| Here are the next 3 winners of this year's 2007 | | | | championship game. Hats off to Zook and his |
| college football bowl game results: | | | | players for an incredible year. |
| Capital One Bowl - Michigan Outlasts Florida, 41-35, | | | | BCS Sugar Bowl - Hawaii's Unbeaten Streak Ends |
| as Lloyd Carr Wins His Last Game | | | | as Georgia Wins Easily, 41-10 |
| If the Michigan Wolverines had wrapped it up and | | | | Georgia's Bulldogs were hopping mad that they |
| put it under the tree, outgoing coach Lloyd Carr | | | | were not invited to play in the BCS national |
| could not have received a better Christmas gift | | | | championship game, and Hawaii's Warriors were |
| from his players as they overcame 4 turnovers | | | | on the receiving end of their displeasure, losing |
| to turn back No. 9 Florida, 41-35, in the Capital | | | | 41-10 as their dream of a perfect season ended |
| One Bowl. | | | | in the BCS Sugar Bowl. |
| The longtime, popular Michigan coach announced | | | | Hawaii came into the game at 12-0, the only |
| his retirement after another loss to Ohio State in | | | | undefeated team among the NCAA's 119 Division |
| November. Had he not retired, he would probably | | | | 1A schools. They did it with coach June Jones' |
| have been asked to leave. Michigan hired Rich | | | | run-and-shoot offense that averaged 46+ points |
| Rodriguez who bolted from his head coaching job | | | | a game, the arm of junior quarterback Colt |
| at West Virginia to take over Michigan's storied | | | | Brennan and some great receivers. |
| football program. | | | | Brennan is the real deal. He has set more NCAA |
| The win was huge for Michigan's seniors as they | | | | passing records than Carter has liver pills, but |
| won their first bowl game in 4 tries. Chad Henne | | | | nothing seemed to impress Georgia, and especially |
| threw for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns and Mike | | | | Marcus Howard, who became the game's MVP as |
| Hart pounded out 129 rushing yards and 2 | | | | he had 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a tipped ball |
| touchdowns. | | | | that teammate Dannell Ellerbe intercepted. |
| The Gators kept the game close thanks to | | | | The truth is Georgia was simply too big, too fast |
| Michigan's 4 turnovers and plenty of big plays by | | | | and too strong for the Islanders this time around. |
| sophomore Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow | | | | Howard and his defensive mates lived in Hawaii's |
| and his speedy teammate Percy Harvin. Tebow | | | | backfield as Brennan was sacked 8 times, threw |
| was playing with a broken bone in his | | | | 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles, one of which |
| non-throwing hand and was under constant blitz | | | | Georgia recovered for a touchdown. Georgia's |
| pressure yet was still 17-of-33 for 154 yards and | | | | defensive line pushed Hawaii all over the field; |
| 3 touchdowns. He also ran for 57 yards and | | | | Brennan was lucky to get out of New Orleans |
| another score. | | | | alive and well enough to be drafted for Sunday |
| Harvin picked up 165 yards on 13 carries (12.6 | | | | duty in the NFL. |
| yards per carry), scored once, and also caught 9 | | | | "It was the fastest team I've probably ever |
| passes for another 77 yards and a second | | | | seen," said Brennan. To be fair, they would not |
| touchdown. In the end, it was not enough as | | | | have been so fast in the Warrior offensive line |
| Michigan won one for Carr. | | | | had played better and given Brennan more |
| The Gators failed to convert a 4th-down play at | | | | protection so Hawaii's offense could be effective. |
| its 25-yard line and K. C. Lopata's 41-yard field | | | | It was a good but difficult game for Hawaii to |
| goal put Michigan ahead 41-35 with only 2:21 | | | | swallow, but the Warriors will live to fight another |
| remaining. Florida got another shot but Tebow | | | | day. They had to know that their 12-0 record |
| threw 4 straight air balls. Both Michigan and Florida | | | | was against much weaker competition than every |
| finished the season with 9-4 marks. | | | | other BCS team faced. They had their way in the |
| BCS Rose Bowl - Southern California Crushes | | | | Western Athletic Conference, even taking down |
| Illinois, 49-17, to Make a Statement | | | | Boise State, which also lost its bowl game to |
| Pete Carroll and his Southern Cal players still are | | | | lowly East Carolina 41-38. Even the Washington |
| thinking BCS national championship game, but the | | | | Huskies, who had a 21-point lead on Hawaii, could |
| Trojans are going to have to wait another year | | | | not beat the Warriors as their game ended with |
| for that to happen. They might have finished at | | | | Hawaii on top. |
| 11-2, the same as Louisiana State that will play in | | | | The citizens of Hawaii fell in love with their |
| the title game, but the Trojans lost at the wrong | | | | Warriors and well they should have. Hawaii had a |
| time to the wrong team-Stanford at home. | | | | signature year. Other teams are now trying to |
| In a display of frustration and unrest, Southern | | | | steal June Jones away from Hawaii. It was worth |
| Cal literally stomped Illinois 49-17 in the BCS Rose | | | | the defeat when you know that Hawaii figures to |
| Bowl game to make a statement. Freshman | | | | make a $4 million payout for its appearance in the |
| tailback Joe "Where Do They Find These Guys?" | | | | BCS Sugar Bowl. For a team whose recruiting |
| McKnight ripped through the Illini defense for 170 | | | | budget was a paltry $50,000 a year, that is a lot |
| yards (125 yards rushing and 45 yards receiving). | | | | of moola. Hawaii can now afford to recruit talent |
| McKnight's output was part of the Trojans' 633 | | | | on the mainland. |
| yards of offense. | | | | June Jones has become an opportunity for some |
| The output set a Rose Bowl record and the | | | | other teams. His run-and-shoot offense has |
| Trojans' 49 points tied the record. The blowout | | | | resulted in a 76-41 record (64% win percentage) |
| game gave Southern Cal 11 wins for an | | | | in 9 seasons, including this year's 12-1 mark and |
| unprecedented 6th straight year. Illinois Coach Ron | | | | BCS bowl appearance. Jones took over a Hawaii |
| Zook still finished the year at 9-4, an unreal | | | | team that was winless in 1998 and went 9-4 in |
| turnaround after a 2-19 record in his first two | | | | his first season. Translation: You do not need to |
| years at Illinois. | | | | stay awake nights praying for Hawaii's success; |
| Do not be confused here, Illinois was a 13.5 point | | | | the Warriors and doing just fine, thank you. |
| underdog going in. Remember that it was Illinois | | | | (Editor's Note: This is the 6th article of a series on |
| which dealt Ohio State its only loss, 28-21, and the | | | | the 2007 bowl game results. |
| Buckeyes will be facing LSU in the national | | | | |
