Without the Real McCoy BCS Championship fizzles...then sizzles

Without the real McCoy this evening in Pasadena, the BCS National Championship game fizzled away early and it looked like the football fans in attendance and a national television audience would witness a lopsided affair in favor of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy left the game early in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. McCoy left the game with the Longhorns clinging to a 6-0 lead, thanks mainly to a couple of Alabama miscues, which turned into a couple of first-quarter field goals for Texas. The Longhorns were forced to send in freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert the rest of the way. Alabama, behind the running of its Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram, scored 24 unanswered points and led at the half 24-6. The Texas players received the news at halftime that their heralded quarterback would not return to the playing field. In fact, the next time we will see McCoy will be later this year on the sidelines for an NFL team.

At the same time, I decided to get a few chores done around the house, and after that, I had in the back of my mind to turn off my Vizio and call it a night. And then it hit me...this is college football! I went back to the sofa and sat down. I guess I don't have to tell you what happened next. It'll be all over the sports' pages in the morning. Ingram ends up with hamstring problems in the second half and misses most of the third quarter, while Garrett gets hot and throws two TD passes as the Longhorns come roaring back to score 15 points to close to within three at 24-21. But that would be as close as the Longhorns could get. Alabama scored twice in the final two minutes to escape with what turned out to be a hard-fought 37-21 win and the national championship for the Crimson Tide. The bowl season is over.

I guess I'll hit the sack now.