2004 Emerald Bowl
2004 Emerald Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Date | December 30, 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||
Season | Nielsen ratings 2.04[5] | | |||||||||||||||||
The 2004 Emerald Bowl was a post-season
The
The game began at 1:35 p.m.
Midshipmen players Aaron Polanco and Vaughn Kelley were named the game's offensive and defensive
Team selection
First played in 2002 when it was called the Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl, organizers announced a new name in May 2004 for that year's iteration of the annual game for the 2004–05 NCAA football bowl season. The new title for the game was derived from the Emerald Nuts brand owned by the game's primary sponsor, Diamond Foods. Originally, the game was to feature the sixth bowl eligible team from the Pacific-10 Conference and the third eligible team from the Mountain West Conference.[7]
Since only two teams from the Pacific-10 Conference had become bowl eligible near the end of the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season, organizers looked to the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen, who were not a member of any athletic conference, to fill the open spot. The team accepted their invitation to play in the Emerald Bowl on November 22, two days after defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a score of 54–21 to earn an 8–2 record.[8] The Midshipmen had originally intended to play in the 2004 Liberty Bowl, but chose the Emerald Bowl when it looked as though Liberty Bowl organizers were seeking a matchup of more "high-powered offenses".[4] After defeating the Army Black Knights with a score of 42–13 in that year's Army–Navy Game, the Midshipmen ended the regular season with a record of 9–2, the first time since the 1963 college football season that Navy had won nine or more games in a season. Wins over Army and the Air Force Falcons secured Navy's second consecutive Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.[9] Navy's previous bowl game, the 2003 Houston Bowl, had ended in a 38–14 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.[10]
New Mexico
The University of New Mexico Lobos accepted the game's other invitation on December 30, 2004.[11] The Lobos finished the regular season with five straight wins, culminating in a 16–9 win over conference rival Wyoming to finish with a record of 7–4. The game marked the first time in the program's history the team had played in three straight bowl games, having lost in the 2002 and 2003 editions of the Las Vegas Bowl to the UCLA Bruins and the Oregon State Beavers, respectively. The bowl game was the first meeting between was the two teams.[12]
Pre-game buildup
Prior to the game, spread bettors favored the New Mexico Lobos by a single point.[1] Given both teams' propensity for running the ball and the rainy weather conditions that had affected the San Francisco area for days prior to the game, analysts expected that it would center around both teams' rushing offenses.[13] The Baltimore Sun sports writer Kent Baker predicted that "the teams' non-reliance on the pass will serve both well. The game should be fairly low scoring and rapidly played, with the Midshipmen eking out a victory."[14]
The Midshipmen
New Mexico
The Lobos also relied heavily on their rushing offense. Running back DonTrell Moore had gained 3,667 career yards and averaged 106 rushing yards per game coming into the contest.[14][18] When both Moore and quarterback Kole McKamey played for the Lobos, the team had a record of 6–1, averaging 21.4 offensive points per game; however, when either player was sidelined with an injury, the team's record dropped to 1–3 and the offense averaged 10.3 points per game.[19] The Lobos' passing offense also ranked near the bottom of the FBS, at 115th.[15] Wide receiver Hank Baskett led the team with 49 receptions for 793 yards during the season.[14] The Lobos entered the bowl game with the eighth best rushing defense in the country, allowing an average of 93.6 rushing yards per game.[13] The team had allowed 107 yards of rushing offense in its previous four games combined; it ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in fewest points allowed and most sacks, and had not allowed a rushing touchdown in its last five games.[14][19] With a win, Lobos head coach Rocky Long would set a team record for most wins as a head coach.[19]
Game summary
The 2004 Emerald Bowl began with a 1:35 p.m. PST
First quarter
The Midshipmen kicked off to the Lobos to begin the game. New Mexico then executed a 66-yard drive that comprised nearly seven minutes of game time, which ended when quarterback Kole McKamey threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Logan Hall. Midshipmen quarterback Aaron Polanco responded on the next drive by scoring a 14-yard rushing touchdown, tying the score at 7–7. On the following drive from the Lobos, running back DonTrell Moore tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) when Midshipmen cornerback Vaughn Kelley made a low tackle.[18] Moore fumbled the ball as he was tackled, and did not return for the remainder of the game. Midshipmen linebacker Lane Jackson recovered the fumble. On the Midshipmen's next drive, running back Frank Divis executed a halfback option pass trick play to Polanco for 17 yards, the team's biggest gain of the first quarter. Two plays later, Polanco scored another touchdown on a 1-yard run up the middle, giving Navy a 14–7 lead at the end of the first quarter.[22]
Second quarter
The Midshipmen began the second quarter with a two-play, 30-second drive that ended with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Polanco to receiver Corey Dryden, increasing the team's lead to 21–7. The Lobos responded with a rushing touchdown from running back Rodney Ferguson, but kicker Wes Zunker's extra point attempt was no good, making the score 21–13. Midshipmen kicker Geoff Blumenfeld added a 27-yard field goal to bring the score to 24–13. McKamey scored another rushing touchdown to cap off another long drive, this time taking up over five minutes of game time, but the team's two-point conversion attempt failed. Lane Jackson intercepted McKamey's pass on the Lobos final drive before half-time, ending the first half of the game with a score of 24–19 in favor of the Midshipmen.[22]
Third quarter
The Lobos began the second half of the game with a kickoff to Navy, and after an unsuccessful drive from each team, the Midshipmen began a drive on their own 25-yard line with 11:30 left in the quarter. With 7:01 left, Polanco scored another rushing touchdown for the Midshipmen, this time for 28 yards. The next Lobos drive began with two
Fourth quarter
Continuing Navy's drive from the previous quarter, Polanco and Eckel continued to run up the middle and the right side of New Mexico's defense for small gains. Polanco attempted two passes, the first of which was incomplete and the second to
The Lobos gained three more first downs on their final drive, but were unable to score again before turning the ball over on downs. The Midshipmen ran one more quarterback kneel play to run out the clock, winning the game with a final score of 34–19.[22][23]
Scoring summary
Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Final statistics
UNM | Navy | |
---|---|---|
1st downs | 23 | 22 |
Total yards | 419 | 393 |
Passing yards | 207 | 124 |
Rushing yards | 212 | 269 |
3rd down conversions | 8–11 | 8–14 |
4th down conversions | 0–2 | 2–2 |
Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
Time of possession | 27:39 | 32:21 |
Though the Lobos gained more first downs and yards on offense than the Midshipmen, their three turnovers and Navy's extended drive in the third and fourth quarters led to the lopsided final score. The 14-minute, 26-second final drive from the Midshipmen, measured by its 26 total plays, set a record for the longest drive in a game.[25] Prior to the contest, the NCAA had not kept a record for longest drive, but began keeping track for the 2005 edition of the record book. No drive in either college football or in the NFL has exceeded the record in terms of total plays or in time of possession since the game was played.[23] At post-game press conferences, both coaches discussed the characteristics of the drive:
I think that you have to give the defense on the other side some credit because they kept us out of the end zone and we had 26 plays. It wasn't a lot of big plays, it was four yards, five yards. Running the clock was kinda just what the doctor ordered at that point in the game.
— Midshipmen Head Coach Paul Johnson, Post-game press conference[26]
I've never seen a drive like that ... In fact it wasn't even as if we were playing bad defense. I think their average gain was 3.6 yards; we just couldn't make them punt.
— Lobos Head Coach Rocky Long, Post-game press conference[27]
Midshipmen quarterback Aaron Polanco was named as the offensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game, finishing the contest with 101 passing yards and 136 rushing yards, a new team bowl record for the Midshipmen.[17] Polanco also had two receptions for 23 yards, achieving the rare feat of leading his team in rushing yards, passing yards, and receptions.[24] Polanco finished the season with 16 touchdowns, more than any other quarterback in the nation. Additionally, Midshipmen fullback Kyle Eckel ran for 85 yards on 24 carries, becoming the Midshipmen's fourth-leading rusher of all time.[28] Navy cornerback Vaughn Kelley had nine tackles in the game, including the forced fumble in the first quarter, and was named as the defensive MVP of the game.[27] Navy kicker Geoff Blumenfeld exceeded analysts' expectations by making all three of his field goal attempts during the game, and New Mexico kicker Wes Zunker missed his first extra point attempt after 46 consecutive conversions, one away from the school record.[24]
Game images
-
Aaron Polanco runs for a touchdown in the 1st quarter
-
Midshipmen in huddle during 3rd quarter timeout
-
Midshipman safety Hunter Reddick and Lobos wide receiver Hank Baskett
-
Aaron Polanco runs for yardage in the 3rd quarter of play
-
Midshipmen slot back Eric Roberts and Lobos linebacker Fola Fashola, 4th quarter
-
Navy celebrates after winning the game
-
Postgame celebrations
-
Navy postgame celebrations
Post-game effects
The win lifted the Midshipmen's record for that season to 10–2, Navy's second 10-win season in its history and first in 99 years.
References
- ^ a b "Emerald Bowl Odds Preview". OddsShark. December 5, 2009. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- The Daily Astorian – via NewsBank (subscription required) . Astoria, Oregon. November 19, 2004. Document ID: 116210EA6B8484A8. Archivedfrom the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ a b Young, Eric (January 9, 2005). "Emerald Bowl Sees Attendance Climb Almost 20 Percent". San Francisco Business Times. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- Fight Hunger Bowl. April 25, 2006. Archivedfrom the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ Kirshner, Alex. "The longest drive ever: weird calls, trickery, and a refusal to ever stop playing". www.bannersociety.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- Fight Hunger Bowl. May 10, 2004. Archivedfrom the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ "Navy 27, Air Force 24". Military.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
- ^ Bolding, Mark. "The Houston Bowl 2003". mmbolding.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^ San Francisco, California. December 30, 2004. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Navy Players Prepare for Life After Football". Associated Press. December 29, 2004. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Baker, Kent (December 30, 2004). "Navy vs. New Mexico". The Baltimore Sun. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Baker, Kent (December 14, 2004). "Academy's Ticket Sales for Emerald Bowl Nearing 14,000, Says AD Gladchuk". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ "Sprint Football Welcomes Mansfield on Friday Night" (Press release). Annapolis, Maryland: NavySports.com. October 18, 2012. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
- ^ a b "Navy, 99 Years Later, Matches 10-Victory Season". The New York Times. December 30, 2004. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ a b Archuleta, Greg (December 31, 2004). "Lobos RB DonTrell Moore Has Had 3 Straight Frustrating Bowls". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ a b c Remington, Greg; Moreno, Alfredo. New Mexico vs. Navy – Emerald Bowl Program Guide (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 12, 2005.
- San Francisco, California. March 28, 2005. Archivedfrom the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "New Mexico Lobos vs. Navy Midshipmen – Play-by-play". ESPN.com. December 30, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c Flynn, Tom (December 30, 2009). "College Football's Longest Drive". The Wall Street Journal. New York. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Navy uses 14-minute Drive to Cap 10-win Season". ESPN.com. December 30, 2004. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ "FBS Individual Records". NCAA Football Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2012. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
- San Francisco, California. Archived from the originalon March 16, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
- ^ San Francisco, California. December 30, 2004. Archivedfrom the original on April 30, 2006. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ Baker, Kent (January 1, 2005). "Undersized Navy Didn't Roll Over in 2004". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ Zemek, Matt (December 30, 2004). "Navy Aces Final Exam". GoMids.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
- ^ "Navy Football Team Ranked 24th In Both Finals Polls" (Press release). United States Naval Academy. January 5, 2005. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
External links
- Game summary at ESPN
- Box score via newspapers.com