2006 Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma Sooners v. Boise State Broncos
Wow. Just . . . wow. Congratulations to the Boise State Broncos (and apologies for comments like this), who emphatically made their case to play with the big boys by dismantling traditional powerhouse Oklahoma.
The Broncos shocked the Sooners by racing out to an early 14 point lead, courtesy of a 49-yard pass from QB Jared Zabransky to Drisan James and an Oklahoma fumble at their own nine yard line.
Oklahoma then woke up to the fact that they'd actually have to, you know, play this game, and scored a touchdown and added a field goal. Boise State, though, intercepted the Sooners once and added another nice touchdown drive just before the half. The score was 21-10 as the teams sequestered to their respective locker rooms.
On the Sooners' first drive of the second half, QB Paul Thompson's pass was intercepted by Boise State's Gerald Alexander. On their second drive, Boise State's Marty Tadman intercepted another Thompson pass and ran it back for a TD. Boise State was up 28-10, and the earth had seemingly been knocked off its axis.
But then, as everyone and their mother expected, the Broncos started looking like the mid-major they are. The team picked up a case of the fumbles, gifting a TD to the Sooners with one and blowing another scoring opportunity with another. Oklahoma then earned a TD itself and made good on the two-point conversion, tying the game at 28.
And then Zabransky also got into the act, throwing an interception for a touchdown, and suddenly the Sooners were up by a touchdown -- 35-28 -- with 1:02 left on the clock. The globe had regained equilibrium.
But Boise State would have none of it, and they again stunned the Fiesta Bowl crowd, marching 78 yards down the field in five plays and 55 seconds to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Oklahoma and Adrian Peterson needed only one play in overtime to get a touchdown. The extra point put them up 42-35 and put all of the pressure on the up-start Broncos.
Well, guess what. The Broncos came through yet again. In seven plays, they scored the touchdown, and then, then, then they vexed the college football know-it-alls and elected to go for two and the win, risking a one-point loss.
A masterful play it was. Zabransky dropped back a few steps, faked a screen pass to the right, hid the ball, and secreted it to Ian Johnson, who raced to the corner of the end zone before most of the Sooners had realized what had happened.
Marvelous. Welcome to the big time, Boise State.