Time was that the entire sports world would shut down completely on Christmas Eve, ceding full control of fans’ psyches to thoughts of family, friends and remembering the birth of Jesus–not to mention making sure the presents were wrapped and the milk and cookies were laid out for that chimney invader. Yes, on occasion, especially when December 24th was a Sunday, the NFL would play a slate of afternoon games because, let’s face it, even a religion honoring Jesus can’t hold a candle to a religion honoring Tom Brady. And Christmas Day was always fair game for sports, especially the NBA and a couple of college bowl games. But Christmas Eve-ning was off limits.
But when ABC and ESPN acquired those NBA rights two decades ago, they had just resurrected what was one of those Christmas Day staples–a bowl game played in Hawaii. So the Hawai’i Bowl–if you’re not a Haoli, that’s how you spell it–was moved to Christmas Eve-ning. Well, only technically so in the mainland. The game starts at 2 PM HST, so it’s usually over and done with just as the sun is setting. Last night even that taboo was shattered. As USA TODAY’s
South Florida had a holly jolly Hawaii Bowl. And it took five overtimes for the Bulls to collect their Christmas Eve present.
South Florida prevailed, 41-39, over San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu. The decisive play in the fifth overtime was a pass from quarterback Bryce Archie to receiver Keshaun Singleton.
South Florida nearly let the game slip away in the second half. After building a 21-10 halftime lead, San Jose State stormed back into the game and took a 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter on a Lamar Radcliffe touchdown run that followed a Noah McNeal-Franklin interception.
But the Claus-tastrophic development didn’t discourage the Bulls, who managed to force overtime in the final seconds of regulation. It then took five overtimes to decide the winner at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex as the clock ticked well past midnight and into Christmas Day back in Florida.
And as THE ASSOCIATED PRESS added, history was indeed made:
It was the longest Football Bowl Subdivision bowl/postseason game since overtime was established in 1996. Previously, four games had gone three overtimes.
No, the football wasn’t top quality. Both teams wound up finishing their respective seasons at 7-6. And while it’s not awful to spend Christmas Eve in paradise, leaving behind loved ones in their respective Bay Areas, Tampa and San Francisco, wasn’t perhaps the massive qualitative trade-up in climate that, say, some of the schools being represented at the nearby Diamond Head college basketball tournament were experiencing. Among the participants in that festival–which, like its numerous predecessors, took a break on Christmas Eve-were Nebraska, Loyola of Chicago, Oregon State and Oakland–that’s Michigan, mind you. I dare say it’s been a LOT warmer and dryer in Honolulu this week than in any of those venues.
Honolulu’s longtime TV leader KHON-TV attempted to put some fresh spin on the Hawai’i Bowl in a preview story dropped yesterday:
The game is another key piece for the state to showcase itself as a “sports destination.” …Thousands of fans attended the Hawaii Bowl, the latest big, national sporting event on the islands.
Except since the game moved from the aging downtown Aloha Stadium, home of so many Pro Bowls when actual games were being played, to the on-campus Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex after a two-year COVID-infused hiatus in 2022, that number of thousands in actual attendance has dropped markedly. Just 6720 humans were in attendance last night, a figure consistent with the prior two years’ games, and well below the previous all-time game low of a little more than 20,000.
But when one looks at the fine print of the betting line that folks so inclined had literally all day to ponder, it’s not hard to figure out exactly what made last night’s game historic in their minds:
- Spread: San Jose State (-1.5)
- Moneyline: San Jose State (-120); South Florida (+100)
- Over/under: 66.5.
Yep, that first overtime gave the W to the “over”, and that fifth overtime conversion, coupled with a South Florida stop on San Jose State’s final attempt, had the dogs barking louder than any reindeer.
In today’s sports world, especially on a network increasingly promoting ESPN BET, what could better define the spirit of Christmas than a miracle like that?
Merry Christmas–er Mele Kalikimaka– to all, and take the Beavers tonight.
Courage…