<p>As someone who attended the Alamo bowl (writing from my hotel in San Antonio right now), I'd have to say another aspect in this game was the crowd. Michigan was essentially playing an away game last night. In the stadium and on the streets of San Antonio, Husker fans outnumbered Michigan fans about 10:1, and I'm not exaggerating here. I'm a math major, so hopefully I'm ok with ratios, lol. I'm not sure if this is just because Nebraska is closer or because Michigan fans were disappointed with the bowl game and Nebraska was glad to be back in one. The crowd was really loud when Michigan had the ball, and though we tried, I'm not sure we were a big noise threat to the nebraska offense. Also, the Sun Belt conference is only one of two that DOESN'T EVEN USE instant replay, so that just adds another big reason why they shouldn't be allowed to officiate bowl games. I think the NCAA has to do some serious reconsidering after the Alamo Bowl (maybe a coach challenge system like the NFL), and maybe we can finally actually use instant replay for what it was intended to do--make sure that games' outcomes aren't affected by poor officiating.</p>
<p>Breaston is insane as a returner. As a Husker fan, I got chills every time he touched the ball, because he always went for twenty ridiculous yards, or more. </p>
<p>Nebraska fans always travel well. Always. :)</p>
<p>Breaston was by far Michigan's MVP last night, and it could be argued, the entire year.</p>
<p>That's what I mean. If he returns, I'd like to see him in #1 sometime next season. If he can get more looks from Henne and make the plays, he deserves it. He didn't get a lot of attention this year, but his returns were probably the biggest factors in some of the close games we won, and probably the reason we didn't get beaten in a few more.</p>
<p>This season just irritates me sooooo much cuz seriously how many times have we've had a game in reach and only to lose it in 4th quarter offensive and defensive lapses? I mean of those 4 games we lost before the bowl game, we lost by a combined total of 17pts. If we managed to pull out the close games this yr we could've really done a nightmare to the BCS system and might have played in pasadena for the 3rd straight yr. But hopefully next yr Henne and Manningham matures, Hart and Breaston stay healthy enough, and the defense stays dominant enough along with a team focus on playing a full game of football instead of just playing 3 quarters and slacking off the 4th and praying the opposing team doesn't come back. Also I think the Wolverines took Nebraska too lightly and got a little bit cocky in thinking that this was going to be an easy game cuz personally I thought this was going to be an easy win.</p>
<p>Breaston will NOT be the number 1 receiver next year. He will return, as it is highly unlikely he will get drafted after this season. He is a dangerous returner, but he does not have the hands to be a great receiver. He did not catch a deep ball at all during the season. He was an option qb in high school, but this season he was expected to be another Desmond Howard, which was unreasonable. Manningham, if he develops and matures, can be another great receiver like terrell or edwards. If he does, he will wear #1 as a senior.</p>
<p>Whats all this talk about wearing #1? It doesnt matter what number you where, the thing that matters is how you perform. Duh.</p>
<p>Tyler Ecker blew it just like he blew the OSU game.</p>
<p>Ecker stays in bounds when he's suppose to run out, and runs out of bounds when he's suppose to keep the ball in...what dorm does he live in? South Quad? What room #? I would really like to know.</p>
<p>off campus according to his facebook profile</p>
<p>Big things could happen next year. Big things could have happened this year. I think that more than anything a healthy O-line + healthy Mike Hart = wins in South Bend and down south (how do you get there from AA? Go south til you smell it, then east till you step in it). Chibears can check my math on that.</p>
<p>Manningham won't have to wait till hes a senior to wear #1, Braylon got it as a jr and Manningham had as good a year this year as Braylon did as a Sophmore. Breaston would certainly be drafted, he is one of the best returners in the nation; however, he should come back to show he has some recieving potential.</p>
<p>As for Ecker, he has done some good things but he really should have pitched to Breaston when he first got the ball and certainly should have thrown it up as he went down.</p>
<p>I doubt breaston would be drafted as of now. He would definitely be signed as a free agent, but despite being one of the most dangerous returners in college football, he doesn't have much to offer as a receiver. Last year, Shazor went to the draft early as an all american saftey and finalist for the best DB award, but was not drafted. He was later signed and cut by the cardinals, whose secondary is, well, bad. Breaston will stay one more year. Neverthless, Ecker should have thrown him the ball.</p>
<p>We coulda won the game ne way on that miraculous lateral play if only the entire nebraska team didn't storm the field before the play was over and the officials from the suncrap belt would've actually called a penalty on that and other numerous penalties that number in the millions that should've been called but didn't. So all I can do now is vent and vent some more.</p>
<p>No, bleeble babble, you could not have. That lateral play was only miraculous BECAUSE the Nebraska players stormed the field and 8 or 9 of the Husker defenders were standing around. Look at the replay. Everyone on the Husker sidelines, and most of the defenders on the field thought it was dead at the Michigan 25 or so. There were numerous occasions when a Husker defender could have taken down the runner, but they just STOPPED AND STOOD THERE. If Nebraska had not charged onto the field, if all players on both teams were alert all the way through that play, it is VERY unlikely that Michigan goes anywhere near as far as they did. Up to that point they had been going backwards.</p>
<p>Michigan was very fortunate to have gotten that close on the last play! Had that one last lateral been made, it's possible they would have gone in and scored - and it would be the Husker fans crying foul about the running on the field. As the announcers noted, it wasn't just the Husker players (although there were more, unsurprisingly, because they were all ecstatic), so it would have been offsetting penalties. :)</p>
<p>I was scared at the end there, until he got tackled. Crazy game :p</p>
<p>So say Michigan did miraculously scored and Husker fans cried foul. Do u think the officials would've done ne thing about it? Probably not. It just makes me wonder how differently the game might have turned out if the right calls were made. But o well zoogies, ur right, Crazy game.</p>
<p>According to news sources, there was a mechanical malfunction with the review system. The booth was trying to call for a review both times, but the button didn't work.
Now, I'm in no way saying that the referees did a good job. I was very disappointed with their inconsistency on the two identical punt returns with the kick-catch penalty or whatever its called (Shanle did a great job regardless). I was also disappointed with the extra 18 seconds the refs wasted spotting the ball at the end of the game. UM should have had closer to 20 seconds, but they only got 7.
Now, as a hardcore Penn State fan, I would certainly agree that Manningham is going to be great (doesn't mean I like him). I think he deserves the number one only if Breaston leaves. However, I'm not sure I would place him in the same class as Edwards and Howard.<br>
After seeing that last play again (you can see it at ESPN.com, click on college football and then click on video), I'm wondering what Breaston's doing. Why didn't he throw a block?</p>
<p>Breaston wanted the ball. If Eckert threw it back and was able to get any kind of block going, TD.</p>