1/3/2006
The 70th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic had everything organizers could ask for: warm weather, bright sunshine and a big crowd. But for nearly 57 minutes, the Cotton Bowl didn't have much of a game. The game heated up to match the 70-degree temperature when Texas Tech rallied to tie the score with 2:56 remaining. It got red hot – or crimson hot, if you prefer – when Alabama kicker Jamie Christensen kicked a career-long 45-yard field goal as time expired for a 13-10 victory. It marked the first time the Cotton Bowl was decided on the last play of the game since Joe Montana led Notre Dame to a 35-34 win over Houston in 1979. That game, played after an ice storm struck Dallas the night before, was an offensive explosion compared to Monday's game. "It wasn't real pretty," Alabama coach Mike Shula said. "We had a lot of yards. We didn't have a lot of points. We found a way." Christensen's kick found its way through the uprights – barely. The wobbly, spinning, low liner barely cleared the crossbar. Christensen had missed from 39 yards and had a 38-yard attempt blocked in the second quarter. The final kick was two yards further than Christensen's previous career long, and it was his third game-winner of this season. "I didn't know it was good until the ref put his hands up," Christensen said. Until the final minutes, the crowd of 74,222 had to be satisfied with a defensive slugfest. No. 13 Alabama (10-2) scored on its second offensive play of the game when receiver Keith Brown caught a screen pass and bolted 76 yards for a 7-0 lead. Then it was up to Alabama's defense to protect the lead for the rest of the game, which it nearly did. The Tide held the nation's No. 2 offense to just a field goal until late in the fourth quarter. No. 18 Texas Tech (9-3) started its final possession at the Alabama 38 trailing 10-3 with 3:12 left to play. Quarterback Cody Hodges had missed the previous series after getting a brace put on his right knee after suffering what he said was a torn medial collateral ligament. "At that point, I didn't think I could go back in," Hodges said. "I just relied on my faith to pull me through the last three minutes." On the first play, Hodges handed off to Joel Filani on a reverse for a 26-yard gain. Then he hit Jarrett Hicks on a slant pattern. Hicks spun out of a tackle and fell over the goal line to knot the score at 10 with 2:56 to play. Overtime seemed imminent until the Tide hit passes of 17 and 23 yards to drive to the Tech 28. After a final timeout with five seconds left, Christensen's foot caught a chunk of the turf, but he got enough of the ball to give Alabama the win. Christensen also hit a 31-yarder at the end of a 17-play drive to open the second half. The eight-minute drive, five plays longer than any other Alabama drive this season, sapped Tech's defense and kept the Red Raiders' potent offense on the sideline. "I didn't even realize it was a 17-play drive," Texas Tech linebacker Fletcher Session said. "I just knew I was tired." Tech's offense was held to 329 yards by Alabama's No. 2-ranked defense. The Crimson Tide actually passed for more yards, 275 to 226, than Tech, which boasted the nation's No. 1 passing offense. The key was speed. If Alabama's defenders weren't in Hodges' face, they were running step-for-step with Tech's athletic receivers. "Whether we ran the ball or threw the ball, the lanes closed quickly," Hodges said. "I think they're the fastest team we've played, by far."