This FOX experiment is almost over. Fortunately, we have a few more games with those folks, and we can play the band game! I'm too lazy to look back, but I think that the record was 117 shots in the 2008 Orange Bowl (don't quote me on that). I'm bitter that the only game I want to watch has Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan, but what are you gonna do? Here's your full BCS Bowl Game schedule. Mark down the games, and get the booze ready folks (I'll have the full one for you later in the week)!

Friday, January 1st

Rose Bowl (ABC, 5pm): Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks - Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit
Sugar Bowl (FOX, 8:30pm): Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Florida Gators - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick

Monday, January 4th

Fiesta Bowl (FOX, 8pm): Boise State Broncos vs. TCU Horned Frogs - Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan

Tuesday, January 5th

Orange Bowl (FOX, 8pm): Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - Dick Stockton and Charles Davis

Thursday, January 7th

BCS National Championship Game (ABC, 8pm): Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns - Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit

This is FOX's last year putting on the all of the BCS Bowl Games, other than the Rose Bowl on ABC (and the Championship Game this year), and they released the names of the individuals calling the games in January. Both FOX has decided to give the booth to their NFL announcing teams, while the Rose Bowl and Championship Game will feature the only true College announcing team of Musburger and Herbstreit, on ABC. Here's your list....

Rose Bowl - Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit (ABC, January 1st)
Sugar Bowl - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick (FOX, January 1st)
Fiesta Bowl - Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan (FOX, January 4th)
Orange Bowl - Dick Stockton and Charles Davis (FOX, January 5th)
BCS Championship Game - Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit (ABC, January 7th)

Well at least the last few minutes were exciting. In fact, I decided to avoid the first three quarters altogether (mainly because the bands were already driving me crazy before the game even started), and just take in these final few moments.

Ohio State scored to take the lead, with two minutes to go, on a nice run by Daniel Herron, but with OSU's recent history in Bowl Games....you just knew they left too much time on the clock....

That was Senior Quan Cosby, and that my friends is a fifth straight Bowl victory for the Longhorns, and a fourth straight BCS loss for the Buckeyes. I almost feel bad for Ohio tonight....I said almost.

Game: The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) vs. Texas Longhorns (11-1)
Location: Glendale, Arizona, University of Phoenix Stadium
Start Time: 8PM EST (FOX)
Network and Announcers: Matt Vasgersian, Tim Ryan, Laura Okmin, Chris Myers
Favorite: Texas (-9)
AA's Pick: Texas 31 - OSU 16

The scuttlebutt in and around the Sports Media World this afternoon is the very interesting development that the BCS is seriously considering accepting ESPN/ABC's bid, and a move away from FOX Sports. From John Ourand at SBJ via the Sporting News....

The BCS is considering a proposal from ESPN that would see all BCS bowl games, including the championship game, wind up on ESPN, sources familiar with the negotiations are saying. If the BCS ultimately accepts the bid, it would mark the first time all games in a major championship were not available on an over-the-air broadcast network. If the BCS opts to move to ESPN, it would continue a trend that has seen other leagues migrate playoff series exclusively from broadcast to cable. MLB, the NBA and the NHL all have placed playoff games on cable over the past few years. If ABC/ESPN ultimately wins the bid and moves even one BCS game to ESPN, it would trigger a clause in its Rose Bowl contract that would allow it to immediately take the annual game in Pasadena from its home of 21 years on ABC to the cable channel.

Now here's where it gets tricky. While ESPN probably offered a number that's way higher than FOX would or did, under the current contract the BCS still has to present FOX with a number first. The network can either accept or refuse, and if they don't accept, the rights go out on the open market. The number that's being thrown around is a $500 million, 4-year deal, which would constitute a 50% hike over last year's price to FOX.

Even though FOX's broadcast and presentation of the BCS is terrible, the network still gets great ratings and advertising dollars from the four games. With this year's regular season shaping up like a virtual playoff system, those numbers and dollars are only going to go up. It would seem tough for them to give a cash cow like that up, but ESPN has been kicking themselves for losing the rights before (rightfully so), and might make an offer FOX just can't compete with. Plus if you add in the fact that FOX hasn't been letting ESPN rebroadcast BCS game highlights for the past few years, it might be safe to say the "Leader" could be holding a grudge.

I've personally been hoping for this move for the past two years, but didn't think it was likely leading up to this year's negotiations. I think my feeling today has changed from doubtful to....."So you're telling me there's a chance?!" Everyone keep your fingers crossed.

BCS considering moving games from Fox to ESPN (Sporting News)

Leave it to an AA staple to come up with the information I've been looking for all day. We've already shared with each other how annoying the views of the band were all night during the Fiesta Bowl but now we have a grand total.....and it's insane. From Sports Business Daily's "Daily Digit"....

58– Number of times Fox showed the Univ. of Oklahoma and West Virginia Univ. bands during last night’s Fiesta Bowl telecast.

Are you kidding me? What in the world is the point??? Is there really nothing else going on in the stadium that you can shoot? Good lord. I challenge any of you to drink every time they show either the VT or Kansas Band tonight.

This upsets me greatly as I thought Matt Vas was the inventor of the Owen Schmitt beer reference, but alas...that is not the case. Apparently Washington Post writer Mike Wise referred to the WVU Fullback as a "Beer Truck" before as well....

It's not like his reputation isn't out there. Schmitt has the rare ability to hold onto the ball -- or deliver punishing blocks -- in heavy traffic.

"He has a forehead made of steel," said ESPN's Craig James.

"He rumbles like a beer truck with a broken parking brake," wrote the Washington Post's Mike Wise.

It didn't matter to Schmitt that he ran for two touchdowns and dropped a punt inside the 20-yard line in the Mountaineers' 55-14 Big East victory on Oct. 6 at Syracuse.

Next practice, he acted like it never happened.

I'm not accusing of stealing the line, but there's one important thing about this blockquote you should know. It's from an article back in October.

WVU's Schmitt bases performance on maximum effort (Pittsburgh Live)

The WVU Dingle-Berry post all the way back in September by Mister Irrelevant was one of the highlights of a great year of blogging. Well Matt Vasgersian seems to have the same thing on his mind during this break in the action of the Fiesta Bowl....

Actually I take it back. We already know Matt Vas reads blogs, so I bet he was saving that one all night.

West Va.’s Dingle-Berry Hangs Together (Mister Irrelevant)

In all of my years watching Sports I don't think I've ever heard someone refer to a player as a "Runaway Beer Truck". Thanks to Matt Vasgersian's call of this Owen Schmitt touchdown I can cross it off my list.....

I'll be in and out of this space all night adding the quotes below this space. Hopefully we can finally get a good game out of one of these BCS contests. AA's pal and St. Louis Fan Matt Vasgersian is on the call, so he should at least keep us entertained.





#9 West Virginia vs. #4 Oklahoma
The Fiesta Bowl
8:00 PM ET, January 2, 2008
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Weather: 69 Degrees, Partly Cloudy
Spread: Oklahoma -9, O/U 62
AA's Pick: WVU +9 (Record 15-10-2)
Announcers: Matt Vasgersian, Pat Haden and Terry Donahue (FOX)

Team Leaders

West Virginia Passing: White- 68.0%, 1548 Yards, 12 TDs, 4 INTs
Oklahoma Passing: Bradford- 70.1%, 2879 Yards, 34 TDs, 7 INTs

West Virginia Rushing: White- 177 Carries, 1185 Yards, 6.7 avg, 14 TDs
Oklahoma Rushing: Patrick- 159 Carries, 927 Yards, 5.8 avg, 8 TDs

West Virginia Receiving: Reynaud- 59 Catches, 691 Yards, 11.7 avg, 11 TDs
Oklahoma Receiving: Iglesias- 60 Catches, 854 Yards, 14.2 avg, 4 TDs
_____________________________________

"Since there's a writers' strike, who's responsible for writing tonight's script?"- Chris Rose (Via tjh420)

"The best thing about Oklahoma has got to be the girls."- Male Oklahoma Student
"The best thing about Oklahoma has got to be the guys."- Female Oklahoma Student #1
"It's definitely the guys!"- Female Oklahoma Student #2

Umm....okay?

Hey, Check this.....C-Mottram found the video of Thom Brennaman calling Georgia the Gators from last night......

Good times.

"The defensive secondary has got to play well" - Barry Switzer (Via Mookie)

"West 'By Gosh' Virginia"- Matt Vasgersian

Ha...I think there's an F-word missing in there.

"Not only was he held, and got the sack, but he got held as well"- Terry Donahue

"Well Terry because of your filibuster let me get into the keys of the game for Oklahoma."- Pat Haden

Uh oh....the analysts are fighting now.

"I can tell you from being in a lot of bowl games that the speed and tempo of West Virginia is controlling this game."- Terry Donahue

I didn't know it took bowl game experience to state the obvious. (Via Fairplay)

"One of those "stupid" penalties"- Terry Donahue (Via JJ)

As JJ pointed out....There are smart penalties?

"Owen Schmitt, like a big runaway beer truck" - Matt Vasgersian (Via Mookie and Smitty)

WINNER!

"You know, I think it's time for Sam Bradford to respond."- Pat Haden

It's 20-6....you think?

"You were a Rhodes Scholar right? You spell that R-O-A-D-S right?"- Terry Donahue

"They're going to put him in for a couple of plays."- Laura Okmin on Steve Slaton

Umm, they just showed him with his pads off....don't think he's coming back honey.

"Pat White has gotten in and out of trouble with those beautiful legs of his." Terry Donahue (Via Fairplay)

"Sam Bradford and he's come out and been hot this half."- Terry Donahue

It's 3 minutes in Terry....settle down.

"And this is what happens in Football. Guys are going down on you."- Pat Haden (Via zeb)

"Boy they shouldn't let those two guys sit together. At least keep them in that order. You'd get the bloggers going all day on that one."- Matt Vasgersian

"there's not two ounces of nonsense in Bob Stoops".- Matt Vasgersian (Via Mal)

"I need to take that Jet."- Pat Haden
"There's a school bus out back that has Donahue, Haden, Vasgersian on it. That's how we're getting out of here."- Matt Vasgersian

"That's Oklahoma-type speed?"- Terry Donahue (Via JJ and lib4) on the Noel Devine Touchdown

Let me get this straight. Oklahoma can't keep up with a team that has "Oklahoma-type speed?" (Via JJ)

"If you put your nose up in the air just right you can smell the sofa cushions all the way from Morgantown."- Matt Vasgersian

Now THAT'S how you end a broadcast.