While I'm obviously disappointed with the results of the Sugar Bowl, it was an exciting game at the end. Virginia Tech played risky rather than conservative and ended up leaving 7 points off the board (2 FG and 1 PAT). Those are the breaks, so I'm not going to make excuses but the clock management by the officials at the end of the game was down right horrible.

I've never seen a team allowed to run so much time off the clock between snaps in College ball. College has a 0:25 second clock that starts from when the ball is set. That means that taking over with over 2:00 left to play, they should not be able to run out the clock without getting a first down.

Auburn ran a play with 2:00 left, which was whistled dead at 1:58. Granted there was some pushing and shoving, but the ball was not set until 1:31. Auburn was able to run another 25 seconds off the clock and snap the ball with about 1:07 left. That is a full 53 seconds after the play ended. That play was dead at about 1:05, and the next snap was taken at 0:22 for the end of the game. That is another 0:43 seconds, 25 of which is the game clock with the other 18 is due to the refs.

Add it all up and the refs cost the Hokies 45 seconds over two plays. Auburn couldn't have asked for more cooperation.

Also, I was a little miffed at having to listen to former Auburn coach, Terry Bowden, all night long. As if that wasn't enough, ABC brought out Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley (of basketbrawl fame) to pile it on.

I did get a chuckle out of them showing Darryl Tapp's brother who is stationed in Baghdad. Immediately after showing Darryl Tapp (who is black) on the TV screen, ABC switched to a live feed from Baghdad where Tapp's brother and other members of his military unit had gathered to watch the game. The soldier Tapp was the only black guy in a sea of about 8 to 10 white faces, and holding a VT flag, but the announcers still felt compelled to ID him each time. "Tapp's brother is the one of the left." "Tapp's brother is seated in the center... with the flag."