Best Game

As we begin to launch our blog we continue with our special of the bests of the decade.  Just as a recap Lance Armstrong was named the Best Athlete of the Decade, Bill Belichick was the Best Coach of the Decade, and President George W. Bush was part of the Best Moment of the Decade when he threw out the first pitch in game 3 of the 2001 World Series.  Now, the Best Game of the Decade was the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl between the Broncos of Boise State University and the Sooners of Oklahoma University.  The Sooners were favored by anywhere from 7 1/2 to 11 points, but the small school from Idaho had some tricks up their sleeves to say the least.

The game started out with Boise State jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before the Sooners finally put themselves on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter with a touchdown.  In the second quarter, each team scored once, Oklahoma hit a field goals and the Broncos tacked on another touchdown making the half time score 21-10 in favor of the Boise State Broncos.  I'm sure most of you (including me) did not foresee such a high powered team, from such a dominant conference, go into the locker room trailing at half time to a school like Boise State.

In the third quarter, like in the second quarter, each team scored once.  Boise State returned an interception for 6 (then added the extra point) and Oklahoma had a rushing touchdown by future NFL Pro-Bowler Adrian Peterson to make the score 28-17 as the Broncos still led going into the final quarter.  Now is where this game earns its title as the Best Game of the Decade.  The final one minute and thirty seconds of regulation and the overtime period will provide highlights for SportsCenter and Sports Illustrated for years to come.

Oklahoma wide out caught a tipped pass from quarterback Paul Thompson bringing the Sooners within two points of the Broncos.  The Sooners elected to go for the two-point conversion, which took three attempts to complete because of different penalties, but Juaquin Iglesias caught the pass from Thompson to make the score 28-28.  After the kickoff, Boise quarterback Jared Zabransky was intercepted by Sooner Marcus Walker and returned for a touchdown, making the score 35-28 giving Oklahoma the lead for the first time.

Next Boise possession left them with a 4th and 18 on the Sooner 42 yard line with only 18 seconds left on the game clock.  The next play was one of confidence by Boise State Coach Chris Petersen.  The classic school yard play known as "the hook and ladder" was called and performed to perfection.  With nothing to lose the Broncos ran this play and scored a touchdown with only seven seconds left on the game clock.  That play call was nothing short of genius or insanity.  At the end of regulation the score was 35-35.

Winning the coin toss Boise State elected to play defense first and the Sooners wasted no time by scoring on their first play off a rushing touchdown by Adrian Peterson, his last one in college.  When the Broncos got the ball in overtime they were faced with another fourth down, this time a more manageable 4th and 2.  The Broncos set up in the "Wildcat" offense with Vinny Perretta lined up under center, this was a wide receiver roll out option trick play, second trick play of the game.  Perretta rolled out to the right and threw a touchdown pass to tightend Derek Schouman making the score 42-41.  Now a conservative coach would just elect for the extra point, but Coach Petersen was anything but conservative in this game so Boise State lined up for a two point conversion.  Yet again, another trick play called by Coach Petersen, this time the "Statue of Liberty" play (which is a fake pass, then the running back takes the ball from behind the quarterbacks back).  Ian Johnson ran in the two point conversion for the win eliciting pandemonium everywhere.  Final score 43-42 Boise State.

This game had it all: scoring changes, overtime, trick plays, and even a marriage proposal.  After Ian Johnson ran in the successful two point conversion he ran over to his girlfriend and proposed right there on national TV, maybe he acted out of emotion after a life and program changing win, but good for those two.  The 2007 Fiesta Bowl will forever be in highlight reels.  A typical "David vs. Goliath" match up where the underdog pulled out every trick in the book, literally.