2007 Hawai'i Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Sheraton
Hawai'i Bowl was a post-season college football
bowl game
between the Boise State University Broncos
from the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) and the East Carolina University Pirates
from Conference USA
(C-USA) at the Aloha Stadium
in Honolulu, Hawaii
on December 23, 2007. The game was the final competition of the 2007 football season
for each team and resulted in a 41–38 East Carolina victory, even though sportsbook
s favored Boise State to win by 10½ points. Many experts believed East Carolina to be big underdogs
to Boise State, which had defeated the Oklahoma Sooners
in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl
. The 2007 Hawaii Bowl paid $750,000 to each team's conference in exchange for their participation.
The game, which was the sixth edition of the bowl, was expected to be an offensive
shootout. Boise State averaged 42.4 points during the 2007 season, while East Carolina averaged 31. That expectation turned out to be justified as East Carolina took a 31–14 lead in the first half. The Broncos fought back in the second half, however, tying the score at 38 late in the fourth quarter after East Carolina's Chris Johnson
fumble
d the ball, allowing Bronco defender Marty Tadman
to recover the ball and return it 47 yards for a touchdown
. The game remained tied until the final moments as East Carolina's Ben Hartman made a 34–yard game-winning field goal
as time expired. The attendance of 30,467 was the largest crowd to attend a Hawaii Bowl game that did not feature the host school
. Boise State's loss dropped them to a final 2007 record of 10–3, while East Carolina's final-game win earned them a record of 8–5.
team normally receives an automatic bid
to the game unless the team is selected to participate in a BCS game
or is not bowl eligible
. If either of those events happen, the WAC
selects its next-highest ranked team to compete in the game. In 2007, Hawaii was selected to play on January 1, 2008 in the Sugar Bowl
against Georgia
, marking just the second time since the creation of the Hawaii Bowl that Hawaii would not participate. The only previous time that Hawaii failed to make an appearance was in 2005
, when the Warriors finished their season with a 5–7 record and were not eligible for a bowl game.
Conference USA
fields the other team in the Hawaii Bowl. The Liberty Bowl
has the first selection of C-USA teams, and GMAC Bowl
picks second. After those two are picked, the conference provides a team for the Hawaii Bowl and three other bowls. In 2007, the University of Central Florida
accepted the bid to compete in the Liberty Bowl
, Tulsa accepted the bid to compete in the GMAC Bowl
, leaving East Carolina to be selected by the Hawaii Bowl on December 1, 2007.
Boise State was undefeated
in conference play going into the final game of the regular season, and suffered just one out-of-conference loss. In that final game, BSU lost 39–27 to undefeated Hawaii. Following the game, the Broncos decided to travel to Hawaii, rather than play at home in the Humanitarian Bowl, which is located at Boise's home stadium
in Boise, Idaho
and features a matchup between a WAC team and one from the Atlantic Coast Conference
. Boise ended its regular season 10–2 overall and 7–1 in conference play.
East Carolina, meanwhile, had been in first place in the C-USA's East Division with just two games remaining. A loss to Marshall University in that second-to-last game, however, put ECU into second place in its division, and thus out of competition for the Conference USA Championship
. After winning against conference foe Tulane in the final game of the season, the Pirates decided to travel to the Hawaii Bowl. East Carolina ended the regular season 7–5 overall, and 6–2 in conference play.
Jeremy Childs, cornerback
Keith McGowen, and linebacker
Ben Chandler were declared out for the game after violating team rules. In an online contest held by ESPN.com
in the weeks leading up to the game, 98% of the participants voted that Boise State would beat East Carolina. Participants also gave 32 out of 32 "confidence points" on average, indicating the highest possible confidence in the predicted outcome.
Boise State came into the game averaging 42.75 points and 475.67 yards per game, the fourth and twelfth highest totals in college football. Senior quarterback
Taylor Tharp
led the offense by more than 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns, headed into the 2007 Hawaii Bowl. On the ground, the Broncos were led by junior running back
Ian Johnson
, who had 17 touchdowns and 1,030 yards in the regular season. Wide receiver Jeremy Childs also was a potent threat on offense, averaging 87.08 receiving yards per game, and backup running back D.J. Harper
rushed
for 41.44 yards per game on average. Johnson and Childs both earned First Team All-WAC honors, and Tharp was named to Second Team All-WAC. Offensive tackle Ryan Clady
was the team's only All-American, and promised to do a good job protecting Taylor Tharp on the offensive line.
East Carolina had been shaky on defense. ECU ranked 98th in total defense and 115th in passing defense, giving up an average of 436.42 yards per game. Despite that fact, the Pirates did well in the turnover
battle, gaining 27 turnovers while losing just 13–a margin of +14–good enough for ninth in the country. In addition, the ECU defense ranked eleventh nationally in tackles for loss. Defensive linemen Zack Slate and C.J. Wilson and defensive back
Van Eskridge took C–USA All–Conference second team honors.
. Johnson racked up an average of 212.67 all-purpose yards per game during the 2007 season, making him a potent threat on offense. Taking snaps for the offense were quarterbacks Patrick Pinkney and Rob Kass. Pinkney had a passer rating of 131.58, while Kass had a comparable rating of 122.94. The top receiver for the Pirates was Jamar Bryant, who averaged 3.5 catches for 52.17 yards per game. In addition to Chris Johnson, who was named to the C–USA All–Conference second team, offensive lineman Josh Coffman received C–USA All-Conference second team honors.
The Broncos' defense, meanwhile, was ranked number one in the WAC in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, and pass defense. The team's defense ranked number two in the conference in pass efficiency defense, turnover margin, and sacks. Defensive lineman Nick Schlekeway and defensive back Marty Tadman both received All–WAC first team honors and promised to pose difficulties for the Pirates' offensive front.
in front of an estimated crowd of 30,467, which was the largest crowd in Hawaii Bowl history for a game not featuring the Hawai'i football team
. The game was nationally televised on ESPN
, and was watched by an estimated average of 1.6 million people, good enough for a television rating
of 1.47. East Carolina had to travel 4861 miles (7,823 km) one way, making it the longest bowl trip of the season for any team during the 2007 bowl season. Boise State, meanwhile, traveled 2835 miles (4,562.5 km) to Hawaii. Due to the distance involved, East Carolina fans wishing to support their school, but unable to travel to the game, bought 2,709 tickets for troops stationed in Hawaii as a show of support. The weather at kickoff was mostly cloudy with winds from the northeast at 13 miles (21 km). The temperature was 77 °F (25 °C). For the officiating crew, the referee was Terry Leyden, umpire was Kevin Matthews, and the linesman was Bob Bahne. The line judge was Bart Longson, the back judge was Joe Johnston and the field judge was Ed Vinzant. The side judge was Craig Falkner.
East Carolina won the pre-game coin toss and deferred the ball until the second half, allowing Boise State to receive the ball to begin the game. The Broncos received the opening kickoff
at their 4–yard line and went three-and-out. Following the Broncos' punt
, East Carolina began its first possession of the game on its 43–yard line. The offense marched to the 19–yard line of Boise State, but was stopped on third down. ECU kicker Ben Hartman was sent into the game and made a field goal
from 36 yards away.
East Carolina kicked
the ball to Boise State's Austin Smith and he returned the kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown
. The touchdown and extra point
made the score 7–3 and gave Boise State its only lead of the game.
The next two drives for each team ended in punts. On East Carolina's third drive, Chris Johnson rushed on the first play
68 yards for a touchdown. With the point after, East Carolina lead 10–7. The next Boise State drive ended in a three and out, and the Broncos kicked the ball away. The Pirates marched down the field 55 yards, but the quarter ended before ECU had a chance to score.
At the end of the first quarter, East Carolina led Boise State 10–7.
The Broncos' first drive of the second quarter was halted after a holding penalty and an incomplete pass
denied BSU a chance for a first down. Boise was forced to kick the ball away once more. The Pirates' second drive of the quarter began at their 26–yard line. ECU needed just four plays to march 74 yards down the field for a touchdown. On the drive, Chris Johnson rushed for 46 yards and threw an 18–yard pass for a touchdown. After the touchdown and the extra point kick, ECU led 24–7.
Boise State's first play after the post-touchdown kickoff was intercepted by Pirates' defender Travis Williams. Despite the turnover, East Carolina was unable to attain a first down, and went three-and-out before punting. On Boise's second play of the new drive following the punt, the team earned its first first down of the game. The Broncos continued the drive by going 69 yards in eight plays, culminating in a touchdown. The series included five complete passes and two rushes. With the score, The Broncos had closed the gap to ten points: 24–14 East Carolina.
East Carolina started their series on their 41–yard line. A substitution infraction on ECU and an incomplete pass forced ECU to punt the ball away. On the Broncos' fourth drive of the second quarter, the team began with three complete passes for 18 yards. On the fourth play, however, BSU's Titus Young
fumble
d the ball away. Pirates' defender Jay Ross recovered the fumble, and ECU had another chance on offense before the end of the first half. East Carolina ran five plays for 38 yards. With the clock running down, ECU elected to kick a field goal. The kick was good, and made the score 31–14 ECU. Boise State had one final chance on offense, and Boise Quarterback Taylor Tharp went two-for-four, but ran out of time before coming into field goal range.
At halftime, East Carolina led Boise State 31–14.
Because Boise State had received the opening kickoff, East Carolina received the ball to open the second half. ECU completed seven rushes and four passes for 74 yards in five minutes and 53 seconds. On the last play of the drive, Brandon Simmons rushed three yards for a touchdown, and ECU increased its lead to 38–14.
To begin its first series of the second half, Boise State returned the post-touchdown kickoff 55 yards. Two quick plays later, Boise quarterback Taylor Tharp completed a pass to Jeremy Avery for a touchdown, cutting East Carolina's lead to 17 points, 38–21.
After the punt, the Pirates were unable to obtain a first down. Three plays netted only two yards, and ECU was forced to punt the ball away. On the ensuing drive, Boise State completed three first downs on the series. BSU kicker Kyle Brotzman, converted a 31 yard field goal and the Broncos shrank the ECU lead further. The series went 40 yards in nine plays. It took the team two minutes and 37 seconds to score.
East Carolina took the kickoff on the 39–yard line, after a Boise player illegally touched the ball on the 39. Pinkney threw an incomplete pass to start the drive, and after two more plays failed to convert the first down, ECU was forced to punt the ball away. After a touchback
, Boise State began at its 20–yard line. The Broncos completed three plays for 11 yards before the third quarter ended.
At the end of the third quarter, East Carolina led Boise State 38–24.
On the next drive, ECU brought in a new quarterback, Rob Kass. Kass was initially successful, and gained a few first downs. The Boise State defense stiffened, however, and ECU was forced to punt the ball away. After a touchback, Boise State began on its 20–yard line. Running back Jeremy Avery rushed for four yards on the first play. On the third play, Tharp completed a pass for nine yards for a first down. Tharp then passed three straight times for 32 yards and two first downs. On subsequent plays, Tharp rushed for six yards and passed for another six to convert BSU's third first down of the drive. Three plays later, however, the Broncos' Titus Young fumbled the ball for the second time in the game, and as before, ECU recovered, seemingly sealing the victory.
After a Boise State unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, ECU began its their 39–yard line, needing only to rush the ball to keep the clock moving in order to secure the win. On the second rush by Chris Johnson, however, he fumbled the ball. The fumble was recovered by Broncos' defender Marty Tadman at the ECU 47–yard line and returned all the way for a touchdown. After the PAT, Boise State tied East Carolina 38–38. The fumble and touchdown turned what had been an inevitable ECU victory into a tie game.
Boise kicked the ball deep, hoping to stop the Pirates' offense and force overtime. Following the kick, ECU began at its own nine–yard line. The Pirates began the drive with one minute and 16 seconds left in the game. Dominique Lindsay rushed for two yards before Rob Kass completed a pass to Jamar Bryant for 39 yards, enough for a first down near midfield. The Pirates' continued to move forward, passing for short yardage and rushing for short gains that kept the clock moving, but advanced the ball closer to field goal range. On the third to the last play, Kass rushed for seven yards, and ECU took a timeout with 15 seconds left. Rob Kass lost one yard while moving the ball towards the center of the field in order to set up a game-ending kick. ECU took its last timeout, again stopping the clock. With four seconds remaining on the clock, ECU kicker Ben Hartman converted a 34–yard field goal to take the lead and the win, 41–38, as time ran out.
Sherman Williams
against Ohio State in the 1995 Citrus Bowl
. On the basis of his record-setting performance, Johnson was named the game's Most Valuable Player
. On the opposite side of the ball, Boise State tailback
Jeremy Avery had a solid, if unspectacular, outing. He produced 69 rushing yards, 43 receiving yards, 41 kick–return yards, and caught a 25–yard touchdown pass. Both Johnson and Avery received the Most Valuable Player award for their respective teams.
Boise State committed four turnovers, compared with East Carolina's one. The Broncos fumbled the ball away twice and threw two interceptions. Despite the disparity in turnover margin, the teams were strikingly similar in several statistical categories, indicating the closeness of the game: Each team earned seven points off the turnovers. Both teams committed 50 yards in penalties; the Pirates had seven penalties to the Broncos' four. In addition, both teams earned 22 first downs.
Tharp's 30 completions were caught by eight different receivers. Austin Pettis led the team with nine catches for 89 yards, and his total accounted for one–third of the team's receiving yards. Two receivers, Jeremy Avery and Ryan Putnam, accounted for all of the team's receiving touchdowns. Avery had four catches for 43 yards, while Putnam had one catch for three yards.
Taylor Tharp's two interceptions were the second-most he had thrown in a game during 2007, and brought his season interception total to 11. He completed 30 of 44 pass attempts, a completion percentage of 68.2%. His 270 yards were 13 yards more than his season average of 257 yards. With only two passing touchdowns, Tharp tied for his third-worst passing game in 2007, faring worse only in the win against Weber State, loss to Washington, win against Fresno State, and loss to Hawaii. Tharp was sacked once by Pirates' defensive lineman C.J. Wilson for a seven yard loss.
Boise State's defense had a hard time stopping the East Carolina offense, especially in the first half. The Pirates' 31 points were the most scored all year by East Carolina in the first half. Leading the Broncos' defense was safety Marty Tadman. Tadman had seven solo tackles, three assisted tackles, and recorded a defensive touchdown after recovering Chris Johnson's fumble late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Kyle Gingg also starred on defense, recording seven solo tackles, one assisted tackle, and one tackle for a one-yard loss. A total of 23 players recorded at least one tackle.
Kyle Brotzman handled all the kicking duties for Boise State, punting the ball four times for 169 yards. His longest punt was 52 yards, and one kick was downed inside the Pirates' 20 yard line. His only field goal was a 31–yard kick that came with three minutes and 11 seconds left in the third quarter. Brotzman kicked off seven times for 384 yards, averaging 54.9 yards per kick with no touchbacks. Marty Tadman had BSU's only punt return for -1 yard. The Broncos' special teams had more luck on kickoff returns. Three players had kickoff returns. Austin Smith returned four kickoffs for 173 yards. His 89–yard return for a touchdown in the first quarter was the team's longest of the game and gave Boise State its only lead of the game. Jeremy Avery returned two kicks for 41 yards, and Titus Young returned one kick for 52 yards.
Boise State controlled the time of possession only during the fourth quarter, when the Broncos scored 14 points to tie the game. Overall, however, Boise State only controlled the ball for 26 minutes and 16 seconds, in comparison to East Carolina's 33 minutes and 44 seconds.
Ben Hartman and Matt Dodge both contributed to East Carolina's kicking game. Dodge punted the ball seven times for 302 yards. His longest was a 61–yard kick, and he had four touchbacks. Hartman and Dodge shared kickoff duty. Dodge had four kickoffs, compared with Hartman's three. Dodge averaged 60.5 yards per kick, while Hartman averaged 57 yards. In addition, Hartman added six points to the scoreboard from field goal attempts. He was two for two, with the second field goal attempt being the game-winner in the fourth quarter. Dwayne Harris handled all punt returns. He fielded two punts, returning them for a total of five yards. Kickoff-return duty was handled by Chris Johnson. He returned six kickoffs for 153 yards, with his longest return consisting of 39 yards.
East Carolina's defense managed a strong performance statistically and in real terms. The most obvious examples of this were the two interceptions and two forced fumbles. On the first play of the second drive of the second quarter, Boise State quarterback Taylor Tharp threw an interception to defensive back Travis Williams. Williams also recorded eight solo tackles—the second-highest total for the Pirates–and a forced fumble. The other interception came from defensive back J.J. Milbrook, who also boasted three solo tackles, tying him for fifth–best on the team. Linebacker Jeremy forced the final Broncos turnover, gaining the ball and four yards on the play. In addition to his forced fumble, Chambliss recorded four solo tackles. The Pirates' defense as a whole only gave up three yards in the first quarter and did not allow a first down until halfway through the second quarter.
That strong defensive effort limited the Broncos' third–down conversion rate to 50%. Until the fourth quarter, BSU was just two for seven on third–down attempts. On offense, the Pirates fared slightly better, going six for fifteen on third downs.
. After the game, East Carolina finished the season 8-5, the highest win total since 2000. This also marked Coach Skip Holtz's first Bowl win. Boise State finished the season 10-3. This marked Coach Chris Petersen first post-season loss.
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
Hawai'i Bowl was a post-season college football
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
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between the Boise State University Broncos
2007 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2007 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2007 college football season. The Broncos, led by second year head coach Chris Petersen, play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the...
from the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) and the East Carolina University Pirates
East Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
from Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
(C-USA) at the Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
on December 23, 2007. The game was the final competition of the 2007 football season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
for each team and resulted in a 41–38 East Carolina victory, even though sportsbook
Sportsbook
In the United States a sportsbook or a race and sports book is a place where a gambler can wager on various sports competitions, including golf, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, horse racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts. The method of betting varies with the sport and the type of...
s favored Boise State to win by 10½ points. Many experts believed East Carolina to be big underdogs
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
to Boise State, which had defeated the Oklahoma Sooners
2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship...
in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl
2007 Fiesta Bowl
The 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was a college football bowl game played as part of the 2006–2007 Bowl Championship Series of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
. The 2007 Hawaii Bowl paid $750,000 to each team's conference in exchange for their participation.
The game, which was the sixth edition of the bowl, was expected to be an offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
shootout. Boise State averaged 42.4 points during the 2007 season, while East Carolina averaged 31. That expectation turned out to be justified as East Carolina took a 31–14 lead in the first half. The Broncos fought back in the second half, however, tying the score at 38 late in the fourth quarter after East Carolina's Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson (running back)
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League...
fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball, allowing Bronco defender Marty Tadman
Marty Tadman
Marty Tadman was a starting safety on Boise State's 2006-2007 Fiesta Bowl winning team, at which he earned the Defensive Player of the Game award. In the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Tadman had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.-External links:...
to recover the ball and return it 47 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. The game remained tied until the final moments as East Carolina's Ben Hartman made a 34–yard game-winning field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
as time expired. The attendance of 30,467 was the largest crowd to attend a Hawaii Bowl game that did not feature the host school
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
. Boise State's loss dropped them to a final 2007 record of 10–3, while East Carolina's final-game win earned them a record of 8–5.
Selection process
The Hawaii footballHawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
team normally receives an automatic bid
Automatic bid
Automatic bid is a term generally used to describe a bid or berth to a tournament, granted based on performance in prior competition, and not based on subjective picking...
to the game unless the team is selected to participate in a BCS game
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
or is not bowl eligible
Bowl eligible
Bowl eligibility in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible"...
. If either of those events happen, the WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
selects its next-highest ranked team to compete in the game. In 2007, Hawaii was selected to play on January 1, 2008 in the Sugar Bowl
2008 Sugar Bowl
The 2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was the 74th Sugar Bowl...
against Georgia
2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed on behalf of the University of Georgia in American football against teams from other colleges and universities. The Bulldogs tied for first place in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference but lost a tie-breaker with the University of...
, marking just the second time since the creation of the Hawaii Bowl that Hawaii would not participate. The only previous time that Hawaii failed to make an appearance was in 2005
2005 Hawaii Warriors football team
The 2005 Hawaii Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Hawaii finished the 2005 season with a 5–7 record, going 4–4 in WAC play...
, when the Warriors finished their season with a 5–7 record and were not eligible for a bowl game.
Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
fields the other team in the Hawaii Bowl. The Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
has the first selection of C-USA teams, and GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
picks second. After those two are picked, the conference provides a team for the Hawaii Bowl and three other bowls. In 2007, the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
accepted the bid to compete in the Liberty Bowl
2007 Liberty Bowl
The 2007 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, was played on December 29, 2007 at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee....
, Tulsa accepted the bid to compete in the GMAC Bowl
2008 GMAC Bowl
The 2008 GMAC Bowl was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 9th annual playing of the game...
, leaving East Carolina to be selected by the Hawaii Bowl on December 1, 2007.
Boise State was undefeated
Undefeated
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in conference play going into the final game of the regular season, and suffered just one out-of-conference loss. In that final game, BSU lost 39–27 to undefeated Hawaii. Following the game, the Broncos decided to travel to Hawaii, rather than play at home in the Humanitarian Bowl, which is located at Boise's home stadium
Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference. Since 1997, it has hosted the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos...
in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
and features a matchup between a WAC team and one from the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. Boise ended its regular season 10–2 overall and 7–1 in conference play.
East Carolina, meanwhile, had been in first place in the C-USA's East Division with just two games remaining. A loss to Marshall University in that second-to-last game, however, put ECU into second place in its division, and thus out of competition for the Conference USA Championship
Conference USA Football Championship
The Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of Conference USA. From 1996–2004, the champion of Conference USA was determined by regular season record...
. After winning against conference foe Tulane in the final game of the season, the Pirates decided to travel to the Hawaii Bowl. East Carolina ended the regular season 7–5 overall, and 6–2 in conference play.
Pre-game buildup
On December 1, 2007, Hawaii Bowl representatives announced East Carolina and Boise State as the competitors in the 2007 edition of the game. It would be the first time in history that the two teams had ever met. Two weeks after the announcement, Boise State's top wide receiverWide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Jeremy Childs, cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Keith McGowen, and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Ben Chandler were declared out for the game after violating team rules. In an online contest held by ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
in the weeks leading up to the game, 98% of the participants voted that Boise State would beat East Carolina. Participants also gave 32 out of 32 "confidence points" on average, indicating the highest possible confidence in the predicted outcome.
Boise State offense versus East Carolina defense
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Taylor Tharp
Taylor Tharp
Taylor Tharp is an American football quarterback who plays in Italy at Panthers Parma. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Boise State...
led the offense by more than 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns, headed into the 2007 Hawaii Bowl. On the ground, the Broncos were led by junior running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (American football)
-Minnesota Vikings:He ran the fastest 40 yard dash time for a running back at the 2009 NFL Combine with a 4.46. He was signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 4 of the Preseason Johnson ran for 2 touchdowns in 17 carries against the Dallas Cowboys...
, who had 17 touchdowns and 1,030 yards in the regular season. Wide receiver Jeremy Childs also was a potent threat on offense, averaging 87.08 receiving yards per game, and backup running back D.J. Harper
D.J. Harper
Damon "D.J." Harper is a running back for the Boise State University "Broncos" football team.-High school career:...
rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
for 41.44 yards per game on average. Johnson and Childs both earned First Team All-WAC honors, and Tharp was named to Second Team All-WAC. Offensive tackle Ryan Clady
Ryan Clady
-Denver Broncos:Following Week 12 of the 2008 NFL season, Peter King of Sports Illustrated said Clady was the third-best rookie overall. On December 12, 2008, Clady won the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award, after his game against the Kansas City Chiefs...
was the team's only All-American, and promised to do a good job protecting Taylor Tharp on the offensive line.
East Carolina had been shaky on defense. ECU ranked 98th in total defense and 115th in passing defense, giving up an average of 436.42 yards per game. Despite that fact, the Pirates did well in the turnover
Turnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
battle, gaining 27 turnovers while losing just 13–a margin of +14–good enough for ninth in the country. In addition, the ECU defense ranked eleventh nationally in tackles for loss. Defensive linemen Zack Slate and C.J. Wilson and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Van Eskridge took C–USA All–Conference second team honors.
East Carolina offense versus Boise State defense
Boise State faced the nation's top all-purpose yards leader, All-American Chris JohnsonChris Johnson (running back)
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League...
. Johnson racked up an average of 212.67 all-purpose yards per game during the 2007 season, making him a potent threat on offense. Taking snaps for the offense were quarterbacks Patrick Pinkney and Rob Kass. Pinkney had a passer rating of 131.58, while Kass had a comparable rating of 122.94. The top receiver for the Pirates was Jamar Bryant, who averaged 3.5 catches for 52.17 yards per game. In addition to Chris Johnson, who was named to the C–USA All–Conference second team, offensive lineman Josh Coffman received C–USA All-Conference second team honors.
The Broncos' defense, meanwhile, was ranked number one in the WAC in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, and pass defense. The team's defense ranked number two in the conference in pass efficiency defense, turnover margin, and sacks. Defensive lineman Nick Schlekeway and defensive back Marty Tadman both received All–WAC first team honors and promised to pose difficulties for the Pirates' offensive front.
Game summary
The 2007 Hawaii Bowl kicked off on December 23, 2007 at 8:00 p.m ESTEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
in front of an estimated crowd of 30,467, which was the largest crowd in Hawaii Bowl history for a game not featuring the Hawai'i football team
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
. The game was nationally televised on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and was watched by an estimated average of 1.6 million people, good enough for a television rating
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 1.47. East Carolina had to travel 4861 miles (7,823 km) one way, making it the longest bowl trip of the season for any team during the 2007 bowl season. Boise State, meanwhile, traveled 2835 miles (4,562.5 km) to Hawaii. Due to the distance involved, East Carolina fans wishing to support their school, but unable to travel to the game, bought 2,709 tickets for troops stationed in Hawaii as a show of support. The weather at kickoff was mostly cloudy with winds from the northeast at 13 miles (21 km). The temperature was 77 °F (25 °C). For the officiating crew, the referee was Terry Leyden, umpire was Kevin Matthews, and the linesman was Bob Bahne. The line judge was Bart Longson, the back judge was Joe Johnston and the field judge was Ed Vinzant. The side judge was Craig Falkner.
First quarter
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
at their 4–yard line and went three-and-out. Following the Broncos' punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
, East Carolina began its first possession of the game on its 43–yard line. The offense marched to the 19–yard line of Boise State, but was stopped on third down. ECU kicker Ben Hartman was sent into the game and made a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
from 36 yards away.
East Carolina kicked
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
the ball to Boise State's Austin Smith and he returned the kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. The touchdown and extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
made the score 7–3 and gave Boise State its only lead of the game.
The next two drives for each team ended in punts. On East Carolina's third drive, Chris Johnson rushed on the first play
Play from scrimmage
A play from scrimmage is the activity of the games of Canadian football and American football during which one team tries to advance the ball or to score, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. Once a play is over, and before the next play starts, the football is considered...
68 yards for a touchdown. With the point after, East Carolina lead 10–7. The next Boise State drive ended in a three and out, and the Broncos kicked the ball away. The Pirates marched down the field 55 yards, but the quarter ended before ECU had a chance to score.
At the end of the first quarter, East Carolina led Boise State 10–7.
Second quarter
ECU began the second quarter on Boise's 30–yard line, and quarterback Patrick Pinkney continued the Pirates' drive with a 14–yard rush. After three more successful plays, Dominique Lindsay rushed 3 yards for a touchdown. Kicker Ben Hartman converted the point after, which made the score 17–7 ECU.The Broncos' first drive of the second quarter was halted after a holding penalty and an incomplete pass
Incomplete pass
An incomplete pass is a term in American football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it or tries to catch it...
denied BSU a chance for a first down. Boise was forced to kick the ball away once more. The Pirates' second drive of the quarter began at their 26–yard line. ECU needed just four plays to march 74 yards down the field for a touchdown. On the drive, Chris Johnson rushed for 46 yards and threw an 18–yard pass for a touchdown. After the touchdown and the extra point kick, ECU led 24–7.
Boise State's first play after the post-touchdown kickoff was intercepted by Pirates' defender Travis Williams. Despite the turnover, East Carolina was unable to attain a first down, and went three-and-out before punting. On Boise's second play of the new drive following the punt, the team earned its first first down of the game. The Broncos continued the drive by going 69 yards in eight plays, culminating in a touchdown. The series included five complete passes and two rushes. With the score, The Broncos had closed the gap to ten points: 24–14 East Carolina.
East Carolina started their series on their 41–yard line. A substitution infraction on ECU and an incomplete pass forced ECU to punt the ball away. On the Broncos' fourth drive of the second quarter, the team began with three complete passes for 18 yards. On the fourth play, however, BSU's Titus Young
Titus Young
Titus Young is an American football wide receiver with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.-College:Young played for the Boise State Broncos football team. He had 204 receptions for 3,063 yards and 25 touchdowns in his collegiate career, including 71 receptions for 1,215 yards and 9...
fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball away. Pirates' defender Jay Ross recovered the fumble, and ECU had another chance on offense before the end of the first half. East Carolina ran five plays for 38 yards. With the clock running down, ECU elected to kick a field goal. The kick was good, and made the score 31–14 ECU. Boise State had one final chance on offense, and Boise Quarterback Taylor Tharp went two-for-four, but ran out of time before coming into field goal range.
At halftime, East Carolina led Boise State 31–14.
Third quarter
To begin its first series of the second half, Boise State returned the post-touchdown kickoff 55 yards. Two quick plays later, Boise quarterback Taylor Tharp completed a pass to Jeremy Avery for a touchdown, cutting East Carolina's lead to 17 points, 38–21.
After the punt, the Pirates were unable to obtain a first down. Three plays netted only two yards, and ECU was forced to punt the ball away. On the ensuing drive, Boise State completed three first downs on the series. BSU kicker Kyle Brotzman, converted a 31 yard field goal and the Broncos shrank the ECU lead further. The series went 40 yards in nine plays. It took the team two minutes and 37 seconds to score.
East Carolina took the kickoff on the 39–yard line, after a Boise player illegally touched the ball on the 39. Pinkney threw an incomplete pass to start the drive, and after two more plays failed to convert the first down, ECU was forced to punt the ball away. After a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
, Boise State began at its 20–yard line. The Broncos completed three plays for 11 yards before the third quarter ended.
At the end of the third quarter, East Carolina led Boise State 38–24.
Fourth quarter
BSU started the fourth quarter by throwing two incomplete passes. Tharp then completed two passes for a combined 39 yards before Pirates' defender J.J. Milbrook intercepted Tharp's fifth pass of the quarter. Milbrook returned the interception 27 yards. The Pirates completed one first down but failed to convert the interception into points. Kicker Matt Dodge came into the game, ostensibly to punt the ball away. In a trick play, he rushed the ball instead, picking up the first down. Despite the trick play's success, the Pirates were not able to gain another first down. On fourth down, Dodge came out again, and this time punted the ball 47 yards for a touchback. The Broncos began the second drive of the fourth quarter by going 80 yards in nine plays for a touchdown. It took just three minutes and 59 seconds and BSU only three first downs. Boise had now cut the Pirates' lead to 38–31.On the next drive, ECU brought in a new quarterback, Rob Kass. Kass was initially successful, and gained a few first downs. The Boise State defense stiffened, however, and ECU was forced to punt the ball away. After a touchback, Boise State began on its 20–yard line. Running back Jeremy Avery rushed for four yards on the first play. On the third play, Tharp completed a pass for nine yards for a first down. Tharp then passed three straight times for 32 yards and two first downs. On subsequent plays, Tharp rushed for six yards and passed for another six to convert BSU's third first down of the drive. Three plays later, however, the Broncos' Titus Young fumbled the ball for the second time in the game, and as before, ECU recovered, seemingly sealing the victory.
Boise kicked the ball deep, hoping to stop the Pirates' offense and force overtime. Following the kick, ECU began at its own nine–yard line. The Pirates began the drive with one minute and 16 seconds left in the game. Dominique Lindsay rushed for two yards before Rob Kass completed a pass to Jamar Bryant for 39 yards, enough for a first down near midfield. The Pirates' continued to move forward, passing for short yardage and rushing for short gains that kept the clock moving, but advanced the ball closer to field goal range. On the third to the last play, Kass rushed for seven yards, and ECU took a timeout with 15 seconds left. Rob Kass lost one yard while moving the ball towards the center of the field in order to set up a game-ending kick. ECU took its last timeout, again stopping the clock. With four seconds remaining on the clock, ECU kicker Ben Hartman converted a 34–yard field goal to take the lead and the win, 41–38, as time ran out.
Final statistics
East Carolina running back Chris Johnson finished the game with 223 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards, and 153 return yards for a total of 408 all-purpose yards. That mark broke the NCAA bowl record for all-purpose yards previously set by Alabama'sAlabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
Sherman Williams
Sherman Williams
Sherman Cedric Williams is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for five seasons for the Dallas Cowboys...
against Ohio State in the 1995 Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
. On the basis of his record-setting performance, Johnson was named the game's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. On the opposite side of the ball, Boise State tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
Jeremy Avery had a solid, if unspectacular, outing. He produced 69 rushing yards, 43 receiving yards, 41 kick–return yards, and caught a 25–yard touchdown pass. Both Johnson and Avery received the Most Valuable Player award for their respective teams.
Boise State committed four turnovers, compared with East Carolina's one. The Broncos fumbled the ball away twice and threw two interceptions. Despite the disparity in turnover margin, the teams were strikingly similar in several statistical categories, indicating the closeness of the game: Each team earned seven points off the turnovers. Both teams committed 50 yards in penalties; the Pirates had seven penalties to the Broncos' four. In addition, both teams earned 22 first downs.
Boise State statistical recap
Boise State University had 368 total offensive yards during the game. About 73% of BSU's total offense came through the air, as quarterback Taylor Tharp passed for 270 yards. The remaining 98 yards came on the ground from five different rushers. Running back Jeremy Avery ran for a team-high 69 yards on 10 carries, while running back D.J. Harper had the only Boise State rushing touchdown of the game.Tharp's 30 completions were caught by eight different receivers. Austin Pettis led the team with nine catches for 89 yards, and his total accounted for one–third of the team's receiving yards. Two receivers, Jeremy Avery and Ryan Putnam, accounted for all of the team's receiving touchdowns. Avery had four catches for 43 yards, while Putnam had one catch for three yards.
Taylor Tharp's two interceptions were the second-most he had thrown in a game during 2007, and brought his season interception total to 11. He completed 30 of 44 pass attempts, a completion percentage of 68.2%. His 270 yards were 13 yards more than his season average of 257 yards. With only two passing touchdowns, Tharp tied for his third-worst passing game in 2007, faring worse only in the win against Weber State, loss to Washington, win against Fresno State, and loss to Hawaii. Tharp was sacked once by Pirates' defensive lineman C.J. Wilson for a seven yard loss.
Boise State's defense had a hard time stopping the East Carolina offense, especially in the first half. The Pirates' 31 points were the most scored all year by East Carolina in the first half. Leading the Broncos' defense was safety Marty Tadman. Tadman had seven solo tackles, three assisted tackles, and recorded a defensive touchdown after recovering Chris Johnson's fumble late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Kyle Gingg also starred on defense, recording seven solo tackles, one assisted tackle, and one tackle for a one-yard loss. A total of 23 players recorded at least one tackle.
Kyle Brotzman handled all the kicking duties for Boise State, punting the ball four times for 169 yards. His longest punt was 52 yards, and one kick was downed inside the Pirates' 20 yard line. His only field goal was a 31–yard kick that came with three minutes and 11 seconds left in the third quarter. Brotzman kicked off seven times for 384 yards, averaging 54.9 yards per kick with no touchbacks. Marty Tadman had BSU's only punt return for -1 yard. The Broncos' special teams had more luck on kickoff returns. Three players had kickoff returns. Austin Smith returned four kickoffs for 173 yards. His 89–yard return for a touchdown in the first quarter was the team's longest of the game and gave Boise State its only lead of the game. Jeremy Avery returned two kicks for 41 yards, and Titus Young returned one kick for 52 yards.
Boise State controlled the time of possession only during the fourth quarter, when the Broncos scored 14 points to tie the game. Overall, however, Boise State only controlled the ball for 26 minutes and 16 seconds, in comparison to East Carolina's 33 minutes and 44 seconds.
East Carolina statistical recap
Almost 70% of the Pirates' rushing offense came from running back Chris Johnson, and the rushing offense itself consisted of two–thirds of East Carolina's total offensive effort. Six additional rushers contributed 99 yards on the ground. The longest rush of the game–68 yards–came from Johnson. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney played much of the game, completing 12 passes in 19 attempts. Pinkney threw for 118 yards and one touchdown, but the longest pass came from the Pirates' second quarterback, Rob Kass. Kass threw a 36–yard pass in the fourth quarter to keep the Pirates' game-winning drive alive. The pass was Kass's only completion out of three attempts. Almost one–third of East Carolina's total offense came from the air.Ben Hartman and Matt Dodge both contributed to East Carolina's kicking game. Dodge punted the ball seven times for 302 yards. His longest was a 61–yard kick, and he had four touchbacks. Hartman and Dodge shared kickoff duty. Dodge had four kickoffs, compared with Hartman's three. Dodge averaged 60.5 yards per kick, while Hartman averaged 57 yards. In addition, Hartman added six points to the scoreboard from field goal attempts. He was two for two, with the second field goal attempt being the game-winner in the fourth quarter. Dwayne Harris handled all punt returns. He fielded two punts, returning them for a total of five yards. Kickoff-return duty was handled by Chris Johnson. He returned six kickoffs for 153 yards, with his longest return consisting of 39 yards.
East Carolina's defense managed a strong performance statistically and in real terms. The most obvious examples of this were the two interceptions and two forced fumbles. On the first play of the second drive of the second quarter, Boise State quarterback Taylor Tharp threw an interception to defensive back Travis Williams. Williams also recorded eight solo tackles—the second-highest total for the Pirates–and a forced fumble. The other interception came from defensive back J.J. Milbrook, who also boasted three solo tackles, tying him for fifth–best on the team. Linebacker Jeremy forced the final Broncos turnover, gaining the ball and four yards on the play. In addition to his forced fumble, Chambliss recorded four solo tackles. The Pirates' defense as a whole only gave up three yards in the first quarter and did not allow a first down until halfway through the second quarter.
That strong defensive effort limited the Broncos' third–down conversion rate to 50%. Until the fourth quarter, BSU was just two for seven on third–down attempts. On offense, the Pirates fared slightly better, going six for fifteen on third downs.
After-effects
The win by East Carolina knocked #24 Boise State out of the final AP Poll of the year. This was the first time BSU was not ranked in the AP Poll top 25 since October 28, 2007. Because of his impressive performance, Chris Johnson was invited to the 2008 Senior Bowl2008 Senior Bowl
The 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl was a college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2007 college football season and prospects in the 2008 NFL Draft. It was played on January 26, 2008 at 3 p.m. EST at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama...
. After the game, East Carolina finished the season 8-5, the highest win total since 2000. This also marked Coach Skip Holtz's first Bowl win. Boise State finished the season 10-3. This marked Coach Chris Petersen first post-season loss.