GO! U Northwestern, Fight for Victory (Almost)

It’s bowl season, and that means that I get to sit around and watch all manner of college football games, from the sublime to the ridiculous.  As a lifelong, and too often long-suffering, Northwestern fan, this year means that I got to spend Monday night watching NU take on Missouri in the Alamo Bowl.

NU should have gone to a bigger/better bowl, a New Year’s Day bowl (not a BCS Bowl, mind you).  However, with the bowls rules such as they are, the bowls get to pick teams based not so much on their records and standings, but on their ability to draw fans to the games and generate TV viewing.  Hence, under-achieving Iowa got a better bowl than NU.

Such is life.   I’m over it.   Really.  No, really.

So, back to the Alamo Bowl.  How did NU do?  Did they win their first bowl game since their victory in the 1949 Rose Bowl, or did they lose, as they have done, for the previous five bowl games that they have been to since 1949?

Did NU’s offense show up?  Were they able to run the spread effectively and consistently against the Tigers?  Did NU QB C.J. Bacher play aggressive, without throwing pick after pick?  Was NU able to get its ground game going, a ground game that, when headed by a healthy Tyrell Sutton is about the best in the Big Ten? 

Was NU able to win its 10th game of the season for the first time since the 1994/95 Rose Bowl season?  Was Pat Fitzgerald, NU’s ex-star linebacker and current hottie head coach, able to grab momentum heading into winter signing time?

Was NU, in essence, able to get that Bowl Monkey off its back? 

Almost, but no cigar.   After tying the game at 23, the Wildcats lost in O.T., by a field goal.

In the best of Chicago traditions, all I can say is, “Wait until NEXT year!”

Comments

[blah]

GO UTES! That's all I can say! They are more proof that the BCS is just BS. The system is broken and needs to be fixed.

[Justyn]

Acctually you lost by a touchdown in overtime. You would have won had your kicker not missed the extra point earlier in the game and it wouldn't have even went to overtime if ours didn't miss that last field goal. It was a very on the edge game for both teams. Nice blog though

[Matt]

The Big 10 sucks and is constantly overrated. When was the last time they had a winning non-conference/bowl record? And the MAC doesn't count.

I'll give Northwestern some credit for hanging in the game, but lets face it, Missouri was probably just disappointed to even be play in that game.

[JimInQueens]

Until they institute a real playoff system in college football, it's one small step above women's gymnastics.