2006 Insight Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2006
Insight Bowl
, a college football
bowl game
held on December 29 at Sun Devil Stadium
on the campus of Arizona State University
in Tempe, Arizona
, pitted the Texas Tech Red Raiders
against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
. This game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA
Division I FBS bowl history. The Red Raiders, after falling behind 38-7 with 7:47 remaining in the third quarter, rallied to score 31 unanswered points to send the game to overtime. The Gophers scored a field goal in overtime, but the Red Raiders responded with a touchdown to win.
The previous record bowl comeback was a 30-point comeback by Marshall
against East Carolina
in the 2001
GMAC Bowl
.
The game was televised by the NFL Network
, which as of December 31, 2006 has made the game available free for online viewing.
was stopped on a sneak, giving the ball to the Golden Gophers. Six plays later, Gophers QB Bryan Cupito connected on a 2-yard touchdown pass with tight end Jack Simmons.
The Raiders' next possession was even more disastrous for them, as Harrell was intercepted by Mike Sherels on Tech's 37 yard line. Amir Pinnix, who would run for 179 yards in the game, scored on a 2-yard run six plays later.
Tech then drove the ball inside the Gophers' 10, but Harrell fumbled on a sack and the Gophers' Steve Davis recovered on their own 13. Minnesota then went on its longest scoring drive of the season, ending with a 1-yard TD run by Justin Valentine on the first play of the second quarter.
Tech finally got on the board with 4:32 left in the quarter when Shannon Woods capped off a seven-play, 77-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. The Gophers replied with an 81-yard drive ending in a 3-yard Cupito TD pass to Logan Payne with 32 seconds left. The first half ended with the Gophers ahead 35-7.
With 7:47 remaining in the quarter, Texas Tech began its comeback on its next possession, ending when Harrell hit Joel Filani
for a 43-yard TD pass with 4:58 to go in the quarter. Tech's defense forced a punt on the Gophers' next possession, and the offense went on another drive. The quarter ended with Minnesota up 38-14, but the Raiders would score on the first play of the fourth quarter on an 8-yard TD pass from Harrell to Robert Johnson.
The Gophers went three-and-out on their next possession. Danny Amendola
returned the ensuing punt 40 yards, giving the Raiders good field position on their own 44. Nine plays later, Woods scored his second TD of the evening on a 1-yard run; the conversion cut the Minnesota lead to 38-35. However, the Red Raiders failed on an onside kick attempt. While they forced another three-and-out by Minnesota, they had to use their last two timeouts during the series, and the ensuing punt left the Raiders on their own 12. A false start penalty on the first play sent them back to their own 7.
From there, Harrell ran Tech's hurry-up offense to perfection, completing five of seven passes, with the receivers successful in going out of bounds to stop the clock four times. Tech also caught breaks with two 9-yard gains that caused game officials to stop the clock for measurements. The eighth play of the final drive was Alex Trlica
's 52-yard field goal as time expired that sent the game to overtime.
In addition to Pinnix, other leading performers for Minnesota included Cupito (263 yards and three TDs passing) and Simmons (seven catches for 134 yards and a TD). Simmons was filling in for the injured Matt Spaeth
, the winner of the John Mackey Award
as the nation's leading tight end. The Gophers set a school bowl scoring record, and Cupito tied the Minnesota career record for TD passes with 55.
Two days after his team's loss in the Insight Bowl, Minnesota head coach Glen Mason was fired. Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi did not publicly detail the reasons for the firing, but strongly hinted that the Gophers' collapse was the proverbial last straw, saying "If we had not lost the way we lost, we probably wouldn't be here today." This was the latest in a series of Minnesota second-half collapses under Mason, which also included one of the previous three biggest bowl collapses in Division I-A history.
2006 in sports
2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia...
Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
, a college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
held on December 29 at Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
on the campus of Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
, pitted the Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
. This game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I FBS bowl history. The Red Raiders, after falling behind 38-7 with 7:47 remaining in the third quarter, rallied to score 31 unanswered points to send the game to overtime. The Gophers scored a field goal in overtime, but the Red Raiders responded with a touchdown to win.
The previous record bowl comeback was a 30-point comeback by Marshall
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
against East Carolina
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
in the 2001
2001 GMAC Bowl
The 2001 GMAC Bowl, a college football bowl game held on December 19 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, pitted the Marshall Thundering Herd, then of the Mid-American Conference, against the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA...
GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
.
The game was televised by the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
, which as of December 31, 2006 has made the game available free for online viewing.
First quarter
A decision by Red Raiders coach Mike Leach on their opening possession set the initial tone for the game. Tech faced a fourth-and-1 on their own 45-yard line, and Leach went for it. Quarterback Graham HarrellGraham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
was stopped on a sneak, giving the ball to the Golden Gophers. Six plays later, Gophers QB Bryan Cupito connected on a 2-yard touchdown pass with tight end Jack Simmons.
The Raiders' next possession was even more disastrous for them, as Harrell was intercepted by Mike Sherels on Tech's 37 yard line. Amir Pinnix, who would run for 179 yards in the game, scored on a 2-yard run six plays later.
Tech then drove the ball inside the Gophers' 10, but Harrell fumbled on a sack and the Gophers' Steve Davis recovered on their own 13. Minnesota then went on its longest scoring drive of the season, ending with a 1-yard TD run by Justin Valentine on the first play of the second quarter.
Second quarter
The Red Raiders lost another scoring chance when cornerback Antonio Huffman, who intercepted a Cupito pass on the Gophers 20, fumbled into the end zone on the return, allowing the Gophers to recover for a touchback. The Gophers took full advantage, going on a drive that culminated in a 14-yard TD pass from Cupito to Ernie Wheelwright.Tech finally got on the board with 4:32 left in the quarter when Shannon Woods capped off a seven-play, 77-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. The Gophers replied with an 81-yard drive ending in a 3-yard Cupito TD pass to Logan Payne with 32 seconds left. The first half ended with the Gophers ahead 35-7.
Third quarter
Minnesota took the opening kickoff of the second half and kept the ball for 16 plays and 7:13, ending with a 32-yard field goal by Joel Monroe.With 7:47 remaining in the quarter, Texas Tech began its comeback on its next possession, ending when Harrell hit Joel Filani
Joel Filani
Joel O. Filani is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Tech....
for a 43-yard TD pass with 4:58 to go in the quarter. Tech's defense forced a punt on the Gophers' next possession, and the offense went on another drive. The quarter ended with Minnesota up 38-14, but the Raiders would score on the first play of the fourth quarter on an 8-yard TD pass from Harrell to Robert Johnson.
Fourth quarter
Minnesota responded with a drive of its own inside the Tech 30, but it stalled there. In what would prove to be a critical decision, Mason decided not to try a field goal, instead going for it on fourth-and-7 from the Tech 31. Cupito was sacked, giving Tech the ball on their own 37. They proceeded to cut the score to 38-28 on a 1-yard run by Harrell.The Gophers went three-and-out on their next possession. Danny Amendola
Danny Amendola
Daniel Amendola is an American football wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
returned the ensuing punt 40 yards, giving the Raiders good field position on their own 44. Nine plays later, Woods scored his second TD of the evening on a 1-yard run; the conversion cut the Minnesota lead to 38-35. However, the Red Raiders failed on an onside kick attempt. While they forced another three-and-out by Minnesota, they had to use their last two timeouts during the series, and the ensuing punt left the Raiders on their own 12. A false start penalty on the first play sent them back to their own 7.
From there, Harrell ran Tech's hurry-up offense to perfection, completing five of seven passes, with the receivers successful in going out of bounds to stop the clock four times. Tech also caught breaks with two 9-yard gains that caused game officials to stop the clock for measurements. The eighth play of the final drive was Alex Trlica
Alex Trlica
Alex Trlica was a kicker for the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team.As of January 9, 2007, Trlica held the NCAA record for successful point after tries. During his college career, he made 233 consecutive PATs without a miss...
's 52-yard field goal as time expired that sent the game to overtime.
Overtime
Minnesota got the ball first in overtime. Six plays later, Monroe gave the Gophers a 41-38 lead with a 32-yard field goal. Tech responded on its possession with a five-play sequence that ended in Woods' winning TD run, his third of the night, from three yards out.Aftermath
Harrell, who threw for 445 yards and two TDs while also running for a TD, was chosen as the offensive MVP. Tech cornerback Antonio Huffman was defensive MVP. Other top performers for Tech included Woods (109 yards and three TDs rushing) and Filani (nine catches for 144 yards and a TD).In addition to Pinnix, other leading performers for Minnesota included Cupito (263 yards and three TDs passing) and Simmons (seven catches for 134 yards and a TD). Simmons was filling in for the injured Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, the winner of the John Mackey Award
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
as the nation's leading tight end. The Gophers set a school bowl scoring record, and Cupito tied the Minnesota career record for TD passes with 55.
Two days after his team's loss in the Insight Bowl, Minnesota head coach Glen Mason was fired. Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi did not publicly detail the reasons for the firing, but strongly hinted that the Gophers' collapse was the proverbial last straw, saying "If we had not lost the way we lost, we probably wouldn't be here today." This was the latest in a series of Minnesota second-half collapses under Mason, which also included one of the previous three biggest bowl collapses in Division I-A history.
See also
- Houston Oilers at Buffalo Bills, 1993 Wildcard PlayoffThe Comeback (American football)The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
- The Monday Night MiracleThe Monday Night Miracle (American football)In the National Football League, "The Monday Night Miracle" refers to a Monday night game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins played at Giants Stadium on October 23, 2000.-Background:...
- 2001 GMAC Bowl2001 GMAC BowlThe 2001 GMAC Bowl, a college football bowl game held on December 19 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, pitted the Marshall Thundering Herd, then of the Mid-American Conference, against the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA...
, previously the largest comeback in bowl history - 2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football gameThe 2006 edition of the Michigan State Spartans / Northwestern Wildcats football game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Spartans, after falling behind to the Wildcats 38-3 with 9:54 remaining in the 3rd quarter, rallied to score 38 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats...
(a 35-point comeback earlier in the 2006 college season)