2005 Liberty Bowl

Last updated

2005 AutoZone Liberty Bowl
47th Liberty Bowl
Fresno State Bulldogs Tulsa Golden Hurricane
(8–4)(8–4)
WAC C-USA
2431
Head coach: 
Pat Hill 		Head coach: 
Steve Kragthorpe
1234Total
Fresno State773724
Tulsa01701431
DateDecember 31, 2005
Season 2005
Stadium Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Location Memphis, Tennessee
MVP Paul Smith (QB, Tulsa)
Referee Tom Ritter (SEC)
Attendance54,894
Payout US$1.5 million
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
Announcers Gary Bender, Bill Curry
Liberty Bowl
 < 2004   2006 > 

The 2005 Liberty Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane played on December 31, 2005, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. In a closely contested game that went back and forth, Tulsa defeated Fresno State, 31–24. It was the 47th time the Liberty Bowl had been played, and was the final game of the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams. With sponsorship from AutoZone, the game was officially the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Contents

The game between Fresno State from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Conference USA (C-USA) champion Tulsa was played at neutral-site Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Tulsa was once a WAC member, but joined C-USA in 2005). Tulsa automatically qualified for the Liberty Bowl after defeating Central Florida in the C-USA Championship Game. Normally, Tulsa would have faced TCU, the Mountain West Conference champion, but the Liberty Bowl's tie-in with the Mountain West had ended after 2004 and TCU opted for the Houston Bowl. [1] Instead, the bowl organizers invited Fresno State. Fresno's invite came on November 23, 2005, just days after it lost to the then-No. 1 USC Trojans, 50–42. [2] This was Fresno State's first appearance in a bowl game east of the Mississippi River. [3]

Game summary

Early in the first quarter Fresno State put together a long drive, going 54 yards in 15 plays. All but two of these plays were rushes, and none of the plays went for more than 8 yards. On the last play of the drive Fresno State faced 4th and 2 on Tulsa's 10-yard line but failed to convert, coming up empty-handed after eight minutes and 27 seconds. Tulsa was unable to capitalize on the stop and punted the ball away. Starting now from their own 46, Fresno State again drove 54 yards, this time with six plays in just under three minutes. Wendell Mathis ran the ball four times, finally scoring a touchdown on a 6-yard run putting Fresno State up 7-0. [4]

Tulsa came right back after Fresno State's score, moving the ball 74 yards in 3:20. The centerpiece of the drive was 22-yard touchdown run by Uril Parrish, tying the score at 7 early in the second quarter. Tulsa scored again at 8:15 on a 64-yard run by Tarrion Adams, which tied his season high against Memphis and put Tulsa up 14-7. [5] Fresno State responded with another of its long drives, a 14-play 79-yarder capped by a 22-yard touchdown run by Bryson Sumlin, which tied the game at 14 with 1:13 left in the half. Tulsa, starting from its own 19, quickly moved the ball to Fresno State's 23-yard line, setting up a 41-yard field goal by Brad DeVault to end the half. [6]

Fresno State started the third quarter with a 36-yard kickoff return by Adam Jennings followed by a 24-yard run by Mathis placing them at Tulsa's 35-yard line. Quarterback Paul Pinegar completed a 20-yard pass to Jaron Fairman, putting them on Tulsa's 15. After this strong start, however, Fresno State could not convert and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Kyle Zimmerman, rather than risk the possibility of turning it over on downs as they had in the opening drive of the first quarter. The field goal tied the game at 17. The remainder of the third quarter was marked by missed opportunities and miscues. Fresno State kicker Zimmerman missed a 26-yard field goal. Tulsa QB Smith completed a 25-yard pass to Davis deep inside Fresno State territory, but Davis fumbled the ball. Fresno State took over, but QB Pinegar fumbled and recovered the ball on a 9-yard sack. The quarter ended at a 17-17 tie. [7]

To begin the fourth quarter Fresno State continued the drive which had begun on the Tulsa turnover, and scored less than a minute in on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Pinegar to Joe Fernandez, putting Fresno State up 24-17. After two inconclusive drives Tulsa scored on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Davis, tying the game at 24. Tulsa scored again late in the quarter on a 4-yard run by Smith, putting them up 31-24, while Fresno State's efforts were frustrated by two interceptions thrown by Pinegar, the second coming on Tulsa's 32-yard line with two minutes left in the game. Taking possession, Tulsa was able to run out the clock, winning 31-24. [8]

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP FRESTLSA
11:00542:44FRESWendell Mathis 6-yard touchdown run, Kyle Zimmerman kick good70
212:33743:20TLSAUril Parrish 22-yard touchdown run, Brad DeVault kick good77
28:15792:07TLSATarrion Adams 63-yard touchdown run, Devault kick good147
21:13796:56FRESBryson Sumlin 25-yard touchdown run, Zimmerman kick good1414
20:00591:08TLSA41-yard field goal by DeVault1417
311:51493:03FRES27-yard field goal by Zimmerman1717
414:12725:30FRESJoe Fernandez 21-yard touchdown reception from Paul Pinegar, Zimmerman kick good2417
410:35670:30TLSA Ashlan Davis 54-yard touchdown reception from Paul Smith, DeVault kick good2424
42:55524:01TLSASmith 4-yard touchdown run, DeVault kick good2431
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.2431

Aftermath

Until Nov. 19, it went very well. At the end, it didn't go very well. We had a very, very good season going and we didn't finish the way we wanted to. But I'm not going to take anything away from this football team. We played at a very high level in many games this year, and it was never from lack of effort.

Fresno State coach Pat Hill, after the loss to Tulsa. [9]

Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith was named the bowl MVP. His 4-yard touchdown run proved the difference in the game and gave Tulsa its first bowl victory since 1991 Freedom Bowl, 14 years ago. The loss ended a three-year bowl winning streak for Fresno State, and frustrated Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar's attempt to be the first QB to go 4-0 in bowl games. [9]

Several National Football League teams interviewed Fresno State coach Pat Hill during the off-season, but he elected to remain with Fresno State and received a contract extension through the end of 2010. [10]

Tulsa head coach Steve Kragthorpe remained at Tulsa for one more season before departing to coach the University of Louisville. Immediately after the win defensive coordinator Todd Graham departed to become head coach at Rice. [11] Just one year later Graham would return to Tulsa as head coach following Kragthorpe's departure. [12]

The 2005 Liberty Bowl is the only edition to feature the Conference USA champion and a Western Athletic Conference team. Beginning with the 2006 Liberty Bowl, the Conference USA champion faced a team from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004–05 NCAA football bowl games</span>

The 2004–05 NCAA football bowl games were a series of 32 post-season games played in December 2004 and January 2005 for Division I-A football teams and their all-stars. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 14, 2004, and concluded on January 29, 2005, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005–06 NCAA football bowl games</span>

The 2005–06 NCAA football bowl games were a series of 28 post-season games that was played in December 2005 and January 2006 for Division I-A football teams and all-stars from Divisions I-AA, II, and III, as well as from the NAIA. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 20, 2005, and concluded with the Senior Bowl, played on January 28, 2006.

The 2005 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), and playing for the NCAA Division I-A national championship. The team was coached by Pete Carroll, led on offense by quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, and played their home games in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Louisville Cardinals football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his fourth year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Playing in their second year in the Big East Conference, the team finished the regular season with eleven wins and one loss and were conference champions. They represented the Big East in the 2007 Orange Bowl and with the win ended the season with a 12–1 record. The team ended the season ranked sixth in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 UCF Knights football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, in his fourth season with the school. The season was highlighted by the completion of their new on-campus stadium. The Knights moved out of the aging Citrus Bowl in downtown Orlando, and began playing their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium, located on the main campus of UCF in east Orlando, Florida. In addition, the team changed its nickname from "Golden Knights" back to simply "Knights." From its inception in 1979 to 1992, the football team had been known as the Knights, then used the name "Golden Knights" from 1993 until 2006.

The 2007 Poinsettia Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Navy Midshipmen and the Utah Utes played on December 20, 2007, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Utah defeated Navy 35–32 in a game that came down to the final seconds. The third edition of the Poinsettia Bowl was the first of 32 games in the 2007–2008 bowl season and the final game of the 2007 NCAA football season for both teams.

The 2007 R+L CarriersNew Orleans Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game. Part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, it was played on December 21, 2007, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

The 2007 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Boise State University Broncos from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the East Carolina University Pirates from Conference USA (C-USA). This sixth edition of the Hawaii Bowl, sponsored by Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on December 23, 2007. The game was the final competition of the 2007 football season for each team and resulted in a 41–38 East Carolina victory, even though sportsbooks favored Boise State to win by 10+1⁄2 points. Many experts believed East Carolina to be big underdogs to Boise State, which had defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. The 2007 Hawaiʻi Bowl paid $750,000 to each team's conference in exchange for their participation.

The 2006 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, on January 2, 2006. The game was the final contest of the 2005 football season for each team and resulted in a 35–24 Virginia Tech victory. Louisville represented the Big East Conference, and Virginia Tech represented the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in the competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Brandstater</span> American football player (born 1984)

Thomas Brandstater is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a nationally televised rout of Houston on November 5. For the third time in six years, UCF won the Conference USA Eastern Division and later, became Conference USA champions for the second time in four seasons. As a result, the Knights appeared in the Liberty Bowl, in which they defeated Georgia 10–6, for the first bowl victory in program history. UCF finished the season ranked in both final national polls, 20th in the Coaches Poll, and 21st in the AP Poll.

The 2002 Continental Tire Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Virginia Cavaliers (UVA) at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 28, 2002. The first edition of the Continental Tire Bowl, the game was the final contest of the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 48–22 victory for Virginia. West Virginia represented the Big East Conference in the game; Virginia represented the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Houston Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 2011 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 66th year of season play for Houston. The program was a member of Conference USA in its West Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 California Golden Bears football team</span> American college football season

The 2011 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Jeff Tedford, the Bears are members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Marshall Thundering Herd football team</span> American college football season

The 2011 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Thundering Herd were led by second-year head coach Doc Holliday and played their home games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. They are a member of the East Division of Conference USA. They finished the season 7–6, 5–3 in C-USA to finish in second place in the East Division. They were invited to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl where they defeated FIU 20–10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Conference USA Football Championship Game</span>

The 2005 Conference USA Football Championship Game was a college football game played on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at Citrus Bowl in Orlando. This was the 1st Conference USA Championship Game and determined the 2005 champion of the Conference USA. The game featured the UCF Golden Knights, champions of the East division, and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, champions of the West division.

The 2012 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game held on Christmas Eve 2012, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The eleventh edition of the Hawaii Bowl, sponsored by Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, began at 3:00 p.m. HST and aired on ESPN. It featured the SMU Mustangs from Conference USA against the Mountain West Conference co-champion Fresno State Bulldogs, and was the final game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. The Mustangs accepted their invitation after compiling a 6–6 record in the regular season, while the Bulldogs accepted their invitation with a 9–3 regular season record.

The 2012 Liberty Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game held on December 31, 2012, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The 54th edition of the Liberty Bowl began at 2:30 p.m. CST and aired on ESPN. It featured the Iowa State Cyclones from the Big 12 Conference against the Conference USA champion Tulsa Golden Hurricane. It was the final game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. With sponsorship from AutoZone, the game was officially the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

The 1991 California Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 14, 1991 at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California. The game pitted the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Bowling Green Falcons.

References

  1. ↑ "MOUNTAIN WEST NOTES: Starting quarterbacks taking hit in conference". Review-Journal. November 9, 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Bulldogs looking to regain their bite". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Fresno State accepts Liberty Bowl bid". USA Today . November 23, 2005. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  4. ↑ "1st Qtr Play-by-Play". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Tulsa and Fresno State Square off Today in Liberty Bowl". Tulsa Golden Hurricane. December 31, 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  6. ↑ "2nd Qtr Play-by-Play". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  7. ↑ "3rd Qtr Play-by-Play". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  8. ↑ "4th Qtr Play-by-Play". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  9. 1 2 "Liberty Bowl: Smith's dash for late TD gives Tulsa a 'W'". ESPN.com. December 31, 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Football Notes: Hill staying at Fresno State". Seattle Times . January 19, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  11. ↑ Associated, By (January 2, 2006). "Weis captures coach of year award". Boston Globe . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Graham leaving Rice for Tulsa job". Archived from the original on September 3, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Liberty Bowl to get SEC team starting in '06". ESPN.com. September 25, 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.