The last college football bowl game on New Year’s Day proved to be the best.
Not just of the current postseason, but maybe all time.
“Last night’s bowl game,” Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self reflected after Tuesday afternoon’s KU hoop practice in Horejsi Center, “was I think the best football game I have ever seen.”
An Oklahoma native who played quarterback as a youth, Self was glued to the tube as Boise State converted a wacky two-point conversion play to tame the Oklahoma Sooners, 43-42, in overtime.
“Last year was USC and Texas because there was so much on the line and it was fabulous,” Self said of the Longhorns’ 41-38 national title victory over Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl.
“But this year … you can’t go from 28-20 (BSU) to 35-28 (OU) in less than four minutes and 35-35. And the way they won it was incredible. They run the hook-and-ladder on a crossing deal and win it by running the Statue of Liberty? I was going, ‘What in the world?'”
Western Athletic Conference member Boise State tied the game on a 50-yard pass completion and lateral with seven seconds left in regulation. That “hook and ladder” came right after OU had taken the lead by scoring two TDs in a span of 24 seconds.
In overtime, Boise State answered an opening OU score and won on a touchdown followed by a two-point Statue-of-Liberty conversion.
“And how about fourth and two, send the quarterback in motion, hike it to a receiver and he throws it to a tackle eligible. Think about that,” Self said of another video-game play used by Boise State coach Chris Petersen.
The victory has BSU fans clamoring for a shot at the winner of the national title game between Ohio State and Florida.
Self was asked if he’d be upset if he was in the shoes of Petersen, who will be denied a chance to win the national title despite a 13-0 record.
“No. If I was coach at Boise I’d say, ‘We just beat OU and we’re 13-0.’ That’s what I would say. That’s pretty good right there.”
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We’re talking ’bout practice: Self ran his team through two-a-day practices Tuesday with two more slated for today. The Jayhawks will rest Thursday and practice once Friday and Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. game at South Carolina.
“Some of it is the basics. A lot is we’re experimenting with doing a few new things,” Self said. “One good thing about having so much time now is we’ve been able to spend a couple days working on things we know will happen down the road.”
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Flu update: Russell Robinson and Brandon Rush, who have been hit hard by the flu bug of late, both practiced Tuesday. Freshman Darrell Arthur, however, could not practice because of the same bug.
“They were putting the IV bags in him today,” Self said, repeating the same procedure used on Robinson and Rush.
The Jayhawks, by the way, did receive their flu shots this year.
“It’s that 24-hour thing,” Self said. “Think of it like this … we do our clinic (last week). They sign autographs for 500 kids. They are hugging the kids. There’s no telling how they got it. You can get it in so many ways.”
On a personal note, “I didn’t get a flu shot this year,” Self said. “I usually get one every year and I don’t get it very often.”
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USC’s Kelley hurt: South Carolina senior point guard Tre’ Kelley has a sprained left knee and will miss tonight’s game against Western Carolina. Kelley’s condition will be re-evaluated over the next few days to determine his status for the KU game Sunday. Kelley averages a team-leading 16.8 points and 5.3 assists per game. He hurt his knee early in Friday’s win against Jacksonville. He returned, then aggravated the injury in the second half. USC is also without freshman forward Chad Gray, who might take a red-shirt because of a turf toe injury.
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OSU’s Harris injured: Oklahoma State sophomore starter Terrel Harris suffered an eye injury last weekend and did not play in Tuesday’s game against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The injury is called a “non-displaced orbital rim and floor fracture” by consulting doctor Donald Crawley.
“At this time, we do not believe he needs surgery. We will re-evaluate his injury once the swelling lessens,” Crawley said.
OSU did not release details of how the injury occurred. Cowboy coach Sean Sutton said it was “non sports-related.”
Harris is averaging 11.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Oklahoma State, which visits KU a week from today, has already lost freshman Obi Muonelo for the season with a broken ankle and is down to three guards – JamesOn Curry and Byron Eaton plus former walk-on Tyler Hatch.
