BCS Championship Game Turnovers: 4; Rose Bowl: 0

At the end of the near interminable bowl season, it is interesting to note that the Auburn-Oregon BCS National Championship game of January 10 had more miscues than the Rose Bowl epic on New Year’s Day. TCU and Wisconsin slugged it out for 60 minutes without a single turnover by either team, a rare feat that has been totally overlooked by the nation’s media. In contrast, Auburn and Oregon both gave up the ball twice through  interceptions or fumbles. Likewise, the BCS game led slightly in penalities, recording 11 for 84 yards , compared to 10 for 61 yards in the Rose Bowl game. TCU gave up a stingy 20 yards from only four penalties.

 The warm glow of Texas Christian University’s historic Rose Bowl victory still stirs the emotions of that school’s legion of grads, including yours truly. Among other superlatives  from the weekend spectacle was the remarkable  fact that TCU–with only 8000- plus students, bought more than 27,000 tickets. The pent-up passion of  Frog fans to have their day was reflected in a quote by former Sports llustrated byliner and longtime friend  Dan Jenkins that appeared in a pre-game LA Times face off with Fox host Greta Van Susteren on who would win  the game.  Said Jenkins: “…It would be nice to see the Frogs win, but I’ve already received a great gift:  That TCU in my lifetime would make it into the Rose Bowl—-the one famous stadium it has never played in—is a truly rewarding thing for this college football fan.”  He is a 1953 graduate of Texas Christian.

In a post game conversation, Dan  confessed that he had a strong itch to report the game for some  news outlet, though he is long retired from his brilliant career as sportswriter and novelist (think Semi Tough among a string of sports classics).   I urged him to write it anyway as if in SI–for himself if no one else.  It was a story that won’t come along again anytime  soon. I would love to read how he would have recorded it for future generations.

–Julian Read

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