The 2005 Holiday Bowl was a

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. The game was held at

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, California, on December 29, 2005, with the

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Oklahoma Sooners The Oklahoma Sooners are the college athletics in the United States , athletic teams that represent the University of Oklahoma, located in Norman, Oklahoma, Norman. The 19 men's and women's varsity teams are called the "Sooners", a reference to ...

defeating the

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, 17–14.

Team selection

The Ducks were playing to show that they deserved a BCS bowl bid, having gone 10–1 during the regular season (the only loss coming to the nation's top-ranked team,

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), while the Sooners, who had lost in the BCS championship game each of the past two years, were trying to show that they really were the team that came into the season ranked fifth in the

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coaches' poll and seventh in the AP writers' poll than the team that lost to

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

by 33.

Game summary

Although Oregon got off to an early 7–3 lead and held that lead for nearly half the game, 22:38, the offense was unable to muster much against an Oklahoma defense that recorded four sacks (two by junior defensive end C.J. Ah You), held the Ducks to 2.6 yards per carry, and allowed only six third-down conversions in 18 attempts. Rotating between Dennis Dixon and Brady Leaf (whose brother, Ryan, was once the quarterback for the

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and played in said stadium) at quarterback, as they had done since losing starter

Kellen Clemens Kellen Vincent Clemens (born June 7, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks and was selected by the New ...

earlier in the year, the Ducks gained 244 passing yards on 44 attempts, but much of that came in the fourth quarter as the Sooners defense tired during two extended drives. Oregon managed little success on the ground, with their top rusher, senior Terrence Whitehead, going for only 42 yards. Oklahoma's offense played largely efficiently, gaining 365 yards, with redshirt freshman quarterback

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completing 59 percent of his passes for 229 yards and one touchdown (freshman

Malcolm Kelly Malcolm Xavier Kelly (born December 30, 1986) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 2008 NFL draft by the Washington Red ...

was the team's top receiver, hauling in seven Bomar throws for 78 yards). Sophomore

Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (; born March 21, 1985) is an American former professional football running back who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football hist ...

led the way on the ground, accumulating 79 yards on 23 carries. In spite of their general success, Bomar and Peterson each provided Oregon hope, with Bomar throwing an interception and Peterson fumbling within a yard of the goal line. The Ducks, trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter, were unable to convert a first-down in the shadow of their own goal posts against the aggressive Sooners defense and thus failed to capitalize on the Peterson turnover. Their defense, though, stymied every Oklahoma drive in the fourth quarter, getting two more possessions for the offense, and Oregon drove 81 yards in 14 plays, with Brady Leaf hitting Tim Day for a three-yard touchdown. Once more the Sooners offense failed to convert a third-down on their ensuing possession as the Ducks defense tightened, and behind a resurgent Leaf, Oregon drove to the Oklahoma 19-yard-line before Sooners senior linebacker

Clint Ingram Clint Ingram (born March 21, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for six seasons in the National Football League from 2006 to 2011, playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. He played ...

intercepted a Leaf pass to seal the victory for the Sooners.

Scoring Summary

Source:

Statistics

References

{{Oregon Ducks bowl game navbox

Holiday Bowl The Holiday Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in San Diego, California. Operating since 1978, its current conference tie-ins are with the Pac-12 Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The bowl is held at Snapdragon S ...

Holiday Bowl 2000s in San Diego Oklahoma Sooners football bowl games Oregon Ducks football bowl games 2005 in sports in California December 2005 sports events in the United States