Senior Bowl 2010 complete coverage

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - It only seemed fitting that on a day where temperatures dipped into the 30s, that the North squad would snap a two game losing streak to the South with a 31-13 victory in the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl. Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham tallied two sacks and a forced fumble to pick up Most Valuable Player honors as the North celebrated a win in front of a sold out crowd (40,646) in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

The North never trailed in the game, taking a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on Brett Swenson's 43 yard field goal. Leigh Tiffin would answer with a 43 yard field goal of his own--tying the game at three late in the first quarter. Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter would give the North a 10-3 lead and Austen Lane's six yard fumble return for a touchdown put the visitors out in front 17-3 with just under ten minutes to play in the half.

Hanging onto the football was a bit of a challenge for both squads all day long. The game featured nine turnovers, with six of those belonging to the South (four fumbles, two interceptions) and three to the North (two fumbles, one interception). Making matters worse for the South was the fact that two of those turnovers led to North touchdowns.

Despite the turnovers, Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano's South squad seemed to be riding some momentum into the half-scoring 10 unanswered points to close out the first half. Leigh Tiffin drilled a 33 yard field goal and Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson fired a 19 yard touchdown pass to Alabama tight end Colin Peek, cutting the North's lead to just four, 17-13, at the half.

But the North squad, under the direction of Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz and his staff, shut out the South in the second half-scoring 14 unanswered points in the final two quarters. Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour, who earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the North, ran for a one-yard touchdown and threw a 32 yard scoring strike to Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard to close out the scoring.

Gilyard was named the Under Armour Offensive Player of the game after reeling in five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. He also totaled an additional 76 yards in returns, giving him 179 total all-purpose yards.

Other award winners in Saturday's game included Mississippi State's Jamar Chaney (Under Armour Defensive Player of the Game), who posted a game high eight tackles, and Tulane's Jeremy Williams (Most Outstanding Player-South Team), who totaled 109 all-purpose yards (27 rushing, 82 receiving).

The win is the first in eight tries for the Detroit Lions staff in the Senior Bowl, while Miami moves to 2 and 2 in Senior Bowls. Even with the loss, the South leads the all-time series 29-26-3. Three games (1991-1993) did not feature the North-South format.