By JUSTIN KANE
Twenty four days and 35 bowls later the greatest month-and-a-half of college football is over. A new national champion is crowned, we witnessed two teams win their first ever bowl games, and we watched the Big 10 collapse on New Years Day. Here’s a recap of the 2010-2011 bowl season.
Biggest Disappointment: The officiating in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
Kansas State receiver Adrian Hilburn got past a Syracuse defender on his way for a 30-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats within two. After Hilburn scored he stood at the end of the endzone and saluted the crowd, not an unusual celebration nowadays but according to the head referee it was excessive celebration, which cost the Wildcats the football game. The call was the most controversial call of the bowl season and was completely unnecessary, the referee was too into the game and let his emotions get to him when he threw that flag. Sorry, Kansas State.
Biggest Surprise: The state of Florida football (with the exception of Miami).
Florida had six teams playing in bowls (FIU, FSU, UCF, UF, USF, and Miami) and five of the six won their game. FIU and UCF won their first bowl game against Toledo and Georgia, respectively. Although Florida had no teams in BCS bowls, they posted the best record for any state by going 5-1, second was Texas. Miami was the only team not to show up to their bowl getting stomped on by Notre Dame 33-17. (I picked the Fighting Irish to win just so you know.) The state of Florida also hosted five games with an average margin of victory just over 27 points.
Best Game: The Tostitos BCS National Championship
Well this one lived up to the hype, kind of. The over/under for betters before the game was set at 72 points, it was 0-0 after the first quarter, the over didn’t happen. The combination of slippery turf and poor offense performances on both sides made it a spectacle for everyone to watch. The play of the game was hands down, Michael Dyer’s 37-yard run, literally. Cam Newton broke the Heisman hangover curse by becoming just the third quarterback to win the BCS national championship after winning the Heisman.
Worst Game: Either Michigan State v Alabama or Michigan v Mississippi State
These two Big 10 teams got the unlucky fortune of playing SEC schools on the day that the Big 10 didn’t show up to any game. The average margin of victory for Alabama and Mississippi State was 40 points, yes 40. Michigan State went 11-1 this year and faced a 9-3 Alabama team that blew them out of water. Bama put up 546 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns as they beat the Spartans 49-7. Mississippi State handed Michigan their worst bowl loss in school history winning 52-14 and sent head coach Rich Rodriguez home without a job.