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“I think we broke RetireCoachBowden.com”

By Bob W.

Overall:  The above quote is not a joke, but instead actual fact.  Look it up yourself.  I got on this morning and it was all black and said “We mourn the loss of FSU under it’s most watchful guardian” or something along those lines.  Poor FSU, my heart is breaking for them.  Anyway, what a huge win for the Terps.  Most of us were not quite sure if we could pull it off.  I had a good feeling about it going in, just based on the way FSU had been playing, and the fact that it was a Nationally Televised night game, which made me optimistic, but not until 0:00 flashed on the clock did I really believe we did it again.  Granted it was with FSU’s back up quarterback, who was also minus their number one receiver, but again, I’m not prepared to shed any tears for FSU.  It was a huge win, it made us bowl eligible for the first time in 3 years, and it may have brought down one of our biggest coaching villains of all time.  Overall a pretty good day I would say! 

Game Highlights:  When you get a win this big, this is always the hardest section to write.  There are so many to choose from.  My personal favorite was Heyward-Bey’s 30 yard TD.  The way he ran after the catch showed that he is something more than just a good 40 time on the stop watch.  He has the skills to be an all conference WR someday.  And though that was my personal favorite, I think the real highlight had to be the blocked FG at the end.  Honestly, when is the last time Maryland blocked a field goal?  When was the last time we blocked an FSU field goal?  And most importantly, when is the last time we blocked an FSU field goal to win the game?  I don’t know either, but never could very well be the answer. 

Another equally important highlight was J and Mary finally shedding the guilt for making us all miss the 2004 FSU win.  We didn’t even make a bowl that year for God’s sake.  That game is so small potatoes now.  I would never want to miss your wedding for that glorified exhibition game.  This was the REAL FSU win, this one gives us 6.  No one will ever speak of the 2004 game again, except to reflect on our time in Ocean City!  Happy Anniversary!!

Game Lowlights:  God it really bothers me when we totally stop playing football in the 2^nd half.  Granted we won, but good programs don’t win big games by holding on.  We were like a race horse who got down to the last few furlongs and figured, we got this won, lets ease up and try not to sweat.  Great programs (which we all aspire to be one day) don’t do that.  You didn’t see Secretariat at the Belmont pulling up did you.  No go for the jugular.  Now granted maybe FSU stepped it up in the 2^nd half, but I don’t think so, I think we did just enough to get by, and it worked…..this time. 

Another possible Lowlight was reading that Sam Hollenbach had an MRI yesterday.  We will have to monitor this situation, but if this cost him a start in Clemson this weekend, you have got to think it would eclipse the poor 2^nd half play in terms of being a lowlight.  I would hate to see him go down after having such a great performance, he deserves better than that. 

MVP:  This is also a tough one.   We didn’t really have a “pick this guy up and carry him off the field” player on Saturday.  A lot of people played solid football and this is why we won.  Dan “soon to be getting a nickname” Ennis continues to be solid.  Going into the year, I thought he was a good story for the papers, but not really much of a help to this team.  Well so far in 2006, I am eating those words (they taste GREAT by the way).  He has really stepped it up.

Darrius Heyward-Bey also had a coming out party.  He not only scored 2 TD’s, but looked good doing it.  Danny Oquendo also had 85 yards in punt returns and a huge 45 yarder.  On defense Erin Henderson had 12 tackles, and has shown that he is in fact Erin Henderson and not EJ’s little brother.  And you can’t discount Jeremy Navarre who had the biggest play of the year with the field goal block, plus a forced fumble. 

But overall I think the key to this game was the play of Sam Hollenbach.  How many times do we say “God if he just wouldn’t turn the ball over we would be fine”.  Well Sam played a damn near perfect game.  He isn’t a Heisman Candidate and he most likely won’t ever see an NFL field, but looking at his numbers you have got to think the he was the reason we won.  12 of 20 with 3 TD’s and no interceptions, by no means flashy, but it is what his role is and on Saturday he held up his end of the deal.  Great game Sam.  You are the D-7 MVP for the 2006 FSU game (and no one can ever take that away from you!). 

Random Thoughts:  I can’t believe Fergie?  Her new song Fergilicous is a damn near verbatim rip off of my song I

wrote back in 1997 “Bobalicous”.  Yet I didn’t get one single royalty.  God I hate the music industry.

Va Tech 24 Clemson 7

Did not see this one coming at all.  Once Clemson marched down the field and put up a 7-0 lead I thought it was over, but Tech didn’t think so.  Branden Ore rushed for 206 yards and Clemson looked tired.  I think the MVP goes to Clemson AD who agreed to schedule a Thursday Night game in Blacksburg immediately after Clemsons biggest game of the year.  Of course at the time he probably didn’t realize how important the Ga Tech game was going to be.

Virginia 14 NC State 7

Could this be an end for everyone’s favorite animated cartoon?  It is one thing to lose to Maryland on Homecoming in Byrd, but dropping one to Virginia is a good way to get replaced.  The Bill Cowher era began Halloween weekend 2006 (in both Oakland and Charlottesville).  Jason Snelling scored the go ahead TD with just over a minute left to crush the Pack. 

Boston College 41 Buffalo 0

Back up Chris Crane played for the injured Matt Ryan and easily led the Eagles past UB in this scrimmage that was open to the public.

Vanderbilt 45 Duke 28

In the football hotbed that is the south, these two programs are the exceptions.  This weekend the SEC’s little brother beat the crap out of the ACC’s little brother, but I don’t think anyone outside the two schools really cares much.

Wake Forest 24  UNC 17

They always say you don’t want to face a team once they have fired their coach, yet he is still coaching (actually the way “they” say it is a lot smother than what I just typed but you get the picture).  Wake gets out of Chapel Hill just happy to have a win after John Abbate intercepted the ball in then end zone to seal the deal.

Georgia Tech 30  Miami 23

This one makes me believe we can do something a little more than 6-6 or 7-5.  All the experts were saying that Miami was quietly sticking around in the ACC race.  Well now we can all agree the Canes are cooked, maybe not officially, but they have not looked good as of late.