College Bowl Game Classics

Growing up the Rose Bowl was my favorite bowl game and my earliest recollection of the
bowl games. The game is an America Icon, a cultural tradition complete with a great
parade, and the venue for some of the finest football games ever played.

One would think that a small town boy from Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania could not possibly
have a connection to the Rose Bowl and yet I do. My mother is from a brilliant family
and one of its members is a great football coach named George Chump. He was the
backfield coach for Woody Hayes at Ohio State University and they played in the Rose Bowl
on several occasions. I can remember enjoying the game with my relatives at my uncle's
house on several occasions.

Missouri vs Nebraska

The modern bowl schedule begins in mid December and runs until a couple of days past New
Years Day. Many people ask why we have so many bowl games. Others want to scrap the
current system for a playoff system to determine which team is the best team in the
nation, and should be ranked number one.There are good reasons to play all these bowl games. These kids play their hearts out all their lives and they deserve a chance to play a bowl game in front of a national audience.

Besides, some of these bowl games are very exciting. A few years ago, I saw a bowl game between Missouri and Northwestern University that was one of the most exciting games I have ever seen. The game went back and forth and was not decided until Missouri won in overtime. A classic game which demonstrates the value of the current bowl system.

Penn State

As a citizen of Pennsylvania, of course I am a Penn State fan. I enjoyed two bowl game
victories that led to national titles.

Penn State vs Georgia: These two teams played for a national title in the 1983 Sugar
Bowl. The top ranked Georgia Bulldogs featured future Hall of Fame running back Herschel
Walker.

The Bulldogs were one of the country's top defensive teams. Their defense, however, could not stop
Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge who completed his first four passes which set up a
touchdown run by Curt Warner.

After a 27-yard catch by Gregg Garrity, Curt Warner scored his second running touchdown.
This gave Penn State a 20-3 lead late in the first half. Georgia scored a touchdown in
the final seconds of the first half to make it 20-10.

Georgia received the opening kickoff of the second half and returned it 69 yards.
Herschel Walker later ran it in from the 3 yard line to make it 20-17.

Then wide receiver Gregg Garrity made a sensational diving catch in the end zone to give
Penn State a 27-17 lead. Penn State hung on to win 27-24.

Penn State vs Miami. In the Fiesta Bowl of 1986, Penn State beat the mighty Miami
Hurricanes to win their second national title. Coach Joe Paterno designed a defense to contain Miami's mighty offensive, and Penn State went on to win 14-10.

Source: Ken Rappoport & Barry Wilmer, Penn State Football, MVP Books, Minneapolis, MN.