Bayou Bowl Ends in Tie?

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What? Bayou Bowl Ends in Tie

Ahmard Vital

Going into any game a coach does not want to lose. Yes, everyone wants to win. Then again, what are the feelings when a game ends in a tie?

“As a coach you want to see a win or a loss. I mean, obviously you want to see a win, but it’s a strange feeling. I’d have to think back, but I haven’t had a tie since…1993,” Team Texas coach Dr. Mike Jackson said of the 23-23 tie between Texas and Louisiana. “I don’t know how to feel. You are glad you didn’t lose, but you feel like you want to go back out and keep playing.”

And know that this was the plan had that option been in the rule book. Jackson watched his players battle on both sides of the ball on Saturday at Baytown Stallworth Stadium. It started early as Texas scored off the jump when quarterback Justin Dvorak (Tomball, signed with Colorado School of Mines) connected with Marquise Johnson (Channelview) for an 80-yard touchdown to open the game.

Or perhaps it could have been linebacker Ken Butler (La Marque, Blinn JC) and his ability to make what seemed to be every other tackle against Louisiana. Maybe it was even kicker Jacob Farmen (Cinco Ranch) was connected on three successful fields, with a long of 47 yards.

Jackson had a clever idea on how to settle this.

“If they want to get (Louisiana) coach (Terrence) Williams over here, we can arm wrestle. We’ll do whatever to see who wins (this game), Jackson said. “I promise you, every player and coach on both sides wanted to square off at the 25-yard line.”

Many on the Texas side of things thought that in the final two minutes that Tim Wright would go ahead and do what he does best, which is make plays. Louisiana kicked the ball off the Wright and he took it back 43 yards on the return. It was one shoestring tackle that kept him from reaching the end zone.

Either way, Jackson knew that something good could happen when the ball is in the hands of Wright.

“I thought they made a mistake by kicking to Tim Wright. That’s exactly what I thought with the ball in the air,” Jackson said.

For now, playing extra time on the annual all-star game is not in the rules set by the coaches in the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association. Perhaps Jackson will ask for an amendment for the next go around.