Seriously, three games at once? And, by the way, my DVR isn't working. It's goanna be the Outback Bowl on my computer (thanks, ESPN360) and channel flippin'.
*****
Bob Griese: "Without those three interceptions, Northwestern would
be tied 14-14.""Northwestern is definitely the Rodney Dangerfield of the Big Ten: They get no respect."
Bob Griese is definitely the John Madden of this broadcast booth. Minus, you know, the likeability.
"Auburn is dominating the turnovers, that'd square things up real quick." Uh, yeah.
*****
Outback: Auburn's 'wildcat' QB Kodi Burns throws INT #2 near the goal line. Cats have the ball again. No mistakes, boys. FYI (Papa Noffke asked) the Over-Under for this game is 54.5. Auburn is giving 8 points.
*****
Capital One: Anyone else miss the Citrus Bowl? Terrible field conditions are no surprise after watching Wisconsin-Miami play here a few days ago. They couldn't fix that thing up? Penn State punts, LSU has the ball early in the first.
*****
Gator: West Virginia touchdown! Jarrett Brown rushes for it. Apparently, he wanted to play for Florida State, but wasn't recruited there. 32 yard rush TD.
*****
Outback: Another defensive stand for the Wildcats. You really can't fault their defensive effort this game. After an incomplete and a sack, they face 3rd and 12:
Deep ball, intercepted. 4 for Kafka. I just threw up a little bit. I'm guessing this is not how he saw this game going. Honestly, it's not much worse than a punt, but all the pressure goes on the D again. If I wanted to watch a Bears game, I'd be doing this on Sunday. Kafka threw seven INTs all year in the Big Ten and has four today?
*****
Capital One: Penn State punting again. Still 0-0. It's midway through the first and that field is already half mud. It's goanna be a mess.
*****
Gator: FSU trails 7-0, but is driving in Jacksonville.
Outback: NU linebacker Nate Williams just about forced a fumble, but it will go as an incompletion. 4th-and-7, Auburn punts into the end zone.
*****
Outback: Auburn is starting to turn the heat up on Kafka, with a sack and a hurry.
WR Andrew Brewer just drew a huge pass interference call for the first down. On 3rd-and-8, it's another bomb down the right side... Brewer beats his man and TOUCHDOWN, WILDCATS! This one is for 35 yards and gives #12 two TDs on the game. He and Walter McFadden are jawing out there. 21-14, Auburn. One possession game. Six turnovers, total. Cats still alive!
*****
I'm going to go ahead and focus on the Outback for now, since it's a "quagmire" in Orlando according to ESPN and the Gator Bowl can wait.
Nate Williams comes up with a huge sack of Chris Todd. The Wildcat band plays "Mambo." Auburn punts to Brewer on the 34-yard line, and Northwestern will have it again in good field position. Big possession.
!!!!!! DRAKE DUNSMORE 66 Yard TD REC !!!!!
What a play down the sideline for Dunsmore! He got it out of the flat on a screen pass, dodged two Auburn defenders, broke a tackle around the fifteen, and busted into the endzone. Huge, huge play. Demos sticks the extra point. 21-21.
End of the 3rd quarter, and who woulda guessed that after throwing four interceptions, including two in the endzone, Mike Kafka could come back and toss a pair of huge TDs. Northwestern's receivers are having themselves a monster game.
*****
Whew. Talk about momentum swings. In other news, LSU just moved inside the 10 at the Capital One Bowl and looking to knot things up at 7-all. I didn't catch how Penn State scored.
At the Gator Bowl, West Virginia has stretched their lead to 14-3 as Noel Devine punched in a one yard touchdown with five minutes to go in the first quarter. I don't think Florida State can keep up with this Mountaineer offense.
*****
Outback Bowl: Northwestern has the ball again, and the Wildcats are tearing into the War Eagle defense now. Auburn gets a roughing the passer penalty tacked on to what was already a Northwestern first down.
Zeke Markshausen just bobbled a long, diving grab down the middle. Tough play to make.
Aaaand... Mike Kafka just threw a fifth interception. He overthrew Andrew Brewer, who was wide open, and the Auburn defender got up after slipping and found the ball falling into his hands.
Kafka is 29/47 for 389 yards, 3 TD, and 5 INT. He also has 13 carries for 29 yards, leading the team. Nobody else has more than twenty yards on the ground.
Drake Dunsmore: 7 rec, 109yd, TD
Andrew Brewere: 5 rec, 108yd, 2 TD
Sidney Stewart: 5/56
Jeremy Ebert: 4/49
Zeke Markshausen: 7/41
Some good work from the wideouts there. Kafka has got to get it under control.
*****
Outback: Auburn WR Darvin Adams has twelve huge receptions, out of Chris Todd's 19 completions. Northwestern's defense has three sacks and two picks.
The crew just missed an obvious hold on Corey Wootton, and Auburn is inside the ten yard line for the first time in a while. First and goal, Auburn.
Ben Tate scores from five yards out. 28-21, War Eagle back on top.
*****
It's 7-3 in the Capital One Bowl early in the second quarter. Daryll Clark is over 100 yards passing with a TD for Penn State.
With time winding down in the first quarter of the Gator Bowl, Florida State trails 14-3 but is in the red zone.
*****
Outback: 4th quarter, 9:34 to go - Kafka just threw the ball out of bounds instead of forcing it! Progress!
Northwestern has a first down in Auburn territory near the 50. Big Drake Dunsmore is a tough matchup for Auburn, and Jeremy Ebert is having himself a surprising game, too.
3rd-and-4 - Kafka airs it out... BREWER ONE-HANDED, but there's a flag.
Offensive pass interference and Fitzgerald is furious. 3rd-and-20. Steward catches it out of bounds and NU will have to punt.
::bleep:: that.
Text from Noffke: "Bullshit." Couldn't have said it better.
*****
Outback: Auburn just ran a tricky end-around all the way to the fifteen. Fifty yard gain and it's Ben Tate Time, as he punches it in, with the excessive celebration penalty that Auburn appears so fond of. 35-21, and coach Gene Chizik is not pleased with the penalties.
Auburn: 10 penalties for 114 yards.
Northwestern: 3 penalties for 25 yards.
Those five picks are absolutely the story of the game. That, and the Brewer pushoff for offensive PI that stalled a key drive.
Just around seven and a half minutes left, and NU trails by two scores.
*****
Auburn kicks from the fifteen, again. Stephen Simmons bobbles the kick but scoops it up and gets a good return to near midfield. Markshausen makes another possession catch. He has 87 receptions on the season!
Dunsmore takes it to near the Auburn 40. Stewart catches one for no gain, and the 'Cats will face another third-and-medium, which they can't convert. Northwestern will try to get this fourth down play - the broadcast reminds us they're 8 of 15 on the year....
Jacob Schmidt gets it, but the clock keeps tickin'.
5:20 to go.
*****
4th-and-6, Wildcats. We see a highlight reel of Kafka's five picks today. Interesting comparison to Houston's Case Keenum, who Dave Pasch reminds us had only six INTs on the season before throwing six more in his bowl game vs. Air Force.
First down catch for Stewart with 4:44 to go, and the 'Cats keep rolling (barely).
*****
Kafka just got bailed out in the end zone when Andrew Brewer tipped a pass away from the Auburn defender. Would have been an INT. After another short Ebert reception, it will be a third fourth down attempt for the Wildcats.
Auburn calls timeout. Fourth-and-five.
*****
In the Gator Bowl, Florida State has pulled it to 14-10.
Penn State leads 10-3 in the Capital One Bowl. I want a picture of that muddy field on my Capital One Card!
*****
Markshausen converts the fourth down and then gets the Wildcats inside the five. 2nd-and-goal.
Aubun has nine in the box, Kafka keeps it...
He got a nice push there from one of his offensive linemen and is in for a TOUCHDOWN, which is under review. Probably goanna stand.
It does, but Demos has his extra point blocked! Oh no. 35-27, as Demos just kicked it too low.
With 3:20 to go, do you go for the onside kick? Northwestern has two timeouts.
Stephen Demos continues his rough day with a weak onside kick attempt, which Auburn keeps easily.
*****
Why are two guys in Auburn visors wandering around on the Northwestern sideline?
*****
Outback Bowl, CRUNCH TIME - Ben Tate fumbles right in front of Pat Fitzgerald! Unreal!
The Wildcat offense has the ball again after Brad Phillips forces a fumble. Shades of Anthony Thomas, anybody?
*****
Auburn is playing prevent. 1:46 left in the fourth. That Auburn defensive line is suckin' air.
Walter McFadden continues to play well as he just defended a pass aimed for WR Ebert.
3rd-and-10: Sidney Stewart gets it short, and it'll be yet another fourth down. Northwestern timeout.
*****
Here goes. Five wideouts, Auburn blitz, and on the SACK, Auburn facemasks Kafka!
It's goanna be a first down! They could have called either a horse collar or a face mask there.
11 penalties for 130 yards.
Kafka to Sidney Stewart... TOUCHDOWN!
Can they get the two point conversion? 33-35.
YESSSSS!!!! I hate to use all caps, but I am screaming and hollering here in Bloomington! Kafka reverses to Andrew Brewer, and he throws a wide open two point conversion toss. How about that comeback? The Outback Bowl is knotted at 35-all. 1:15 to play.
(West Virginia-Purdue has started in West Lafayette)
*****
OUTBACK: Northwestern's special teams comes up huge, forcing a fumble on the kickoff which gives the 'Cats the ball on the 50. Less than a minute to go.
Arby Fields gets a good run, his first of the game.
According to sideline reporter Rob Stone, Demos "feels comfortable from 52-53 yards." However, he just missed an extra point. Right now, it would be a 40+ yard attempt, and Schmidt runs up the middle.
Field goal coming. Suspense is unreal. Three seconds to go. It will be a 44-yarder.
*****
Stefan Demos: Wide Right. We're going to overtime at 35-all. Demos has missed two field goals and an extra point today.
I can't help but remember the 2005 (?) Sun Bowl, when my neighbor in Evanston was the Northwestern kicker and had a terrible game.
*****
Penn State leads LSU 13-3 in the Capital One Bowl.
West Virginia has a one point advantage on Florida State in the Gator, 14-13.
Purdue leads 6-2 on West Virginia in basketball action.
*****
Auburn goes on offense, as Pat Fitzgerald is working the crowd. Get up, fans!
Ben Tate should be getting a heavy work load in this overtime.
Yep. He gets a first down and then punches it within the ten. He's over 100 yards on the game and here comes Kodi Burns, who can't get the first down. It's third and goal. Tate should be coming back in.... nope!
Todd gets deflected by LB Quinn Davie and Auburn will settle for a field goal by Wes Byrum. He nails it and it's 38-35.
Northwestern ball.
*****
Whooooo boy. Bang-bang play there on a Zeke Markshausen attempted reception. There are flags on the play, which was ruled a catch and fumble. Kafka recovered it back near the...
It looked like an incomplete pass to me. And then the ground jarred the ball loose.
Everybody is dying in suspense. What are these flags?
"Illegal Bat of the Ball," Bynes, Auburn. Now it's under review. Did Markshausen have possession?
*****
Review calls it a catch, and Zeke was down before the fumble. It'll be 3rd-and-1.
Kafka: 46-for-75 today, over 500 yards. WOW.
Northwestern pulls the "rugby scrum" play again, and Kafka barely gets the first down at the 15.
*****
Ohhhh no. Kafka just got sacked, maybe fumbled, it's under review. GROUND CAUSED THE FUMBLE. This should get reversed.
Reversed. It's going to be second down at the 30, and Northwestern has GOT to move the ball here and not force Demos to kick another long one.
*****
2nd-and-24, incomplete.
3rd-and-24, complete to Markshausen in the middle of the field at the 19.
Come on, Demos. 37 yard attempt. He hit the &^#$% upright. Flag down. You're kidding me.
Roughing the kicker, #46, Auburn! First down! And Demos is hurt.
*****
So here we go again. Northwestern has a first down on the nine yard line and just needs a touchdown. Kafka goes short to Zeke around the six, incomplete.
2nd-and-goal. Trips left. Five wideouts. Kafka dodges a sack but only gains two yards, and it's goanna be third down.
3rd-and-goal. Four wide. Auburn plays good coverage and Kafka rushes for a few.
Here comes totally inexperienced freshman kicker... A FAKE!
Northwestern gets stopped at the two as Markshausen can't get in on the tricky snap.
Auburn's going to win 38-35 despite a ton of penalties.
*****
Well, you can pretty much blame Stefan Demos for this loss. 0-3 on FGs, missed an extra point. At least he beat Indiana with a 49-yarder earlier this year, right?
Mike Kafka overcame five interceptions to finish strong, but ultimately it's just not enough and the Northwestern Wildcats can't finish the unlikely comeback. What a heartbreaker.
Props to Auburn for getting a difficult stop in overtime.
I'm moving to Live blog #3 for the second halves of the Cap1 and Gator Bowls and the Purdue/West Virginia game.
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