Holiday Bowl
Arizona vs. Nebraska
December 30, 2009, 7pm Central
San Diego, California
Network: ESPN/ESPN Radio

The Holiday Bowl has a reputation for shootouts, but the 2009 game will likely be a struggle dominated by defense.

The Wife and I made the trek last weekend to Arlington for the Big 12 Championship between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Texas Longhorns. It was our first trip to Jerry World, so we of course took lots of pictures.

We were sitting in the lower level, so the pictures were much closer than we’re used too.

Just FYI, the picture of Colt McCoy’s butt was taken by the Wife. I accept neither credit nor blame for it.

For the second year, Texas Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy has been named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Other finalists include:

• Tim Tebow, QB, Florida Gators
• Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
• Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford Cardinal
• Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Even after McCoy’s less than Heisman-worthy performance Saturday night, I like his odds of winning. Many of the votes were probably cast prior to the Big 12 Championship against Nebraska, when his stellar game against Texas A&M was still front of mind.

Let me say from the start that what head coach Bo Pelini has done with Nebraska in his first year at the helm is impressive. He took a 5-7 Nebraska team and added three wins, including victories over Kansas and Kansas State.

I’ve got quite a bit of respect for the Nebraska football program. They’ve been in a down cycle for an awful long time, but the Big 12 Conference is better off having them be a national contender out of the North Division.

And their fans are truly the most knowledgeable, respectable fans I’ve seen. I really love when they come to Austin to play.

It doesn’t hurt that the Longhorns have, well, owned the Cornhuskers for the last dozen years or so.