By Pigskin Pete

Our condolences to any football fan who missed the national telecast of the Fiesta Bowl.

We cannot recall any previous gridiron match that offered the drama of this 
matchup. Boise State played David, mighty Oklahoma was Goliath...and the
slingshot arm of BSU quarterback Jared Zabansky of Hermiston, Oregon  was instrumental in slaying the Sooners.

The upset was engineered by Bronco head coach Chris Petersen, former 
Oregon Duck offensivecoordinator. Three trick plays in the fourth quarter and in overtime left Okie defenders flatfooted and resulted in Bronco scores. Overtime was reached by a double pass spectacular that overcame the Sooner 35-28 lead. Then, after Oklahoma scored on its first play in OT to create a 42-41 lead, Petersen called the hoary Statue of Liberty play, with Zabransky taking the snap in the shotgun formatioin, faking a throw, then hiding the ball behind his back where running back Ian Johnson grabbed it and ran untouched into the end zone for the pair of winning points. Johnson, by the way, added further luster to the BSU script when he proposed to Boise cheerleader Chrissy Popadics (and was accepted) before a national postgame audience.

Coach Petersen is a graduate of Cal Davis and served as quarterback coach at Portland State. He was elevated to head man at Boise State after serving several years as assistant to Dan Hawkins (former head man at Willamette  University) before the latter moved to U. of Colorado.just prior to this  season. Now Petersen has forged a 13-0 unbeaten 2007 record and  conclusively demonstrated that his team belongs amidst college football’s elite programs. Could it be that influential UO athletic supporters will now target  Petersen as a replacement for his former boss Mike Bellotti?

It just doesn’t get any better than what transpired in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl!!

© 2007  Oregon Magazine