Bowl Season '08: Chase Daniel Struggles Badly, but Goes Out a Winner in Alamo Bowl

FanHouse gathers around the TV to bring you insights from Bowl Season '08.

Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel has had a wonderful career, but tonight was not his night telling a sideline reporter "my teammates had to win this game in spite of me". Harsh but spot on, as heavily favored Missouri weathered Daniel's three interceptions in gutting out an overtime victory against Northwestern, 30 to 23.

Daniel's line was brutal, completing 27 of 44 passes for just 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns against three interceptions. His accuracy was off all evening, perhaps due to a tremendous defensive effort by Northwestern that held Missouri to just 311 yards, perhaps due to shocking last game jitters. Daniel did gather himself late, completing 5 of 8 passes for 42 yards including the game-winning overtime touchdown pass to teammate Jeremy Maclin.

Northwestern badly outplayed Missouri throughout the game, but was damned by a missed extra point and Maclin's electrifying punt return touchdown just before halftime that evened the game at 10-all.

In contrast to Daniel's shaky play, Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher was near-brilliant tossing three touchdowns and 300 yards, overcoming some rough play that left him hobbling for much of the fourth quarter. Equally tough tailback Tyrell Sutton -- not expected to play with a severely mangled hand injury -- gave Missouri's defense fits in rushing for over 100 yards.

Despite Missouri's Northwestern's dominance, the game remained close after halftime, with both teams getting a shot to put the game away late. After Missouri kicked a field goal to tie the game at 23-all with 2:49 left, Northwestern could do nothing with its opportunity, punting. Missouri got the ball back with 1:32 to go and worked its way into field goal range, but normally reliable kicker Jeff Wolfert slightly pushed a 44-yard field goal as the clock expired. Overtime, baby!

Missouri got the ball first after losing the coin toss, and took just four plays to find the end zone with a pass to a slanting Jeremy Maclin. Northwestern could not answer, netting a fired down inside the Missouri 10 yard line before Bacher fumbled the ball under intense pressure on a third down pass attempt. The ball rolled to the 31 yard line where a teammate recovered. A Hail Mary pass fell innocently into the end zone to end the affair.

And so college football is likely done with the beer-bellied, unforgettable Chase Daniel -- no his name isn't Chase Daniels people get it right for once. He helped people forget about Brad Smith and saved Gary Pinkel's job in making Missouri a Big 12 and national title contender the past two seasons.

Gone, too, is tight end Chase Coffman and likely too will receiver/returnman/all purpose wizard Jeremy Maclin. As a certified drooling idiot in love with those types of slashing players -- hellooo, Desmond Howard, Rocket Ismail, Reggie Bush, DeSean Jackson -- he'll definitely be missed if the NFL is in the very immediate future. What a way to end the too-brief college career with a punt return touchdown that saved Missouri's humiliated bacon and then catching the winning touchdown.