2005 Alamo Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Alamo Bowl was a college football
bowl game
held on December 28, 2005 at the Alamodome
in San Antonio, Texas
. It was the 13th Alamo Bowl
. The Nebraska Cornhuskers
, second place finishers in the Big 12 Conference
's North Division, defeated the Michigan Wolverines
, third placed finishers in the Big Ten Conference
. This matchup was notable in that it featured the two schools that shared the 1997 national championship
. At the time, Michigan and Nebraska were two of only five schools in Division I history with 800 or more victories.
to wide receiver Terrence Nunn
. Michigan tied it at 7-7 on a 13-yard pass from Chad Henne
to tight end Tyler Ecker
. In the second quarter, Chad Henne hooked up with Mike Massey for a 16-yard touchdown pass, giving Michigan a 14-7 lead. Taylor found wide receiver Nate Swift for a 14-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, knotting the score at 14-14 going into the half. In the third quarter, kicker Jordan Congdon gave Nebraska a 17-14 lead with a 20-yard field goal. Henne later found wide receiver Mario Manningham
for a 21-yard touchdown and Michigan reclaimed the lead, 21-17.
Henne led off the scoring in the fourth quarter with a rushing touchdown, extending Michigan's lead to 28-17. Running back Cory Ross
then scored on a 31-yard touchdown scamper for Nebraska. Taylor found Todd Peterson for the ensuing two-point conversion, narrowing Michigan's lead to 28-25. With 4:29 left in the game, Taylor and Nunn hooked up again for a 13-yard go-ahead touchdown to give Nebraska a 32-28 lead.
Michigan's last-ditch attempt to win the game came on a seven-lateral scramble somewhat reminiscent of the famous Cal-Stanford band play
. Quarterback Chad Henne completed a pass across the middle of the field to Jason Avant
, who caught the ball at midfield and immediately lateraled to Steve Breaston
. Breaston threw the ball backwards to Mike Hart, who lateraled back to Avant. Avant then threw the ball across the entire width of the field, where it was caught by Mario Manningham as he was being tackled. Manningham attempted another backward pass, which hit the ground and bounced two or three times off the hands of two Nebraska defenders, before being picked up by another Michigan player, who lateraled to Tyler Ecker. Because the ball had hit the ground, several members of both teams and the media, believing the play was dead, rushed onto the field while Ecker ran downfield. Ecker dodged several players and coaches and returned the ball approximately 60 yards to the Nebraska 16 yard line, at which point Cornhusker cornerback Zackary Bowman
knocked him out of bounds after time had expired ending the game. No flags were thrown on the play despite the entrance of illegal personnel onto the field.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
held on December 28, 2005 at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. It was the 13th Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
. The Nebraska Cornhuskers
2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
, second place finishers in the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
's North Division, defeated the Michigan Wolverines
2005 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2005 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2005 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. That year Michigan Wolverines football competed in the Big Ten Conference in...
, third placed finishers in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. This matchup was notable in that it featured the two schools that shared the 1997 national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. At the time, Michigan and Nebraska were two of only five schools in Division I history with 800 or more victories.
Game summary
Nebraska started the scoring with a 52-yard touchdown pass from Zac TaylorZac Taylor
Zac Taylor in an American football quarterback. From 2005 to 2006, he was the starting quarterback for Cornhuskers football team at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was recruited late in the 2004-2005 off-season by the Huskers, being a described "lucky break" due to the Huskers lack of...
to wide receiver Terrence Nunn
Terrence Nunn
Terrence Nunn is an American football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as a street free agent in 2009...
. Michigan tied it at 7-7 on a 13-yard pass from Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
to tight end Tyler Ecker
Tyler Ecker
Tyler Rand Ecker is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.-Washington Redskins:...
. In the second quarter, Chad Henne hooked up with Mike Massey for a 16-yard touchdown pass, giving Michigan a 14-7 lead. Taylor found wide receiver Nate Swift for a 14-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, knotting the score at 14-14 going into the half. In the third quarter, kicker Jordan Congdon gave Nebraska a 17-14 lead with a 20-yard field goal. Henne later found wide receiver Mario Manningham
Mario Manningham
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
for a 21-yard touchdown and Michigan reclaimed the lead, 21-17.
Henne led off the scoring in the fourth quarter with a rushing touchdown, extending Michigan's lead to 28-17. Running back Cory Ross
Cory Ross
Cory Ross is an American football running back for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Nebraska.-Early years:Ross attended Thomas Jefferson High School. While in high...
then scored on a 31-yard touchdown scamper for Nebraska. Taylor found Todd Peterson for the ensuing two-point conversion, narrowing Michigan's lead to 28-25. With 4:29 left in the game, Taylor and Nunn hooked up again for a 13-yard go-ahead touchdown to give Nebraska a 32-28 lead.
Michigan's last-ditch attempt to win the game came on a seven-lateral scramble somewhat reminiscent of the famous Cal-Stanford band play
The Play
The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
. Quarterback Chad Henne completed a pass across the middle of the field to Jason Avant
Jason Avant
Jason Raye Avant is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
, who caught the ball at midfield and immediately lateraled to Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. Breaston threw the ball backwards to Mike Hart, who lateraled back to Avant. Avant then threw the ball across the entire width of the field, where it was caught by Mario Manningham as he was being tackled. Manningham attempted another backward pass, which hit the ground and bounced two or three times off the hands of two Nebraska defenders, before being picked up by another Michigan player, who lateraled to Tyler Ecker. Because the ball had hit the ground, several members of both teams and the media, believing the play was dead, rushed onto the field while Ecker ran downfield. Ecker dodged several players and coaches and returned the ball approximately 60 yards to the Nebraska 16 yard line, at which point Cornhusker cornerback Zackary Bowman
Zackary Bowman
Zackary Bowman is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
knocked him out of bounds after time had expired ending the game. No flags were thrown on the play despite the entrance of illegal personnel onto the field.
First quarter
- Nebraska - Terrence NunnTerrence NunnTerrence Nunn is an American football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as a street free agent in 2009...
, 52-yard pass from Zac TaylorZac TaylorZac Taylor in an American football quarterback. From 2005 to 2006, he was the starting quarterback for Cornhuskers football team at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was recruited late in the 2004-2005 off-season by the Huskers, being a described "lucky break" due to the Huskers lack of...
(Jordan Condon kick) - Michigan - Tyler EckerTyler EckerTyler Rand Ecker is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.-Washington Redskins:...
, 13-yard pass from Chad HenneChad HenneChad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
(Garrett Rivas kick)
Second quarter
- Michigan - Mike Massey, 16-yard pass from Chad Henne (Garrett Rivas kick)
- Nebraska - Nate Swift, 14-yard pass from Zac Taylor (Jordan Condon kick)
Third quarter
- Nebraska - Jordan Condon, 20-yard field goal
- Michigan - Mario ManninghamMario ManninghamMario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, 21-yard pass from Chad Henne (Garrett Rivas kick)
Fourth quarter
- Michigan - Chad Henne, 7-yard run (Garrett Rivas kick)
- Nebraska - Cory RossCory RossCory Ross is an American football running back for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Nebraska.-Early years:Ross attended Thomas Jefferson High School. While in high...
, 31-yard run (Todd Peterson pass from Zac Taylor) - Nebraska - Terrence Nunn, 13-yard pass from Zac Taylor (Jordan Condon kick)