Fiesta Bowl 2011: UConn Huskies Ignore Critics in Light of Biggest Game Ever

For most people in Connecticut, after Christmas, attention in sports turns to Kemba Walker and Maya Moore, Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma.

Everyone enjoys the December bowl that the University of Connecticut normally gets and then returns to the world of basketball.

Now, however, basketball will be taking a back seat as UConn's football team will be playing the biggest football game in Huskies history.

Connecticut will be playing in the 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day against No. 7 Oklahoma.

UConn earned their BCS bid by winning the Big East Conference in a three-way tiebreaker over No. 22 West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

What makes the Huskies' first BCS bid extra special is that it comes in UConn's seventh year in the Big East Conference and 10 years after the program's jump to the FBS (then Div. I-A) from FCS (then Div. I-AA).

"We've had national championships, Final Fours…this one because of the journey of this program from I-AA to I-A to the Big East to Rentschler, this one has a special place in UConn history," said Connecticut athletic director Jeff Hathaway. "This is a magnificent day for our university."

While people in Connecticut and throughout UConn Country will be celebrating their historic achievement, the rest of the country is in an uproar. As is always the case after every season, something happens that makes people slam the BCS format.

This year, UConn's entry is that issue.

BCS No. 9 Michigan State, No. 10 Boise State and No. 11 LSU were left out of this year's party and people, while those mainly arguing for Michigan State and LSU are furious.

All eight of the top BCS teams: Auburn (National Championship), Oregon (National Championship), TCU (Rose), Stanford (Orange), Wisconsin (Rose), Ohio State (Sugar), Oklahoma (Fiesta) and Arkansas (Sugar) will all be playing in a BCS bowl.

ACC champion No. 13 Virginia Tech (Orange) and unranked Connecticut (Fiesta) round out the field.

Connecticut is the first unranked team to play in a BCS game.

However, at 8-4, they are not the first four-loss team—Florida State has done so twice, as has Virginia Tech.

While people argue as they do every single day about the BCS, Connecticut coach Randy Edsall will not be so quick to say UConn is undeserving.

"We played by the rules," Edsall said. "We won the Big East. So we get the BCS. That's what the rules are. Nobody is going to take anything away from us."

Connecticut had a rough start to the year. Injuries to the likes of Jordan Todman (the nation's second leading rusher), Zach Hurd, Scott Lutrus and other key players affected the Huskies, who were playing with a young, inexperienced team.

Probably the biggest problem was at quarterback when Cody Endres, who was very productive last season, was suspended from the team for violating team rules. Zach Frazer had to fill in at the start before Endres' return.

Endres did not last long before he was dismissed from the team permanently.

Frazer returned and got injured. Freshman Michael Box had to step in and received a concussion early on against Louisville.

Once Frazer returned again, the Huskies did not lose and have won five straight games.

The goal now for the Huskies: Take the next few weeks to prepare for the best team they have ever played.

People are quick to write off the "undeserving" Huskies, who are 17-point underdogs; that is not a good idea.

First, there is need to give credit where credit is due: The Oklahoma Sooners are a fantastic football team. They are No. 7 in the BCS and are 4-1 against the Top 25. They won the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday over Nebraska.

However, Oklahoma has not been completely dominant. The Sooners wins include non-conference wins over Utah State, Cincinnati and Air Force. These wins, which should have been blowouts, were won by a touchdown or less.

Two weeks ago, the Huskies beat Cincinnati 38-17. Oklahoma barely sneaked past the Bearcats 31-29.

They definitely do not make it pretty sometimes.

Oklahoma is not all that far our in the clear against Connecticut—UConn has a very dominant defense. The secondary and linebackers have been eating quarterbacks alive. The Huskies are tied for fifth in the country with 19 interceptions on the season. They are tied for second in the country with four interception returns for touchdowns.

Oklahoma has 17 picks and one touchdown, but Zach Frazer has thrown only seven picks all season to Landry Jones' 11.

These are two completely different offenses: Oklahoma is all about the pass, while Connecticut dominates on the ground. The Sooners allow close to 150 yards a game. This is Jordan Todman's average. The Huskies junior, who was snubbed as a potential finalist for the Doak Walker Award, runs for about 150 a game.

Do not be surprised if he breaks out for 222 against anybody, even Oklahoma. His season high is 222 in a win over Pittsburgh.

It is very hard to say that UConn will get blown out. Obviously, Oklahoma will be the favorite, but Connecticut can play with anybody; the Huskies' strength on defense and special teams as well as the run gives them a chance against anybody.

Oklahoma will be playing with a black cloud over its heads. The Sooners have lost five straight BCS games, including three championship games and two Fiesta Bowls. West Virginia and Boise State, two relatively unknowns at the time, were able to stop the Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl.

Connecticut cannot be considered a no-contest for the Sooners.

If the defense, led by several experienced, talented players step up, Landry Jones will have some trouble. On offense, if UConn can make gaps for Jordan Todman to run wild and if Zach Frazer can run play-action with success, UConn will definitely have a shot at winning the game.

It may not be the most entertaining game of the BCS bowls this year, but Connecticut has a lot to play for and a lot to prove.

They are not going to go in considering themselves underdogs and will provide a very difficult challenge for regular power Oklahoma.