Nevada was not about to prove a challenge for Huntington in first round play. Northwestern had LSU dead-to-rights but fell short. Purdue's stunning streak of scoreless quarters continued in blanking Snead and Ole Miss. Russell Wilson's interception-less streak continued in a win over Texas A&M. In the semi-finals, Brandon barely beat his old squad LSU with a blocked field goal by Battaglia returned all the way for a TD as time expired, turning the tables on the Tigers' game winning attempt. Purdue's defense only gave up 7 garbage time points to NC State, but two Joey Elliot INT-TDs sealed their fate. In the championship game, NC State hung around the entire game and finally had a chance to win it at the end, driving inside the 20, when WIlson was, at long last, picked off and Huntington won its second straight contest in dramatic fashion, capping an epic two and a half month journey to the title.
