Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Conference Semi-Finals Edition)

Antonio Bryant hauls his second TD of the night, with what many FAC-10 journalists might say is the play of the year, to sink the DUBA Oktoberfests in the largest playoff comeback in conference history. Can Bryant and the Gryphons take this momentum and turn it into their first conference championship in team history?




Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Conference Semi-Finals Edition)
By Joe Heisman, EHSPN

What a week for my buddy Cam to take an early vacation! Some speculate he needed it after his beloved Wildcats couldn’t sneak into the playoffs on the final day of conference play, but with a start like 3-7, who would even think they had a chance?

Anyway, while Cam is away at play, what a helluva week we had in the FAC-10. Two nail biters that went down to the final minutes. Golden University went into the 4th quarter down 20 points without a prayer, the team thinking about their 4th consecutive first round lost, then transfer WR Antonio Bryant thought he’d make a Bobby Boucher like appearance and lead his team to the promise land of the semi-finals. Who knew with 2 minutes and 47 seconds left in the game he would be hauling in his 2nd TD pass to go along with 200 receiving yards in the quarter to propel the Gryphons to the absurd upset win.

Meanwhile, Bud Heavy was quite nervous going into the 4th quarter of their game with Az.-Kickery, holding onto a slim 10-point lead and the Kickery defense coming out on fire. 300 rushing yards and 4 TDs later though, AD Kevin Neville texted his good friend from Golden and AD of school, “We are going to run our way to the finals, see you there!” Az.-Kickery head coach later revealed in the press conference after the loss that he made a mistake using the Tampa 2 scheme and should’ve used the 3-4 against Bud Heavy. He finished with, “That is just how this season has gone.”

On to the Final Four:

(1) Twin City Tech vs. (4) Bud Heavy University

After clinching the regular season title and a first round bye for the 2nd year in a row, #1 seed Twin City Tech will be looking to fire on all cylinders after the week break against #5 Bud Heavy University. However, last season hailed starters QB Tom Brady and WR Randy Moss carried Tech all season long, yet delivered the stinker of a lifetime in their playoff match-up, allowing the University of Mexico to make its way to its 2nd conference title in three years.

Earlier this year, Tech and Bud Heavy gave the FAC-10 its closest finish ever with Twin City winning 87.02-87.01. This time around I believe Head Coach Kevin Neville will be smart enough to place a defensive scheme in to practice this week and upset the heavily favored Raiders, once again keeping the #1 seed from reaching the championship in the FAC-10.

(2) Busch University vs. (6) Golden University

Golden University has moved on in the last two weeks by the skin of their teeth each time, just sneaking into the playoffs while every 6-6 team lost, by the slimmest of margins (2.63 pts). Then pulling off a miraculous 20-point comeback on the tough to stop, run-heavy team of DUBA. QB Peyton Manning is doing just enough with the offense to squeak out wins, and who is to say that he will not keep the steak going, riding the momentum of last week into the lackadaisical eyes of Busch University, coming off the bye week. I’m not going to be the one to pick against them. They’ve already beat Busch in Week 8 this year. I’m looking for a repeat of that game, very close with Peyton Manning pulling it out in the end.

However, D’angelo Williams tore up the Golden D for 108 yards and a TD and Adrian Peterson was on the bench. So anything can happen in a game of this magnitude, we’ll see who can shed the semi-final nerves the quickest.

Arizona-Kickery will travel to DUBA to participate in this year’s Samuel Adams Falcon Bowl. I expect these teams to put up the biggest point totals of the week, while the coaches sit back and hand the reigns off to the QBs in what we in this business call the “Who gives a shit, let’s pad our stats” game.

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Semi-Finals
(4) Bud Heavy University 81, (1) Twin City Tech 79
(6) Golden University 84, (2) Busch University 72

Samuel Adams Falcon Bowl
(3) DUBA Oktoberfests 90, (5) University of Arizona-Kickery 80

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League Notes
-The recently suspended WR Matt Jones signed with the S.U.C.H. this week. Apparently the purest form of cocaine is found in Vegas.

-Busch University dropped TE Vernon Davis after the BYE week. AD Dave Celli said, “Being the best blocking tight end does not score us any damn points.” Jeremy Shockey will be in for most of the snaps this week.

-After catching wind of the Busch University roster move, Golden AD Mike Comtois plans on suiting up DB Ed Reed this week for the semi-final matchup. Ed was begging for the roster move, saying, “[Jeremy] Shockey is a bitch, he can’t block me, he can’t burn me, can he even catch anymore?”