First Half Live Blog: Southern Miss @ Boise State

Southern Miss @ Boise State | 1st Half | 2nd Half

I'm up against it. My job here tonight is to draw eyeballs and clicks to FanHouse while writing about this Thursday night matchup between two non-BCS powerhouses. It's going to be a good one, however ...

Now stick with me here but I have a hunch - just a hunch, mind you - that the majority of you reading this (or potentially reading this) are going to be glued to something else on TV tonight. Like ... The Office season premiere, maybe?

Yeah I want to know how the Jim/Pam/Karen thing resolves itself too. I'd also like to see CSI and what happens to the abducted Sara Sidle. I hope she lives, she reminds me of someone I know and that's just heartbreaking to know she might die. And then there's other distractions I could care less for but steal my readers like Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, Earl, ER and other franchises. Dare I mention a sanitized version of Killing Me Softly, Forrest Gump, The Untouchables, CSI reruns on Spike, Beerfest, Spies Like Us and Field of Dreams?

My boss here isn't down with me waving the white flag so let's make a deal. You watch your shows, but also have the laptop handy or be near a computer to keep tabs with us over here as I update you about tonight's game. Sound good? Good. Also: don't tell me what happens in The Office or CSI. DO NOT WANT. I'm watching the game for you, remember? I've got the TiVo set, but until the game is over I'm in the dark about any other events on TV tonight so let's keep it that way.

Live Blog starts at 7:30 Eastern ~ ~ ~ Vitals, TV Info and Pregame Notes after the jump ...VITALS

- Southern Miss @ Boise State
- TV: 7:30 Eastern, ESPN
- Announcers: Doug Flutie, Craig James, Chris Fowler, Erin Andrews
- Boise State is favored by 11

- Phil Steele Facts (Southern Miss): This will be the 1st gm between the universities as SM is 36-16 vs current WAC schools. First trip west of Texas S/'03 opener at Cal. SM is 5-1 in their 3rd straight road game.

- Phil Steel Facts (Boise State): First meeting. Boise State is 13-1 all-time against current CUSA members. Coming into 2007, Boise St has won 11 straight non-conference home games.

PREGAME NOTES (Continuously Updated)

. . . Now's a good time to reveal I own a small portion of Boise's blue turf. A friend was working in Boise a few years ago, somehow ended up on the field and mailed me a few of the blue threads she "borrowed". Cool gift, no? . . . What's going on with Craig James' hair? It's like something from a 1950's TV news anchor . . . This time last year, Boise State was hosting Oregon State and nobody knew who Ian Johnson was. That all changed when Erin Andrews did a profile story on his unique crochet talent and wore one of his knit beanies . . .

7:49 - Southern Miss is calling its defense the "2007 Nasty Bunch"

7:50 - Touchdown, Boise State. That took all of four plays sprung by a long kickoff return to near midfield. Receiver Jeremy Childs was able to muscle his way for that touchdown after pulling in the pass at the three yard line. Boise State 7 - Southern Miss 0

7:55 - Man, Boise just finds ways to pump out pretty cheerleaders. The daughter of Southern Miss coach Jeff Bowers also cheered for their school a few years ago.

8:08 - Touchdown Boise State, again! This is looking easy. But maybe Southern Miss can pull a reverse Boise State and come back from down 14-0. Remember last year, Boise State trailed big against Oregon State before going on a touchdown fiesta. Boise State 14, Southern Miss 0

8:13 - Southern Miss needs to like, move the ball, man. Boise State's taking advantage of these short fields. Credit to ESPN for getting Boise State's coach to admit how important special teams were for his team and then we go out and watch the game and it's been the difference in this game.

8:16 - Crowd shots are always fun at Boise State. You're always bound to see a few bearded wonders. I think this is the place the malls go shopping for their Santa Claus.

8:17 - Three possessions, three punts for Southern Miss. A 21-0 hole is not where they want to be but that's where they're headed with Boise's third possession starting at their own 44.

8:19 - Ian Johnson is so deceptive in the open field. He caught a routine dump-off pas on third down and then did this silly lean left that completely sold a defender. Two steps right and a killer block later, Johnson had a nice gain and a first down. Everyone knows he's not the fastest guy around but he still finds ways to freeze defenders.

8:22 - Interception in the end zone, nice break for Southern Miss there. Nice play-action call, no safety on a throw to the end zone, just underthrown there. That one is most definitely on the quarterback but a good idea to bury Southern Miss early.

Those of you at home missed a funny scene ESPN had tape of. Two of Boise's offensive linemen decided to compete in a 100-yard race. There's nothing like big fat men running way farther than they should right? Anyway, one of the guys had loooong hair and said he'd cut it off if he lost.

He lost. Off went the hair. Ok so end of the first quarter, be back in a minute.

8:28 - The first sign that Souther Miss' offense sucks: pop-up passes. Any offense that mixes in more than the rarest of "500" type passes to get completions (think Florida State the last few years) is doomed to failure. Now it's all beginning to make sense.

8:32 - ESPN's been talking up Tharp's backup, Michael Coughlin. Sure enough, Boise's playing the youngster for a series as well as a handful of young tailbacks. Ian Johnson has nine carries for just 17 yards and just sprung himself for another 30 or so but was doomed by a holding penalty against his line.

8:34 - ESPN's giving Johnson's wife Chrissy Popadics the Posh Spice treatment with shots of her in the stands cheering. Like a good spouse she's wearing his uniform and some Posh-like shades. Can you be Hollywood in Boise, Idaho?

8:37 - Painted on the back of Boise's bench: "Taco Bell Arena". For reals? That's not the stadium name now, is it?

8:38 - Credit to both defenses. Star tailbacks Damion Fletcher and Ian Johnson have been completely shut down tonight aside from a handful of Johnson receptions.

8:39 - This is the second Thursday in a row the announcers are complaining about the press-box accomodations. Gentlemen: Boise's a nice place and all, but ... you're in Boise.

8:40 - Don't look now but Southern Miss is driving.

8:42 - Field goal good. With 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Boise State 14, Southern Miss 3

8:44 - I don't always agree with his opinions on some matters, but Doug Flutie is a great asset in the booth. He's really helpful in detailing some of the micro and macro issues involved with the quarterback position, reading defenses, offensive approach and players' mentality.

8:47 - I hope someone is recording this game. ESPN is showing a funny picture of Craig James looking silly on a horse. In real life he's a rancher/cowboy, owns some property in Texas (and possibly elsewhere). The horse's name is "Paint". ESPN then showed Boise's horse/Bronco, and he says "that's a gentle horse, you can see in its eyes". Now he's talking about putting his mother-in-law on his own horse because it's so gentle. Uh huh ...

8:49 - Outstanding (!!!) catch by frosh receiver Titus Young. Double move and then a Willie Mays-like catch over his shoulder. Someone get that on YouTube.

8:51 - Chrissy Popadics (errr, Johnson) shot #2 as Ian Johnson takes the inside handoff for a touchdown. Nice run, classic Ian Johnson there shaking a tackle and then muscling his way for the last five or so yards. Boise State 21, Southern Miss 3

8:56 - Southern Miss fumble, Boise State falls on it in Eagle territory. Boise might just put the game away here and now.

8:57 - Yep. Touchdown, Ian Johnson. Two easy runs there, toss left and sweep/outside zone run, the second of which took him to the end zone. Third (or fourth?) shot of the wife. She purty. Ok so should I even return for a Second Half Live Blog? It's Boise State 28, Southern Miss 3

8:59 - Good discussion here. The camera picks up Southern Miss' coach mouthing "that's so easy". Announcers talking about how basic those plays are. TRUE, but that's Boise's bread-and-butter. That's their identity in spite of all this trick play talk. They throw a lot of looks at you but are best at some basic runs that they're very familiar with running.

9:06 - Factoid of the night: Jimmy Buffett is a Southern Miss grad. Yep, and Barq's Root Beer is based in Biloxi. Do we need a MississippiFacts.com to keep us busy?

9:08 - "Is the blue turf any softer?" No clue, but Southern Miss' QB just took a nice hit there that almost popped his helmet off. Oh BTW, Touchdown Southern Miss. Shot of bearded man #3 tonight and Craig James is laughing all goofy for the millionth time tonight. Boise State 28, Southern Miss 10

9:10 - Video proof of Craig James dancing like ... he can't dance. It's getting weird in the booth right now. My colleague Brian Cook thinks James is high. I shrugged it off but it's starting to look that way.

9:12 - First half over. Be sure to stop by the Second Half Live Blog.