Live-Blogging Open Thread - Independence Bowl 2007

- 45 minutes to gametime. Hope everyone has it in the TiVo :)

- Alright, we're off. Decent return by 'Bama. Post-KO commentary went through the end of the Tide's season. Ouch. How are they still in the bowl game?

- Ugh. This Glen Coffee dude is the entire O on this first drive. 2 first downs out of the first 3. CU is looking a bit rough on the first drive...

- CU stiffens up and stuffs 'em at the 23 and holds 'Bama to 3 points. CU ball after the break...

- Short return for CU on the KO...and we're picked on the first freakin' play. Ouch. Hawk appeared to have missed the LB altogether on his checkdowns. Threw it right to him. Oops.

- CU stiffens up...again...and makes 'Bama kick the FG after 3 plays. So, 2 drives, about 60 yards, only 6 points. I guess I'll take it as long as Hawk doesn't toss another pick...

- 3 downs and little to show for it. We had a 3rd and 8...and threw for 6. Not sure I understand that call...

- The fake punt was a nice touch - and this was a decent spot for it on the field - but the Tide didn't bite at all. Crap. Turnover on downs...

- Good first play to stuff the QB after the switch...but what's with us letting JPW out of the pocket for 20 yards?

- Crap. Got 'em on 3rd and 8, looking for another FG, and we let 'em toss it in for 6. 13-0.

- Good return by Charles on the ensuing KO. We start at about the 35...

- Another busted up drive. Still not happening...

- CU is making JPW look good. Um, let's stop these guys, shall we?

- Ugh. Another TD. 20-0...and now the end of Q1. Better step it up. We're not fooling these guys at all.

(sorry, had to cook some dinner...I'm catching up on TiVo)

- 27-0. I'm not liking this. Looks like 'Bama gamed this one out plenty in the run-up to this game. That last TD was too damn easy. They're making our pass protection look like Swiss cheese...

- Our offensive scheme isn't fooling anyone. We're trying the same counters and misdirection in Q2 as we did in Q1. They have someone spying the RB every time.

- Hugh Charles has quick feet. He's getting by some of the spies. Makes the misdirection a little easier. Cody Hawkins, however, looks nervous here in Q2. He's throwing everything for short yardage and sometimes even for a loss. He'd be better off just tossing some of these passes out of bounds.

- Our pass D really needs some work tonight. 'Bama is converting on too many critical 3rd downs...though at 27-0, some of these are starting to look less critical...

- Sweet. JPW picked by Walters. Hypolite provides some pressure into JPW's face, forcing a lousy pass. Our ball on the 43 of the Tide...

- Great pass by Hawkins for about 25. Follow-up run by Smith was sweet. We need to convert this 1st down...Got it!

- Heck of a catch for the TD by Tyson DeVree. 27-7. Hell of a drive!

- D looks pumped up for this 'Bama drive. It'd be nice to get the ball back for one last drive this half.

- Crap. Nice run by Coffee for 16...1st down...but we stuff 'em and get the ball back...but what the HECK was McBride doing on that punt return? Looks like Troy Williamson of my Vikings against the Broncos today. He took one off the helmet when he was wide open for a TD...

- Hurry-up offense...1st down...and ANOTHER to DeVree. He took a hit on that one, putting us into FG range after about 20 yards.

- Well, we spike it...throw a worthless pass for 2 yards in bounds...take FOREVER to get to the line...and Hawkins tosses a TD to Sprague with :04 to go in the 1st half. Kick ass...Go Buffs!

The 1st half has come to an end. A DISMAL beginning for the Buffs as we spot the Tide 27 points to start the game. We come up with 14 points in the last 5 minutes to make it a game. We had 159 yards of O in the first half...2/3 of it came on the last 2 drives (so says Mark May of ESPN). We get the ball back in the 2nd half.

New thread for the 2nd half...