2006 MPC Computers Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2006 MPC Computers Bowl was a postseason college football
bowl game
held on December 31, 2006 at Bronco Stadium
in Boise, Idaho
. The game featured tie-ins between the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC), which was represented by the Miami Hurricanes
, and the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC), represented by the . The game was sponsored by the MPC Corporation
, which was formerly known as Micron.
and the murder of defensive lineman Bryan Pata
also marred the season. Miami fired head coach Larry Coker
at the end of the season and named defensive coordinator Randy Shannon
as his successor, to take effect after the bowl game. The Hurricanes were ranked the third-best rushing defense in the nation, having allowed 792 yards on the ground. The Miami secondary, however, had proven somewhat porous by allowing 2,233 passing yards. The Hurricanes offense had struggled and quarterback Kyle Wright
had thrown eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He suffered a broken thumb and was replaced late in the season by Kirby Freeman
for the last three games. Freeman threw for five touchdowns and seven interceptions. On the ground, Miami gained 2,295 rushing yards.
Nevada, led by long-time head coach Chris Ault
, had performed according to expectations during the season, finishing the regular season 8–4. Quarterback Jeff Rowe
passed for over 2,000 yards and a completion rate of 64.7%, but had also suffered 25 sacks
. The Wolf Pack recorded 2,128 rushing
yards, led by Robert Hubbard and Luke Lippincott. The Nevada defense recorded 19 interceptions to tie for eighth in the nation, and allowed an average of 19 points per game.
led a 70-yard, 13-play drive capped with a one-yard quarterback keeper
. With five seconds remaining in the first quarter, Nevada recorded a safety by forcing Freeman to intentionally ground the ball. In the second quarter, Jeff Rowe
connected with receiver Marko Mitchell
for a 27-yard touchdown, but a two-point conversion
attempt failed. In the following possession, a 80-yard, four-play Miami drive culminated with a 52-yard Freeman pass to Ryan Moore. With five seconds remaining in the half, Nevada kicker Brett Jaekle made good a 33-yard field goal
attempt. Miami led at halftime, 14–11.
In the third quarter, Jaekle connected on a second 31-yard field goal to equalize the score. On the first play of their next possession, Freeman completed a pass to Sam Shields for a 78-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Jaekle made 44- and 40-yard field goals to close the deficit to one-point. In the final minute, defensive back Chavez Grant intercepted a pass from Jeff Rowe on the Hurricane 33-yard line to seal the victory for Miami, 21–20.
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
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
held on December 31, 2006 at Bronco 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,...
. The game featured tie-ins between 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...
(ACC), which was represented by the Miami Hurricanes
2006 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2006 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Larry Coker.-Preseason:...
, and 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), represented by the . The game was sponsored by the MPC Corporation
MPC Corporation
MPC Corporation was a United States computer-hardware company based in Nampa, Idaho, USA, best known for providing desktops, notebooks, servers and services to customers in the federal, state and local government, education, small and medium business, and consumer markets...
, which was formerly known as Micron.
Team comparison
Pre-season the ACC media favored Miami to win the conference but Miami posted a 6–6 record in the regular season. A brawl during the FIU gameMiami-FIU brawl
The Florida International University – University of Miami was a bench-clearing brawl that occurred on October 14, 2006 in a college football game between the University of Miami Hurricanes and the at the Orange Bowl stadium in Miami, Florida....
and the murder of defensive lineman Bryan Pata
Bryan Pata
Bryan Sidney Pata was an American football defensive lineman for the Miami Hurricanes and was majoring in criminology.-Career:...
also marred the season. Miami fired head coach Larry Coker
Larry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
at the end of the season and named defensive coordinator Randy Shannon
Randy Shannon
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL....
as his successor, to take effect after the bowl game. The Hurricanes were ranked the third-best rushing defense in the nation, having allowed 792 yards on the ground. The Miami secondary, however, had proven somewhat porous by allowing 2,233 passing yards. The Hurricanes offense had struggled and quarterback Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
had thrown eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He suffered a broken thumb and was replaced late in the season by Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
for the last three games. Freeman threw for five touchdowns and seven interceptions. On the ground, Miami gained 2,295 rushing yards.
Nevada, led by long-time head coach Chris Ault
Chris Ault
Chris Ault is the current college football head coach of the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. Ault, along with John Gagliardi, is one of two active coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame....
, had performed according to expectations during the season, finishing the regular season 8–4. Quarterback Jeff Rowe
Jeff Rowe
Jeff Rowe is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
passed for over 2,000 yards and a completion rate of 64.7%, but had also suffered 25 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
. The Wolf Pack recorded 2,128 rushing
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...
yards, led by Robert Hubbard and Luke Lippincott. The Nevada defense recorded 19 interceptions to tie for eighth in the nation, and allowed an average of 19 points per game.
Game summary
Miami tallied first when Kirby FreemanKirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
led a 70-yard, 13-play drive capped with a one-yard quarterback keeper
Quarterback keeper
A quarterback keeper or keeper in American football is a designed play in which the quarterback does not pass or hand off the ball to another player and instead rushes forward with it in an effort to gain yardage...
. With five seconds remaining in the first quarter, Nevada recorded a safety by forcing Freeman to intentionally ground the ball. In the second quarter, Jeff Rowe
Jeff Rowe
Jeff Rowe is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
connected with receiver Marko Mitchell
Marko Mitchell
Marko Terrell Mitchell is an American football wide receiver who is currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
for a 27-yard touchdown, but a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
attempt failed. In the following possession, a 80-yard, four-play Miami drive culminated with a 52-yard Freeman pass to Ryan Moore. With five seconds remaining in the half, Nevada kicker Brett Jaekle made good a 33-yard 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...
attempt. Miami led at halftime, 14–11.
In the third quarter, Jaekle connected on a second 31-yard field goal to equalize the score. On the first play of their next possession, Freeman completed a pass to Sam Shields for a 78-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Jaekle made 44- and 40-yard field goals to close the deficit to one-point. In the final minute, defensive back Chavez Grant intercepted a pass from Jeff Rowe on the Hurricane 33-yard line to seal the victory for Miami, 21–20.
External links
- Media Guide (PDF)