Fiesta Bowl Overview:
The No. 3 Texas Longhorns and No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes came up just short of the BCS National Championship Game, thanks in large part to the tough Big 12 and Big Ten conferences. Coaches Mack Brown and Jim Tressel are two of the top coaches in the NCAA, and they will have their teams chomping at the bits to show the world and the college pollsters who truly deserves to be No. 1 in the nation. Fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets must be excited to see two great quarterbacks duke it out in the amazing University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Texas Longhorns Offense:
Quarterback Colt McCoy is on the short list for the Heisman Trophy and will show fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets why he is considered for such a lofty prize. The heart of the Texas Longhorns’ spread offense, Colt McCoy can defeat any team with his arm or his legs. Childhood best friend WR Jordan Shipley is his favorite target, but senior WR Quan Cosby can burn defenses with his deep speed. RB Chris Ogbonnaya is a versatile player in the backfield and is as hard to tackle in the open field as his surname is to pronounce.
Texas Longhorns Defense:
Bronco Nagurski Award winner DE Brian Orakpo is the talent that holds the entire defense of the Texas Longhorns together. With an impressive build, killer instinct, and a monstrous bench press, Brian Orakpo is a terror to QBs and RBs alike. DE/OLB Sergio Kindle is another physical freak that loves to rush the passer or crush the running back. The Texas Longhorns linebackers could pass for track stars and make the team very strong against the toss and the screen. There is not much experience in the secondary, but fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets will see that raw talent is abundant in the small guys.
Ohio State Buckeyes Offense:
True freshman QB Terrelle Pryor is the rookie sensation of the NCAA and was considered the best player in all of high school football in 2007. With a huge frame and athletic ability that is unmatched at the QB position, Terrelle Pryor has a future on par with Colt McCoy. WR Brian Robiske is his target of choice, but WR Brian Hartline is developing as well. Fiesta Bowl tickets will feature RB Chris “Beanie” Wells, who is one of the best in the nation and combines raw power with breakaway speed. LT Alex Boone is the top offensive lineman on the field and will tangle with Brian Orakpo.
Ohio State Buckeyes Defense:
No defensive unit in college football is loaded with as much veteran experience as the Ohio State Buckeyes, and they will leave an impression on fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets. MLB James Laurinatis is the captain of the defense and is fearless when plugging the gaps or in open space. OLB Marcus Freeman is a headhunter and mauls TEs on the line of scrimmage. CB Malcolm Jenkins is perhaps the top cover corner in football and basically removes half the field from an opponent’s game plan. DE Nader Abdallah is a load and can eat up blockers for all four positions on the defensive line.
Texas Longhorns Keys to Victory:
The Ohio State Buckeyes cashed their Fiesta Bowl tickets with defense and field one of the toughest groups in college football. The one weakness of the squad is their speed, something that cost them two defeats to the USC Trojans and Penn State Nittany Lions. The spread offense led by Colt McCoy is designed around speed and the passing game, and the great LBs will be forced to leave the middle of the field open. MLB James Laurinatis may be spying on Colt McCoy, so the QB will be forced to stay in the pocket. Colt McCoy must avoid Malcolm Jenkins on passing plays.
Terrelle Pryor is a once-in-a-generation athlete, but he is also a true freshman and has struggled against complex defenses. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will toss a variety of looks, blitzes, and coverages against the gifted freshman, with masked blitzes being especially effective. DE Brian Orakpo needs to get in the head of Terrell Pryor and LT Alex Boone early to work up a fine psychological advantage. RB Beanie Wells has to be gang tackled on every play, and big DT Roy Miller must control the line of scrimmage to keep blockers off the small linebackers.
Ohio State Buckeyes Game Plan:
The best way for Terrelle Pryor to reward Ohio State Buckeyes fans that bought Fiesta Bowl tickets with a victory is to turn around and hand the ball to RB Beanie Wells. Even after missing a few games this season, Beanie Wells has gone over 1,000 yards and outclasses almost every running back in the country. The pounding of Beanie Wells should wear down the front seven of the Texas Longhorns in the first half. After this, Terrelle Pryor can work the play-action pass or find holes to scramble through on the exhausted defensive line. Alex Boone has to maul Brian Orakpo on every play.
Fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets will look for the Ohio State Buckeyes to try to beat the speed of the Texas Longhorns with power. This means they must collapse the pocket around Colt McCoy and cannot let him have time to throw or running lanes to exploit. CB Malcolm Jenkins should remove one WR from the game, but the younger DBs need to adjust to the spread. MLB James Laurinatis will have a lot of pressure rested on his shoulders as he tries to hold down the middle of the field while also keeping an eye on Colt McCoy.
Fiesta Bowl Game Outlook:
The Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes are two of the biggest and most successful programs in the history of college football. Fiesta Bowl tickets have never allowed fans to see so much tradition, talent, and football brilliance before. Fans from both programs believe their team got robbed on a shot at the BCS National Championship Game, and the crowd pouring into the former Super Bowl venue will be fired up and dowsed in energy.
History and tradition are two big themes coming into the Fiesta Bowl, and both of these go against the Ohio State Buckeyes. As good as they are, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been beaten by superior speed time and again. The Texas Longhorns could never outmuscle the Ohio State Buckeyes on their side of the ball, but they can spread them out and outrun them. Fans with Fiesta Bowl tickets will see one of the best games of the year, but the enclosed environment and artificial turf of University of Phoenix Stadium favors the speed of the Texas Longhorns.
| Event Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Glendale, AZ Sat, Jan. 1, 2011 Time TBA |  |
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