2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida was the first of the six traditional New Year's Day games played on January 2, 2006, as Florida, representing the SEC, avenged a 2004 Outback Bowl loss to Big Ten representative Iowa, taking an early 17–0 lead and then holding off a late Hawkeyes run to win 31–24, giving coach Urban Meyer a bowl victory (his third straight bowl victory in a row; the first two coming in the 2003 Liberty Bowl and the 2005 Fiesta Bowl with Utah) and a 9–3 record in his first season with the Gators.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
The teams matched up fairly evenly defensively, but special teams and defensive touchdowns made the difference for the Gators, who took a 7–0 lead just 1:35 into the game when Tremaine McCollum returned a block eight yards for a touchdown. Behind junior quarterback Chris Leak, who finished the day having completed 27 of 42 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, the Gators constructed two 70-plus-yard drives in the first and second quarters, but came away with only three points as the Iowa defense tightened and kicker Chris Hetland made only one of two field goal attempts.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
Florida senior cornerback Vernell Brown, forcing the game's only turnover, intercepted Iowa quarterback Drew Tate with less than two minutes to play in the first half and returned his catch 60 yards for a touchdown. Iowa responded immediately, taking advantage of a 47-yard kickoff return by Damian Sims, as Tate found wide receiver Clinton Solomon, who finished the day as Tate's leading receiver, catching seven passes for 97 yards, for a 20-yard touchdown, bringing the Hawkeyes within ten.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
The Gators, though, returned their halftime lead to 17 when Leak drove his team 70 yards in 1:09, finally hitting senior wide receiver Dallas Baker, his top target on the day (10 catches for 148 yards), for a 24-yard touchdown as time expired. In a third quarter in which each team punted twice and the Hawkeyes missed a field goal, Florida extended its lead once more, as Leak threw a touchdown to Baker, this one from 38 yards; with just over 17 minutes to play, the Gators led by 24.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
Even as Florida had success on the ground in the game, rushing 42 times for 169 yards (led by freshman running back Kestahn Moore, who went for 87 yards on 13 carries), the Gators were unable to sustain clock-consuming drives in the fourth quarter, twice turning the ball over on downs, and Tate engineered a comeback, hitting senior wide receiver Ed Hinkel, who caught nine passes for 87 yards on the day, for two touchdowns in 6:52, benefiting from a Gators lost fumble on the Florida five-yard line, to bring the Hawkeyes to within 10 with seven minutes to play.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Outback Bowl
Tate, who finished with impressive passing numbers despite his having thrown an interception (32 of 55 passes completed for 346 yards and three touchdowns), connected twice with tight end Scott Chandler, who became the third Hawkeyes receiver to top 80 yards for the game (88, on seven catches), on the final Hawkeyes drive to set up a Kyle Schlicher 45-yard field goal. Iowa recovered an onside kick, but an Iowa player was ruled to have been offsides by the officials assigned by Conference USA for the game. Television replays would later show that no Iowa player was offsides, to the considerable dismay of Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz. Florida recovered the ensuing retry and ran the clock out, leaving Iowa just short in its comeback effort and dropping the Hawkeyes’ record to 7–5 for the season.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Cotton Bowl Classic
The Cotton Bowl Classic, played at the eponymous stadium in Dallas, Texas as the second of the six contests on January 2, saw Alabama, representing the SEC, defeat Big 12 opponent Texas Tech, 13–10. In a matchup of the Crimson Tide's first-ranked scoring defense and the Red Raiders’ second-ranked scoring offense, Alabama held Texas Tech to ten points, thanks to numerous pressures and four sacks of Texas Tech senior quarterback Cody Hodges, who completed only 15 of 32 passes for 191 yards and was knocked out of the game for a period in the second half.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Cotton Bowl Classic
The Alabama defense was assisted by an efficient offense that controlled the ball much of the game and kept the defense off the field; Alabama ultimately possessed the ball for 38:56, largely thanks to the rushing of Kenneth Darby, who notched 83 yards on 29 carries. In fact, it was the Alabama offense that finally secured the win for the Crimson Tide, as quarterback Brodie Croyle, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 275 yards, drove his team 55 yards late in the fourth quarter to set up kicker Jamie Christensen's 46-yard game-winning field goal.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Cotton Bowl Classic
Alabama struck first, scoring less than four minutes into the game as Croyle hit sophomore wide receiver Keith Brown for a 76-yard touchdown; Brown finished as Croyle's top target, gaining 142 yards on five catches. An Alex Trlica 34-yard field goal brought Texas Tech to within four, and the teams traded blocked field goals to end the first half; Christensen also missed a field goal from 38 yards early in the second quarter but the two kicks he made were more significant than the two he missed.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Cotton Bowl Classic
Though the Crimson Tide defense kept the Red Raiders in check most of the second half, Hodges engineered late drives for Texas Tech, using both his legs (he finished as his team's top rusher, gaining 93 yards on 13 carries) and arm. He eventually hit Jarrett Hicks for a game-tying touchdown. The Red Raiders defense, though, could not stop Croyle, and the Crimson Tide came away with a win in their first Cotton Bowl Classic appearance since 1982. The walk-off field goal by Christensen was the first game-ending score in the game since 1979, when Joe Montana brought Notre Dame from behind to defeat Houston.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Cotton Bowl Classic
In a humorous moment following the game at a press conference, Mike Shula, Alabama's coach, fell off the platform where he was sitting on, then got back up and stated "I hope that ESPN didn't film that." Too late for him, they showed that on SportsCenter that night.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
The third of the six traditional New Year's Day contests played on January 2, 2006 was the Gator Bowl at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Having left the Big East two years earlier to join the ACC, Virginia Tech defeated Louisville, which was playing in its first year of Big East membership, 35–24.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
In spite of the difference in their styles (Louisville entered the game with the nation's third-ranked offense and Virginia Tech brought the third-ranked defense), each team entered the game with a similar goal: successfully finishing a season marred by the disappointment of exclusion from the BCS bowl games (Louisville was widely expected to claim the Big East crown and thus an automatic bid, and Virginia Tech was heavily favored to win the ACC championship game, which was played at ALLTEL four weeks earlier against Florida State).


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
Starting just his second game for the Cardinals after the injury of Big East passing leader Brian Brohm, Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell excelled early, driving his team 77 yards in 3:59 and hitting freshman wide receiver Mario Urrutia, his top target on the day (six catches for 95 yards), for an 11-yard touchdown. After Brandon Pace made a 36-yard field goal for the Hokies, Cantwell led another long drive, this one 80 yards, and connected with wide receiver Joshua Tinch for a 39-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals an 11-point lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
After neither offense sustained progress for much of the second quarter, the Hokies pressuring defense (Virginia Tech sacked Cantwell four times on the day) forced a turnover as cornerback Roland Minor intercepted Cantwell near midfield; Virginia Tech took advantage, as quarterback Marcus Vick hit wide receiver Justin Harper for a 33-yard touchdown, cutting the Hokies’ halftime deficit to seven.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
In a third quarter marked by defensive toughness, only the Hokies managed to score, taking the ball on their own one-yard line and driving 88 yards, largely behind running backs Brandon Ore and Cedric Humes, who combined to gain 166 yards on 32 carries, before a Louisville defensive stand forced them to settle for another Pace field goal.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
In a span of 66 seconds early in the fourth quarter, each team scored a touchdown, as Gary Barnidge caught a 29-yard Cantwell pass and Humes ran 24 yards before the Hokies added a two-point conversion to cut the Louisville lead to three points.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
An opportunistic Virginia Tech defense contained Louisville back Michael Bush in the fourth quarter (he gained 94 yards on 16 carries for the game) and took advantage of Cantwell's inexperience, forcing a fumble (off of which Vick threw a two-yard touchdown to Jeff King, finishing his day with 11 completions in 21 attempts for 204 yards) and then recording an interception which James Anderson returned 40 yards for a touchdown to give Virginia Tech the 11-point margin by which they would eventually win; the defense sealed the victory with a third interception of Cantwell (who finished the game having completed only 42 percent of his passes) and, behind Humes, the Hokies ran out the clock.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
After the game, video showed Vick, ostensibly intentionally, stepping on the leg of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil; though none of the Big 12 officiating crew saw the play as it happened, the head referee, upon seeing a replay of the play, indicated that he would have ejected Vick had he seen the play.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Gator Bowl
On January 6, Hokies coach Frank Beamer announced that Vick had been dismissed from the team; Vick later announced that, in lieu of transferring to another Division I-A school, after which he would have had to sit out one year, or to a Division I-AA, II, or III school, whereupon he could play immediately, he would forgo his senior season, declaring his eligibility for the 2006 NFL Draft.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl, the second post-season game played at the Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Florida was the fourth played on January 2, 2006, and the final non-BCS game. Wisconsin, playing its final game for coach Barry Alvarez and representing the Big Ten, defeated Auburn, an SEC representative which a year ago finished its season undefeated but left out of the BCS championship game, 24–10.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
The Badgers recovered two Auburn turnovers in the game's first four minutes, intercepting quarterback Brandon Cox and forcing a fumble by running back Kenny Irons, but failed to score on short fields, punting once and missing a 53-yard field goal.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
It was when faced with poor field position, however, that the Wisconsin offense came alive, and, midway through the first quarter, quarterback John Stocco took the team 75 yards in just 57 seconds, connecting with Brandon Williams on a 30-yard pass for a touchdown to give the Badgers a seven-point lead; Williams was Stocco's leading receiver on the day, catching six passes for 173 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
A tough Badgers defense, which sacked Cox four times on the day, forced an Auburn punt and the offense, behind a 61-yard carry by running back Brian Calhoun, who carried for 214 yards on 30 carries for the game, shredding the Auburn run defense, got to the two-yard line before stalling and settling for a 19-yard Taylor Mehlhaff field goal.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
Irons, who had been held below 100 yards in just two games during the regular season, managed little traction against Wisconsin, finishing the day with just 87 yards on 22 carries; the inability of Irons to get a first down ended two Auburn drives in the second quarter and led to a 12-play, 86-yard drive that culminated in Stocco's hitting Owen Daniels for a 13-yard touchdown, giving the Badgers a 17-point halftime lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
Stocco, committing the only Badgers turnover of the game, fumbled in the third quarter, giving Auburn the ball at the Wisconsin 18-yard line, but the Tigers were held to a 19-yard John Vaughn field goal, after which the teams traded punts to close the third quarter.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
Cox, who finished the day having completed only 45 percent of his passes for just 138 yards, led the Tigers on one final long drive, going 56 yards in 14 plays and hitting Courtney Taylor with a nine-yard touchdown pass; the drive was twice kept alive with third-down completions to senior wide receiver Ben Obomanu, who led the Tigers in receiving with five catches for 62 yards. The Badgers answered just 1:27 later, as Calhoun ran 33 yards for a touchdown to put the Badgers up by 14 points.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-BCS New Year's Day Bowls, Capital One Bowl
After the Wisconsin defense held the Tigers at midfield, the Badgers took the ensuing possession, largely through the running of Calhoun, 98 yards to the Auburn one-yard line before allowing time to expire, securing Alvarez, who will continue in his role as the school's athletic director, his fourth season of double-digit wins. Defensive coordinator Bret Bielema assumed head coaching duties in 2006, and led them back to the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games
The purse for each BCS game was $14,998,000. All records shown are pre-bowl game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
The first BCS Game, the Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona is the fifth of six traditional games that were played on January 2, 2006 in the time usually reserved for the Rose Bowl, which served as the national championship game. In a battle of BCS at-large selections, Ohio State University defeated Notre Dame, 34–20, in the last Fiesta Bowl to be played at Sun Devil Stadium.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
The Fighting Irish, an independent program, struck first, capping a six-play, 72-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Darius Walker, but the Buckeyes, representing the Big Ten, of which they were co-champion, tied the game just three minutes later as junior quarterback Troy Smith hit speedy sophomore Ted Ginn Jr., for a 56-yard reception.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
The Irish soon had another scoring chance, as Smith was sacked and fumbled on the Ohio State 15-yard line; Walker, though, was held in check by the Ohio State defense, and a fourth-down conversion attempt was stuffed by Buckeyes linebacker A. J. Hawk, who recorded the first of his two sacks (senior defensive end Mike Kudla recorded three).


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
Off of the defensive stop, the Ohio State offense rolled behind Ginn once more, as he caught an 18-yard Smith pass and then carried the ball himself 68 yards for a touchdown; Ginn finished the day with two carries for 73 yards and eight catches for 168 yards. After Notre Dame punted on its first second-quarter possession, Smith again led his team down the field, often using his legs (he finished the day with 11 carries for 76 yards), and Ohio State reached the Notre Dame 15-yard line before a second Smith fumble ended another Buckeyes scoring chance.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
Even as Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who finished fourth in 2005 Heisman Trophy balloting, connected twice on the ensuing drive with Maurice Stovall, who finished as the top Irish receiver with nine catches and 128 yards, the Buckeyes defense forced a punt from midfield and the offense then went 98 yards for a touchdown; the scoring play was an 85-yard touchdown heave from Smith to wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who had caught five passes for 124 yards at game's end.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
Quinn had little success against the Ohio State defense in the first half, and the ensuing Irish drive stalled, allowing the Buckeyes to regain possession and drive to the Notre Dame 11-yard line from which sixth-year senior kicker Josh Huston had a field goal attempt partially blocked; nevertheless, Ohio State held a 14-point lead at the half, buoyed by nearly 400 yards of total offense and three 50-plus-yard plays in the first half alone.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
As the Buckeyes stuck to the running game in the third quarter, sophomore running back Antonio Pittman became a featured part of the offense, helping his team to run nearly four minutes of the clock before a Huston field goal attempt from 46 yards was blocked, allowing Notre Dame to stay within 14 points of the Buckeyes. On a 71-yard drive in which senior wide receiver Matt Shelton caught three passes (of five for the game), Walker rushed for a 10-yard touchdown but kicker/punter D.J. Fitzpatrick missed the extra point, keeping Ohio State's lead at eight.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
On the strength of a 44-yard Ginn reception, the Buckeyes struck back just two minutes later, as Huston finally connected on a field goal attempt, this one from 40 yards. Huston added a 26-yard field goal with 10:13 to go in the game, once more stretching the Ohio State lead to 14. The Irish struck back but took 4:38 to do so as Quinn struggled to find his top receiver, Jeff Samardzija, who finished with six catches for only 59 yards; Walker's third touchdown, from five yards, brought Notre Dame to within seven with 5:20 to play in the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
Pittman ended any thoughts of an Irish comeback, though, when he ran 61 yards for a touchdown with 1:46 to play, taking his total for the game to 135 yards (on 20 carries); the Irish could get no closer than their 39-yard line the rest of the way as Ohio State won by 14 while compiling 541 yards of total offense and preventing first-year Irish head coach Charlie Weis from claiming a bowl victory.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Fiesta Bowl
The win was the third in the Fiesta Bowl for Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who saw his team defeat Miami (Florida), 31–24, in the double overtime 2003 edition, thereby claiming the 2002 national championship. As the second team in the BCS from the Big Ten, Ohio State earned an extra $4.5 million for its participation, while each of the six BCS conferences received an extra $1.7 million to be shared amongst their teams. Notre Dame, as an independent school without conference affiliation, kept its entire payout. The following season's game, along with the new stand-alone BCS title game, was moved to the new University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl, the second BCS bowl, and the final game of six played on January 2, 2006, was contested at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, having been, like the New Orleans Bowl, displaced from the Louisiana Superdome by Hurricane Katrina. West Virginia, representing the Big East as conference champion, upset Georgia, the winner of the SEC championship game, 38–35.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
Georgia was looking for its third straight win in Atlanta in as many appearances, having won its last regular season game (against rival Georgia Tech on the Tech campus) and the SEC championship game (over LSU) at the Georgia Dome, located near the Bulldogs' Athens, Georgia campus, but West Virginia took a 28–0 lead in the game's first 16 minutes and withstood a furious Georgia comeback before scoring late in the fourth quarter to secure the win.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
Mountaineers freshman running back Steve Slaton began a career day early, running for a 52-yard score just 2:48 into the game en route to accumulating 204 yards on 26 carries against a Bulldogs defense that entered the game having allowed only 3.5 yards per carry. On the subsequent West Virginia possession, freshman quarterback Pat White accounted 56 yards of a 64-yard scoring drive, connecting with wide receiver Darius Reynaud for a three-yard touchdown pass; Reynaud caught six passes for 50 yards on the day.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
Just two plays into the next Bulldogs drive, running back Danny Ware lost the first of what would be three Georgia fumbles on the day, and West Virginia took just five plays to go 26 yards, scoring a touchdown on a 13-yard Reynaud run. The Mountaineers defense stymied an additional Georgia drive and forced a fumble by Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, setting up a 50-yard drive that culminated in Slaton's second touchdown scamper, an 18-yarder that gave West Virginia a 28-point lead just 15:50 into the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
Shockley began to have success against the Mountaineers defense in the second quarter, completing three straight passes for a total of 46 yards before running back Kregg Lumpkin, who finished the day with 67 yards on nine carries, scored from 34 yards to put Georgia on the board. After their defense forced a West Virginia punt, the Bulldogs went 91 yards in just six plays, with Thomas Brown's scoring on a 52-yard run; Brown has held largely in check the remainder of the game, totaling only 78 yards on nine carries.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
A long run by West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt, who finished the day having run for 80 yards on nine carries, set up a 27-yard Pat McAfee field goal, but Shockley, who finished the day having completed 20 of 33 passes for 278 yards and having gained 62 yards on eight carries, drove his team 80 yards in under five minutes and hit wide receiver Leonard Pope, who caught six passes for 52 yards on the day, from four yards to cut the West Virginia halftime lead to 10 points.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
After combining to give up more than 600 yards in total offense in the first half, both defenses tightened in the second half and although Brown lost a fumble to the Mountaineers, neither team managed a score until 1:44 remained in the third quarter when Shockley hit A.J. Bryant for a 34-yard touchdown to bring the Bulldogs to within three points.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
White continued to play well through air and on the ground in the fourth quarter, though, and led his team on an 80-yard drive that ended when Slaton ran for a 52-yard touchdown and once more extended the West Virginia lead to ten. For the game, White completed 11 of 14 passes for 124 yards—completing four passes for 64 yards to senior Brandon Myles, his leading receiver—but also added 79 yards on 24 carries in contributing to his team's 386-yard rushing performance.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
Shockley drove his team once more, connecting with Mohamed Massaquoi, whom he four times for 43 yards on the day, to convert a crucial third down and then finding Bryan McClendon, who caught three balls for 72 yards, on a 43-yard scoring drive.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
The Bulldogs defense held but West Virginia punter Phil Brady successfully carried out a fake punt and ran for a first down, allowing the Mountaineers, behind Slaton and White, to run out the clock, run their season to 11–1, and prevent the Big East from going winless in four bowls; South Florida, Rutgers, and Louisville had all lost earlier.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Sugar Bowl
The game was the final of three games hosted by the Georgia Dome in four days; the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl was held on December 30, and an NFL contest between the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons was played on January 1, which the Panthers won 44–11. The game returned to New Orleans in 2007.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
The third BCS game, the Orange Bowl, was played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 3, 2006, and saw Big Ten co-champion Penn State defeat ACC championship game winner Florida State, 26–23, in a triple overtime game marked by tight defense, inconsistent offense, and streaky special teams.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
The Nittany Lions capped a season they began unranked in both the USA Today coaches’ and AP writers’ polls by winning a record 21st bowl game for coach Joe Paterno, at 79 the oldest coach in Division I-A and with 354 victories the second-winningest; Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden, at the age of 76, failed to add to his current Division I-A record of 359 victories (19 in bowls). Each coach was older than the game itself; this was the 72nd Orange Bowl held.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Each team had four possessions during the first quarter, and only Penn State scored; running back Austin Scott, who led his team in rushing with 110 yards on 26 carries on the day, capped an eight-play, 85-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
The Nittany Lions failed to capitalize on a second-quarter interception thrown by Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford, and Seminoles senior wide receiver Willie Reid, who gave his team excellent field position on several drives, averaging 25.7 yards over seven punt returns, returned a Jeremy Kapinos punt 87 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at seven with 4:09 to play in the first half.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
After a defensive stop, the Florida State offense scored in one play, as Weatherford hit running back Lorenzo Booker, who finished with three catches for 69 yards, for a 57-yard touchdown; kicker Gary Cismesia, however, missed the extra point, and so a 25-yard scoring pass by quarterback Michael Robinson to wide receiver Ethan Kilmer, who accumulated six receptions totaling 79 yards on the day, gave Penn State a 14–13 halftime lead. Each defense controlled the opposing offense in the third quarter, and the longest drive achieved was one of 19 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Each defense played well throughout the game, and the teams combined to convert only 11 of 38 third down attempts. As Florida State faced a third down at its own seven-yard line early in the fourth quarter, Weatherford was penalized for intentional grounding while in the end zone, and Penn State was assessed a safety, giving the Nittany Lions a 16–13 lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Weatherford was pressured by Penn State much of the day as the Nittany Lions defense stopped the Florida State running game early (senior running back Leon Washington gained just 30 yards on six carries to lead his team and overall the Seminoles averaged just 1.0 yards per carry), but finished the day with serviceable numbers, having completed 24 of 43 passes for 258 yards; Reid was his favorite target as he caught four passes for 55 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Penn State took possession off the free kick at the Florida State 47-yard line, and Robinson drove his team to the five-yard line before fumbling; the loose ball was recovered by the Seminoles. Robinson was active as a passer for the game, completing 21 of 39 throws for 253 yards, but he was held in check by the Seminoles rush defense, gaining only 21 yards on his 17 carries.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Weatherford drove the Seminoles to the Penn State 30-yard line, converting a crucial third-down with a 39-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Davis, who caught three passes for 55 yards in the game, before the Nittany Lions defense tightened, and Cismesia made a 48-yard field goal to tie the game at 16.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
On the ensuing Penn State possession, Robinson drove his team to the Florida State 12-yard line—the key play was a 38-yard pass play to wide receiver Jordan Norwood, who caught six passes for 110 yards—but freshman kicker Kevin Kelly missed a 29-yard field goal with seconds left in the game, sending the game to overtime.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
The box score at the end of regulation demonstrated each team's sound defensive play and poor discipline; Penn State had gained just 20 first downs (doubling Florida State's 10), the teams had combined to punt 20 times, and the teams had been flagged for 21 penalties (losing 172 yards). Though Penn State held a 100-yard advantage in total offense and had an eight-minute edge in time-of-possession—without suspended linebacker A.J. Nicholson, the Seminoles struggled to stop the run—Florida State kept the game close by forcing two Nittany Lions turnovers in Seminoles territory.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
In the first overtime, Cismesia missed another kick for the Seminoles, this a 48-yard field goal, but Kelly failed to connect on a 38-yard attempt that would have given his team the win.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
Penn State took the ball to begin the second overtime and after Robinson hit Kilmer for 17 yards to take the Nittany Lions inside the two-yard line, Scott scored his second touchdown of the game and Kelly made the extra point to put Penn State up seven points; Florida State responded almost immediately, though, as Weatherford threw to Reid for 11 yards and to Greg Carr for 12 before fullback B.J. Dean made his only carry of the day count, scoring from one yard out—Cismesia's extra point tied the game at 23.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
After their defense held Florida State to four yards in the third overtime and after Cismesia missed his third kick of the game, a 38-yard field goal attempt that hit the right upright, Robinson found freshman wide receiver Justin King for one of King's five catches on the day and then ran for a first down, setting up a 29-yard field goal try by Kelly, who, in making the kick, redeemed himself after twice missing field goal tries that would have given his team the win, ending a game that lasted until 12:59 AM US EST, prompting Paterno to query an Orange Bowl official at the trophy ceremony, "How long were we here, three months?"


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Orange Bowl
The win evened Paterno's record against Bowden; the two had tied once and Bowden's Seminoles defeated Paterno's Nittany Lions in the inaugural Blockbuster Bowl in 1990, which was played in then-Joe Robbie Stadium. Penn State won without the services of Dick Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny, who was injured early in the second half and did not return; after having been taken for x-rays, however, Posluszny returned to the sidelines to motivate his team. The Nittany Lions finished third in the final writers (AP) and coaches' (USA Today) polls.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl Game, serving as the final game and national championship of the BCS series, was played on January 4, 2006, at the eponymous stadium in Pasadena, California, matching the two remaining unbeaten Division I-A squads, Big 12 champion Texas and defending national champion and Pac-10 titleholder Southern California, and saw a back-and-forth contest ultimately won by the Longhorns, 41–38. Southern California entered the game with a 34-game winning streak, the longest active streak in Division I-A, as they also were going for a third consecutive AP national championship.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl Championship Series games, Rose Bowl Game
; Texas brought the second-longest active streak, having won 19 straight games, and also entered as Rose Bowl defending champion, having defeated Michigan in 2005. The game also featured 2004 Heisman Trophy-winning Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart and 2005 Heisman Trophy-winning Trojans running back Reggie Bush, as well as Longhorns quarterback Vince Young, who had finished second to Bush just weeks before the game, and was the first to have matched teams ranked first and second in every iteration of the BCS standings. The game often referred to as The Granddaddy of Them All took on extra significance, then, and in the weeks preceding the contest was widely referred to by analysts as "the greatest championship game ever", given both the talent of each team and the expected competitiveness of the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Conference standings
The list of conferences infra includes all conferences with at least one team having played in a bowl game, and is sorted first by winning percentage, then by total games won, and finally alphabetically, by conference name.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Conference standings
The conferences with the highest winning percentage received the Bowl Challenge Cup, sponsored by ESPN and Cooper Tires. Conferences must have had a minimum of three bowl teams to be eligible. With Texas' win in the Rose Bowl Game, the Big 12 and the ACC shared the title for 2005–06, in the first instance of a shared title in the promotion's brief history. Had Southern California defeated Texas, the Pac-10 would have finished with a 4–1 record and been the sole winner of the trophy.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Conference standings
§ — Did not field enough teams for inclusion in the Bowl Challenge Cup.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, All-Bowl Teams
Both CBSSportsline.com  and ESPN.com  compiled an all-bowl team after the completion of bowl season, determining the top bowl performances by position. The chart infra gives the lists by position, with each player's school in parentheses; where ESPN.com has chosen the same player as CBSSportsline.com, only the last name is given in the second entry.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Top Individual Bowl Performances
The charts infra provide the top ten individual performances in each of three offensive categories from amongst all bowl game performances. Each chart is ordered by yards gained and each player's team is given in parentheses.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Top Individual Bowl Performances
Rushing (all players played primarily at running back unless otherwise noted)


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Top Team Bowl Performances
The charts provide the top five (and ties) team performances in each of two offensive and defensive categories. Total offense and defense charts are ordered by yards gained and surrendered, respectively; scoring offense and defense charts are ordered by points scored and surrendered, respectively. "Scoring offense" and "scoring defense" points totals include points all points scored by a team, not solely those scored by the respective units.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Top Team Bowl Performances
Total Offense (each performance was in a winning effort, unless otherwise noted)


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, Non-All-Star Game Bowl Summary, Top Team Bowl Performances
Scoring Offense (each performance was in a winning performance, unless otherwise noted)


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games
The demise of the Blue–Gray Football Classic two years ago and the cancellation of the Gridiron Classic due to lack of sponsorship this year gave rise to one new game this year (the Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic), bringing to five the number of post-season all-star games, each of which is now designed primarily to showcase draft-eligible players for NFL scouts, coaches, and general managers in order that players might be drafted into the professional ranks; each game, to that end, offers its own assortment of scouting sessions, open workouts, and individual practices to provide more opportunities during which NFL personnel might evaluate players. The games do serve ancillary purposes as well, though, as, for example, the Shrine game operates as a charitable fundraiser and the Hula Bowl sometimes provides the opportunity for Japanese players from the Kansai Football Association to test their mettle against NCAA stars.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic
The inaugural Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic was played at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi on December 24, 2005. The White team, composed of Division I-A seniors from teams either having already played in a bowl game or not having been selected for or qualified for a bowl game and coached by Kentucky offensive coordinator Joker Phillips, defeated the Red team, an all-star team of Division I-AA, Division II, and Division III schools coached by Northwestern State head coach Scott Stoker, 17–9.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic
Each team punted to open the game, and with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter, Eastern Michigan quarterback Matt Bohnet, who completed each of the three passes he attempted on the day, connected with Louisiana–Lafayette wide receiver Bill Sampy for a 41-yard touchdown, which, in a game of inconsistent offenses that saw the teams combine for just 18 first downs while allowing five sacks, six pass deflections, and three turnovers, stood as the only score of the game until behind Southern Miss quarterback Dustin Almond, off a two-touchdown performance in the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette, the team drove to the Red 5-yard line before settling for a field goal to give White a 10-point lead with 2:05 to play in the first half.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic
Behind Indiana State quarterback Blayne Baggett, Red engineered a drive of its own, ultimately scoring on a one-yard touchdown scamper by Baggett as time in the first half expired. Led by Louisiana–Monroe quarterback Steven Jyles, who finished the game having passed for 80 yards and having rushed for 31 more, White scored just 2:39 into the second half, as Jyles threw seven yards to Texas A&M tight end Boone Stutz from seven yards, giving his team a 17–7 lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic
An end-zone sack of Jyles by Appalachian State defensive end Justin Hunter scored a safety for Red, but, even as Alabama State running back Keldrick Williams ran for 67 yards on just eight carries for Red, neither team could manage a score over the game's last 21:18 as White hung on to win by eight.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Las Vegas All-American Classic
The Las Vegas All-American Classic at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada, was played on January 14, 2006, as a team of Division I-A and I-AA and NAIA all-stars from schools located east of the Mississippi River defeated a similarly constituted team from schools located west of the Mississippi for the first time in three years, 41–3.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Las Vegas All-American Classic
Miami (Florida) fullback Quadtrine Hill scored two of the East's first three touchdowns (on which two extra points were missed), one a rush and one a reception from Central Michigan quarterback Kent Smith, as the East took a 19–3 lead midway through the second quarter; between Hill's scores was a touchdown reception by Carroll College wide receiver Tyler Emmert, on a pass thrown by Murray State quarterback Daniel Rumley.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Las Vegas All-American Classic
An inconsistent offensive performance by the West and a taut defensive showing by the East held the West scoreless for the remainder of the game; the West team ultimately gained only 102 yards for the game. Tulane safety Tra Boger extended the East lead to 23 points in the third quarter, as he returned an interception thrown by Brett Elliott, a backup quarterback at Utah, 40 yards for a touchdown.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Las Vegas All-American Classic
Florida State running back James Coleman scored for the East in the third quarter, and, after successfully converting a two-point attempt, the East team took a 34–3 lead into the fourth quarter. Drives by each team stalled repeatedly in the second half, and the East's final touchdown came again on defense, as Boger returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown. Overall, each offense was inconsistent, and the teams combined for just 391 yards, only 157 of that on the ground. In total, 14 players whose teams appeared in bowl games participated for the East (four were supplied by Miami [Florida], from which the most East players came); the number was 16 for the West team, for whom the principal supplier was Iowa State (three players).


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the titular sponsor's home city, was the first of two all-star games contested on January 21, 2006, and saw the West team, made up of players from Division I-A and I-AA colleges and universities west of the Mississippi River, stage a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the East team, composed of players from schools east of the Mississippi, 35–31.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
This was the first Shrine Game played in San Antonio—the previous eighty editions had been held in stadia in the San Francisco Bay Area, except for the 1942 game, which was played in New Orleans. The East scored just 2:12 into the game, as Arkansas running back De'Arrius Howard, who would lead all rushers in the game in accumulating 61 yards on 15 carries, scored on seven-yard run; the body of the drive was a 66-yard reception by Auburn tight end Cooper Wallace, who, with just one catch, would nevertheless finish the game as the East's second leading-receiver.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
Each team punted after a stalled drive before the West, behind Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal, drove 78 yards, ultimately scoring on a one-yard touchdown pass from McNeal to Oregon tight end Tim Day. McNeal, playing just four series in the game, would finish as the West's leading passer and runner, having accumulated the bulk of his 32 rushing yards during the West's first scoring drive.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
The West would score twice in a span of four-and-one-half minutes in the early stages of the second quarter, as Texas Tech running back Taurean Henderson, who ran for 32 yards on seven carries over the game, ran for a two-yard touchdown and Texas tight end David Thomas caught a 20-yard scoring toss from UCLA quarterback Drew Olson, who completed five of eight passes for 67 yards for the game; two more successful extra points by Missouri State kicker Jonathan Scifres would give the West a 21–7 lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
The East team answered immediately, as Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who was his team's leading passer, having at game's end completed 8 of 16 passes for 109 yards, led a four-minute drive that was capped by his 10-yard touchdown throw to Hofstra tight end Marques Colston; neither team managed to score again before halftime and the West team took a 21–14 lead into the locker room.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
Receiving the kickoff to open the third quarter, the East team scored quickly, as Howard found the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the day, this from three yards, with just 2:11 having elapsed in the second half; East was quarterbacked on the drive by Northwestern's Brett Basanez, who completed just six of 13 passes for 89 yards on the day.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
After the teams exchanged punts, the East finally retook the lead with 2:18 to play in the third quarter on a 47-yard field goal by Ohio State kicker Josh Huston, who would score seven points on the day. With Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar under center, the West was able to muster little offensively in the early fourth quarter, and Pinegar finished the day having completed just 3 of 9 passes for 50 yards and having thrown one interception.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
With 8:13 remaining in the game, Howard scored his third touchdown of the day, this from 11 yards, on a drive keyed by the running of Florida State running back Leon Washington, who, in the game, carried nine times for 44 yards and caught six passes for 26 yards, and the Huston extra point gave the East a ten-point lead.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
McNeal reentered the game for the West and sparked a comeback, hitting fellow Aggie wide receiver Jason Carter for 66 of Carter's 85 receiving yards before handing off to New Mexico running back DonTrell Moore, who scored on a 10-yard rush to cut the East lead to 31–28 with just under seven minutes to play in the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
The ensuing East drive stalled, and McNeal engineered another scoring drive, connecting first with Brigham Young receiver Todd Watkins for 46 yards for Watkins' only catch of the day, and then hitting Oregon State wide receiver Mike Hass for a 23-yard touchdown with 2:00 to play in the game, giving the West a 35–31 lead; Hass was the game's leading receiver, catching four passes for 107 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
Alabama State quarterback Tarvaris Jackson led the East on the ensuing drive, notably hitting Western Michigan wide receiver Greg Jennings for a key first down, and, with one second left, connected with Colston, who caught five passes for 82 yards for the game, for a gain to the West one-yard line; the final play of the game was a handoff to Howard, but this time the West defense held and Howard was stopped short of the goal line as the West preserved the win.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
Though the West committed two turnovers (Pinegar's interception and a fumble) and the East none, the East also committed errors, being flagged for 11 penalties totaling 110 yards by the National Football League referees who officiated the game. McNeal's Texas A&M head coach, Dennis Franchione, led the West team in victory, while Arkansas' Houston Nutt coached the East team.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, East–West Shrine Game
Each team, in keeping with Shrine Game tradition, fielded one player from a Canadian college or university; for the East, Western Ontario wide receiver Andy Fantuz caught one pass for 11 yards, while, for the West, Calgary defensive tackle Daniel Federkiel registered a tackle. Organizers expressed disappointment in the game's crowd; the move to Texas had been made, in part, because attendance was declining in San Francisco, but the game drew but 18,533 fans, the fewest for any Shrine Game in 79 years.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai'i, was the second all-star game played on January 21, 2006; in the first Hula Bowl played in Honolulu in eight years—the game was played on Maui from 1998 to 2005—the East squad, composed of all-stars from schools east of the Mississippi, overcame two late turnovers to defeat the West squad, featuring players from schools west of the Mississippi, 10–7; each team, though primarily consisting of Division I-A players, also included players from schools in Divisions I-AA, II, and III.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Each team scored in the first 7:15 of the first quarter before each team tightened defensively to allow only one combined score over the rest of the game. Missouri quarterback Brad Smith started the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run just over three-and-one-half minutes into the game; the East defense largely contained Smith on the West's first three drives, though, as he ran seven other times for minus-19 yards and completed only 4 of 12 passes for 58 yards, twice finding the top West wide receiver, Air Force's Jason Brown for a total of 40 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Behind Miami (Ohio) quarterback Josh Betts, who led all quarterbacks in the game in completing 7 of 15 passes for 106 yards, the East team drove to the West 19-yard line on the ensuing drive before the offense stalled and settled for a 36-yard field goal by Notre Dame kicker D.J. Fitzpatrick.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Working at quarterback for the West, Texas State's Barrick Nealy, who would complete only one of nine pass attempts in the game, that for minus-nine yards, threw an interception caught by Iowa State free safety Steve Paris, and, working on a short field, the East took the lead for good early in the second quarter when Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott, who would finish the day having completed four of eight passes for 53 yards, connected with Central Florida receiver Brandon Marshall on a 10-yard scoring pass; Marshall, who would finish as the game's leading receiver, catching five passes for 101 yards, was voted game most valuable player by the assembled media, notching his second MVP award in Hawai'i during the bowl season, having previously been voted co-MVP in Central Florida's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl loss.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
The Fitzpatrick extra point gave the East a three-point lead, and the cushion would stand as each team struggled offensively during the remainder of the game; the West would lose a fumble for its second turnover of the day, and the East would give away possession three times, with Elliot's and Betts' each throwing an interception.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Each team did have some success on the ground early in the second half, as Georgia Tech's P.J. Daniels and Bowling Green's P.J. Pope carried 18 times in the game for a combined 77 yards, and as a triumvirate of North Texas' Patrick Cobbs, Utah's Quinton Ganther, and Nealy rushed for 76 yards over 20 carries; nonetheless, each defense also forced several negative rushing plays, and for the day the East averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, bettering West's 2.3 average.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Passing production was no better, and, on the day, the five quarterbacks combined to complete just 16 of 45 passes for zero touchdowns and three interceptions; the teams further combined for just 27 total first downs and 406 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
The West, though, had two opportunities late in the game to tie the score or take the lead, as Iowa cornerback Jovon Johnson returned an interception to the 21-yard line and as Missouri cornerback Marcus King intercepted a pass near midfield; the East sacked Smith for a 15-yard loss on third down after the Johnson interception, taking the West out of field goal range, and, after the King interception, forced a Smith fumble to seal the game.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Hula Bowl
Though Marshall was selected as game MVP by the media, each coaching staff also gave an award; for the West, head coach Tyrone Willingham, representing Washington, and assistants Dick Tomey (San Jose State), Chuck Martin (Grand Valley State), and Bob Berezowitz (Wisconsin-Whitewater), selected Smith, who scored the only touchdown of the game for the West, while, for the East, head coach Tommy Tuberville (Auburn) and assistants Skip Holtz (East Carolina), Scot Dapp (Moravian), and Jerry Moore (Appalachian State) selected Illinois State defensive end Brent Hawkins, who recorded a sack and forced fumble and several quarterback pressures.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl, whose presenting sponsor was a local grocery chain, concluded the college football season at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, on January 28, 2006. The game, played in a North-versus-South format reminiscent of the defunct Blue-Gray Classic and governed by NFL rules and officials in order best to approximate how prospective professionals would play in NFL situations, saw the South team lose an early lead and, following three turnovers, ultimately fall, 31–14.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The North team drove the length of the field on its first possession, but Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler, who completed just 6 of 19 passes on the day for only 69 yards, threw an interception to Texas cornerback Cedric Griffin.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The South capitalized on the turnover, and just 8:24 into the game, Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle, who was his team's leading passer, completing 6 of 11 passes for 77 yards, found Miami (Florida) wide receiver Sinorice Moss for a 30-yard touchdown; Moss would finish the day as the South's leading receiver, having caught three passes for 45 yards, and as the team's second-leading rusher, carrying just once but for 27 yards. Moss, for his efforts, which also included a fumble recovery, was named the game's overall most valuable player.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The North answered just four-and-a-half minutes later, as Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who would be named his team's offensive MVP after finishing the day having completed 7 of 9 passes for 90 yards, connected with Colorado tight end Joe Klopfenstein from 15 yards for a touchdown; Klopfenstein's three catches and 39 receiving yards on the day would place him second among all North receivers.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The teams exchanged possessions and, early in the second quarter, the South defense forced a punt from the North; the ball was bobbled, though, and Nebraska safety Daniel Bullocks fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, putting his team up 14–7; Bullocks later recovered another muffed punt.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
Powered by the rushing of Washington State running back Jerome Harrison, who gained 51 yards on 11 carries for the game, the North team drove to the South 11-yard line with just under four minutes remaining in the first half before the South defense tightened and forced a field goal try; Wyoming kicker Deric Yaussi was successful from 28 yards, giving his North team a 17–7 halftime lead. The North team controlled the ball for much of the third quarter, contributing to their 12:34 advantage in time-of-possession over the game, and several running backs accumulated key yards for the squad.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
Oregon's Terrence Whitehead (six carries for 32 yards), Arizona's Mike Bell (five for 20), Colorado's Lawrence Vickers (four for 19), and Virginia Tech's Cedric Humes (five for 19) helped the North team total 200 yards rushing on the day, and with 4:49 remaining in the quarter, Humes scored on a one-yard rush to put the North up 17 points. Directing the North in the third quarter was Penn State dual-threat quarterback Michael Robinson, who completed only one pass in the game but ran nine times for 63 yards, outgaining each of the North's running backs.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The North defense continued to stymie the South offense for much of the second half, holding Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley and Alabama-Birmingham quarterback Darrell Hackney to a combined 5-for-13 passing for just 55 yards, sacking the two twice, and forcing a Shockley interception.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
Nevertheless, thanks to the play of Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams, who was named the South's offensive MVP, carrying thrice for 31 yards and catching two passes for 28 more, the South assembled a successful drive late in the third quarter, and, just 44 seconds into the fourth quarter, Hackney completed a 17-yard scoring pass to Auburn wide receiver Devin Aromashodu, cutting the South's deficit to 10.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
Another successful defensive stand by the South was negated when Bullocks recovered his second muffed punt of the day, setting up Cutler's seven-yard touchdown toss to Arizona State wide receiver Derek Hagan, who caught three passes for 25 yards on the day; Yaussi's successful extra point attempt—the seventh point he would score on the day—returned the North advantage to 17, where it would stay.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
The South's offensive efforts were hampered by the team's inability to rush the ball consistently; Mississippi State running back Jerrious Norwood, Louisiana State running back Joseph Addai, and South Florida running back Andre Hall gained just 11 yards over their seven carries.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
Providing receiving help for the South were California-Los Angeles tight end Dominique Byrd, who led all receivers with four catches for 67 yards, and Michigan wide receiver Jason Avant, who added two catches for 23 yards; for the North, Auburn wide receiver Ben Obomanu, North Carolina State tight end T.J. Williams, and New Mexico wide receiver Hank Bassett each added a reception and at least 13 yards.


2005–06 NCAA football bowl games, All-Star Games, Senior Bowl
For his role in holding the South to 179 total yards, Penn State defensive end Tamba Hali, who recorded two sacks, was named the defensive MVP for the North; for the South, the defensive MVP was Georgia Tech linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, who recorded a sack and four tackles. The victorious North squad was coached by the staff of the Tennessee Titans, led by Jeff Fisher, while the South team was coached by the San Francisco 49ers' staff, headed by Mike Nolan.


2005–06 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, 21–10, on February 5, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.


2005–06 NFL playoffs
After scrutiny in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, the league reversed a two-year policy, and returned to "all star" officiating crews for the Conference Championship games. Since the 2003–04 NFL playoffs, postseason officiating had been done by entire crews from the regular season.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Participants
Within each conference, the four division winners and the two wild card teams (the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5 and 6. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Participants
In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference then receive a bye in the first round. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the worst surviving seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed will play the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5).


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Participants
The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the fourth and final round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Schedule
These playoffs marked the final season that ABC televised the first two Wild Card playoff games. Super Bowl XL was also ABC's final Super Bowl telecast. In addition to taking over Sunday Night Football during the following season, NBC was awarded the first two Wild Card playoff games, as well as ABC's place in the annual Super Bowl broadcasting rotation. ABC would not broadcast a playoff game again until the 2015–16 playoffs when it started to simulcast the ESPN-produced Wild Card Game.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Schedule
CBS continued to televise the rest of the AFC playoff games and Fox the rest of the NFC games.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Although the Redskins gained only 120 yards on offense, the lowest total in NFL playoff history for a winning team, they converted two turnovers into touchdowns.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Midway through the first quarter, Washington linebacker LaVar Arrington's 21-yard interception return set up running back Clinton Portis' six-yard touchdown run. Then, Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington recovered Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams' fumble and returned it seven yards before losing it himself – into the arms of safety Sean Taylor, who then ran 51 yards for the Redskins' second touchdown.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Early in the second quarter, Tampa Bay drove 38 yards to the Redskins' 24-yard line where Matt Bryant kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 14–3. The Redskins responded with a 10-play, 40-yard drive and scored with a 40-yard field goal from John Hall.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
In the third quarter, Mark Jones gave the Buccaneers the ball at their own 49-yard line on a 24-yard punt return. Tampa Bay's offense then went on a 7-play, 51-yard drive that ended with quarterback Chris Simms' two-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay drove to the Redskins 19-yard line, but linebacker Lemar Marshall tackled fullback Mike Alstott for no gain on third down and 1, and then Simms threw an incomplete pass on fourth down.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Buccaneers defensive back Brian Kelly intercepted a pass from Mark Brunell on the Redskins' next drive and returned it to the Redskins 35-yard line. With three minutes left in the game, Tampa Bay wide receiver Edell Shepherd caught what appeared to be a 35-yard touchdown reception, but he lost control of the ball as he was coming down in the end zone for an incomplete pass. The Buccaneers got one last chance to tie the game when they received a punt at their own 46-yard line with 1:05 left in regulation, but Simms threw a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage and went into the arms of Marcus Washington for a game-ending interception.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
The game was widely regarded by commentators as an "ugly" performance by both teams' offenses, rendering it a largely defensive game.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
As of the conclusion of the 2020 NFL season, this was the Redskins' last playoff victory.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
This was the second postseason meeting between the Redskins and Buccaneers. Tampa Bay won the only prior meeting.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
The three-time Super Bowl champion Patriots, who for the first time in their previous three playoff trips would have to win three games to advance to the Super Bowl, defeated the Jaguars 28–3. Linebacker Willie McGinest set NFL playoff records for sacks in a game (4.5, one ahead of the old record held by Richard Dent and Rich Milot) and career postseason sacks (16, two ahead of the old record held by Bruce Smith), while quarterback Tom Brady threw for 201 yards and three touchdown passes.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
In the first half, the Jaguars recorded four sacks and held New England to 126 yards, while the Patriots defense recorded two sacks, gave up only 115 yards, and did not allow a first down until 9:40 remained in the second quarter. Neither team could score in the first quarter, but early in the second, New England receiver Tim Dwight returned Chris Hanson's 46-yard punt 27 yards to the Jaguars 37-yard line.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
Two 4-yard runs by Corey Dillon and an 18-yard burst from Kevin Faulk then moved the ball to the 11-yard line, and Brady capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Troy Brown. On Jacksonville's ensuing possession, Jimmy Smith's 19-yard reception gave his team a first down for the first time in the game and moved the ball to the Patriots 44-yard line. But on the next play, a tackle from safety Eugene Wilson caused Alvin Pearman to fumble the ball, and defensive lineman Richard Seymour recovered it.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
However, the Patriots could not take advantage of the turnover; Jacksonville managed to force a punt and then drove into scoring range for the first time in the game. Quarterback Byron Leftwich completed five passes for 59 yards on the drive, and Josh Scobee finished it with a 36-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 7–3. After the kickoff, Faulk's 21-yard reception moved the ball to midfield and gave the Patriots a chance to increase their lead before halftime, but receiver Deion Branch dropped a pass from Brady at the Jaguars 10-yard line with 19 seconds left.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
After forcing Jacksonville to punt on the opening drive of the second half, Brady led the Patriots 81-yards in 12 plays. On the 11th play, they nearly turned the ball over when tight end Benjamin Watson fumbled the ball on the Jaguars 5-yard line, but receiver André Davis recovered the ball, and Brady threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to David Givens on the next play. Then after forcing a punt, Brady threw a short pass to Watson who broke several tackles en route to a 63-yard score, increasing New England's lead to 21–3.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
After the kickoff, Leftwich led his team to the Patriots 32-yard line, but on the first play of the fourth quarter, defensive back Asante Samuel intercepted Leftwich's pass and took off for a 73-yard touchdown return, making the score 28–3. After that, Jacksonville mounted two more drives, but could not come away with any points. First they drove to the Patriots 8-yard line. But on third down and 2, McGinest sacked Leftwich for a 15-yard loss and Scobee missed a 41-yard field goal attempt on the next play. Then after forcing a punt, they drove to the Patriots 6-yard line, but ended up turning the ball over downs with five minutes left in the game.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
This game also marked three career playoff records: Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick set records with 10 straight postseason victories, eclipsing Vince Lombardi's run with the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 7, 2006, AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
This was the third postseason meeting between the Jaguars and Patriots. Both teams split the prior two meetings.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0
The Panthers forced five turnovers, limited the Giants to only 109 yards of total offense, and became the first club to shut out a home playoff team since the Los Angeles Rams shut out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1979 NFC Championship Game. Although the Giants entered the game with Pro Bowler Tiki Barber starting at running back, the Panthers running game, featuring DeShaun Foster and Nick Goings, outgained the Giants 223 yards to 41 on the ground. Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith caught 10 passes for 84 yards and scored two touchdowns, a 22-yard reception and a 12-yard run, while kicker John Kasay added three field goals and Foster rushed for 151 yards. Meanwhile, quarterback Eli Manning threw three interceptions in his first playoff start.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0
After the first five possessions of the game ended with punts, Carolina drove 77 yards in 12 plays and scored with Jake Delhomme's 22-yard touchdown pass to Smith. On Carolina's next possession, they were forced to punt, but New York safety Gibril Wilson muffed the kick and Panthers defensive back Dante Wesley recovered the ball at the Giants 15-yard line, setting up a 31-yard Kasay field goal to increase the lead to 10–0.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0
Carolina dominated the second half, intercepting Manning three times. Midway through the third quarter, Ken Lucas intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it 14 yards to the Giants 12-yard line, setting up Smith's 12-yard touchdown run on the next play. On New York's next drive, a 17-yard pass interference penalty on Lucas nullified his second interception and gave the Giants a first down at the Panthers 43-yard line. But two plays later, Manning's pass was intercepted by Marlon McCree at the 18.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0
On the Panthers ensuing drive, Foster rushed three times for 44 yards, and Delhomme completed a 25-yard pass to Keary Colbert, moving the ball to the Giants 27-yard line where Kasay's 45-yard field goal made the score 20–0. Then five plays after the kickoff, McCree recorded his second interception on the Panthers 44-yard line. Carolina subsequently closed out the scoring with a 14-play, 55-yard drive that ended with Kasay's third field goal with 2:40 left in the game.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0
This was the first postseason meeting between the Panthers and Giants.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
The Bengals' first playoff appearance in 15 years began when Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer was knocked out of the game on their opening drive. They still managed to build an early 10-point lead, but gave up 24 unanswered points later in the game while turning the ball over three times.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
On the Bengals second offensive play of the game, Palmer suffered a season-ending knee injury after being hit by Pittsburgh's Kimo von Oelhoffen, but his 66-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Henry (who was also injured on the play) set up kicker Shayne Graham's 23-yard field goal. Then after forcing a punt, backup quarterback Jon Kitna completed three consecutive passes for 40 yards and rushed for 11, while running back Rudi Johnson finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run, increasing their lead to 10–0. Steelers defensive back Ike Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the 40-yard line.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
Aided by a 15-yard penalty on cornerback Tory James, the Steelers subsequently drove 60 yards in eight plays and scored with Ben Roethlisberger's 19-yard touchdown pass to Willie Parker. The ensuing kickoff was returned by Tab Perry for 32 yards to his own 43-yard line, and then the Bengals drove 57 yards in 14 plays. Kitna completed the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to T. J. Houshmandzadeh, retaking their 10-point lead, 17–7. But on the Steelers ensuing drive, Roethlisberger's 54-yard completion to Cedrick Wilson set up his 5-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, cutting the score to 17–14 at halftime.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
Cincinnati took the second half kickoff and advanced the ball 62 yards to the Steelers 15-yard line. Graham attempted a 34-yard field goal but center Brad St. Louis' high snap sent the ball over holder Kyle Larson's head. Graham recovered the fumble, but the Steelers took over on the 34-yard line. On the seventh play of the drive, defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn committed a 40-yard pass interference penalty on the Bengals 5-yard line, and Jerome Bettis ran the ball into the end zone on the next play.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
After Cincinnati was forced to punt, Pittsburgh receiver Antwaan Randle El took a direct snap, ran to his right, and threw the ball back to Roethlisberger — who then connected with Wilson for a 43-yard touchdown reception that increased their lead to 28–17. Then on the Bengals next drive, linebacker James Farrior intercepted a pass from Kitna and returned it 22 yards to the Bengals 40-yard line, setting up a 23-yard field goal by Jeff Reed. Later in the fourth quarter, the Bengals managed to drive to the Steelers 43-yard line, but safety Troy Polamalu ended the drive with an interception and the Steelers offense ran out the rest of the clock.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 8, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17
This was the first postseason meeting between the Steelers and Bengals.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
The Seahawks overcame an early concussion suffered by NFL MVP and rushing champion Shaun Alexander, and three turnovers, to end their 21-year playoff victory drought. Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led the offense, completing 16 out of 26 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 21 yards and another score. Despite the loss of Alexander, Seattle outgained the Redskins in rushing yards 119 to 59 and held Clinton Portis, who rushed for over 1,500 yards during the season, to just 41 yards on 17 carries.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
The Seahawks took the opening kickoff and drove to the Redskins 11-yard line, but then Alexander lost a fumble without being touched, and linebacker Lemar Marshall recovered it. After that, the two teams were forced to punt on all their possessions in the first quarter, and with 5:28 remaining, Alexander was knocked out of the game.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
Washington scored first in the second quarter after a muffed punt set up John Hall's 26-yard field goal. Seattle responded by driving 74 yards in 12 plays and scoring with Hasselbeck's 29-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Jackson.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
After forcing the Redskins to punt on the opening drive of the third quarter, Hasselbeck led the Seahawks on an 81-yard scoring drive, completing four passes for 54 yards and finishing it with a 9-yard touchdown run to give his team a 14–3 lead. Washington responded with a drive to the Seahawks 33-yard line, but on a fourth down conversion attempt, quarterback Mark Brunell lost a fumble while being sacked by Bryce Fisher, and defensive lineman Grant Wistrom recovered it. One play later, Hasselbeck's 37-yard completion to Jackson set up a 33-yard field goal by Josh Brown on the second play of the fourth quarter, making the score 17–3.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
After the ensuing kickoff, Brunell's 52-yard completion to Chris Cooley moved the ball to Seattle's 24-yard line. Three plays later, he threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss, a throw that bounced off the shoulder of Seattle cornerback Andre Dyson into Moss' arms. Washington got the ball back when Hall recovered a fumble from Josh Scobey at the Seahawks 40-yard line on the ensuing kickoff. But the Redskins drive stalled at the 18-yard line and ended with no points when Hall missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
Seattle then drove to the game-clinching field goal, led by fullback Mack Strong's career-long 32-yard run. The Seahawks' win was their first since a 1984 AFC Wild Card playoff win over the then-Los Angeles Raiders.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10
This was the first postseason meeting between the Redskins and Seahawks.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
The Broncos converted four out of five turnovers into 24 points as they eliminated the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Patriots, 27–13, and won their first playoff game since defeating the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII. This game also ended New England's league-record ten-game postseason winning streak and gave quarterback Tom Brady his first ever postseason loss.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
Early in the second quarter, the Broncos drove to the Patriots 3-yard line, only to turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth down and 1. Then after forcing a punt, Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer threw a pass that was intercepted by Asante Samuel. On the next play, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw a 51-yard completion to André Davis setting up Adam Vinatieri's 40-yard field goal to give New England a 3–0 lead.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
With New England leading 3–0 with less than two minutes left in the first half, Broncos linebacker Ian Gold recovered a fumble from Kevin Faulk on the Patriots 40-yard line. After that, a pass interference penalty on Samuel moved the ball to the 1-yard line, and then Mike Anderson scored a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play. On the ensuing kickoff, Ellis Hobbs fumbled and kicker Todd Sauerbrun recovered the ball on the Patriots 39-yard line, setting up kicker Jason Elam's 50-yard field goal to give Denver a 10–3 halftime lead.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
Early in the third quarter, the Patriots drove 58 yards in 11 plays and scored with a 32-yard field goal from Vinatieri, cutting their deficit to 10–6. With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, New England reached the Denver 5-yard line. However, Brady was intercepted for the first time in the playoffs since Super Bowl XXXVIII. The interception was returned by Champ Bailey for 101 yards before New England tight end Benjamin Watson knocked the ball out of bounds at the New England 1-yard line.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
The Patriots challenged whether the ball was actually knocked through and out of the end zone (which would have been a touchback and given the Patriots the ball at their own 20-yard line), but the original call stood. Anderson then ran for another one-yard touchdown on the next play to make it 17–6. Then on New England's next drive, the usually accurate Vinatieri missed a 42-yard field goal, his first in 21 field goal attempts in the playoffs. Later in the fourth quarter, Troy Brown muffed a Denver punt and the Broncos recovered it on New England's 15-yard line, setting up Rod Smith's four-yard touchdown pass from Plummer.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
With 8:33 left in the game, Brady completed a 73-yard pass to Deion Branch and then followed it up with a 4-yard touchdown pass to David Givens, cutting the score to 24–13. But on the Broncos ensuing possession, Plummer's 42-yard completion to Smith set up another Elam field goal. Denver then all but clinched the game when safety John Lynch intercepted a Brady pass with less than three minutes left.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 14, 2006, AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13
This was the second postseason meeting between the Patriots and Broncos, with Denver winning the only prior meeting.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
The Steelers became the first #6 playoff seed (since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990) to defeat a #1 seed, and also the first #6 seed to reach a conference championship game. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 290 passing yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough to win.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
The Steelers stunned the Colts home crowd at the RCA Dome by driving 84 yards and scoring on their opening possession. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed six consecutive passes for 76 yards, including a 36-yard completion to tight end Heath Miller and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Antwaan Randle El. Later in the first quarter, Roethlisberger's 45-yard completion to Hines Ward moved the ball to the Colts 8-yard line, and they scored another touchdown with his 7-yard pass to Miller, increasing the Steelers' lead to 14–0.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
Five minutes into the second quarter, Indianapolis managed to get a good drive going, advancing the ball 96 yards to the Steelers 2-yard line and taking 9:39 off the clock, but were forced to settle for a field goal from Mike Vanderjagt, cutting their deficit to 14–3.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
Late in the third quarter, Steelers linebacker James Farrior (who finished the game with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks) sacked Manning at the Colts 1-yard line on third down, and Randle El returned Hunter Smith's ensuing punt 20 yards to the Indianapolis 30. Five plays later, Jerome Bettis scored a 1-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–3. But this time, Indianapolis struck back, driving 72 yards in six plays and scoring with Manning's 50-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Clark. The Steelers were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, but only after taking over seven minutes off the clock, leaving just 6:03 left in the game by the time Indianapolis got the ball back.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
One play after the punt, an interception by Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu was overturned by instant replay (a reversal that the league would later admit was a mistake). Taking advantage of his second chance, Manning completed a 9-yard pass to Clark, a 20-yard pass to Marvin Harrison, and a 24-yard pass to Reggie Wayne, moving the ball to the Steelers 3-yard line. Running back Edgerrin James finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and then Manning threw a pass to Wayne for a successful 2-point conversion, cutting the Colts deficit to 21–18. The Steelers were forced to punt on their ensuing drive. But with 1:20 left in the game, Manning was sacked on fourth and 16 at the Colts' 2-yard line, and the ball was turned over to the Steelers on downs.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
At this point, the game appeared to be over. However, the Steelers were forced to advance the ball towards another score instead of taking a quarterback kneel because the Colts still had three timeouts remaining. But on Pittsburgh's first play, in which Bettis tried to punch it in for an insurance touchdown, he fumbled for the first time all season when linebacker Gary Brackett popped it from Bettis' hands with his helmet.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
Indianapolis defensive back Nick Harper recovered the ball and appeared to be on his way for an Indy touchdown that would have given the Colts the lead when Roethlisberger barely made a season saving tackle at the Colts' 42-yard line, recovering from getting spun around to grab Harper's ankle, which brought him down. Eventually, the Colts then advanced to the Pittsburgh 28-yard line, but Vanderjagt, who had been perfect at home in the playoffs, missed a 46-yard game-tying field goal attempt wide right with 17 seconds left, and the Steelers ran out the clock.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
This game marked the beginning of the end for Vanderjagt, who entered the game as the NFL's all-time leader in field goal percentage. The following year, the Colts decided to let his contract expire. He spent the next season with the Dallas Cowboys, where he made just 72% of his field goals before leaving the NFL for good.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18
This was the fifth postseason meeting between the Steelers and Colts, with Pittsburgh having won all four prior meetings.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
The Panthers recorded 434 yards of total offense, and avenged a 13–3 regular season defeat by the Bears, to advance to their third NFC Championship Game in their eleven-year existence. Carolina receiver Steve Smith caught 12 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, the first coming 55 seconds into the contest, and rushed for 26 yards. Panthers kicker John Kasay contributed three second-quarter field goals, while quarterback Jake Delhomme threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Although the Panthers lost key running back DeShaun Foster to a broken ankle in the third quarter, they still held off the Bears.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
The Panthers got the ball first and scored quickly. Jamal Robertson returned the opening kickoff 34 yards to the 40-yard line, and one play later, Delhomme threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Smith. Later on, Smith's 46-yard reception set up a 20-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter, increasing their lead to 10–0. On their next drive, Carolina had a chance to increase their lead even more after Delhomme completed passes to Drew Carter for gains of 14 and 29 yards, moving the ball to the Bears 23-yard line.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
But linebacker Brian Urlacher ended the drive by intercepting a pass from Delhomme at the 10. However, the Panthers forced another punt and scored with a second field goal from Kasay. Bears quarterback Rex Grossman completed five passes for 62 yards on a 67-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson cutting the score to 13–7. But Carolina stormed right back, driving 51 yards and scoring with Kasay's third field goal on the last play of the first half.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
After the second half kickoff, a 24-yard run by Bears halfback Thomas Jones moved the ball to the Panthers 41-yard line. Then Grossman went to work, completing two passes to Bernard Berrian for 29 yards before finishing the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Desmond Clark. But after an exchange of punts, Delhomme threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Smith, and the Panthers retook their 9-point lead.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
Early in the fourth quarter, Chicago's Jason McKie scored a 3-yard touchdown run to cut their deficit to 23–21. But Delhomme led the Panthers right back, completing five passes for 45 yards and scoring with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kris Mangum. After an exchange of punts, the Bears drove into Carolina territory, but defensive back Ken Lucas put the game away by intercepting a pass from Grossman on the Panthers 22-yard line.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 15, 2006, NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21
This was the first postseason meeting between the Panthers and Bears.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships
This was the first time since the 1989–90 NFL playoffs that neither conference championship game took place in the Eastern or Central time zone. During that season, the Conference Championship Games were changed from the then-traditional starting times of 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST respectively.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships
This was to accommodate the fact that the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers hosted the 1989–90 AFC and NFC Championship Games in the Mountain Time Zone and Pacific Time Zone, respectively — thus avoiding a locally played game at 9:30 a.m. PST/10:30 a.m. MST, but also forcing the networks to change or move their prime time lineups in a moment's notice. When the league changed the traditional starting times for the 2002–03 NFL playoffs to 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. EST, it eliminated the future possibility of having to reschedule.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
For the first time since 1984, the Steelers played on the road in the AFC Championship Game, but it hardly mattered as they forced four turnovers and went into halftime with a 24–3 lead en route to advancing to their sixth Super Bowl appearance in team history. In doing so, Pittsburgh became the first #6 playoff seed (since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990) to advance to the Super Bowl. Second-year quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, already in his fifth career playoff game, completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns (one each to Cedrick Wilson and Hines Ward) and ran for a third. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis rushed for the other touchdown.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
Pittsburgh scored on their opening drive, moving the ball 62 yards in 12 plays and ending it with a Jeff Reed field goal. Three plays after the kickoff, Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer lost a fumble while being sacked by Joey Porter and Steelers lineman Casey Hampton recovered it at the Denver 39-yard line. Four plays later, Roethlisberger's 12-yard touchdown pass to Wilson increased the Steelers lead to 10–0 on the first play of the second quarter. The Broncos responded by driving 55 yards and scoring with a field goal from Jason Elam.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
But Pittsburgh stormed right back, marching 80 yards in 14 plays and scoring with Bettis' 3-yard touchdown run to take a 17–3 lead. Then on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, defensive back Ike Taylor intercepted a pass from Plummer on the Broncos 39-yard line. Four plays later, a Bettis touchdown run was called back because of a penalty on Ward. But Ward made up for his mistake by catching a touchdown pass on the next play, giving the Steelers a 24–3 lead with seven seconds left in the half.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
In the third quarter, Plummer finally got the Broncos moving by completing four consecutive passes for 80 yards, the last one a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ashley Lelie. But Wilson caught two passes for 45 yards on Pittsburgh's next possession, setting up Reed's second field goal to make the score 27–10.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
In the fourth quarter, a 38-yard reception by Lelie and a 22-yard pass interference penalty on Taylor set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Mike Anderson, cutting Denver's deficit to 27–17. But after a Steelers punt, defensive end Brett Keisel forced a fumble on fourth down from Plummer and his teammate Travis Kirschke recovered it at the Broncos 17-yard line. Four plays later, Roethlisberger ended any chance of a Denver comeback with a 4-yard touchdown run.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
This would prove to be the Broncos' last playoff game with Mike Shanahan as their head coach, and last until 2011. It would also be Shanahan's last playoff game until 2012, with Washington.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17
This was the sixth postseason meeting between the Steelers and Broncos. Denver won three of the prior five meetings.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 34, Carolina Panthers 14
The Seahawks forced four turnovers, and allowed only 36 rushing yards and 14 points, as they advanced to their first Super Bowl in the team's 30-year history. Meanwhile, running back Shaun Alexander, coming off his divisional round injury, rushed for a franchise playoff record 134 yards and two touchdowns.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 34, Carolina Panthers 14
Midway through the first quarter, the Seahawks drove 57 yards in five plays, featuring a 28-yard reception by Seneca Wallace, and scored with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's 17-yard touchdown pass to Jerramy Stevens. Then three plays after the ensuing kickoff, linebacker Lofa Tatupu intercepted a pass from Jake Delhomme and returned it 22 yards to the Panthers 20-yard line, setting up a field goal from Josh Brown.


2005–06 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 22, 2006, NFC: Seattle Seahawks 34, Carolina Panthers 14
The next time Carolina got the ball, Delhomme was intercepted again, this time by Marquand Manuel, who returned it 32 yards to the Panthers 17-yard line, setting up Alexander's 1-yard touchdown run that increased Seattle's lead to 17–0 on the first play of the second quarter. The Panthers eventually cut the score to 17–7 on Steve Smith's 59-yard punt return for a touchdown with 9:56 left in the first half.