris Bosh Sports Poster Print - 22x34

Miami Heat LeBron James Dwyane Wade Chris Bosh Sports Poster Print - 22x34

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon