Post game: Alabama wins Independence Bowl 30-24

[Crimson Surfer]

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Colorado Buffaloes - 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl

Complete Bowl Schedule

RollTide.com: Bowl Central

RollTide.com: 2007 Independence Bowl Media Guide

TideSports.com: Bowl Central

The Shreveport Times: Independence Bowl

al.com: Gameday Fact Sheet (PDF)

Roll Tide.com: Alabama Football

al.com: Alabama Football

TideSports.com

BamaMag.com

TideFans.com: Bama Team News (Website Links)

Opponent's Viewpoint

Official Athletic Website of The University of Colorado

CUBuffs.com

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Wilson's 3 TDs carry Alabama to bowl win over Colorado

SHREVEPORT, La. – Alabama used a 20-point first quarter and relied on a stingy second-half defense to withstand Colorado in the PetroSun Independence Bowl Sunday, gaining 388 total yards in a 30-24 win over the Buffaloes at Independence Stadium.

The win extended Alabama’s NCAA-best bowl wins total to 31.

“I am proud of the way we competed in this game today,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “This was a great win for us and our seniors go out as winners and the young guys played with a lot of resolve today and won a great game for the University of Alabama.”

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Alabama wins Independence Bowl

John Parker Wilson completed 13 of his first 15 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns and Alabama raced to a four-touchdown lead, then held off Colorado 30-24 in the Independence Bowl on Sunday night.

Colorado's attempt at a multi-lateral play as time expired collapsed shy of midfield, ending the game.

Alabama (7-6) stopped a four-game losing streak and avoided consecutive losing seasons for the first time in 50 years. Colorado (6-7) finished below .500 for the second straight year, but was vastly improved from a 2-10 mark in 2006.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Speedy Alabama rolls past Colorado in Independence Bowl, 30-24

Alabama found enough offense Sunday night to win the Independence Bowl, but stumbled so much that even its star quarterback acknowledges the Crimson Tide isn't rolling just yet.

"We had some ups and downs tonight but we kept our composure," said John Parker Wilson, named the game's most valuable offensive player after the Tide's 30-24 victory over Colorado. "This team has a long way to go, but with everything we built this year, I'm really optimistic."

Alabama (7-6) stopped a four-game losing streak and avoided consecutive losing seasons for the first time in 50 years. Colorado (6-7) finished below .500 for the second straight year, but was vastly improved from a 2-10 mark in 2006.

 

[NashvilleTider]

Tiffin's first-quarter field goals gave him 105 points for the season, the most for an Alabama kicker. Tiffin added three extra points and the fourth-quarter field goal, giving him 111 points for the season.

ESPN Story

I hadn't seen this mentioned anywhere...pretty significant for a sophomore.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

INDEPENDENCE BOWL NOTEBOOK: Hall re-writes record book

SHREVEPORT, La. | University of Alabama wide receiver DJ Hall’s impressive assault on the school’s record book came to a conclusion Sunday night, and included a few final additions.

Hall finished the game with four catches for 58 yards.

For the season, he had 67 catches for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns, and became the first player in Crimson Tide history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

Coming into the game he needed two receptions to tie, and three to break, Freddie Milons’ single-season record of 65 set it 1999. He also needed 110 yards to break his own single-season mark of 1,056 set last year, and one touchdown to tie Dennis Homan’s career mark of 18 (1965-67).

There were other record setters:

Wallace Gilberry set the career record with 35 career tackles for a loss (TFLs.)

John Parker Wilson set three Alabama records. He set the single season record with 18 touchdown passes, the single-season record with 2,846 passing yards and the single season record with 2,870 total offense yards. He also become only the second quarterback in Alabama history to have two 2,000 yard passing season.

Leigh Tiffin set an Alabama single-season record for most points by an Alabama kicker, 111, and he tied the single-season record for most field goals, 24.

Javier Arenas set an Alabama single-season record for kickoff return yards with 657 yards.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

2007 Independence Bowl: Bama bounces Buffs

After struggling to score points in its last three games, the Alabama Crimson Tide bolted to a 27-point first-half lead and held on for a 30-24 win over Colorado on Sunday night in the PetroSun Independence Bowl.

"We had some ups and downs tonight but we kept our composure and finished the game," said Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson, who earned Offensive Player of the Game honors after passing for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

ALABAMA 30, COLORADO 24: Early lead holds up for Alabama

The win allowed Alabama (7-6) to avoid its first back-to-back losing seasons since 1957 and to keep first-year coach Nick Saban from suffering the first losing season in his 12 years as a college head coach.

"We had some ups and downs tonight but we kept our composure and finished the game," Saban said. "With what happened to us the last four games, it really showed a lot of maturity on our part to finish it up the way we did."

Alabama opened the game with a vengeance that caught the Buffaloes off guard. The Crimson Tide scored three consecutive touchdowns on drives of six plays or less, outquicking Colorado to grab a 27-0 lead three minutes into the second quarter.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Gilberry you played your heart out. Thanks!

Tide's Gilberry grabs defensive MVP honors

In a game that Alabama head coach Nick Saban predicted would be a defining moment for his players individually, senior defensive end Wallace Gilberry sought to define himself as an unrelenting force on Alabama's defensive line worthy of a shot at the next level.

Gilberry, who recorded eight tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack, was named the defensive MVP of in Alabama's 30-24 victory over Colorado in the PetroSun Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. Sunday night.

"One on one you shouldn't be blocked," Gilberry said. "I'm going to be honest with you -- sometimes I meet my match. There are guys that have more wind than me, more this, more that, but I keep fighting. By the end of the game I want the satisfaction of the guy coming up to me and saying 'Hey Gilberry, you played your heart out.'"

 

[Tidewater]

Gilberry you played your heart out. Thanks!

I will miss this senior ver much. Good luck Mr. Gilberry.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

TIDE NOTES & STATS: Independence Bowl

**Alabama’s captains for the Independence Bowl were the Crimson Tide’s permanent captains, as voted by the players at the end of the regular season: senior linebacker Darren Mustin, junior free safety Rashad Johnson and junior offensive lineman Antoine Caldwell. The defensive captains are both former walk-ons.

“Now that I sit back, yeah, it’s kind of weird,” Mustin said about being named captain. “Who would have thought? When I first came here I was just trying to play special teams. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to start. I never thought they would vote me as a team captain. That blew my mind. I think God that he allowed me to come to Alabama.”

**Senior defensive end Wallace Gilberry was voted the PetroSun Independence Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player, finishing the game with eight tackles, including five for losses and one quarterback sack. Gilberry tied the Alabama single-game record with five tackles for loss held by Jarret Johnson in the 2000 Southern Miss game. Gilberry also now owns the career record with 35 career TFLs, surpassing Kindal Moorehead (1998-2002) who had 34.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Happy New Year Tide Fans!

RE-BUFF-ED: Bama builds big lead, fends off Colorado rally

This final chapter, in a way, was expected.

An Alabama season full of close games and harrowing finishes ended with another. Only by now, the Crimson Tide was in no position to complain.

For this rebuilding program, it was enough that Alabama rolled into the new year with a 30-24 victory over Colorado in the 32nd edition of the Independence Bowl Sunday night.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

McClain plays beyond his years

Seasoned freshman: Alabama freshman linebacker Rolando McClain had a busy night. His five tackles and first-quarter interception were huge, but more important was the role of the Decatur star in setting the Tide's defensive alignments against a confusing multiple offense.

McClain managed to do that despite suffering a broken left thumb early in the game and a separated right shoulder in the second half.

"He played well," Alabama coach Nick Saban said, "and showed a lot of maturity, especially with this (Colorado) team. They're a tough team to play. He broke his thumb, wrapped it up, and came back in the game. He hurt his shoulder, padded it, and came back in the game."

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Bowl game encapsulates entire up-and-down season

Anyone who was tempted to write a book describing Nick Saban’s first football season at the University of Alabama can save themselves the trouble.

All any interested party needs to do to see the entire season encapsulated in a three-and-a-half hour package just needs to pop in an Independence Bowl video. It tells essentially the same story, with one slight twist for

Alabama fans — a happy ending.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

A big question for next season

John Parker Wilson returns home from Shreveport today with a shiny new Most Valuable Offensive Player trophy from the Independence Bowl. He returns with a solid postgame endorsement from University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

But is he also returning to face a fight for his job in the spring?

Alabama will return to the practice field in a couple of months, buoyed by some positive momentum after a 30-24 win over Colorado that resulted in a 7-6 season. There will be excitement about Year Two of the Saban Process. But Alabama is Alabama and that means that there will be questions about the quarterback position.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Early line on 2008

Before the University of Alabama had even stepped on the field at Independence Bowl Stadium, coach Nick Saban was pondering the 2008 season.

"I've already thought quite a bit about it," Saban said.

After a trying season that ended with Sunday night's 30-24 win over Colorado in the PetroSun Independence Bowl, the idea was for Saban and his staff to begin preparations as quickly as possible.

 

[day-day]

INDEPENDENCE BOWL NOTEBOOK: Hall re-writes record book


....
Javier Arenas set an Alabama single-season record for kickoff return yards with 657 yards.

Not necessarily a good record to see broken...hope to see fewer opportunities for kickoff returns next year.

 

[Vinny]

Nice win. I was impressed with the fast start, but was holding my breath until the game was over.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

CRIMSON TIDE FIRST AND 10

Although Sunday’s Independence Bowl was like watching two different football games, it was also representative of Nick Saban’s first year coaching the University of Alabama football team.

Big start, struggled down the stretch, but with a win at the end. The 30-24 victory was pretty fitting for a 7-6 team.

1. The game, pre-interception

Before junior quarterback John Parker Wilson had a pass intercepted on second-and-16 with 6 minutes remaining in the first half, the game was all Alabama. Offensively, Wilson had completed 13 of 17 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. He was 4-for-5 on third downs, with the only miss a drop by junior Nikita Stover, and 2-for-3 in the red zone. Alabama was also running the ball well with 15 carries for 81 yards (5.4 average), and had good balance with a pass-to-run ratio close to 50-50. Meanwhile, the defense had all but shut down Colorado, which had just nine yards passing and 11 carries for 43 yards, thanks to a 21-yard run by senior tailback High Charles after junior linebacker Ezekial Knight couldn’t bring him down in the backfield.

 

[coosacrimson]

McClain plays beyond his years

You know, I don't think this board talked about this young man's work in the game. I expected to see several threads about how Rolando played. Maybe I didn't look hard enough....
Anyway, wow, he gets a broken thumb, goes out for a little while, gets a cast and some padding, comes back in and plays his heart out. Then, gets a separated shoulder, comes out, Oh, just pop it back in,,,,,rub some dirt on it... He goes back out on the field and tries to play some more, looking for someone to hit.....
MAN, I don't know if I have seen that type of toughness in a looooong time... I am glad that Coach mentioned this in the post game.:BigA:
I've seen players ( on other teams ) lay down on the ground when they have something in their eye, sheesh.....
Thank you Rolando! You have just become my favorite player!