ps3 national championship

So I try to refrain from talking too much about fake sports, but...I can't think of a way to finish that sentence. This is the conclusion of my second season in NCAA 09 on ps3.

The first season is the 2008-9 football season. Which means the players selected in the actual 09 NFL draft are on college rosters: Stafford and Moreno are at Georgia, Sanchez is at USC, Crabtree is at Texas Tech.

So I started an Illinois dynasty. Juice is a junior, Dufrene is my junior running back, Vontae Davis is a junior, and Benn is my sophomore star receiver. They lost to Penn State but won the Rose Bowl, finishing 12-1. Because of the initial rankings they wouldn't have been in contention for the BCS championship, even if they went undefeated. But I was so good that Juice and Davis went pro, skipping their senior years.

So then I started my second season with McGee as my QB, Dufrene as a senior RB, and Benn as a junior. My goal was to go undefeated and make it to the Title Game. I did just that (although there were two instances where I had to quit games, I know I know) and was matched up against #1 undefeated Florida State. Their overall rating based on their players talent is 99. Illinois was 87.

Scroll down line by line to keep the suspense.

- - -

On my first drive I got a field goal, but they came back and got a touchdown. ILL 3, FSU 7.

Next drive, the FSU defense makes a nice interception, setting them up in my territory. Luckily, I hold them to a field goal. ILL 3, FSU 10.

I finally get a good drive going and tie it up with a touchdown.

ILL 10, FSU 10.

But I can't stop them. They have got incredible speed and talent.

ILL 10, FSU 17.

The half is winding down and I know that they're going to get the ball back to start the second half, so this is a must score. Luckily, I manage to get a touchdown.

ILL 17, FSU 17 - Halftime.

They get the ball first and go right down the field and take the lead.

ILL 17, FSU 24.

After they score they kickoff to Benn. Here's that play. Benn has only had a handful of return touchdowns all year. This is on All-American difficulty (3 out of 4) and it's really hard to break through the coverage.

ILL 24, FSU 24.

Ensuing Seminole possession, I force them to punt. And then this happens.

ILL 31, FSU 24.

That gives me the first lead since early in the game, and what a play, breaking tackles, cutting back across the field. And just when you think I've got all the momentum...they return the ensuing kickoff to the house, breaking tackles up the middle.

ILL 31, FSU 31 - End of 3rd quarter.

My next possession goes for naught, and before I know it, they are driving again. And they score a touchdown.

ILL 31, FSU 38.

There's maybe 3:30 left in the fourth at this point. And I'm thinking, they can't kick it to Benn again. The guy that returned the last two touchdowns. But they do. And he breaks it up the left sideline. He's tackled around the FSU 20, for about a 70 yard kickoff return. A few plays later and I've got a choice to make:

ILL 37, FSU 38 - 3:02 in the 4th

I've been saving this call all day. I'm going for two. If I had done it earlier, I was afraid they would just go for two and equalize. I wanted to do a rollout to the right and if it's there, run it in. Here's what happened.

ILL 39, FSU 38.

Notice how close I was to getting sacked. Wow. But they get the ball back with plenty of time. On one series I get two sacks, including one on 3rd and 15. So now it's 4th and 23. But because FSU is trailing and there's only two minutes to go, they decide to go for it. I don't agree with the logic, but I'm glad I went for two. They don't make and I take over in their territory.

I work the ball down and eventually score on a WR screen pass to Benn. Up 7, I decide to go for the jugular and go for two again. Let's end it now. I call the same play I used a minute ago and end up running for it, but get tackled at the 1.

ILL 45, FSU 38. About 1 minute to go.

Suddenly, this game was still up for grabs. They don't have any timeouts though and they get a few completions but can't get that close. The hail mary falls short of the end zone incomplete, and it's over.

ILL 45, FSU 38. Final.