Rose Bowl: Oregon Beats Wisconsin in a Classic

Earlier this holiday season, we watched "Point Break", which promised us that it was 100% Adrenaline. 

We needn't have bothered. We could have waited a few days and kept to the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Wisconsin, which ended in a 45-38 classic. 

Oregon won the game, but College Football was the winner. 

In the first half both sides didn't seem to want to play a lot of 'D', scoring touchdown after touchdown to make it 28 each at the half. That's right - 28 each. Sides of red and sides of yellow and green bounced up and down happily, and we're sure we saw both The Oregon Duck and The Wisconsin Badger dodging the odd press-up. Thankfully, ESPN's cameramen weren't dodging any shots of the Oregon Cheerleaders - although thankfully (for the sake of their jobs), they didn't try and keep focus when De'Anthony Thomas took the ball to the house for a 92-yard run. 

Then half-time came along, and as the game got more tense, the scoring fell down a bit. We saw weird things like punting and fourth down attempts (there was hardly any of the latter in the first half, either!), and even a field goal (one apiece). Sure, Thomas pulled off yet another monster run (64 yards to the house), but the kid -who Brent Musberger seemed to revel in calling 'Black Mamba' - his nickname- whenever he had the chance - made his biggest play in the final drive of the season when he appeared for return special teams to snuff out a Jared Abbrederis punt return. 

You remember Jared Abbrederis, right? He was the man who beaten in a Hail Mary in the last second at Michigan State, effectively costing Wisconsin a chance at staying unbeaten and playing for something bigger than roses come January. Well, Jared Abbrederis was at centre stage again today, when he had fumbled with Wisconsin driving down 4 and looking dangerous, and Oregon grabbed the initiative, got a field goal, and locked up the game. If the angry folks in Madison were able to spell his name, he's probably be in a bit of trouble. 

 

Anyway, what a game, and what a victory for College Football in a season where wins have been hard to come by both on and off the field.