Alamo Bowl - Live Updates

Time for the pregame. I was expecting to pick Iowa to cover the spread because I expected the spread to be about 13-14 points. I read that the spread is just 9. So, I’ll pick Texas to cover 38-28. But, I have my Hawkeye shirt on and have started rooting for a miracle.

Time to get some coffee and get ready for kickoff.

What do you want to bet Iowa gets the ball first?

First Quarter
I knew we would get the ball first. I’m not sure why we still do that. We have had trouble getting even a first down most of the time, much less scoring. And, then we give the other team good field position. I do like seeing us run on 1st down. We don’t do that nearly enough and I can’t figure out why with the running backs that we have. Hey, a first down. Good start. 0-12 scoring on our opening drives this year. I told you that was a problem. We’re across the midfield because of that goofy Tate spin move that nobody seems to be able to figure out. Go Hawks. Touchdown…oh…down at the one. I’ve been saying all year that we need to run much much more. Time out. Touchdown. Just like we knew how to play football. 7-0 with 11:05 to go in the 1st. I remember playing USC in the bowl game a few years back and running back the opening kick off. I don’t think I have ever been that excited in my life. It didn’t last long. I’ll stay calm to see if we can keep it going.

Is it too early to complain that it seems like the Big Ten teams are always playing about a block from their opponents home stadium in the bolw games. I want the next bowl game to be at Kinnick Stadium…or how about Soldier Field.

I didn’t know Iwebema was playing today. That’s good. And Shada, too. Too bad Klinkenborg got hurt. Punt team! And a stupid penalty on top of it. Give us the ball. 9:07 to go in the 1st.

There was a commercial before Texas got the ball. They go three and out and punt. And, then another time out. Can we all just promise to buy a few things today and get rid of all the commercial breaks.

Holy cow. I didn’t know we had anybody on Iowa fast enough to break a big play like Brodell just did. 63 yard TD with almost all of the yards after the catch. Amazing. 14-0 with 8:30 to go. Wonder if we’ll get another TV timeout.

Covering kickoffs used to be a strength of Iowa over the last few seasons. I wonder why we have so much trouble with that this year. Texas just ran the kickoff passed midfield.

Godfrey has made a couple nice tackles on the corner already. Iwebema with a stupid personal foul. We cannot afford personal fouls. They just showed the replay and it was a officially a stupid personal foul especially since it keeps a drive going that would have ended otherwise. The defense holds them out of the end zone anyway. Nice job. 14-3 with 4:32 left in the first.

Injuries have been reported for both Young and Busch. Hopefully they will both be back today. Busch in particular. The team really feeds off of his energy. He is a crazy man.

Wow. Moeacki got killed on that 3rd and 8. He still should have caught the ball, though. He dropped it before the guy nailed him. 3 and out. 2:52 to go. Nice 49 yard punt out of bounds by Fenstermaker.

Godfrey was right with the receiver on the deep pass/ He’s looking pretty good today. And then Gabelmann stands his receiver up right at the 1st down marker and somehow got the ball out of his hands. Incomplete. 4th down. Give me the ball. Good job jumping on the loose ball after it hit the Hawkeye on the punt Shada. 1:27 left in the 1st.

And Young is officially back and gets 4 on the 1st down. So, far Tate seems to be getting the ball to the receivers and they are catching the ball. That was the most frustrating thing for me to watch all year. They never both wanted to do their job on the same play. End of the 1st. 14-3. Iowa has the ball.

If you happen to be reading this, could you say hi in the comments and feel free to tell me I got something wrong, right, sound stupid, that you love the Hawks or the Longhorns, or your kids. Whatever you want to say.

Second Quarter
The 63 yard TD catch/pass by Brodell/Tate is the longest in Iowa bowl history. How can that be with the teams we had back in the 80s.

Time for another Hawkeye punt. It looks like Texas defense is settling in. Man, Fenstermaker is kicking pretty well today. We’re probably going to end up missing him next year. 13:50 left in the second.

Colt threw the first down pass about 3 yards behind the receiver on a short pass. That was ugly. But, then on 2nd down they get a big broken play after good initial coverage by the Hawks. And, it’s Godfrey that got burnt. Texas is across midfield. Merrick just made a pretty incredible pass deflection to break up the touchdown pass. Merrick with a great another great play to knock the 3rd down pass loose and make Texas have to bunt. Nice D. Great punt for Texas. Out at the 2 with 12:18 to go in the second. Let’s go get a 98 yard touchdown drive.

Awesome. 1st down and no matter what we won’t have a crappy punting position. Nice run by Tate. He’s looking pretty sharp so far. Simms just got another nice gain and then on the next play on 3rd down got the 1st down. The running game is looking sharp, too. I love that jail break play. Brodell just got a ton of yards off of it (42). The play always looks like it is going to get negative yards and I am always tense until they get the big block to spring it free. Injury timeout with just over 7 minutes until half. We’re back and lose a couple on the 1st down run. Wow. 2nd down was ugly too. The offensive line must have fallen asleep during that injury timeout. Illegal touching penalty on Yanda. What a stupid sounding name for a penalty in a game like football. 3rd and 13. Chandler with the nice catch for a 1st down around the 7 yard line. Texas is getting a much better defensive line push against the running game. We can probably get a nice play action play now or early in the next drive. Timeout Hawks about 5 minutes til half. 2nd and goal and we have had the ball over 7 minutes on this drive. WIDE OPEN TOUCHDOWN! But there is penalty that is on Iowa. Inelligible receiver downfield. Bummer. Ferentz is mad. 2nd and goal from the 15. Interception in the end zone. Stupid play. There were a ton of defenders around the ball.

Texas has the ball. That was the longest play ever without a penalty. Well, there was a penalty but they waived it off. McCoy rand around back there for about 30 seconds. That must have been some really good coverage downfield. And, Ferentz is still yelling at the ref. 3rd down and Texas makes an easy play to pick up the first down. Three defenders around the receiver but nobody in position to make a play. On 1st down, McCoy had to throw the ball away because of pressure. 2nd down the tight end dropped a pass he definitely should have caught that would have been about 7 yards. 3d down and they throw the ball about 1 yard but the Texas receiver still gets the 1st down. I hate Iowa’s 3rd down defense. Now, we’re back to 3rd and 5. And yet another easy first down to the 31 with 2:21 in the half. It is crazy how bad we are against 3rd down. Texas has trouble with the snap and looses a few yards on 1st down. Oh, McCoy wasn’t looking at the ball. 2nd and 15 and they pick up just over 10. Less than a minute, Texas has another 1st down at the 20. We need a stop since Texas gets the ball to start the second half. Instead, Texas throws for a TD. Godfrey was the burnt Hawkeye. 6 foot (I would say probably a couple inches shorter) versus somebody a lot taller. And the receiver is injured on the play. It looks like he got hurt by somebody in the band when he tried to run back onto the field from behind the end zone. 45 seconds until half Iowa 14 - Texas 10. TV Timeout since 45 seconds is such a long time to wait before the halftime commercials.

Bowman couldn’t figure out if he was in the end zone or not on the kickoff and just stood there for a second before taking off. Iowa ball on the 10. Tate knees the ball and it is time for halftime. See you in about 20 minutes.

I’m going to start a new post for the 2nd half because this one is just getting too long. The 2nd half of the Alamo Bowl will be here.