This was a game that was not as close as the score indicated. They could have played for a week and not scored on our D. This should get people off Frank's back about not being the right guy for us. But McBride did one of the best jobs of his career and deserves most of the credit for this win. Frank, though, did keep the team on track through all the problems and turnovers.

I thought the middle linebacker plugged between the tackles was a big factor -- they couldn't deal with it at all. Both Polk and Burrow made plays out of that set. Ortiz finally had the game we had been waiting four years for. All of our corners did a shutdown job -- even Groce, who by default had been picked on this year. Hadenfeldt didn't have his best game, but we didn't need it. (By the way, I was wrong about him after the spring game and am the first to admit it.)

Frank put it in the can after the first drive of the second half. At least this time he admitted it . This time it worked, and I think Crouch must have been more hurt than they let on. We started the game with power running and counter traps and dives and let their tackles run themselves out of the play. That was great game-planning. This time when the game was in doubt, the middle of our line did a great job. But in the second half we went away from the misdirection. I thought that the reverse to Bobby was there any time we wanted. I will give him that his defense was in complete control and we just can't hold on to the ball. Bowling looked great in the spring game and has fine hands, and his play is a testimony to our depth. Wistrom, Bowling and Golliday will be fun to watch next year.

Now it is on to Tennessee, but the bowl this year is just icing on the cake. We won the championship for this year. That is the game we will all remember, and as I said Friday it makes our season. Don't think for a minute that the BCS poll ruins our season. We will talk about Tennessee more in coming weeks. But two years ago when I saw them in person they took a tremendous physical pounding and didn't like it. It will be interesting to see how tough they are. They act like they should be in the Sugar Bowl, so maybe they will be down. Anyway, we will worry about that later. Right now I want to think about Applewhite getting smashed and flinging the ball anywhere just to get rid of it. We dwell too much on our defeats and don't enjoy our wins enough. I just want to enjoy this one for a while.
 
-- The Colonel