The first Miami Beach Bowl was a messy and poorly-coached but immensely entertaining game. Memphis and BYU put on a double-overtime show for a national audience… and no one’s going to remember that years from now. The main thing — possibly the only thing — casual fans will take away from this game is that an ugly brawl developed after Memphis secured a 55-48 victory with an interception in the second overtime inning at Marlins Park.
The college football section of the internet produced several vines and images on the brawl. We posted one at our Locker. Here are the other images:
https://twitter.com/Mitch_Harper/status/547168882134630400
Also should be done RT @RedditCFB: Did Memphis #68 use his helmet as a weapon? #MiamiBeachBowl https://t.co/WAfl4MPMer
— Mark Armstrong (@MarkPArmstrong) December 22, 2014
This is just outrageous: #MiamiBeachBowl https://t.co/QOaA8pxJwR
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 22, 2014
BYU players are trying to calm each other: #MiamiBeachBowl https://t.co/q9zamzFnLP
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 22, 2014
Some brief thoughts about all this:
1) This is not how BYU gains respect as a team worthy of consideration for Big 12 membership, or as a program trying to negotiate better bowl deals/access for the Group Of Five. BYU, as an independent, does not have direct access to G-5 games the way conference champions do. BYU needs to build respect in order to move upward in the college football world. This undercuts the Cougars’ brand. That’s not the worst reason this brawl was awful — bad sportsmanship is its own punishment, much as virtue is its own reward — but it’s certainly a story in itself.
2) Memphis coach Justin Fuente has drawn so much praise that some commentators have thought he deserved to be looked at by bigger schools. That day — when he lands a bigger job — will probably come… but not immediately. Not after this.
3) The BYU and Memphis players who threw massive punches (the Memphis player with his helmet, not his fist) should certainly be kicked off their respective teams. If not, something’s very wrong.
