Texas vs. The Nation Game

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The Texas vs. The Nation Game is a post-season college football all-star game that was established in 2006 as part of the college football post-season. The format of the game pits a team of top-rated college seniors who played college or high school football in Texas against a squad of top-rated seniors from the rest of the nation. Seniors rated in the top 15 at their position by the NFL are eligible to play in the game. The game is currently sponsored in part by Western Refining, an independent refinery based in El Paso, Texas.

[edit] 2007

Coaching staff of the 2007 Nation team

The inaugural game was held in El Paso, Texas, at Sun Bowl Stadium with an attendance of 21,548. The game was held on February 2, 2007 to conclude the college football season, and was broadcast on CSTV. UTEP coach Mike Price led the Texas team and Buddy Ryan, former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, led the national squad.^[1]

Game MVP, Paul Mosley of Baylor, scored two touchdowns for the Texas team.

Meanwhile, Miami's Ryan Moore caught two touchdown passes, one the Associated Press called "showcase catch" in the corner of the end zone on an 11-yard pass from James Madison University Justin Rascati which gave the Nation a 24-17 lead.

West Texas A&M's Dalton Bell drove Texas from its own 11-yard line to the Nation's 44-yard line as time ran out. FIU's Antwan Barnes sacked Bell twice, helping stall Texas' attempt to win the game.

79 players of the 108-man rosters signed with the NFL. The roster was headlined by twelve players selected in the 2007 NFL draft including five 4th round picks, three 6th round picks, and four 7th rounders.^[2]

[edit] 2008

Gene Stallings, former coach of Texas A&M, the Arizona Cardinals, and Alabama led the Texas team in the second annual game on February 2, 2008. Buddy Ryan was again head coach of the Nation team.

Defensive Player of the Game, Texas's Erick Jackson, returned a 50-yard fumble for a touchdown that helped lead the Texas Squad to a 41–14 victory over the Nation. Danny Amendola of Texas Tech caught 3 passes for 71 yards earning him Offensive Player of the Game honors; and Xavier Omon, of Northwest Missouri State, who also played for Team Texas, was named game MVP with 91 yards rushing in the game.^[3]

[edit] Past game results

[edit] See also

• List of college bowl games

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Texas vs. the Nation Website