2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Taking over at their 18–yard line following the kickoff, Nevada had another chance to put points on the board before halftime. Wolf Pack wide receiver Marko Mitchell caught a 13–yard pass for a first down and the Nevada rushing game picked up another. Mitchell then caught a 24–yard pass to put Nevada on the New Mexico 34–yard line, their deepest penetration of the first half. Two plays later, however, Nevada running back Brandon Fragger fumbled the ball which was recovered by the New Mexico defense with 46 seconds remaining in the half. The New Mexico offense took advantage of the opportunity, advancing the ball in five plays to the Nevada two–yard line. With seven seconds remaining, the Lobos failed to complete a touchdown pass and sent in John Sullivan to attempt a 20–yard field goal with three seconds remaining in the half.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Sullivan's kick was blocked by Kenny Viser of Nevada, denying New Mexico the field goal before the half. Despite the special teams breakthrough, Nevada trailed New Mexico 20–0 at halftime.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
Because New Mexico received the opening kickoff, Nevada received the ball to begin the second half. On the return, New Mexico's leading defensive tackler Ian Clark separated his shoulder and did not return to the game. Despite the loss of Clark on defense, New Mexico was still able to stop Nevada from gaining a first down. During the stop, however, the Lobos lost yet another defensive player Blake Ligon to a broken rib. Following a Nevada punt, New Mexico took over on offense at its 28–yard line.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
On the first New Mexico play of the second half, running back Paul Baker broke through the defensive line of Nevada for a 37–yard run, driving New Mexico deep into Nevada territory. Though successful on that play and on several subsequent plays, New Mexico committed a 15–yard personal foul penalty that prevented the Lobos from gaining another first down. John Sullivan came out to attempt a 44–yard field goal but the kick was blocked just as his kick at the end of the first half had been. Nevada recovered the blocked kick, returning it to the New Mexico 44–yard line where the Wolf Pack offense took over with over 10 minutes remaining in the quarter.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
Despite the excellent field position, Nevada was again unable to gain a first down. New Mexico's defense earned a quarterback sack and forced the Pack to punt the ball away. The kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback and the Lobo offense took over at its 20–yard line. A holding penalty against New Mexico pushed back the New Mexico offense and the Lobos were forced to punt after going three–and–out. Nevada took over at its 35–yard line but was also unable to move the ball and punted it again.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
On the first play after taking over at its 20–yard lane, the New Mexico offense got its second big play of the second half as Roland Bruno hauled in a 58–yard pass to drive the Lobos deep into Nevada territory. On the next play, Paul Baker ran for 24 yards to drive New Mexico inside the Nevada four–yard line. There, the Lobos' offense ran into a brick wall as the Nevada defense stopped New Mexico on four straight plays to keep the Lobos out of the end zone. New Mexico, which chose to try to complete the fourth–and–goal play instead of kicking a field goal, was denied points and turned the ball over to Nevada on downs with 2:30 remaining in the quarter.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
Though Nevada had managed a stop on fourth–and–short, its offense was now pinned inside its one–yard line. After picking up a first down, Nevada had emerged from the shadow of its end zone. A 10–yard holding penalty on the next play pushed the Wolf Pack back towards their goal line, however, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick was unable to pick up another first down. As time ran out in the third quarter, Nevada failed to convert a third–and–18.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Third Quarter
After a scoreless third quarter, New Mexico still led Nevada 20–0. Nevada's offense continued to have difficulty moving the ball. Despite losing their best and sixth–best tacklers, the New Mexico defense completely contained the Wolf Pack offense and kept Nevada from scoring.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
The fourth quarter began with Nevada punting out of its own end zone, the ninth Nevada punt of the game. New Mexico's O.J. Swift returned the kick to the Nevada 33–yard line, where the Lobo offense began work. Despite excellent field position, New Mexico's offense fared no better than Nevada's and was pushed back after gaining just one first down. Kicker John Sullivan was called upon but missed a 43–yard field goal try. Sullivan had only missed three kicks during the entire 2007 regular season but with 11:57 remaining in the game, his third miss of the 2007 New Mexico Bowl left New Mexico scoreless on yet another possession. Despite that fact, the Lobos continued to hold on to their 20–0 lead.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
After taking over at their own 26–yard line, Nevada managed to complete a 21–yard pass for a first down. After that play, however, the Nevada offense reverted to the pattern of ineptitude it had displayed throughout the game. Unable to earn another first down, Nevada was forced into its 10th punt of the game, a 37–yard kick that forced New Mexico back to its 17–yard line. New Mexico proceeded to run several rushing plays in order to run down the clock and give Nevada less time for any potential comeback.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
Eventually stopped and forced to punt the ball away, New Mexico's offense was granted new life after Nevada committed a 15–yard roughing the kicker penalty that gave New Mexico an automatic first down on fourth down. New Mexico's clock–draining drive continued inside the Nevada red zone. The Wolf Pack defense was able to gain another defensive stop but New Mexico had advanced within the field goal range of John Sullivan who nailed a 37–yard attempt with 4:18 remaining to give New Mexico a 23–0 lead.


2007 New Mexico Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
With little time remaining and with Nevada facing more than a three–touchdown deficit, the Wolf Pack had little chance to win. Despite that fact, the Nevada offense had one more chance to score and avoid a shutout. Three consecutive passes fell incomplete and Nevada punted the ball away for the 11th time. With three and a half minutes remaining, New Mexico took over on offense and proceeded to run out the clock and win the bowl game.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team
The 2007 New Mexico Lobos football team represented The University of New Mexico during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rocky Long. The New Mexico Lobos play their home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team
The team enjoyed success in comparison to the year before, where they went 6–6 before losing to San Jose State in the first inaugural New Mexico Bowl. The Lobos' schedule also appeared to be stronger, playing tough road games against Arizona, TCU, Utah, and San Diego State.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UTEP
Coming off a lackluster 6–7 season, the Lobos were determined to come away from El Paso with a victory. The game started off slow, with a combined score of just 3 points (UTEP's Jose Martinez scored a 51-yard field goal on their first possession).


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UTEP
In the second quarter, the Lobos responded with a field goal of their own, bring the score to 3–3. Both teams' defenses held up for the remainder of the first half.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UTEP
To begin the third quarter, neither team could score. The two traded punts and had key defensive stops to end the third quarter still 3–3.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UTEP
Early success in the fourth quarter allowed New Mexico to go up 6–3 when John Sullivan connected for a 40-yard field goal. UTEP gained possession of the football and drove down the field, aided by two New Mexico penalties. Terrell Jackson broke free from defenders on a 36-yard run, and scored the night's only touchdown with 13:08 remaining. Despite the amount of time remaining, neither team would score again. The final was 10–6. It was the lowest point production by UTEP since 1975.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
In the annual Battle for 1-25, New Mexico State, which was losing in the overtime series between the two, was determined to pull out a victory against their instate rival New Mexico. New Mexico was ready, however, and their offense was on target most of the night.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
To begin the game, both sides showed their offenses, putting up 14 points on both sides of the scoreboard.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
The second quarter seemed to slow down the offensive production. New Mexico's defense allowed 0 points, while New Mexico State's gave up only a field goal. The score going into halftime was 17–14.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
In the third quarter, both teams again showed off their offense, but the defense was still strong. Both teams put up 10 points, making the score 27–24 going into the final quarter of the game.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
New Mexico scored a touchdown early in the quarter, while New Mexico State made a field goal, making the score 34–27 with around 7:00 left to play. NMSU had possession of the ball, and was driving down the field, led mostly by quarterback Chase Holbrook. Momentum swung, however, when an errant pass landed in the arms of New Mexico's Frankie Solomon. New Mexico quarterback Donovan Porterie stepped up quickly, connecting on a 50-yard pass to Travis Brown to reach the Aggies' 25-yard line. John Sullivan made a 21-yard field goal, putting the Lobos up 37–27 with 5:22 to play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
Despite a 10-point deficit, the Aggies began to drive again, but their loss was guaranteed when Holbrook threw another interception. New Mexico quickly drove down the field and scored a touchdown, making the score 44–27. Holbrook would not quit, though, and he drove his Aggie team down for a touchdown with 1:16 left to play. On the onside kick, New Mexico State managed to retrieve the ball, but with such little time left, they could not score in time, reaching the 4-yard line when time expired.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, New Mexico State
The game drew the fourth largest crowd ever in University Stadium, with an attendance of 41,033. University Stadium's capacity only reaches 38,634, but many fans sat on the grassy area on the southeast part of the stadium.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
Coming off a big victory against rival New Mexico State, the Lobos headed into Arizona for a big road game.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
The first quarter saw impressive stats from both teams, with a close score of 7–10 leading into the second quarter.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
The second quarter was the start of Arizona's decline, with several key penalties called against them, and a turnover that led to a New Mexico touchdown. Going into halftime, the Lobos led 14–13.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
On their first possession of the third quarter, Arizona drove down the field to the 2-yard line. On the next play, however, they fumbled the ball, and New Mexico's OJ Smith picked it up. New Mexico quarterback Donovan Porterie led the Lobos down the field several times and allowed them to score 12 points. The Lobos had a comfortable 26–13 lead going into the fourth quarter.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
Arizona continued to play hard however, with quarterback Tuitama leading the Wildcats down the field. The team put up 14 points in the fourth quarter, but their mistakes in penalties and turnovers cost them, as New Mexico put up 3 points towards the end of the quarter, edging out Arizona 29–27. Donovan Porterie threw for 327 yards and had three touchdowns, and Arizona's Tuitama threw for 446 yards with three touchdowns.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Arizona
It was only the Lobos' second win against a Pac-10 team in 11 games. With the victory, the Lobos improved to 2–1.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Sacramento State
After an impressive win in Arizona, the Lobos returned home to face 1-AA opponent Sacramento State. The Hornets came into the game 0–6 against Division I-A football teams.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Sacramento State
New Mexico running back Rodney Ferguson had a total of 129 yards rushing and a career-high four touchdowns. Donovan Porterie threw for 229 yards and one touchdown. The Hornets were mistake ridden, giving up key turnovers and were not able to have offensive success. They could not score any points throughout the entire game, and the Lobos won 58–0.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, BYU
In an important Mountain West Conference game, BYU came to New Mexico with a 1–0 conference record. Both teams had strong momentum coming into the game, with New Mexico on a 3-game win streak.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, BYU
The first three quarters of the game were mostly even, with both offenses trading touchdowns and punts. Donovan Porterie and Max Hall were impressive, and the score leading into the fourth quarter was a tie; 21–21.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, BYU
Early in the fourth quarter, the Lobos fumbled the ball away to BYU, which set up a touchdown by Hall. The Lobos quickly drove down the field and answered with a 43-yard field goal, making the score 28–24. New Mexico managed to hold BYU to a three and out possession, but the momentum quickly shifted when Frankie Solomon fumbled on the punt return. Hall led the team down the field, and set up a 22-yard field goal, causing the Cougars to hold a 31–24 lead. New Mexico was unable to move down the field and was forced to punt. The Cougars ran down the clock, which led to their victory.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, BYU
With the loss, the Lobos fell to 3–2 overall and 0–1 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Wyoming
Following their loss to BYU, the Lobos headed to Wyoming for their second Mountain West Conference game.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Wyoming
On their first possession of the game, the Lobos charged down field on a drive that ended in a 39-yard John Sullivan field goal, giving the Lobos an early lead. For the rest of the first quarter, neither team managed to gain enough offensive momentum to score. At the end of quarter, a weather delay was issued because of strong lightning and heavy rain in the area. The delay would go on to last 1 hour and 43 minutes.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Wyoming
After the delay, the second quarter began and New Mexico drove down the field, with Donovan Porterie completing a 63-yard TD pass to Travis Brown. The game went to halftime, but it was shortened to only 3 minutes because of the delay.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Wyoming
Early in the third quarter, Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween fumbled on their own 2-yard line, leading to a New Mexico score. Later in the quarter, New Mexico scored a field goal, bringing the score to 20–3. Neither team would score in the fourth quarter, and New Mexico walked away with the win.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Wyoming
With the win, the Lobos improved to 4–2 overall and 1–1 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
Coming off a road win against Wyoming, the Lobos visited Qualcomm Stadium to face another important conference game against San Diego State.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
In the first quarter of the game, neither team showed any offensive breakthroughs, with New Mexico scoring only a field goal, and SDSU scoring nothing. The score going into the second quarter was 3–0


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
In the second quarter, San Diego State's quarterback Kevin O'Connell had success moving his team down the field, on a drive where he himself scored a rushing touchdown. SDSU also scored a field goal on a later possession. New Mexico quickly responded with a touchdown of their own, leaving the score 10–10 at halftime.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
In the third quarter, the Lobos seemed to be out of sync offensively, while San Diego State forced them to punt. O'Connell was able to push his offense down the field and scored another rushing touchdown, making the score 10–17.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
Early in the fourth quarter, New Mexico began to move down the field, but their drive ended with a field goal only. The score was now 17–14. The Aztecs moved down the field rather quickly, and appeared to have the game in hand, but O'Connell made a crucial mistake when he fumbled the ball trying to run for the first down. The Lobos recovered and drove down the field. Rodney Ferguson's six-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the game lifted New Mexico to a 20–17 victory.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, San Diego State
With the win, the Lobos improved to 5–2 overall and 2–1 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
With an impressive 5–2(2–1) record, New Mexico looked to defeat another Mountain West Conference team with an impressive record; Air Force.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
Early in the first quarter, the New Mexico offense drove down the field twice, one ending in a field goal, and the other in a Rodney Fergusson touchdown run. The Falcons also had success early on, responding right back to bring the score leading into the second quarter to 10–7.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
In the second quarter, the Falcons stopped the Lobos and drove down the field to score a touchdown that gave them the lead by 3. The Lobos could not respond with any points and were forced to punt. Air Force then rolled down the field again, scoring another touchdown. The Lobos drove down the field and scored a field goal late in the quarter, cutting the Falcons' lead to 8. On the kickoff however, Air Force's Ty Paffette fumbled the ball and New Mexico. With just 20 seconds left in the game, Donovan Porterie managed to throw a touchdown pass to tight end Chris Mark, which led to a tie game, 21–21, at halftime.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
In the third quarter, both teams again traded touchdowns, tying the score at 28–28. Later on in the quarter, Air Force managed to score a field goal, giving them the lead.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
In the fourth quarter, Air Force began to drive down the field twice, but on both those possessions they fumbled the ball away to New Mexico. The Lobos put up 6 points, including one field goal with just seconds left in the game to pull away from Air Force in a 34–31 victory.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Air Force
With the win, the Lobos improved to 6–2 overall and 3–1 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, TCU
With the Lobos off to an impressive 6–2 start, most people could not have predicted what would happen when they invaded TCU for a key conference game. For all of the game, Donovan Porterie was completely shut down, throwing for just 76 yards. TCU also shut down Rodney Ferguson, allowing him only 28 yards.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, TCU
On the other side of the ball, TCU was rolling over the Lobo defense. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw 2 touchdowns, backup Marcus Brock threw 1, and the Horned Frogs made 3 field goals. They shut out the Lobos in a surprising 0–37 game.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, TCU
With the loss, the Lobos fell to 6–3 overall and 3–2 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
The Lobos returned home after a devastating loss to TCU to face their next MWC opponent, Colorado State.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
New Mexico seemed to dominate for most of the first quarter, putting up 17 points and allowing Colorado State just 7. Donovan Porterie threw both touchdowns, and John Sullivan kicked a field goal. Going into the second quarter, the score was 17–7.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
In the second quarter, the Rams began to rally back, scoring a touchdown early on. For the rest of the quarter, both teams had strong defensive stops leading to two field goals scored by each team. The score going into halftime was a close 20–17.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
To start the second half, the Lobos marched down the field in a drive that ended with a John Sullivan field goal. The Rams could not gain any offensive momentum, and was shut out for the remainder of the quarter.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams pushed a long drive down the field and scored a field goal, bringing the score to 23–20 with 12:05 remaining. The Lobos fumbled the ball to Colorado State at the Lobos' 25-yard line. The Rams again moved down the field to tie the game at 23 with a 32-yard field goal with 8:24 left. Both teams were stopped and were forced to punt. When the Rams punted the ball to Marcus Smith, he ran back for 18 yards, to bring it to the Rams' 26-yard line with just 3 seconds remaining. John Sullivan kicked the game winning 43-yard field goal as time expired.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Colorado State
With the win, the Lobos improved to 7–3 overall and 4–2 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
The Lobos were again on the road to face a very important game against Utah. Both teams were fighting for their post season appearance in a bowl game, and both teams came into the game with the same overall and conference record.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
The first quarter of the game proved to be an offensive battle, as the defense on both sides of the ball allowed 0 points. On the Lobos' first possession, they appeared to be moving down the field effectively, but running back Rodney Ferguson fumbled away to the Utes. Both teams traded punts, making the score 0–0 going into the second quarter.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
In the second quarter, the Utes began to move down the field more efficiently, scoring a touchdown early on. The Lobos' were still having difficulties on offense, and were unable to score any points. Utah moved down the field again, scoring another touchdown to make the score 0–14 going into halftime.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
In the third quarter, Utah quarterback Brian Johnson threw a costly interception, and the Lobos were able to score a touchdown, making the score 7–14. Utah again struggled on offense and punted away to the Lobos. New Mexico rolled down the field, and scored a field goal to make it 10–14 with 4:09 left in the quarter. New Mexico made a costly turnover of their own when Ian Clark fumbled the ball away on the 39-yard line. The Utes would score a touchdown with 49 seconds left in the quarter to make the score 10–21.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
Early in the fourth quarter, the Lobos fumbled the ball again on a punt return, giving the ball to Utah on the 5-yard line. New Mexico would get the ball right back, however, as Johnson fumbled trying to run up the middle. New Mexico was driving down the field, when Paul Kruger knocked the ball out of Donovan Porterie's hands, where Koa Misi picked it up and ran it back for a Utes touchdown. With only 6:57 left in the game and the score 10–28, the Lobos could not make a comeback.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Utah
With the loss, the Lobos fell to 7–4 overall and 4–3 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
In the last regular season game of the year, the Lobos needed a win in order to appear in a bowl game. Their opponent was UNLV, who came into the game on a 14-game losing streak on the road against Mountain West opponents.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
In the first quarter, both teams moved the ball rather well, leading to field goals. The score going into the second quarter was a tied 3–3.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
In the second quarter, New Mexico had great offensive success, scoring two touchdowns, one by a 63-yard pass to Marcus Smith, and the other with a run by Travis Brown. UNLV only managed to score a field goal, making the game 17–6 going into halftime.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
To start the third quarter, Marcus Smith ran the kickoff 82-yards setting up an easy 1-yard touchdown run by Rodney Fergusson. The score was now 24–6.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
For the rest of the game, UNLV struggled on offense, putting up just 233 yards total. New Mexico would cap the win off when John Sullivan made a fourth-quarter field goal to make the score 27–6.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, UNLV
With the win, the Lobos improved to 8–4 overall and 5–3 in conference play.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Nevada
New Mexico finished strong in the Mountain West Conference, allowing them a trip to the New Mexico Bowl for the second year in a row. They would face 6–6 Nevada. The Lobos would be without their star running back Rodney Fergusson because of academic issues.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Nevada
To start the game, Donovan Porterie threw two touchdown passes, giving the Lobos a big lead over the Wolfpack. Nevada was stopped short on every drive, scoring 0 points in the entire game. John Sullivan kicked 3 field goals, two in the second quarter, and one in the fourth. Nevada had just 210 total yards to New Mexico's 518. The Lobos shut out Nevada 23–0.


2007 New Mexico Lobos football team, Game summaries, Nevada
The win ended the 46-year-long drought the Lobos faced in the postseason, and it marked the first bowl victory under Rocky Long. With the win, the Lobos finished the season 9–4.


2007 New Mexico State Aggies football team
The 2007 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies were coached by head coach Hal Mumme and played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They participated as members of the Western Athletic Conference.


2007 New Orleans Bowl
The 2007 R+L CarriersNew Orleans Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game. Part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, it was played on December 21, 2007, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.


2007 New Orleans Bowl
The Memphis Tigers of Conference USA, faced the Florida Atlantic Owls, winners of the Sun Belt Conference title for the first time in school history. Both teams had a regular-season record of 7–5.


2007 New Orleans Bowl
The game was Memphis's third bowl game in four years. The Tigers' season was marked by the murder of defensive end Taylor Bradford on September 30, but the team carried on to a winning record and its first bowl appearance since the 2005 Motor City Bowl. The Owls have only played college football since 2001, and this game was their first bowl appearance. The seven years between the creation of the FAU college football team and this bowl appearance marked the quickest a team had ever appeared in a bowl game after its establishment. Florida Atlantic led the NCAA in turnover margin. FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger led the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship in 1983. At the time of the 2007 New Orleans Bowl, Schnellenberger was the third-oldest head coach in Division I football.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary
The 2007 New Orleans Bowl kicked off at 8:00 p.m. EST at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game was broadcast nationally in the United States on ESPN2.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
Florida Atlantic received the ball to begin the game. On the opening kickoff, the Owls managed an excellent kick return that placed the ball on their own 48-yard line. FAU used the field position to their advantage, and entered Memphis territory on the first play of the game from scrimmage. In just five plays, Florida Atlantic penetrated the Memphis red zone, and two more plays set up the Owls inside the Memphis five-yard line. With 12:03 remaining in the first quarter, FAU quarterback Rusty Smith connected on a four-yard touchdown pass to running back Charles Pierre. The touchdown was the first score of the game and with a successful extra point, the score gave the Owls the early lead, 7-0.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
With over 12 minutes still remaining in the first quarter, Memphis received the Owls' kickoff to start their first possession of the game. A short return set up the Tigers at their own 33-yard line, and two quick rushes picked up their first first down of the game. On their third play, Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins connected on a 21-yard pass to wide receiver Carlton Robinzine, driving the Tigers into Owl territory. As had the Owls, Memphis advanced the ball steadily, and penetrated the Florida Atlantic red zone with ease.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
With 9:20 remaining, Hankins connected on his 23rd touchdown pass of the season, an eight-yard strike to tight end Brett Russell. The touchdown tied the score at 7-7 with more than half the first quarter still remaining. Each team had scored on its opening possession, and the game promised to turn into a high-scoring shootout.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
Florida Atlantic's second possession of the game got off to an even better start than its first possession. Wide receiver Diivory Edgecomb, who was ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in kick return yardage, broke free for a long 62-yard return that enabled the Owls to begin their possession deep in Memphis territory on the Memphis 28. Taking advantage of the excellent field position, Florida Atlantic picked up a quick first down, but once inside the Memphis 10-yard line, the Tiger defense stiffened and created the first defensive stop of the day. Due to the excellent field position, however, Florida Atlantic still managed to put points on the scoreboard via a 22-yard field goal by Warley Leroy. The kick was successful, and with 7:26 remaining in the first quarter, Florida Atlantic again took the lead, this time by a score of 10-7.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
Memphis began its ensuing drive on its own 35-yard line after a short return. On the second play of the drive, Memphis backup running back T.J. Pitts was stopped for a one-yard loss. During the play, Pitts suffered an ankle injury and had to be carried off to the sideline. He suffered an ankle injury and did not return to the game. Perhaps hampered by the injury, Memphis was unable to pick up the first down and punted the ball away—the first such kick in the game.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
The punt gave Florida Atlantic its worst starting field position of the game, but the Owls were able to complete a 30-yard pass on their first play of the drive, erasing the deficit and setting up the offense in Memphis territory. FAU continued to move the ball effectively, picking up a quick first down before Diivory Edgecomb earned his second touchdown of the game on a 29-reception from Smith. The touchdown, which came with five minutes still remaining in the first quarter, gave the Owls a 17-7 lead over the Memphis Tigers. The drive had taken just four plays and covered 74 yards in only 1:34.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
Memphis attempted to answer the quick Owl score with one of their own after taking possession on their own 30-yard line. Martin Hankins completed several passes to drive the Tigers to their 48-yard line before the drive stalled in the face of tough defense from Florida Atlantic. Memphis was forced to punt the ball away for the second time in as many possessions. Though the Tigers were foiled on offense, the kick pinned Florida Atlantic inside its own 20-yard line.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
Thanks to the poor field position and good defensive play from Memphis, the Owls failed to reach their own 40-yard line and were forced to punt the ball for the first time in the game. Punter Keegan Peterson failed to connect accurately with the ball, which bounced to a stop at the Memphis 37-yard line after traveling just 28 yards. A first-down run by Hankins put the ball at the 50-yard line as the first quarter ended. A long pass downfield fell incomplete, and the quarter ended with Memphis facing a second-and-ten situation and losing by a score of 17-7.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, First Quarter
In the first quarter, Florida Atlantic got off to a hot start, scoring on every possession but the final one of the quarter. Thanks to their offensive effectiveness and several long kickoff returns, the Florida Atlantic Owls led Memphis 17-7 at the end of the first quarter.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
The second quarter began with Memphis in possession of the ball and facing second down at midfield. On the first play of the quarter, running back Joseph Doss dashed 12 yards for a first down. Memphis had success moving the ball, but wide receiver Maurice Jones apparently fumbled after a short catch. Jones, who was playing with a torn labrum, suffered a hit on the injured shoulder. Though the fumble was overturned on review, Jones was carted off the field on a stretcher, having aggravated his previous injury.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Though Memphis still controlled the ball, its offense proved unable to pick up the first down, and kicker Joey Mack was sent in to attempt a 38-yard field goal in place of starting kicker Matt Reagan. The kick was good, and Memphis cut Florida Atlantic's lead to 17-10 with 12:15 remaining in the second quarter.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
After the kickoff return, Florida Atlantic began its first drive of the second quarter from its own 41-yard line. On the first play, Memphis was called for a pass interference penalty, which gave FAU a first down in Memphis territory. Despite having been stopped with no score on its last drive of the first quarter, Florida Atlantic returned to the offensive efficiency that characterized its possessions at the beginning of the game. It took the Owls just four plays after the penalty to score their first touchdown of the second quarter, a 16-yard Chris Bonner reception. The drive took just 1:42 and gave FAU a 24-10 lead with 10:25 remaining in the first half.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Good coverage by the Owls' special teams on the kickoff pinned Memphis inside its own 15-yard line, and Memphis picked up a first down only with difficulty. Two long passes of 17 and 41 yards, however, reversed Memphis's field position, putting the Tigers deep in FAU territory and in position to score. Backed up inside their own 10-yard line, the FAU defense again stiffened to keep Memphis from crossing the goal line. After three straight plays were stopped for no gain or negative yardage, Memphis was forced to settle for a 35-yard field goal attempt that was successful.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
With 5:55 before halftime, Memphis cut the Owls' lead to 24-13. As before, however, good field position and a successful offense allowed Florida Atlantic to strike quickly for a score. Rusty Smith completed a 32-yard pass to Cortez Grant that made up most of the seven-play, 55-yard drive, which was capped by a four-yard reception by William Rose. Rose's touchdown gave FAU a 30-13 lead with 3:34 to play in the second quarter. Thanks to two false start penalties against Florida Atlantic on the extra point attempt, the normally-extra point attempt turned into a difficult kick, which was missed.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Facing a 17-point deficit and having only three and a half minutes before halftime, Memphis came out in a hurry-up offense. Three consecutive plays went for more than ten yards each, and generated three consecutive first downs. Inside the Florida Atlantic 30-yard line, the Owls managed to slow the Tigers' offense, forcing Memphis to convert a third down in order to keep the drive alive.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Florida Atlantic continued to play tough defense, but after a sack on Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins was negated by a facemask penalty, the Tigers were able to finally punch the ball across the goal line on a 19-yard pass to Earnest Williams and gain their first touchdown of the second quarter. The touchdown and extra point cut FAU's lead to 30-20 with 52 seconds left on the clock.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Second Quarter
Following the post-touchdown kickoff, the Memphis defense sacked Rusty Smith. Rather than chance an interception with a last-second interception, FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger elected to let the clock run out and head into halftime with a 30-20 lead over Memphis.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
Because Florida Atlantic began the game on offense, Memphis received the ball to start the second half of the game. After beginning at their own 31-yard line, Memphis maintained the offensive efficiency that it showed in its final drive of the first half. In just three plays, Memphis advanced the ball across the 50-yard line. A 16-yard pass by Hankins was followed by an 11-yard scramble for yet another first down. With short rushes and passes, Memphis continued to advance the ball deeper into FAU territory.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
Inside the 20-yard line, the Owls managed to force a third-and-long possession against Memphis, but the Tigers were able to convert the first down on a pass interference call against Florida Atlantic. Driving the ball inside the one-yard line, Memphis was called for a false start penalty, but on the next play, quarterback Martin Hankins threw a six-yard screen pass for a touchdown. The score came with 9:30 remaining in the quarter and cut Florida Atlantic's lead to just three points — the least it had been since the first quarter.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
With their once-large lead having waned to a single field goal, FAU began its first drive of the second half hoping to put points on the scoreboard. A 55-yard kick return by Florida Atlantic seemed to put the Owls in excellent position to do just that, but three plays resulted in -11 yards, and FAU was limited to its first three-and-out possession of the game. The Owl punt rolled into the end zone for a touchback, and Memphis took over at its own 20-yard line.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
The Tigers earned two first downs, but a 10-yard holding penalty pushed Memphis back and allowed Florida Atlantic to stop the Tigers' offense and force a punt. Memphis punter Sutherland took the ball, but as he prepared to kick, two Owls broke through the Tigers' offensive line and blocked the kick. FAU recovered the kick, which was their third block of the season, at the Memphis 18-yard line and put their offense in point-blank range. Two plays after the block, Rusty Smith connected on a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Jason Harmon for a touchdown. The score, which came with 1:39 remaining in the quarter, was Florida Atlantic's first of the second half and restored FAU's lead to 10 points, 37-27.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
On the kickoff, Memphis returner Michael Grandberry bobbled the football and was only able to bring it out to the Memphis 11-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins was tackled from behind, suffered an injury, and had to be escorted off the field. He did not return to the game, and his departure proved to be a critical deterrent to Memphis's hopes of victory. Replacing Hankins behind center was backup quarterback Will Hudgins. Hudgins was unable to pick up a first down after the Tigers committed a five-yard delay of game penalty.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
After the Memphis punt, Florida Atlantic took over on offense from its own 37-yard line with 29 seconds remaining in the quarter. On the second play of the drive, the Memphis defense came up with its biggest play of the game as LeRico Mathis picked off a pass by Smith and earned his third interception of the season.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Third quarter
The interception was returned to the Memphis 42-yard line as the third quarter came to an end. Florida Atlantic still led by 10 points, 37-27, but the interception denied Florida Atlantic a chance to extend its lead and gave Memphis a chance to make up at least part of the deficit heading into the fourth quarter.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
Following the Memphis interception on the final play of the third quarter, backup quarterback Will Hudgins returned to the field to take over the quarterback position from the injured Hankins. Hudgins was unable to advance the ball, and Memphis was forced to punt the ball away after going three-and-out. The punt was a good one, traveling 54 yards before being downed at the 4-yard line of Florida Atlantic. The poor field position didn't deter Florida Atlantic's offense, which completed a 30-yard pass on the second play of its first drive of the fourth quarter.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
The Owls drove down the field with success, reaching the Memphis 38-yard line with over 10:00 remaining in the game. There, the Memphis defense stopped FAU on three consecutive plays, forcing a fourth down. With three yards needed to earn a first down, Howard Schnellenberger elected to send in his offense rather than attempt a field goal. Two plays later, Diivory Hedgecomb rushed four yards for his first touchdown of the game. The score, which came with 9:12 remaining, gave Florida Atlantic a 44-27 lead. The 96-yard drive took 12 plays and 4:36.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
Following the touchdown, Memphis desperately needed a touchdown to have even a chance of staying within striking distance of the quick-scoring Owls. Their cause was not helped by an illegal blocking penalty on the return, which pushed Memphis's starting field position back to their own 25-yard line. On the next three plays, the Memphis offense only managed two yards and was forced to punt the ball away yet again. Following the kick, FAU took over possession at its own 46-yard line.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
Despite good field position, the Owls were unable to earn a first down and punted the ball back to Memphis, which was forced to begin at its own 11-yard line with just 6:36 remaining and trailing by 17 points. Memphis again was unable to earn a first down, and after three inconsequential plays, punted the ball back to Florida Atlantic.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Game summary, Fourth Quarter
FAU took over at its own 12-yard line and proceeded to run out the final minutes of the game by continuing to rush the ball and only snapping the ball as the play clock ran down to zero. The final five minutes of the game passed quickly as the Owls controlled the flow of the clock, and FAU finalized its 17-point win, 44-27.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Statistical summary
The 44-27 victory was the first Florida Atlantic bowl win in school history and Howard Schnellenberger's fifth bowl win as a head coach, bringing him to a perfect 5-0 record in bowl games. FAU became the youngest program in NCAA history to win a bowl game.


2007 New Orleans Bowl, Statistical summary
During the game, Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins passed the 3,000-yard mark for the season despite missing two games earlier in the year. During the game, he moved into first place all-time at Memphis in season passing yardage, completions, and touchdowns. Heading into the game, Memphis was ranked last in Division I in third-down defense, but ran an average of 78 plays on offense per game, enough for 7th in the NCAA.


2007 New Orleans Saints season
The 2007 season was the New Orleans Saints' 41st season in the National Football League, their 32nd playing home games at the Louisiana Superdome and their second under head coach Sean Payton. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record in 2006 and its third division title—the Saints' first in the NFC South. Their other two division titles were in the NFC West, prior to the league's 2002 realignment. After opening up the pre-season in the Hall of Fame Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 5, 2007, the Saints ended with a 3–2 pre-season record.


2007 New Orleans Saints season
The Saints opened the regular season with a nationally televised game against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, but ultimately had a disappointing season, finishing 2007 with a 7–9 record and were officially eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2005. The Saints also had no player make the Pro Bowl for the first time since their 1–15 1980 season.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Game summary
The 2007 New Orleans Saints began their regular season in the annual Thursday night Kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning completed a 27-yard TD pass to WR Marvin Harrison for the score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints managed to get their only touchdown of the game as DB Jason David (a former Colt) returned a fumble 55 yards to the endzone. Afterwards, New Orleans took the lead with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 34-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Game summary
Indianapolis tied the game prior to halftime with kicker Adam Vinatieri nailing a 33-yard field goal. In the second half, the Colts dominated the rest of the game. During the third quarter, RB Joseph Addai got a 2-yard TD run, while Manning hooked up with WR Reggie Wayne on a 29-yard TD pass. For the fourth quarter, Indianapolis wrapped up the game with Vinatieri getting a 33-yard field goal, Manning & Wayne hooking up with each other again on a 45-yard TD pass, and DB Matt Giordano returning an interception 83 yards for a touchdown.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Game summary
With the loss, the Saints began the year at 0–1.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q1 – IND – 1:36 – 27-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison (Adam Vinatieri kick) (IND 7–0)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q2 – NO – 11:32 – Jason David 55-yard fumble return TD (Olindo Mare kick) (7–7)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q2 – NO – 6:30 – Olindo Mare 34-yard FG (NO 10-7)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q2 – IND – 0:45 – Adam Vinatieri 33-yard FG (10–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q3 – IND – 9:45 – Joseph Addai 2-yard TD run (Vinatieri kick) (IND 17–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q3 – IND – 6:11 – 29-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne (Vinatieri kick) (IND 24–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q4 – IND – 14:12 – Adam Vinatieri 33-yard FG (IND 27–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q4 – IND – 10:05 – 45-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne (Vinatieri kick) (IND 34–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts, Scoring summary
Q4 – IND – 0:55 – Matt Giordano 83-yard interception return TD (Vinatieri kick) (IND 41–10)


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 2: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Game summary
Following their season-opening loss to the Colts, the Saints flew to Raymond James Stadium for an NFC South duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Bucs RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams got a 1-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints continued to struggle as Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia hooked up with WR Joey Galloway on a 69-yard TD pass and a 24-yard pass.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 2: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Game summary
In the third quarter, the Buccaneers extended their lead with Williams getting another 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, New Orleans finally got on the board with FB Mike Karney getting a 1-yard TD run. However, in the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay closed out the game with kicker Matt Bryant's 27-yard field goal. The Saints got the final score of the game as QB Drew Brees completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
Trying to snap a two-game skid, the Saints played their Week 3 Monday night homeopener, as they played an interconference duel with the Tennessee Titans. In the first quarter, New Orleans' struggles continued as Titans kicker Rob Bironas nailed a 33-yard field goal, while QB Vince Young completed a 35-yard TD pass to WR Brandon Jones. In the second quarter, the Saints managed to get the only score of the period as RB Reggie Bush got a 1-yard TD run. In the third quarter, New Orleans took the lead with Bush getting another 1-yard TD run.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
However, Tennessee regained the lead with RB LenDale White's 1-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Titans took over as Young completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Bo Scaife, while DB Vincent Fuller ended the game with an interception return of 61 yards for a touchdown. In the game, QB Drew Brees was 29 of 45 for 225 yards with 4 interceptions (3 of them coming from LB Keith Bulluck).


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
With the loss, the Saints entered their Bye Week at 0–3.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers, Game summary
Coming off their bye week and still in search of their first win of the year, the Saints stayed at home at played a Week 5 divisional duel with the Carolina Panthers. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Panthers kicker John Kasay got a 23-yard field goal. The Saints responded with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 25-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Panthers retook the lead with Kasay's 35-yard field goal. New Orleans responded with Mare kicking a 28-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers, Game summary
In the third quarter, the Saints took the lead with FB Mike Karney getting a 2-yard TD run for the only score of the period. However, in the fourth quarter, Carolina came back to win with QB David Carr completing a 17-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith, along with Kasay's 52-yard field goal as time ran out.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers, Game summary
With the loss, the Saints fell to their first 0–4 start since 1996.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q1 – NO – 12:38 – Pierre Thomas 5-yard fumble return (Olindo Mare kick) [ NO 7-0 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q2 – NO – 14:28 – Eric Johnson 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Olindo Mare kick) (13–86, 7:04) [ NO 14-0 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q2 – NO – 5:18 – Lance Moore 7-yard run (Olindo Mare kick) (6–66, 2:48) [ NO 21-0 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q2 – SEA – 2:16 – Ben Obomanu 17-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick) (7–63 3:02) [ NO 21-7 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q2 – NO – 0:30 – Marques Colston 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Olindo Mare kick) (9–80 1:46) [ NO 28-7 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q2 – SEA – 0:02 – Josh Brown 52-yard FG (4–38 0:28) [ NO 28-10 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Q4 – SEA – 6:39 – Nate Burleson 22-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick) (6–80 1:31) [ NO 28-17 SEA]


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Coming off of their road win over the Seahawks, the Saints went home for a Week 7 divisional duel with the Atlanta Falcons. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood as QB Drew Brees completed a 37-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson. The Falcons replied with former Saints kicker Morten Andersen getting a 38-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Atlanta took lead with Andersen kicking a 33-yard field goal, along with QB Byron Leftwich completing a 9-yard TD pass to WR Roddy White.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons
In the third quarter, New Orleans regained the lead with rookie RB Pierre Thomas getting a 24-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Falcons tried to rally as Andersen kicked a 21-yard field goal. The Saints sealed the win with Brees completing a 4-yard TD pass to RB Reggie Bush, with Bush getting the 2-point conversion on the ground.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers
at Bill Walsh Field at Monster Park, San Francisco, California


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers
Coming off their divisional home win over the Falcons, the Saints flew to Monster Park for a Week 8 intraconference duel with the San Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood with QB Drew Brees completing a 17-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston, along with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 26-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Saints continued their offensive revival with Brees completing a 2-yard TD pass to WR Terrance Copper, along with a 3-yard TD pass to Colston.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers
In the third quarter, the 49ers tried to come back as kicker Joe Nedney nailed a 29-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans managed to put the game out of reach with Brees and Colston hooking up with each other one last time on a 15-yard TD pass. Afterwards, San Francisco's only response was by QB Alex Smith completing a 7-yard TD pass to TE Vernon Davis.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 9: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off their road win over the 49ers, the Saints went home for a Week 9 interconference duel with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood as kicker Olindo Mare managed to get a 46-yard field goal, while RB Reggie Bush got a 1-yard TD run. The Jaguars responded with QB Quinn Gray completing an 80-yard TD pass to WR Reggie Williams, along with former Saints kicker John Carney getting a 30-yard field goal. New Orleans responded with QB Drew Brees completing a 2-yard TD pass to Bush. However, Jacksonville immediately answered as RB Maurice Jones-Drew returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to end the period. In the second quarter, the Saints regained the lead as Brees completed an 8-yard TD pass to WR Lance Moore for the only score of the period.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 9: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
In the third quarter, New Orleans increased its lead with CB Mike McKenzie returning an interception 75 yards for a touchdown, while Brees completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR David Patten. In the fourth quarter, the Jaguars tried to come back as Gray completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Dennis Northcutt. The Saints closed out the game with Mare nailing a 34-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 10: vs. St. Louis Rams
Coming off a 41–24 victory over the Jaguars, the Saints stayed home to face the winless St. Louis Rams. The Saints started the game with an impressive opening drive that culminated in a 7-yard burst by Reggie Bush to give the Saints an early 7–0 lead. However, Rams running back Stephen Jackson answered with a 1-yard run of his own to tie the game toward the end of the 1st quarter.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 10: vs. St. Louis Rams
Midway through the 2nd quarter, tight end Randy McMichael gave the Rams a 14–7 lead on a 2-yard pass from Jackson. Jeff Wilkins made it a two-score game with a 49-yard field goal three minutes later. The Saints went to the locker room trailing 17–7.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 10: vs. St. Louis Rams
In the 2nd half, Wilkins kicked his 2nd field goal of the game, a 21-yard attempt, to increase the  lead to 13. Toward the end of the 3rd, Isaac Bruce caught a 9-yard pass by Marc Bulger to make it a 27–7 lead, putting the Saints in danger of losing their first game since early October.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 10: vs. St. Louis Rams
Drew Bennett added to the St. Louis lead by catching a three-yard pass by Bulger to give Bulger his second touchdown of the game, and to give St. Louis a surprising 34–7 lead. Drew Brees and Billy Miller hooked up for a 1-yard pass with 11:36 left to cut the lead to 34–13. The Saints then converted a two-point conversion on a Bush run, to make it 34–15. Aaron Stecker then scored on a two-yard run with 4:42 remaining to cut it to 34–21. This time, however, they failed on the two-point conversion.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 10: vs. St. Louis Rams
With 1:55 left, a Wilkins field goal made it 37–21. The Saints scored another touchdown with 37 seconds left, but their attempt to recover the ball from an onside kick failed, and the Rams held on to defeat the Saints 37–29, giving the Rams their first victory in 2007 and dropping the Saints to 4–5.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 11: at Houston Texans
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Rams, the Saints flew to Reliant Stadium for a Week 11 interconference showdown with the Houston Texans.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 11: at Houston Texans
In the first quarter, New Orleans got the early lead as kicker Olindo Mare managed to get a 52-yard field goal. However, the Texans took the lead with QB Matt Schaub completing a 73-yard TD pass to WR Andre Johnson. In the second quarter, the Saints regained the lead with QB Drew Brees completing a 6-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson. However, Houston retook the lead with Schaub completing a 10-yard TD pass to TE Joel Dreessen.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 11: at Houston Texans
After a scoreless third quarter, the Texans sealed the win as kicker Kris Brown nailed a 36-yarder, a 53-yarder, and a 23-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 11: at Houston Texans
With the loss, New Orleans fell to 4–6. So far, all 6 of their losses came when they committed at least 2 turnovers in a game.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 12: at Carolina Panthers
Trying to snap a two-game losing skid, the Saints flew to Bank of America Stadium for a Week 12 NFC South rematch against the Carolina Panthers with second place on the line.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 12: at Carolina Panthers
In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Panthers kicker John Kasay managed to get a 45-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints took the lead with QB Drew Brees completing a 1-yard TD pass to TE Lance Moore, along with kicker Olindo Mare kicking a 46-yard field goal. Carolina ended the half as Kasay nailing a 29-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 12: at Carolina Panthers
In the third quarter, New Orleans ran away with the game as Brees completed a 1-yard TD pass to WR Billy Miller, got an 8-yard TD run, and completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 12: at Carolina Panthers
For Marques Colston, this marked his fifth-straight game of having at least 65 reception yards in one game.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 13: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Coming off their divisional road win over the Panthers, the Saints went home for a Week 13 NFC South rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early with Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant getting a 27-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Saints took the lead with QB Drew Brees completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Terrance Copper. In the second quarter, Tampa Bay regained the lead with QB Luke McCown completing a 1-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Becht, along with Bryant nailing a 31-yard field goal. Afterwards, New Orleans retook the lead with Brees completing a 45-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 13: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In the third quarter, the Buccaneers regained the lead with RB Earnest Graham getting a 25-yard TD run. Later, the Saints retook the lead with CB Mike McKenzie returning an interception 53 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans increased its lead with DE Will Smith taking McCown down in his endzone for a safety. However, an attempted double reverse resulted in a lost fumble. It allowed Tampa Bay to get into position for the win, as McCown completed a 4-yard TD pass to TE Jerramy Stevens.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 14: at Atlanta Falcons
Hoping to rebound from their divisional home loss to the Buccaneers, the Saints flew to the Georgia Dome for a Week 14 Monday Night NFC South rematch with the Atlanta Falcons. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood as QB Drew Brees completed a 25-yard TD pass to WR David Patten. The Falcons responded with QB Chris Redman completing a 33-yard TD pass to WR Roddy White. In the second quarter, the Saints started to pull away as kicker Olindo Mare managed to get a 23-yard field goal, while Brees completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 14: at Atlanta Falcons
In the third quarter, New Orleans pulled away as Brees hooked up with Colston again on a 2-yard TD pass, while Safety Roman Harper returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Atlanta got their last strike of the game as Redman completed a 13-yard TD pass to WR Michael Jenkins. The Saints wrapped up their victory with Mare nailing a 36-yard field goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 14: at Atlanta Falcons
With their second-straight season-sweeping win over the Falcons, New Orleans improved to 6–7.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 15: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Coming off their Monday night divisional road win over the Falcons, the Saints went home for a Week 15 intraconference duel with the Arizona Cardinals. In the first quarter, New Orleans trialed early as Cardinals QB Kurt Warner completed a 1-yard TD pass to TE Troy Bienemann. The Saints responded with QB Drew Brees completing a 19-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston. In the second quarter, New Orleans took the lead with RB Aaron Stecker getting a 1-yard TD run. Arizona tied the game with Warner completing an 18-yard TD pass to WR Larry Fitzgerald, yet the Saints regained the lead prior to halftime with Brees completing a 32-yard TD pass to WR David Patten.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 15: vs. Arizona Cardinals
In the third quarter, New Orleans increased its lead with Stecker getting a 6-yard TD run. The Cardinals responded with Warner completing a 3-yard TD pass to TE Ben Patrick. The Saints replied with kicker Martín Gramática getting a 31-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Arizona tried to rally as kicker Neil Rackers nailed a 26-yard field goal. New Orleans' defense held on for the victory.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 15: vs. Arizona Cardinals
With the win, the Saints improved to 7–7. At this point, Drew Brees had thrown 10 touchdowns and only 1 interception over the past four games.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Coming off the win against the Cardinals. The Saints stayed home for a Week 16 matchup against the Eagles, who they beat at home twice in the previous season, including in the playoffs. In the first quarter, the Eagles scored first as Kevin Curtis recovered a McNabb (38-yard run) fumble in the end zone putting Philly up 7–0, while the Saints responded with RB Aaron Stecker scoring 2 TD's (3-yard run & 1-yard run) to put the Saints up 14–7.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The lead did not last long, as Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter scored a 20 yard TD run, following the Eagles' next possession as McNabb completed a 30-yard TD pass to Reggie Brown as the Eagles went up 21–14 after both Gramatica and Akers traded field gals apiece in the 2nd quarter.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
In the third quarter, the Eagles took advantage of the goal line stand and capped a 99-yard touchdown drive with McNabb completing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis. In the 4th quarter, the Saints tried to rally back with M. Gramatica kicking 35- and 26-yard field goals. The Eagles sealed the game with Kevin Curtis hauling in a 9-yard touchdown catch, allowing them to get the Saints back for the previous season.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
With the loss, the Saints fell to 7–8 but barely kept their playoff hopes alive when the Washington Redskins defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32–21 Sunday night.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 17: at Chicago Bears
Coming off that home loss against the Eagles, the Saints in Week 17 travel to Soldier Field for a NFC Championship rematch from 2006 Conference against the Bears. New Orleans coming in this game needing a win and both losses by the Redskins & Vikings to clinch the final playoff spot in the NFC Playoff race. New Orleans trails right away in the 1st quarter as Bears K Robbie Gould connecting a 39-yard field goal, along with Kyle Orton completing a 19-yard pass to Mark Bradley for a 10–0 lead.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 17: at Chicago Bears
As the Saints managed to get on the board in the second quarter with Drew Brees completing a 3-yard Touchdown pass to Marques Colston. The Bears continue to roll with Orton hooking a 9-yard TD to Bernard Berrian. New Orleans responds with Drew Brees connecting to M. Colston for a 21-yard touchdown reception. Both the Bears & Saints then closed out the first half with Orton completing a 55-yard TD pass to D. Hester, Along with Saints K Martin Gramatica kicks a 48-yard Field Goal.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 17: at Chicago Bears
In the third quarter the Saints continue to fall behind with Devin Hester returning a 64-yard punt for a touchdown. Then the Bears in the 4th quarter add on more points recording a Safety due to Jahri Evans being penalized in the end zone. While Drew Brees managed to hooked up to Pierre Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown strike (along with the 2 pt conversion). Afterwards the Saints failed to recover the onside kick allowing Chicago to preserve the win.


2007 New Orleans Saints season, Week-by-week results, Week 17: at Chicago Bears
With the loss, the Saints fell to 7–9 and were eliminated from postseason contention.


2007 New Orleans VooDoo season
The 2007 New Orleans VooDoo season was the third season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. They returned from hiatus in 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina. They went 5-11 and missed the playoffs.


2007 New Orleans VooDoo season, Coaching
Mike Neu started his third season as head coach of the VooDoo.


2007 New South Wales state election
Elections for the 54th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 24 March 2007. The entire Legislative Assembly and half of the Legislative Council was up for election. The Labor Party led by Morris Iemma won a fourth four-year term against the Liberal-National coalition led by Peter Debnam.


2007 New South Wales state election
Labor's substantial majority survived the election almost intact. The Liberals succeeded in taking two independent-held seats and one Labor-held seat, whilst the Nationals and an independent each took one Labor-held seat.


2007 New South Wales state election, Campaign
Labor, running on the slogan "More to do, but we're heading in the right direction," heavily outspent the Liberals, whose slogan was "Let's fix NSW." Though water and infrastructure emerged as key issues in the campaign, much of the parties' advertising focussed on the negatives: Debnam's business record and Labor's record in office.


2007 New South Wales state election, Campaign
The media concluded that the choice facing voters was in finding the lesser of two evils: the three major newspapers sold in New South Wales endorsed Debnam, though not without criticising his ineptitude on the campaign trail.


2007 New South Wales state election, Campaign
The result was widely perceived as a foregone conclusion, with opposition leader Peter Debnam conceding as much the week before the poll. Opinion polls consistently put Labor ahead in terms of voting intention and preferred premier.


2007 New South Wales state election, Campaign
The ALP would eventually lose government at the next election in a landslide defeat in 2011. There has been a view that the party would have suffered a less worse defeat if it had lost government at the 2007 election.


2007 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
The New South Wales Legislative Assembly has 93 members elected for four-year terms using instant-runoff voting, a form of preferential voting. The voting system is the same as for the Australian House of Representatives except that New South Wales has optional preferential voting. This means that while voters may number every candidate if they wish, their vote is still formal if they choose not to. They may vote for one candidate only, or for as many candidates as they choose, provided that they number them in correct sequence.


2007 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
The New South Wales Legislative Council has 42 members who serve eight year terms, one-half of the body being elected every four years. The Council uses the Single Transferable Vote method, a form of preferential voting for use with proportional representation. As for the Assembly, the numbering of preferences is optional.


2007 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
After each election, the Governor of New South Wales, appoints a member of the Legislative Assembly to the position of Premier of New South Wales. By convention, the party leader with the largest bloc of votes in the Assembly, is chosen.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly
Government is formed in the Legislative Assembly, the lower house of Parliament. The seats for this election resulted from the boundary redistribution conducted in 2004, which did not change the number of seats notionally held by each party.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly, Results
New South Wales state election, 24 March 2007 Legislative Assembly << 2003–2011 >>


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly, Results
The two-party preferred vote, excluding votes which were exhausted in the distribution of preferences, was 52.26% for Labor, and 47.74% for the Coalition, a swing of 3.92% from the ALP.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly, Pendulum
A majority being 47 seats, the Labor Party had to lose nine seats (a uniform swing of 8.7%) to lose its majority, and the Liberal-National coalition had to gain 16 seats to gain a majority. Had the Liberal-National coalition gained at least one seat from an Independent, a uniform swing of 11.6% would have been sufficient. Otherwise, the necessary uniform swing required would have been 12.3%. Swings of this size are rare in New South Wales politics.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly, Pendulum
The swings required for the opposing party to take each of the Assembly's 93 seats are often illustrated by means of a Mackerras Pendulum.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Assembly, Marginal seats (pre-election)
The following seats were described as marginal (i.e. those with a two-candidate preferred margin of 6% or less) by psephologists Malcolm Mackerras and Antony Green after the 2005 redistribution.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
Balmain, in Sydney's inner-western suburbs, was with Marrickville one of two seats considered potentially winnable for the Greens. Labor incumbent Verity Firth suffered a 2.9% primary and 3.2% two-candidate preferred swing against the Greens, to finish on 39.2% and 53.8% respectively.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
The Liberals held on to Hawkesbury despite an independent challenge from Steven Pringle, the disendorsed Liberal incumbent. Pringle won 28.0% of the primary vote, at the expense of Labor and other independent candidates. Liberal candidate Ray Williams saw his primary vote dip by just 1.0%.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
In Macquarie Fields, high-profile Liberal candidate Nola Fraser achieved a 12% swing in two-party-preferred terms compared to the 2003 poll. The incumbent, Labor's Steven Chaytor, had bowed out of the contest after being convicted for assaulting his girlfriend. Local issues such as hospital scandals and the 2005 Macquarie Fields riots may have also contributed to the high Liberal vote. Labor candidate Andrew McDonald won Macquarie Fields comfortably.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
The Liberals won Manly from the independents for the first time since the 1980s. Sitting MP David Barr lost to future Premier Mike Baird, who increased the Liberals' primary vote by 4.4%.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west, was with Balmain the other seat considered potentially winnable for the Greens. Labor's Carmel Tebbutt suffered a 1.1% primary and 2.6% two-candidate preferred swing against the Greens, to finish on 46.6% and 57.5% respectively. Tebbutt won the seat in a 2005 by-election after quitting the Legislative Council, and is a senior member of the party's left wing and has a strong personal following in the area.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats
The Liberals lost Pittwater to independent Alex McTaggart at a by-election called after the resignation of John Brogden. The Liberals' Rob Stokes won the seat back on primaries, taking 50.5% of the vote.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Independent Dubbo MP Dawn Fardell fought off a challenge from the Nationals to retain her seat. The Nationals lost ground slightly, but the seat remains one of the state's most marginal.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Star Liberal candidate Pru Goward beat off a tough fight in Goulburn with independent candidate Paul Stephenson capturing a quarter of the vote. Goward was helped by the Nationals' decision not to run in the seat but both Labor and the Coalition lost ground. Allegations surfaced during the campaign that Labor was assisting Stephenson's campaign.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Independent Greg Piper won the safe seat of Lake Macquarie from Labor's Jeff Hunter. Labor and the Liberals lost 10.4% and 15.7% of their primary vote respectively.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Sitting Labor MP Bryce Gaudry chose to stand as an independent after being disendorsed by his party in the seat of Newcastle. Gaudry and another independent, John Tate, both outpolled the Greens and the Liberals. Labor's Jodi McKay suffered a 17.1% swing against her but won the seat on preferences.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Port Stephens Incumbent Labor MP John Bartlett retired at this election. The Liberals' Craig Baumann added 8.7% to his party's primary vote in the seat to outpoll Labor, and narrowly defeat ALP candidate Jim Arneman.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
The Labor member for Swansea, Milton Orkopoulos, resigned from parliament after being charged with a number of child-sex and drug offenses. An expected backlash against the ALP materialised in the form of an 11.3% swing, with independent candidate Laurie Coghlan the main beneficiary. Nonetheless, Labor candidate Robert Coombs was able to hold the seat with a comfortable majority.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
Tweed, Labor's most marginal seat, fell to the Nationals' Geoff Provest. Labor incumbent Neville Newell had previously served two terms (six years) in the federal seat of Richmond before his two terms (eight years) in the State Parliament. A swing of 7.8% meant that the seat changed from being a marginal seat for Labor to a National Party marginal.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Rural and regional
The Liberals lost primary votes in the seat of Wyong, bucking the statewide swing to the party. The Liberals had disendorsed candidate Brenton Pavier after details emerged of a sex joke he had sent to friends via SMS. The Liberals' new candidate, Ben Morton, managed a 5.4% swing in two-party-preferred terms, not enough to take victory from Labor candidate David Harris. Incumbent Labor MP Paul Crittenden retired at the election.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Retiring
A number of MPs did not seek re-election in 2007. Liberal MPs Andrew Tink (Epping) and Peta Seaton, (Southern Highlands) retired. Andrew Humpherson (Davidson) lost preselection and did not contest his seat. Nationals MP Ian Slack-Smith (Barwon) also retired.


2007 New South Wales state election, High-profile seats, Retiring
The Labor MPs retiring at the 2007 election were John Bartlett (Port Stephens), Paul Crittenden (Wyong), John Mills (Wallsend), Sandra Nori (Port Jackson), John Price (Maitland) and Kim Yeadon (Granville). Steven Chaytor (Macquarie Fields) and Milton Orkopoulos (Swansea), each arrested for violent crimes in late 2006, pulled out of the election. Carl Scully (Smithfield), dumped from the ministry for misleading parliament, chose not to recontest his seat. Attorney-General Bob Debus (Blue Mountains) did not seek re-election, in anticipation of a move to federal politics.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
New South Wales state election, 24 March 2007Legislative Council << 2003–2011 >>


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, elected by proportional representation, operates as a house of review in the New South Wales parliament. It is rare for parties or coalitions to secure a majority in this house.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
The count was completed and results for the Legislative Council declared on 10 April.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
The Liberal and National parties ran a joint Legislative Council ticket, winning 5 seats for the Liberals and 3 seats for the Nationals and bringing the parties' totals to 10 and 5 respectively.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
Electoral changes made after the 1999 election, which saw seats go to so-called microparties through elaborate preference deals, meant that both the major party groups made gains in the 2007 election. The Labor Party with 39.1% of the vote gained 1 seat, to win 9, whilst the Liberal and National Parties with 34.2% gained 1 seat each to make a combined gain of 2, thereby winning 8 seats. The effect of this outcome is that Labor now holds 19 out of 42 council seats, just 3 short of a majority, whilst the Coalition holds 15 seats.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
The Greens achieved a primary vote of 9.1%, an increase from their result in the 2003 election. This has allowed them to win 2 seats (1 additional seat), bringing their total to 4 seats. This result appears to put them in a favourable position, in which they can exercise the parliamentary balance of power, and potentially provide the Labor government with the necessary majority to get legislation through the upper chamber of Parliament.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
Fred Nile's Christian Democratic Party (CDP) achieved 4.4% of the vote (↑1.4%), allowing Nile to retain his seat, and keeping the CDP's representation at 2 seats. The Shooters Party won the remaining seat, on 2.8% of the vote, thereby increasing their representation to 2 seats.


2007 New South Wales state election, Legislative Council
The losers from the 2007 election were the Australian Democrats, Unity Party, Outdoor Recreation Party (ORP), Human Rights Party (HRP) (formerly Reform the Legal System Party) and One Nation. These five parties lost their single remaining parliamentary seat, which they had won in 1999. The Australian Democrats and Unity Party polled less than 2%, ORP and HRP polled well below 1%, whilst neither One Nation, nor their former representative-turned-Independent, David Oldfield, contested the 2007 election.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign
An election campaign was held ahead of a general election for the 54th Parliament of New South Wales on Saturday, 24 March 2007. The result—a win for the social-democratic Labor Party and its new leader Morris Iemma—was widely perceived as a foregone conclusion, with opposition leader Peter Debnam conceding as much the week before the poll.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign
Though water and infrastructure emerged as key issues in the campaign, much of the parties' advertising focussed on the negatives: Debnam's business record and Labor's record in office. The media concluded that the choice facing voters was in finding the lesser of two evils: the three major newspapers sold in New South Wales endorsed Debnam, though not without criticising his ineptitude on the campaign trail.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Labor
Labor leader Morris Iemma, a former union official, had represented Labor in the Legislative Assembly since 1991. Labor won office at the 1995 election, and Iemma became a parliamentary secretary. From 1999, he held several portfolios, culminating in two years in the challenging role of Health minister. With the surprise resignation of Premier Bob Carr in 2005, Iemma was elected unopposed as his replacement.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Labor
Iemma maintained Labor's opinion poll lead, despite losing some of the government's most experienced ministers along with Carr himself. In 2005 and 2006, Iemma's government was hit by a series of scandals, such as the arrest of Aboriginal Affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos and the financial collapse of the controversial Cross City Tunnel. These and other incidents brought Iemma's political judgment into question.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Labor
One of Iemma's major achievements was to announce the New South Wales State Plan, a ten-year blueprint for infrastructure development, law reform and social policy.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Labor
During the campaign, opposition attack ads focussed more on Iemma's least popular ministers, Joe Tripodi, Michael Costa and Frank Sartor rather than the premier himself. Towards the end of the campaign, there was some discussion of Iemma's relationship with his former boss, Labor identity Graham Richardson, who stood accused of tax avoidance at the time.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Coalition
Peter Debnam, a former naval officer and businessman, was elected to represent the seat of Vaucluse for the Liberals in 1994. Debnam served as a shadow minister under a succession of opposition leaders. Following John Brogden's sudden resignation as Liberal Leader, Barry O'Farrell, as Deputy Leader, was initially the favourite to become leader, but Debnam steadily gained ground as he lobbied Liberal MPs, and on 31 August O'Farrell withdrew from the contest.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Coalition
Between his appointment and the election, Debnam never quite shook the perception that under Brogden or O'Farrell, the party would have performed much better. This perception was reinforced when, in a bid to capitalise on the Orkopoulos scandal, the opposition leader raised unsubstantiated allegations against Attorney-General Bob Debus in 2006.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Leaders, Coalition
During the campaign, Labor attacked Debnam's record as a businessman and his plans to cut the size of the public service. The Labor campaign also made a point of referring to the opposition leader as "the member for Vaucluse." Vaucluse, New South Wales is one of Sydney's most exclusive suburbs.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Water
Concern over climate change and drought conditions were widespread in Australia in early 2007, with federal and state policymakers promising action. As the state election campaign got underway, Iemma was first among state leaders to endorse Prime Minister John Howard's plan for the federal government to take a greater role in managing the Murray-Darling river system.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Water
Metropolitan water supplies were also a big issue, with dams supplying the city of Sydney falling to 30% of their design capacity during the campaign. Iemma's predecessor Bob Carr had committed Labor to building a desalination plant at Kurnell in Sydney's south. Iemma made the controversial $1.9 billion project the centrepiece of his party's response to the city's dwindling water supply. A dam was also planned to boost water supplies on the state's Central Coast.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Water
The Liberals rejected the desalination plant as unacceptable to residents, energy inefficient and harmful to the environment. Debnam championed the use of water recycling to supplement the dams. Other Coalition commitments included an increase of the water tank rebate to $1500, upgrades to country and coastal towns' water supply infrastructure and a regional water grid to share rural water supplies.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Water
Much of the Coalition's infrastructure promises were to be financed by the privatisation of New South Wales Lotteries, a state-owned enterprise reckoned to have a market value of around $800 million.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Economy
The state's economy is also an issue. Despite more than a decade of uninterrupted economic growth at a national level, New South Wales has begun to lag the other states in both jobs and growth figures.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Economy
Fears of the state slipping into recession—the New South Wales economy shrank in the September quarter—were allayed after the state recorded positive growth in the December quarter. New South Wales did, however, continue to lag the other mainland states on economic growth.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Public sector
The size and efficiency of the New South Wales public sector was a campaign issue. Significant wage growth had made New South Wales public servants the most expensive to employ, and although there were calls for more police, there was also wide agreement that the size of the bureaucracy needed to be reduced. Debnam characterised the size and expense of the public service as "out of control" and promised productivity improvements.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Public sector
The Liberals announced that they would cut 20,000 administrative positions from the public sector through natural attrition. Labor made this promise a particular focus for their advertising campaign, warning that such deep cuts would compromise service delivery: the advertising implied that the Liberals planned to sack teachers, nurses and police.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Public sector
Labor planned a cut of 5,000, although Treasurer Michael Costa was quoted in March 2005 as telling the Public Sector Union that as many as 20% of the state's public servants were surplus to requirements.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Public sector
The Liberals also committed themselves to privatising two state-owned enterprises, gambling operator New South Wales Lotteries and garbage company WSN Environmental Solutions.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Industrial relations
Iemma has accused the Liberals of planning to refer the state's industrial relations powers to the Australian Government, whose WorkChoices legislation remains controversial. Although most New South Wales workers are now covered by the WorkChoices system, public servants are not. A lobby group representing nurses ran television commercials attacking the Liberals on this point. This was despite Debnam guaranteeing industrial relations for all New South Wales public servants would remain under the control of the New South Wales government.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Infrastructure
The government is vulnerable on the issue of infrastructure. Although water infrastructure has taken centre stage in the campaign; interruptions to the electricity supply, poor service levels on ferries and trains, and controversies surrounding major road projects have taken their toll on the government's image.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Infrastructure
A significant point of difference between Labor and the Coalition concerns the long-planned Southern Freeway, which would link the F6 Freeway at Waterfall with Southern Cross Drive or the M5 South Western Motorway near Sydney Airport. The link would improve travel times between the capital and Wollongong, the state's third city, but the corridor is currently public open space, and construction would be controversial. Labor opposes building the motorway, the Liberals support it.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Infrastructure
The Liberals are also pushing a significant expansion of the city's light rail network, which Labor opposes. The Liberals were criticised for not putting forward a comprehensive plan for public transport at the election. The party claimed that it did not have access to sufficient information to make meaningful commitments in this area.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Infrastructure
The Coalition was particularly critical of the pace at which the Pacific Highway was being upgraded, as well as the controversy surrounding the Cross City Tunnel.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Issues, Infrastructure
Both Labor and the Coalition pledged to clear the backlog in public school maintenance that had developed since 2000.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns
Labor outspent their opponents, buying $7 million worth of television, radio and print advertising against the Liberals' $3 million. Labor also benefited from the state government's substantial advertising spend, which totalled $10 million in 2006.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns
An opinion poll judging the effectiveness of the parties' campaigns suggested that Labor's advertising was much better than that used by the Liberals.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Let's fix NSW
In effect, the campaign's opening shot came in the form of Liberal print and television ads in response to scandals involving Labor MPs Steven Chaytor, Kerry Hickey, Milton Orkopoulos and Carl Scully. Without mentioning the scandals' specifics, the ads branded the government as "rotten to the core".


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Let's fix NSW
On 8 January 2007, Debnam launched "Get NSW back in front", a campaign emphasising the state's declining economic performance relative to the other states. The principal focus was economic growth underpinned by better infrastructure, lower taxes and less red tape for business. The Sydney Morning Herald quipped that "with the Coalition trailing in the polls, it may equally refer to the Opposition Leader's prospects."


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Let's fix NSW
On 25 February, Debnam and Prime Minister John Howard officially launched his party's campaign, under the slogan "Let's fix NSW". The focus was on water and transport infrastructure, an expansion in police numbers and improving the efficiency of the public sector. Liberal television advertising, however, made no mention of the party's policies: instead they attacked Treasurer Michael Costa's budget deficit, Roads Minister Joe Tripodi's role in the Cross City Tunnel controversy and Planning Minister Frank Sartor's approach to urban consolidation.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Let's fix NSW
The National Party, the Liberals' junior coalition partner, ran on the slogan "It's over for Labor," focussing on infrastructure and health as key issues.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Heading in the right direction
Labor officially launched its campaign, "More to do but we're heading in the right direction," on 18 February. The launch event was low key; state ministers and former premiers Neville Wran and Bob Carr for instance were not invited.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Heading in the right direction
The slogan attracted derision from across the news media. A number of reporters demanded - without success - to know who came up with it.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Heading in the right direction
The opposition claimed that the incumbents' strategy was to disassociate themselves from their first 10 years in office, noting the use of phrases like "more to do" and the strong focus on Iemma's, rather than the party's, branding. "Morris Iemma's trying to pretend that he's Rip Van Winkel," deputy Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell said. "That he woke up and found himself in government 18 months ago - the public don't buy it."


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Heading in the right direction
Some of Labor's television campaign had Iemma explaining aspects of his policies, the remainder attacked Debnam's business career and industrial relations policies.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaigns, Heading in the right direction
Labor also benefited from extensive government-funded advertising in the months before the election. Television ads for the New South Wales State Plan, the Metropolitan Water Strategy and other government policies and plans were criticised by the opposition and media as ALP propaganda.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaign Trail
With the state's system of fixed parliamentary terms, the election date was known long in advance, denying the incumbents the opportunity to set the election date. This has the effect of lengthening the campaign season beyond the customary one month. The opening shots of the election campaign came in November 2006 as the Iemma government found itself mired in a series of ministerial scandals.


2007 New South Wales state election campaign, Campaign Trail, Something is rotten
Over the course of two weeks, Labor lost two ministers to scandal. First, Police Minister Carl Scully was dumped from the front bench after being caught misleading parliament over a report into the 2005 Cronulla riots. Scully was one of the government's most experienced ministers and the loss was considered significant. Within a fortnight, however, the government was rocked by 7 November arrest, on child-sex and drug charges, of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Milton Orkopoulos.