Game 7- The Houston Cougars are coming to town to take on the #8 ranked Dayton BOX. Led by NCAA Football Challenge hero Case Keenum. It's a sunny 44 degrees at Stade BOXLeft and the crowd looks to be pretty full. JC is highlighted in the pregame as the heart and soul of our D. Herbstreit predicts JC will "bring the wood."
1st quarter -
Houston takes the ball first. And I immediately notice that Case Keenum is not starting at qb. In fact, it appears in this version of NCAA football he graduated early and left Houston to get his grad degree from Oxford.
In fact, Houston's 1st and 2nd string QBs are injured and we are instead facing true freshman qb Evan King.
Houston punts from the Dayton 30? Nope, it's a fake and a bad one. We called a regular D and stuff it.
The following drive is all business as the BOX offense cruises down the field and Dave punches it in from 1 yard out. BOX 7 - Houston 0.
Bill short circuits the next Houston drive with a big 3rd down sack.
Nick is perfect through the 1st quarter which ends with the BOX driving already leading 7-0.
2nd quarter -
PJ starts off the 2nd with a run where he hits the tackler so hard that the tackler is forced to leave the game.
So much for Nick's perfect day. His first incompletion of the the day is an INT in the endzone.
Suddenly it's first and goal Houston after Pete gets burned by going for a diving INT. Instead the TE catches it and only a diving Woodyard tackle stops the TD.
The stop is only temporary as Houston runs a perfect option pitch to score. 7-7.
D'oh! Laura pulls a 40-yard FG attempt on the next drive and we're still tied at 7.
Agati starts off the next drive with a sack and I just now realized that Ken is inexplicably not on the team.
Mike has a big swat on 3rd down to stop the Cougars next drive.
The announcers are obsessed with Laura's missed FG but are confident that she will bounce back.
Herbstreit accuses Nick of getting "happy feet." I'm assuming he means the penguin movie.
Nick penguins his way into the endzone from 6 yards out. BOX takes a 14-7 lead.
Ryno causes an INT by hitting the QB as he throws. Some random computer guy makes the INT. That should have been Ken!
Nick finds a wide open Kaylor for a 27 yard TD to give the BOX some breathing room. 21-7.
Houston has 47 seconds and 3 timeouts, but decides to just take a knee to end the half. Wusses.
3rd quarter -
Nick reads the corner blitz and lobs one up that Kaylor runs under and takes in for a 60-yard TD. 28-7.
After a Shalvi sack, Mike intercepts the desperation 3rd and 17 pass. Poor freshman qb.
Nick is over 300 yards with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd!
Career game! On 3rd and goal from the 23(!) Nick hits Werley perfectly in stride on a post pattern. 35-7.
Uh oh. Mike Baum goes down after a missed tackle.
Bill is killing their right tackle. Sack and fumble that Houston recovers.
Mike has a pinched nerve in his back, but is expected to return.
Nick gets a little greedy and tries to hit a heavily covered Kaylor. 2nd INT of the day.
Houston gets a FG out of it. 35-10.
Apparently I should have never typed that part about a career day. Nick hit as he throws, 2nd INT in a row.
Guess who has another INT return for a TD? If you guessed me, give yourself a prize! My 5th TAINT in the last 3 games, this one an even 100 yards. 42-10 at the end of the 3rd.
4th quarter-
Jay has hammered all 7 kickoffs for touchbacks so far.
My INT return is a new school record.
Mike gets beat long on after going for a pick. I think his pinched nerve held him up. 42-17.
For the first time today, Jay comes in to punt and puts it out of bounds at the 7.
In a sad sad development, Houston has taken to running down the clock before each play. Ryan (not Ryno!) punishes them for this with a sack from the dime back position.
PJ breaks 3 tackles in an effort to get into the endzone. Unfortunately he's finally corralled at the 1 and is hurt.
In an attempt to get Nick a rushing, passing, AND receiving TD in the same game, we run the WildBOX at the one. Dave puts the ball right into Nick's wide open hands and he drops it. BOO!
We try it again and the pass is complete! BUT Nick is tackled at the 6-inch line. Double BOO!
So we try it one more time AND!!! Dave throws an INT. It was not meant to be.
Pete and JC play high/low with the Houston RB. It almost breaks him in half.
And that's the ball game! 42-17 victory for the BOX.
My 101-yard TAINT is the play of the game.
