Special bowl moments come in many shapes

Sports

Related Photos

Dave Ruthenberg..THE DEEP END..

Discussion

January 2, 2013

Special bowl moments come in many shapes

By Dave Ruthenberg, Sports Editor Enid News and Eagle The Enid News and Eagle Wed Jan 02, 2013, 10:45 PM CST

ENID, Okla. — With just a handful of bowl games left in the college football season, two or three moments stand out from the early slate of bowl games.

For local fans, it was an especially gratifying New Year’s weekend with Tulsa and Oklahoma State pulling off decisive wins, led by a pair of former Enid Plainsmen.

Senior Trent Dupy capped a tremendous career at Tulsa by going out just as he had hoped. He told the News & Eagle prior to Tulsa’s 31-17 win over Iowa State Monday in the Liberty Bowl that “I definitely look forward to coming out with a victory and living the rest of my life as a Liberty Bowl champion.” Mission accomplished.

It’s tough for a center to get recognition — other than when called for holding — but Dupy, besides being his usual, steady self during the Liberty Bowl game, also pounced on a loose football that extended a Golden Hurricane drive.

During his career, Dupy has set a nice legacy for future players from the area, including former Enid Plainsmen Colby Scott, Kingfisher standout Derek Patterson and Hennessey brothers Derrick and Matt Luetjen, who all should be back next season at Tulsa.

• Of course then there was the performance of Oklahoma State quarterback Clint Chelf in OSU’s 58-14 dismantling of Purdue in Tuesday’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Chelf was named bowl MVP after he passed for three touchdowns.

Chelf’s saga this past season is well-known. After failing to win the starting nod in spring and finding himself behind a pair of freshmen on the depth chart, he stuck around and wound up starting the last five games of the season.

Chelf credited his brother Colton, another Enid product, with being an inspiration for sticking around, noting how his older brother fought his way on to the roster as a walk-on wide receiver and never gave up.

After the game, OSU head coach Mike Gundy hinted Chelf will be the No.1 quarterback heading into the 2013 campaign when he said “... when we start out in the spring, and they (the quarterbacks) go running out there, Clint is going to go running out there just like he did (Monday).” Reading between the lines, that would seem to imply Chelf will be No. 1 on the depth chart heading into spring. That is about as clear of an answer anybody is likely to get out of Gundy, who just this past week finally allowed Chelf to actually speak to the media before games.

• Finally, a funny and feel-good moment occurred in a bowl game likely missed by most folks as Vanderbilt defeated North Carolina State 38-24 Monday in the Music City Bowl.

After Commodores senior defensive back Trey Wilson intercepted a pass and appeared on his way to a pick-six, Vandy defensive tackle, 6-foot-2, 295-pound junior Jared Morse, stumbled into Wilson’s path, sending Wilson down to the turf. (Hey, it’s tough to see what’s coming from behind when it’s moving faster than you can go forward.)

Vandy head coach James Franklin was furious and ripped into Morse for an extended period of time on the sideline, but Wilson, seeing Morse’s dejection, went over and gave the big guy a hug, which was comical in and of itself as Wilson barely came up to Morse’s shoulder pads, and nearly couldn’t extend his arms around him. But it was a true teammate moment.

Vandy had to settle for a field goal, but the Commodores prevailed and Franklin went over to Morse later as well on the sidelines and soothed things over, proving it’s not just the wins and losses that can make for special moments in bowl games. Although winning certainly helps.

Ruthenberg is sports editor at the News & Eagle. Contact him at daver@enidnews.com.

Text Only

Sports

Lunt transferring to Illinois
Former Oklahoma State starting quarterback Wes Lunt is transferring to Illinois, returning to his home state after giving the Illini little consideration out of high school.
Lunt is from Rochester, Ill., and started five games last season as a freshman for the Cowboys, but was sidelined by an injury. He was the first true freshman to open the season as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma State since at least 1950.
The highly regarded Lunt will have to sit out this fall under NCAA transfer rules, but when he’s available in 2014 could be an instant upgrade for a struggling Illinois program and coach Tim Beckman, who is headed into his second season in Champaign. Beckman is a former OSU assistant coach.

June 17, 2013
Imagine there's no football, Barney sounds dire warning
June 17, 2013 1 Photo
Majors drop pair in Nebraska
June 17, 2013
New NOC Enid softball program making strides
June 17, 2013
Minors twinbill with Boomers postponed
June 17, 2013
Local scores for 6-18-13
June 17, 2013
Radio-TV for 6-18-13
June 17, 2013
Spurs take 3-2 lead in series
Manu Ginobili had 24 points and 10 assists in a surprise start to spark the San Antonio Spurs to a 114-104 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals Sunday night, pushing the Spurs one victory away from their fifth championship.
Danny Green scored 24 points and broke Ray Allen’s finals record for 3s in a series with 25. Tony Parker had 26 points for San Antonio.
LeBron James scored 25 points on 8-for-22 shooting for the Heat and Dwyane Wade had 25 points and 10 assists. But the Heat missed 21 of their first 29 shots to fall behind by 17 points in the second quarter of another uninspired performance.
Game 6 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Miami.

June 16, 2013 1 Photo
Seng is sorry to see coach leave Sooners
June 16, 2013 1 Photo
Rose ends English drought at Open
A steady hand gave Justin Rose the shiny U.S. Open Trophy. A wild ride gave Phil Mickelson yet another silver medal.
Rose captured his first major championship on Sunday with remarkable calm and three pure shots on the punishing closing holes at Merion. A par on the 18th hole gave him an even-par 70, and that was good enough to become the first Englishman in 43 years to win America’s national championship.
Rose hit 5-iron to the first cut of rough, pin-high on the 17th for an easy par. He smashed the most important tee shot of his career down the middle on the final hole, about 15 feet short of the famous Ben Hogan plaque. And his 4-iron rolled near the pin and settled against the collar of the green.

June 16, 2013 1 Photo
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Special bowl moments come in many shapes

Site Map

Contact Us