Green Snaps 7-Game Skid, KSU Earns Sweet 16 Berth

#55 Northern Illinois – 7
#23 Kansas State – 14

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- 2007 TNS Champion Kansas State continued its virtual postseason success in the hands of Green, who finally broke through a seven game losing streak with a hard fought victory over underdog Northern Illinois.

Kansas State was able to control the line of scrimmage for most of the game, led by RB Bryce Brown, who earned player of the game honors with his 145 yard, two touchdown performance.  Despite having superior talent, Green could not help but to keep things interesting.  Collin Klein struggled throughout, throwing three interceptions that kept the upset-minded Huskies in the ballgame.

With the score tied at 7 as the third quarter came to a close, Green and the Kansas State offense refused to put the ball in the air, instead pounding away a long drive on the ground.  Brown continually broke tackles, converted multiple third downs, and eventually scored on a two-yard touchdown run with forty-five seconds remaining in the game.

Blue received the ensuing kick off trailing only by seven, but faced the difficult task driving the field 65-plus yards with just forty seconds remaining with a single timeout.  The Wildcat defense sealed up a Sweet 16 berth on the first play, as NIU QB and future Mr. Irrelevant Chandler Harnish threw an interception to K-State cornerback Charles Melton.  A Collin Klein knee ended Green's frustrating losing streak, drawing his overall record in the 2012 tournament to 7-10.

Kansas State now awaits the winner of an all-Orange round of 32 game between #58 Purdue and #39 BYU, both of whom were upset winners in the first round over Green and Blue, respectfully.  Should Purdue advance, Green will be seeking revenge against a Boilermaker squad that dashed the Final Four hopes of LSU.

Stats:
Kansas State
QB Collin Klein – 4/14 for 56 yards, 3 INTs
RB Bryce Brown – 27 rushes for 145 yards, 2 TDs; 1 reception for 10 yards
Zimmerman/Melton – INT
8/10 on third down, 1/1 on fourth down
43 offensive plays (29 rushes, 14 passes)

Northern Illinois
2 turnovers, 75 total yards, 26 offensive plays
Schiller/Butler/Ware – INT each

#55 Northern Illinois vs. #23 Kansas State, Game Film

The Lead

We Are Only 2.5 Tournaments Away:

DualShock 4

'Noles Plant Their Spear In The Sweet 16

#46 NC State – 7

#14 Florida State – 20

Florida State running back Chris Thompson shakes off a defender

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The second round began in the same fashion as the first round ended - with a Florida State victory.

Three interceptions and another strong performance from FSU HB Chris Thompson were too much for the Wolfpack, as they fell 20-7.

Florida State was content to hand the ball off for most of the game to their Junior running back, who finished with 150 total yards and a touchdown.

NC State had a promising start, burning most of the first quarter and converting three first downs on their way into Seminole territory. But interceptions on consecutive NC State snaps were quickly converted into points on a 65-yard TD strike from FSU QB EJ Manuel to WR Kenny Shaw, and a 25-yard TD rush by Thompson, respectively.

The Wolfpack got on the board with a 1-yard TD rush by HB Mustafa Greene in the final seconds of the first half. Greene was held to 9 yards on 8 carries.

Following a Florida State field goal, NCSU kicker Chris Hawthorne barely missed on a 45-yard attempt that would have made it a one-possession game late in the third quarter. ROLB Nigel Bradham secured the win for the Seminoles with an interception on NC State's final possession.

Florida State will now prepare for a strong Orange opponent in the Sweet Sixteen.

Stats:

Florida State

HB Chris Thompson – 18 rushes, 120 yards, TD; 2 receptions, 30 yards

FS Nick Moody, ROLB Nigel Bradham, CB Greg Reid – INT each

Some Second Round Info To Wet Your Whistle

A competitive opening round has yielded a very symmetrical slate of upcoming games. Each color will host every other color at least once.

More balance than at a gymnastics competition.

Three Blue vs. Orange games - Blue hosts two
Three Red vs. Blue games - Red hosts two
Two Green vs. Orange games - each hosts one
Two Blue vs. Green games - each hosts one
Two Orange vs. Red games - each hosts one
Two Green vs. Red games - each hosts one
Two Orange vs. Orange games

Some matchups that might be worth keeping anion*:

#33 Florida at #1 Alabama
The Crimson Tide face a big challenge early, as Florida looks to avenge its recent struggles against college football's unbeatables.

#27 Auburn at #6 Oklahoma State
Red gets his second look at Auburn after the Cowboys narrowly defeated UCLA in the first round.

#25 Texas at #8 Arkansas
As Green put it, Arkansas is "weirdly" good in the game. I'm so excited, it's weird.

#41 North Carolina at #9 South Carolina
A riveting gift from the seeding gods. Surprisingly, these teams have met only once since 1991.

#21 West Virginia at #12 TCU
TCU, in search of their first Sweet Sixteen, is finally a major threat in the game. Can they get past future NFL legend Geno Smith and the Mountaineers?

#20 Nebraska at #13 Michigan State
After Orange nearly took down the Spartans in round one, he leads Nebraska into East Lansing for this B1G game.

#46 NC State at #14 Florida State
NC State should be good and ready for this conference matchup after spending many hours on the field in round one.

#17 Virginia Tech at #16 USC
Another marquee game in a region filled to the brim with them.

TNS football is imminent.

*Chemistry joke. A little something for the ladies.

The Green Fields Of The Mind

January 28th, 2009

Have we really only finished two?

Green, me and you need to finish the original, pioneering Thursday Night Sensationalizationalism bracket.

The next year, Blue captained the Oregon Ducks to a special dress championship celebration at The Pressroom.

Following that, I believe I took an unheralded Alabama team led by Brody Croyle to the title, and while I received many compliments and accolades, I am still awaiting my dinner.

The next installment saw great process, as Blue indicated that there are only 5 teams remaining, and I know much of the college football world is still on the edge of their collective seats in anticipation for the West Virginia - Ohio State showdown. That can easily be finished in much the same fashion as the previous season.

Last year was probably our worst effort, as not even a single game was started. There was much intrigue around the league as a rookie gamer had received his charter and would be making his first appearance, but alas, it was not to be. Much, if not absolutely all, of the blame for that debacle can be placed squarely on these shoulders, which still carry that burden to this day. I won't try to justify anything with excuses, other than to say that it was not a good situation. But, the draft was completed, and play can resume, or should I say begin, at any time.

Some of us are even in the midst of a tournament at this very moment, and while it is a noble effort which I have every intention of finishing, and winning, I do not think it should take precedence over any post-season events. The good thing is that we already have completed the first round, which may not sound like a lot, but means that we are more than half-way done.

The beauty is that none of these tournaments ever really end. They live on long after the final seconds tick off the clock. One man reveling in the glory of victory, with the admiration of his peers, and his name etched permanently in the annals of history; another writhing in the agony of defeat, left to wonder what could have been.

The games replay in our minds during the short and dark days of winter, sleepless nights turning to the blooms of spring. The high sun of summer brings with it an unbridled enthusiasm, crescendoing to the pageantry of a new season. But like the autumn leaves, that hope can just as quickly fall to the ground, crashing like the cymbals of the great bands that make Saturday's feel so alive. It leaves us as quickly as it arrived, the turning of the solstice bringing with it shorter days. But as darkness continues to encroach, we stand firmly of the light of knowledge that the final game on the gridiron does not signal an end, but rather a new beginning.

Numbers will be crunched, figures tabulated, labs completed, and brackets drawn. Each valiant warrior will select his weapons for which to do battle with in this most noble of endeavors. The purest form of sport, this model, built on the foundations of integrity, gives way for the crowning of a true champion, and lets mere men become legends.

The time is upon us, so I say unto you, in the words of my two little bruthas, "You might as well have the band bring out the popcorn, baby!"

Pick up your sticks . . . 

Red

First Round Revelations

Check out how everyone did in the first round. Or don't. Either way's good.

Orange
11-5 overall, Home: 7-1, Away: 4-4
20.9 PF, 14.6 PA, +6.3

vs. Blue: 4-1 (2-1 at home)
vs. Green: 5-1 (3-0 at home)
vs. Red: 2-3 (2-0 at home)

Blue
8-8 overall, Home: 4-3, Away: 4-5
15.2 PF, 12.7 PA, +2.5

vs. Green: 3-2 (2-1 at home)
vs. Orange: 1-4 (0-2 at home)
vs. Red: 4-2 (2-0 at home)

Red
7-9 overall, Home: 6-3, Away: 1-6
11.9 PF, 13.9 PA, -2.0

vs. Blue: 2-4 (2-2 at home)
vs. Green: 2-3 (1-1 at home)
vs. Orange: 3-2 (3-0 at home)

Green
6-10 overall, Home: 4-4, Away: 2-6
12.5 PF, 19.2 PA, -6.7

vs. Blue: 2-3 (1-1 at home)
vs. Orange: 1-5 (1-2 at home)
vs. Red: 3-2 (2-1 at home)

A Near-Choke At Doak

#51 Northwestern – 10
#14 Florida State – 17

QB Dan Persa walks back to the bench after 
throwing an interception on his team's final possession

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- It seemed all but over when HB Chris Thompson put Florida State up 17-3 with a little over three minutes left. Instead, the Seminoles had to hold on for dear life.

Northwestern drove swiftly, scored a crucial touchdown, and recovered an onside kick, but Florida State held on for a 17-10 victory to wrap up first round play.

Red was completely unrecognizable from the outset, employing a no-huddle offense, and throwing on every snap. That may sound like an exaggeration, but to be clear – Northwestern did not hand the ball off a single time the entire game.

“That was how I wanted to go down with them,” Red said afterwards.

Florida State struck first, narrowly converting four third downs on their first possession, and scoring on an 8-yard touchdown pass from QB E.J. Manuel to WR Willie Haulstead.

Northwestern seemed poised to get on the board in the final minute of the first half following a Manuel interception, but QB Dan Persa fumbled deep in Seminole territory to keep the halftime shower score at 7-0.

The teams opened the second half by trading field goals, including another 50-yarder for Blue.

In the fourth quarter, Chris Thompson took over, breaking a 50-yard run, and punching it in from 13 yards out on the next play. The score put the 'Noles up 14 with 3:27 remaining in the game.

Persa and the Wildcats quickly engineered a stunning drive that was capped by a 1-yard TD catch by future New England Patriot WR Jeremy Ebert. The drive included completions to four different receivers and took less than a minute.

The ensuing onside kick bounced off a Florida State knee, and was pounced on by Northwestern CB Mike Bolden, giving the offense a short field with plenty of time on the clock.

Then, on 2nd and 8 from the FSU 25, Persa was hit by an unblocked lineman as he threw, and CB Mike Harris was there to pick off the errant pass and stifle the Wildcat rally.

The Seminoles were able to kneel out the clock from there – by the slimmest of margins. The game ended with less than a second remaining on the play clock and Florida State facing a 4th down.

Blue lauded Red's effort in the loss.

“That might have been the best game [Red]'s had against me in a while,” he said. “The drive at the end was really impressive, and the onside kick was perfect.”

Despite his recent surge, Blue failed to surpass the .500 mark in the first round for the first time since 2006.

The 'Noles will host conference foe #46 NC State, as America's lesser-known tournament rolls on to the second round.

Stats:

Northwestern
QB Dan Persa – 15/27, 207 yards, TD, INT

Florida State
HB Chris Thompson – 25 rushes, 164 yards, TD