BUZZER BEATER: Half Court Bomb Is A Winner For Southern Utah

Another long range game winning bomb this time from Southern Utah's A.J. Hess.

With the Thunderbirds down 92-90 to Texas-San Antonio with 2.5 seconds left Hess took the inbounds pass, dribbled once and launched from about 40 feet and banked it home for the game winner.




The T-Birds win it 93-92.  James McGee lead SUU with 21 points.

Eastern Washington Outduels Sam Houston State As The College Football Season Opens

EWU WR Kendrick Bourne

College football season has begun and the season started in all places Cheney, Washington.

It was a great match up from the Football Championship Subdivision, top ranked Eastern Washington against 14th ranked Sam Houston State.

After the initial first game jitters were settled the offenses put on a show as both teams combined for 1,166 yards.

At the end of the day Eastern Washington was able to make big plays and take advantage of their home field (and that blinding red turf in the sunshine) to prevail 56-35.



Eastern Washington was led by their quarterback Vernon Adams who completed 26 of 48 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns though admittedly Adams wasn't totally locked in.

“I just have to get back on the field next week, I was overthrowing guys and hitting their fingertips,”   Adams said.

"We were off on little things," Eastern Washington head coach Beau Baldwin said, "but once we settled down, it was fun."

Eastern Washington running back Quincy Foote added 152 yards on the ground to contribute to the Eagles win.

“The atmosphere felt completely different." Baldwin said. It was great and we feed off that stuff. We felt the ESPN feel to it. This game has a ton of meaning.”

Not sure what an ESPN feel is but we will go with it coach.

BUZZER BEATER: Put Back By Troy Huff Wins It For North Dakota

With time running out and North Dakota and Eastern Washington tied at 67 Jamel Webb launched a three and missed but Troy Huff hit the put back right before the buzzer to win the game for the UND.

Thanks North Dakota Athletics:


"He (Huff) finds ways to make plays out of nothing." North Dakota head coach Brian Jones told the Grand Forks Herald.

Huff found the winning play Saturday.

CFB Shocker: EWU Eagles Soar Over Oregon State

Kansas State now has some company in the room of being upset by a FCS school in your home opener.

Saturday it was Eastern Washington that stunned the Oregon State fans in Corvallis by defeating the Beavers 49-46.

Sophomore quarterback Vernon Adams, who had 518 yards of total offense, punched it in the end zone with 18 seconds left to put the Eagles on top for good.




Oregon State kicker Trevor Romaine had a chance to tie it but his field goal attempt sailed wide right.



“This is a huge win." Eastern Washington head coach Beau Baldwin said. "We aren’t talking about an average team, we are talking about a bowl team and a big-time opponent that is well-coached. It took every ounce of every minute in this sucker to get it done.”

Eagle quarterback Vernon Adams deserved the game ball.  Adams threw for 411 yards and rushed for 107.


He was doing it with his legs and making all the right decisions." Baldwin said. "That was the thing I loved about it. He was making all of these plays, but he was also taking care of the football and being smart when he needed to."


“You don’t really prepare for something like that and we were a step behind." Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. "He was eluding tackles, which I think was a major factor in the game, the number of tackles that he made us miss and number of missed opportunities we had to sack him. And then there were the big plays he made. Early in the game he set the tone for how the rest of the game went.”

Oregon State will host Hawaii in Corvallis next Saturday.

BUZZER BEATER: Mike Dunn Shoots Down Northern Colorado

I covered Big Sky Conference basketball for three years and the games were never dull.  Another example was Thursday night in a venue I saw a lot of these wild games, the Walkup Skydome on the Northern Arizona campus.

In a wild ending NAU’s Mike Dunn nailed a buzzer beating three pointer to shoot down Northern Colorado 67-65.

Here’s the highlights, the game winner is at 1:10. (Thanks NAU Athletics)

"Stallon (Saldivar) got Mike the ball in the perfect spot and Mike hit the shot," Northern Arizona head coach Jack Murphy said. "I am sure I am going to be on the other end of those. It is not a good feeling because Northern Colorado played a great game. But we are excited tonight."

NAU’s record improves to 7-12 overall, 4-5 in the Big Sky.

 

Sacramento State Upsets Colorado

Edgar Castaneda is a hero Sunday morning in Sacramento.  Castaneda’s 30 yard field goal at the end of the game gave the Sacramento State Hornets a 30-28 win over Colorado.

"I was relaxed. I was calm," Castaneda said. "I wasn't paying attention to, 'Oh, it's a game-winning field goal.' It's just another kick."

The “just another kick” gave the Hornets a win over a Pac-12 foe for the second year in a row.  Last year Sacramento State defeated Oregon State 29-28 in overtime.

Check out Castaneda’s game winner (Thanks Pac-12 Network)
Castaneda wasn't on scholarship, he walk-on the team. After the game Sac. State head coach Marshal Sperbeck rewarded Castaneda with a scholarship. Going 3-3 in field goals including a game winner to defeat a Pac-12 team I would say he has earned it.

Idaho, NMSU Screwed In New Mountain West Idea, Heading To Big Sky Country...?

((HT: CFT/Kercheval))

Ben Kercheval over at CFT has word from Mountain West Conference commish Craig Thompson that Idaho and New Mexico State can find another home when the football-playing members of their old conference, the WAC, except for them move over to the MWC.

The Mountain West is getting Boise State (except for football), Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada from the WAC. San Jose State and Utah State will join the MWC in 2013.

Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman was at Thompson's state of the state where the Commish said: "We've informed them that they will not be members of the Mountain West. Go onto Plan B whatever Plan B may be..."

Conference USA...? Division I-AA...?

Interesting...

Thompson also said that he'd be interested in having an audience with Texas schools for their futures like UTSA, Texas State, and UTEP...

But he's also happy right now with ten schools...

Idaho has talked to the Big Sky Conference about every sport other than football and the Big Sky is interested in that notion. There's another thought that the Vandals could go independent as well...
((HT: KBOI-TV Boise))

Are The Fighting Sioux Becoming The Fighting Sioux...??? 2/8 Update

 UPDATE 2/8/12--

It appears the University of North Dakota is planning on challenging the NCAA. They decided Wednesday morning that they are going to keep the "Fighting Sioux" nickname in part because of the 17,000 plus signatures gathered to repeal a law passed in November that required the school to change their name and make the NCAA happy.

An explanation from Inforum.com is RIGHT HERE

And our friends at Valleynewslive decided to spend a lot of time on the issue- naturally, so that discussion starts hyah...

The original story from Tuesday--below
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

((HT: Valleynewslive.com))

All over again...

In the on-again, off-again quest to see whether or not the University of North Dakota is going to stay the Fighting Sioux or something else altogether seems to be reverting to the old nickname.

Again...

Here's the latest in the Siouxing game...


The next move happens when the signatures on the petition are verified. If they are, then it's game on all over again with the NCAA, the Big Sky, and anyone else who wants to hold the school and its athletics hostage.

OSG Buzzer Beater: Idaho State Shoots Down Big Sky Leader Weber State

The Weber State Wildcats are the Big Sky Conference front runners. Saturday the Wildcats faced Idaho State and left Pocatello, Idaho with the tails between their legs.

Kenny McGowen nailed a three point shot at the buzzer to give the Bengals a 64-62 win over the Wildcats.

Here's the highlights. (Thanks KPVI Pocatello, ID)



“I felt it. As soon as I let it go and I heard the buzzer I knew it was happening." McGowen said in a press conference after the game. "That is a big one to be here at the Division I level. Weber State has an awesome team and the best player in the league. That is big. For us to come out with this win is huge.”

McGowen led the Bengals with 19 points.