Author: Christopher Glotfelty (Page 28 of 67)

      Oklahoma shuts out No. 12 Oklahoma State 27-0

      November 28, 2009 /

      Murray

      After getting shut out by their in-state rivals, Oklahoma State relinquished its bid in the Bowl Championship Series.

      DeMarco Murray ran for two touchdowns, Ryan Broyles returned a punt 88 yards for a score and Oklahoma knocked No. 11 Oklahoma State out of contention for its first BCS appearance with a 27-0 win Saturday.

      With representatives of the Fiesta and Orange bowls watching, the Cowboys (9-3, 6-2 Big 12) fell completely flat with their worst offensive performance of the decade. Oklahoma State was shut out for the first time since 2005 by an Oklahoma defense coming off its worst outing of the year, a 41-13 loss at Texas Tech last week.

      Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson threw for only 44 yards on 9-for-21 passing after missing last week’s game with injuries to his head and shoulder. He was pulled in the fourth quarter with his lowest passing total since taking over as the starting quarterback early in the 2007 season.

      Oklahoma State didn’t have a single first down in the second half and finished with only 109 yards of total offense.

      Neither team — or the referees, for that matter — gave the fans much to cheer for early on as the game was marred by fumbles and constant replay reviews, including one that required a second look for officials to get the down and distance correct. But while the Sooners made up for their early mistakes, OSU never got anything going.

      Considering the injuries they’ve dealt with all season, this is a huge win for the Sooners. The victory is also Oklahoma’s seventh straight in the Bedlam rivalry and its 30th consecutive at home.

      College Football

      Real Salt Lake captures MLS Cup, proves penalty shootouts aren’t that cool

      November 23, 2009 /

      Real Salt Lake

      Under its current system, fans got a pretty great MLS Cup last night. Although the league would have undoubtedly benefited from a Galaxy victory, the game will be talked about favorably by those who watched it. (Legitimate Galaxy fans will concede that this was an exciting final.)

      While the Galaxy dominated the first half and notched a goal courtesy of Mike McGee, Real Salt Lake turned it on in the second, pounding shot after shot at the Galaxy’s backup goalkeeper Josh Saunders. With David Beckham playing on a bone-bruised ankle, the Galaxy’s offense had trouble putting the pressure on Real and containing their lead. In the 64th minute, the ball bounced off multiple players in the Galaxy’s box until Real forward Robbie Findley knocked it into the net.

      Real would continue to control the remainder of regulation play and then the two 15-minute intervals of extra time. Still, the Galaxy defense somehow prevented a deciding goal. Saunders, who saw hardly any action this season over the team’s exceptional starter Donovan Ricketts, was surprisingly confident between the posts. A mid-game addition for the injured Ricketts, Saunders was up to the task.

      The game entering shootouts, I realized I wanted to turn off the TV. After 120 minutes of play, a team’s entire season was about to be decided in about five minutes. Now, I wasn’t rooting for either club. I just wanted an outcome that was best for the league — suffice to say, that wasn’t Real winning. If that Galaxy won, media outlets across the globe would discuss David Beckham’s success in three professional leagues. His supporters and haters would have no choice but to include the MLS in their rants. Instead, with a Real championship, nobody would care outside of Utah.

      But the Galaxy didn’t win. Lined up for the penalty kicks, most of their team looked like they wanted to go home and sleep. They were understandably exhausted, but they were also unfocused mentally. The team’s top scorers, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, both missed their shots. Tied at 4-4, Real Salt Lake midfielder Robbie Russell sent in the final goal past Saunders. Considering Real’s strange season, it’s fitting that Russell — a midfielder who hadn’t scored during the regular season or playoffs — ended the Galaxy’s chances. Real squirmed into the playoffs with a losing record of 11-12-7. As the eighth seed, they faced an uphill battle, but they managed to upset the Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire. Nobody expected their luck to follow them into the final against the powerful Galaxy.

      Shootouts. Stupid shootouts.

      Of course, I don’t blame Real Salt Lake in the slightest — they outplayed the Galaxy for most of the game. I just don’t respect the outcome. I hate the format. It’s like having the NBA Finals decided by free throws.

      Soccer

      MLS keeps growing and growing

      November 22, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      The MLS Cup takes place tonight and it will likely yield the highest television ratings in the league’s history. Thankfully, the promising showdown between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake landed a beneficial time slot. Last year’s final was squeezed between the NFL’s regular season schedule on network television in the middle of the day — I doubt you remember. Since soccer seems to do well in prime time (and can’t compete with the “other” football), ESPN will broadcast the final tonight at 8:30 PM ET.

      It may seem otherwise, but Major League Soccer is succeeding. This year, professional soccer came to Seattle. In the wake of the Supersonics leaving for Oklahoma City, the Seattle Sounders officially began their first season in the MLS. Like the Super Bowl, the location of the MLS Cup rotates each year. In a wise decision orchestrated by the league, today’s Cup will go down at Qwest Field, home of the Sounders. It’s quite a gift, but the city has more soccer fanatics than most and surely appreciates the gesture.

      “MLS made a great decision in expanding to our region,” said King County executive Dow Constantine, the obligatory politician on hand. “Here’s a place where darn near every kid grows up playing soccer.”

      Then, on Thursday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber participated in an online chat on the Seattle Times website, telling the world that all was well with MLS and would be even better in the foreseeable future.

      “This season will forever be known as one of the key moments in the history of soccer in America,” Garber said during the day.

      Next year, the Philadelphia Union will debut, in a brand new stadium no less. Portland and Vancouver will follow in 2011. Montreal is also on board. If all goes according to plan, the league will then contain 19 teams.

      People are watching American soccer — you just don’t know them.

      Once again, you can catch the MLS Cup tonight at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN.

      Soccer

      Stanford loses to Cal, Oregon squeezes by Arizona in double overtime

      November 22, 2009 /

      Masoli

      After Stanford failed to top Cal earlier in the evening, Jermiah Masoli provided some late-game heroics for his Oregon Ducks. In double overtime, Masoli took the snap at the Arizona Wildcats’ 1-yard line and ran the ball in for a touchdown. The Ducks will now face Oregon St. next week to see which team advances to the Rose Bowl.

      The Rose Bowl race is no longer complicated: The winner of Oregon (7-1) versus Oregon State (6-2) on Dec. 3 (a Thursday) in the most important Civil War ever played will earn the Pac-10’s automatic bid to Pasadena.

      Arizona, the only Pac-10 or Big Ten Conference team never to play in the Rose Bowl, is still that team after a wrenching defeat pinned a third league loss on the Wildcats. Arizona had already succumbed this season, to Washington, on a game-winning touchdown that deflected off a receiver’s foot.

      What else could bounce off something to torture Arizona?

      How about Oregon’s kicker, Morgan Flint, tying the score, 24-24, in the fourth quarter with a 43-yard field goal that deflected in off the crossbar?

      Assuming the Ducks win their all-state showdown, they’ll finish the season with a record of 10-2. They would then meet the Ohio State Buckeyes, another 10-2 team ranked in the top 10, in the Rose Bowl. We’ll see how the other Bowl games take shape, but this one at least sounds appealing.

      College Football

      LSU surrenders victory with one second remaining

      November 21, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      I thought this week in college football was going to be a massive dud. However, after UConn’s emotional victory over Notre Dame and now this thrilling finish in Oxford, I’ve been proven wrong.

      Although the majority of the game was evenly matched, people are simply going to focus on the Tigers’ final drive. Ole Miss came out with a contagious passion, displaying confidence on both ends of the field. The Rebels held LSU to five plays and nine yards in the first quarter — pretty impressive. Still, LSU capitalized on key opportunities, particularly after a blocked field goal which Patrick Peterson returned for a 53-yard touchdown. Despite their underwhelming start, LSU had a slight lead over their opponents at the half: 17-15.

      Before this game, LSU was 38-5 when leading at the half under coach Les Miles. That’s strange, because what followed was a downright sloppy performance by the Tigers’ defense. Dexter McCluster — one of the most exciting players to watch in all of college football — embarrassed the Tigers’ front seven, exposing its weaknesses on many of his 24 carries. Rebels quarterback Jevan Snead had an solid game, but it was McCluster who actually threw his team’s sole touchdown, finding Shay Hodge in the fourth.

      With less than two minutes left in the game, it looked as though Ole Miss had this one in the bag. However, LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson has shown essential composure under pressure. With the clock winding down, he hit Rueben Randle for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The score was 25-23 in favor of Ole Miss, so the Tigers went for the two-point conversion. They failed, but the Tigers weren’t ready to quit.

      In his deliberate coaching style, Les Miles immediately ordered an onside kick. Somehow sneaking by McCluster, the Tigers’ Brandon LaFell recovered the ball. Jefferson then connected with LaFell for a 26-yard reception. For a brief moment, I thought LSU was going to pull through. Three plays later it was fourth-and-26 from the Ole Miss 48. Only nine seconds remained. What, only nine seconds? Where did all the time go? Well, LSU wasted 17 seconds after their third down before calling a time out. The stadium held its breath as Jefferson threw downfield to Terrance Toliver. Surrounded by Rebels, Toliver made a remarkable catch at the Rebels’ six-yard line. Here comes the Tigers’ field goal team to win the game. Wait, never mind. With the clock stopped on the one second mark for the referees to reset the chains, Les Miles froze. What happened to that readiness? His field goal team never stepped on the field. Instead, Jefferson attempted to spike the ball. Blah. The clock ran out and Ole Miss had defeated LSU at home for the first time in eleven years.

      It was a perplexing end to a magnificent game.

      College Football

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