Catholics vs Convicts! The Gerry Faust revenge game! The greatest matchup in the history of the Sun Bowl!
Had this on Twitter late Saturday night, so make sure you give me a follow @jlauterbach1 (and while you’re at it, plug in @prosportsblog as well)
Short of a BCS bowl (or maybe a matchup with Boise State), yesterday’s official news that Notre Dame will be renewing its rivalry with Miami on New Year’s Eve was the best case scenario for Irish fans. The rivalry, and the bowl game itself, have so much history that it was a no brainer for Sun Bowl organizers.
They are calling it “the greatest matchup in the history of the Sun Bowl.” And that’s saying something.
No, the Sun Bowl isn’t one of those sponsor created jokes that consume our televisions for three weeks at the end of the calendar year (and now, embarrassingly long into the new year…try Jan. 10!). It’s not the Pinstripe Bowl (K.State/ Syracuse), or the BBVA Compass Bowl (Pitt/Kentucky). It’s got more history then that.
The Sun Bowl is, next to the Rose Bowl, the longest running bowl in history. Past matchups include Nebraska/ Georgia, Missouri/ Auburn, Alabama/Army, Stanford/Michigan State, and TCU/USC.
And who could forget that classic 25 – 21 El Paso All Star win over Ranger in ’35? How about the Hardin – Simmons – New Mexico State tie in ’36?
More recent Sun Bowl history tells us that this will be a great one. The last two Sun Bowls have been some of the best games of their respective bowl seasons. Last year, Oklahoma edged Stanford 31- 27. Two seasons ago, in maybe the longest game without scoring that I’ve ever seen, Oregon State beat Pittsburgh 3 – 0. In 2006, Oregon State topped Missouri 39 – 38.
This committee sure knows how to pick ‘em. In the last 10 years, the margin of victory was ten points or less eight times. Three of those games saw the winner decided by a single point. Throw in the 3 -0 game in ’08 and you consistently have the most competitive bowl of the year.
A ton to break down in this game and you can be sure we will in this space in the next three weeks. Even if one were to forget the history of the rivalry for a moment, the matchup still can’t get much better.
Miami is a once dominant program that is searching for an identity, and a new coach.
Sound familiar?
*I want to get as many picks from you, the reader, during the weeks leading up to the game. Leave your pick in our comment section and I’ll include them in our giant Community Picks column two days before the game!
