2011 Fiesta Bowl: Does Connecticut Stand a Chance Against Oklahoma?

Analysts, radio hosts and commentators have been clamoring about this game becoming one to watch. It makes 1 wonder what all of the noise surrounding this matchup is about. It is, after all, the Fiesta Bowl?athe BCS Fiesta Bowl. Featuring the storied Oklahoma Sooners and also the attempting for an upset and upstart University of Connecticut Huskies, this game is high-quality entertainment. Prime time on New Year's Trip to 8:30 p.m. at University of Phoenix Stadium, the haters and the hopefuls will witness history. UConn will have in its first BCS bowl game. The Huskies might be motivated by the opportunity to prove the Big East deserves to be a BCS conference.

A decisive win by Oklahoma could raise eyebrows and speculation against the BCS as a worthy football competitor. Oklahoma will have in it for the third amount of time in 5 years. They are the mighty Sooners, but they've lost five bowl games consecutively. Connecticut understands they are the underdog, however they place their pads on the same as Oklahoma. That being mentioned, have they got a opportunity to pull the upset having a field aim to end the overall game? Keep reading and ask yourself, otherwise, I'll tell you. Oklahoma has possibly the preeminent program in America. Once again, they finish up in a situation exactly where losing to a massive underdog will bring national mock and scorn. The Boise State Broncos shocked the Sooners and also the BCS planet within the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

3 years later, it'll be the Huskies (8-4, 6-6) rolling their sleeves up and getting following Oklahoma. Like the Broncos, they'll be hopeful of making a name off the Sooners. In their blue and white uniforms, Connecticut gets it in the blue-collar way?aground and pound?arunning the rock to daylight. Who can blame them? Not Sooners coach Bob Stoops. He wishes he'd Connecticut's running game. In terms of individual rushing yards per game, they have America's second leading running back, Jordan Todman. As a junior this season, he gained 1,574 yards rushing and scored 14 touchdowns. DeMarco Murray rushed for 1,121 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 86 yards per game as Oklahoma's leading rusher.

Pass offense, though, is what separates these two programs in this thriller. Like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma has among the best passing games inside the FBS. With one of the weakest passing games amongst main colleges, Connecticut averages 145 yards per game?aabout just like Todman's rushing yards per game common (143.09). Todman trailed only LaMichael James, who averaged 153 yards per game for that Oregon Ducks. UConn's quarterbacks had better duck when the Sooners pass rush comes after them.