2011 Alamo Bowl Stats: Washington, Baylor Combine For Ridiculous Offensive Performance

The Alamo Bowl was everything we imagined it would be and more, with Washington and Baylor lighting up the scoreboard in a game where defense was most certainly optional. The points came quickly -- at one interval, the two teams combined for 21 points in just about two minutes -- and Baylor emerged upright and a victor, 67-56. The Bears also covered the spread after trading touchdowns in a somewhat close matchup throughout the night.

Let’s examine a few fun stats.

Baylor gained 777 yards of total offense while Washington finished with 620 yards for a total of 1397 yards. That just misses the high-mark in Division 1, set by Georgia Tech* in 1916. Had Washington not decided to take up a ground-and-pound plan of attack late in the fourth quarter, there’s little doubt this one would’ve fallen by the wayside. Keep in mind, Baylor scored a long rushing touchdown while trying to run out the clock.

*Cumberland was involved in name, but the Yellow Jackets won 222-0.

Oddly enough, it wasn’t all Robert Griffin III, all the time. Baylor finished with 482 net rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, led by Terrance Ganaway’s 200 yards and five touchdowns. Three players were over the century mark on the ground for the Bears.

Keith Price threw for 438 yards and four touchdowns and was, by the numbers, the better quarterback. Griffin finished with 295 yards and a touchdown through the air. Neither quarterback threw an interception, which shouldn’t be surprising considering the secondary play.

The two teams combined for 123 points, just two points off the all-time combined points record in a bowl game of 125. The over/under was set between 78 and 79, the highest total of this bowl season, and it fell with just under nine minutes to go in the third quarter.

Both kickers were 8-of-8 on extra points, but the Huskies missed a field goal. Why either team even attempted a field goal in this one is beyond me. Both teams were also 3-of-4 on fourth down and each punted twice, so at least the punters got a little work in.

If you missed it, you missed one heck of an entertaining game. It may not have been pure, fundamental, defense-first football, but ... I think Baylor just scored another touchdown.