Little Caesars Bowl

Tonight's Little Caesars Bowl featured The Toledo Rockets from the MAC Conference and Florida International University's Golden Panthers from the Sun Belt Conference. I must admit I was surprised to see FIU in a bowl game. My most recent memories of FIU was seeing lopsided scores in the many body bag games they have played in recent years.

I full expected Toledo to take the Golden Panthers to the woodshed. Not that I had anything against FIU. We played Toledo this season and it looks better on the resume if teams you beat win their bowl game.

Going into the half it looked as if picked this one right with Toledo leading 21-7. Midway through the 3rd quarter Toledo kicked a field goal and created what appeared to be an insurmountable 17 point lead.

On the ensuing kickoff things got interesting. Receiver T.Y Hilton took the kick off and returned it 89 yards to the house cutting the Rocket lead back to 10 and giving the Golden Panthers the much needed spark to keep the game close.

The momentum did seem to change of the Hilton touchdown return. Three plays into Toledo's kick off return drive the Panthers struck again. Aided by a Rocket penalty the FIU Panthers were able to get to the Toledo 17 and from there Darriet Perry made it a 3 point game.

The rest of the third quarter played out with little action either way. Later in the 4th quarter Hilton made his presence felt again as he caught the go ahead touchdown for the Golden Panthers making it a 31-24 score and their first lead in their first bowl game appearance in school history.

Toledo did not role over and play dead, they drove down the field and Terrance Owens capped the drive with a touchdown, bringing the Rockets within one point and about 1:16 left on the clock. When Toledo punched it in the coach left no doubt as to the Rockets intent as he held up two fingers, they were going for the win. Toledo scored the two point conversion and took a one point lead.

The ensuing kick off was a squibb kick that FIU was able to return to almost the 50 yard line with over a minute left on the clock and needing very few yards to get into field goal range.

FIU found themselves in a make of break 4th and 17 and 48 seconds on the clock. It reminded me instantly of my Boise State Broncos who in the 4th quarter had a 4th & 18 with 18 seconds to go, trying to tie the game.

Like Boise State the Golden Panther were successful in converting the game deciding down. It was very close, by less than a yard T. Y. Hilton had risen to the occasion again. The Panthers were able to get more yardage after the new first down and kick the winning field goal leaving no time on the clock, thus winning their first ever bowl appearance. Florida International played their first college football game in 2002 and only became a FBS team in 2005. They are the fastest team to ever go from D1AA to D1A status. Congrats to both teams for great seasons and to Florida International University for making it to a post season bowl in 5 short years and for your first of many bowl victories to come.

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