Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 37

Statesman Journal, Salem, Sunday, December 31, 1989 COLLEGE BOWLS Page 5E PM win wifilfu 445fardl GomcMowgt) pass Sun Bowl Interim coach will head Pitt The Associated Press EL PASO, Texas Alex Van Pelt threw a 44-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Henry Tuten on Saturday to give Pittsburgh a 31-28 victory over Texas in the Sun Bowl, i Van Pelt said: "We were just looking for the first down. They blitzed, and they bumped up on Henry Tuten, and he just ran a go route, ran perfect. The line held out, and he caught it." Van Pelt, a redshirt freshman, hadn't played a down until being thrust into a starting role when former starter Darnell Dickerson became an academic casualty. By the end of the season, Van Pelt had passed for 15 touchdowns and 2,527 yards, a total surpassed at Pitt by only Dan Marino. After Van Pelt's touchdown put Pittsburgh ahead, Texas following drive fizzled on an interception.

Pittsburgh finished with an 8-3-1 record, and Texas fell to 8-4. two touchdowns, also ran for a 1-yard touchdown and was named as the game's most valuable player. Lance Pavlas, Texas quarterback, came back from a rib injury to erase a 14-point deficit. Randy Simmons capped a drive by scoring from 5 yards out with 9:32 left in the game to put the Aggies ahead, 28-24. But Van Pelt led the Panthers on an 84-yard touchdown drive capped by the 44-yarder to Tuten, who had four catches for 96 yards.

Texas comeback try was stopped when Pavlas, throwing a desperation pass, was intercepted by Barry Threats with 1:05 remaining. The Panthers ran out the clock. For the Panthers Curvin Richards carried 23 times for 156 yards and wideout Olanda Truitt had four catches for 124 yards. Pavlas completed 10 of 20 for 152 yards and two interceptions. Hackett, a former assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, came to Pitt after Cowboys' coach Jimmy Johnson fired all of Tom Landry's staff.

Gottfried was looking for an offensive coordinator after he was pressured into firing long-time aide Mike Dickens. Before the announcement, Pitt players had been vocal in their support of Hackett, who once tutored 49er quarterback Joe Montana. Van Pelt said: "I don't think there's anybody else really for the job. I mean, he's a hell of a coach. The system's already intact.

We had a good year. There's no use swithcing things around." Pitt athletic director Ed Bozik said players urged him to hire Hackett. The Associated Press EL PASO, Texas Paul Hackett was made Pittsburgh's head football coach Saturday, minutes before the Panthers met Texas in the Sun Bowl. To the cheers of Pitt players, school president Wesley Posvar made the announcement before the team raced out of the locker room at Sun Bowl stadium. Hacket, 42, has been interim coach since Dec.

18, when Mike Gottfried was fired. Hackett, who joined the Pitt staff in March as offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, has been credited with the rapid development of redshirt quarterback Alex Van Pelt. Posvar said: "I am convinced that he is the best man for the job." The winning pass went right through the arms of cornerback Kevin Smith. R.C. Slocum, Texas coach, said: "You can't fault Kevin Smith.

He was in position. He just didn't make the play, and their guy did." The Panthers also made a decisive play after Texas first touchdown, when the Aggies tried for a two-point conversion attempt but were stopped. The Aggies tried and failed twice more on two-point conversions, which gave Pittsburgh its margin of victory. "It's something that automatically is done on the field anytime a team doesn't adjust to the formation," Slocum said of the first failed conversion attempt. "They made a great play on it." Van Pelt, 20 of 40 for 354 yards and Syracuse kicks for a 1 -point win Huskies rout the Gators 1U i 4 It 'v mm it.

The Associated Press ATLANTA John Biskup kicked a 26-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining Saturday as Syracuse rallied for a 19-18 Peach Bowl victory over Georgia. Syracuse (8-4) moved 64 yards in 11 plays to set up Biskup's game-winner. The key play was a 29-yard pass from Mark McDonald to Michael Owens that moved the ball to the Bulldogs' 29. Georgia (6-6), playing in a bowl game for the 10th consecutive year, got two touchdown passes from Greg Talley and led 18-7 before Kiskup kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:44 left in the third period. The Orangemen, making their third straight bowl appearance, cut the deficit to 18-16 when Rob Moore caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from McDonald 4:52 into the final period.

But McDonald, who replaced starter Bill Scharr early in the third period, Peach Bowl overthrew Andrew Dees in the end zone in a bid for the two-point conversion. McDonald was 3 for 3 for 45 yards on the 94-yard, 7-play drive early in the fourth period that got the Orangemen within 18-16. He also hit on 2 of 3 passes for 37 yards, including a 20-yarder to Owens, to set up Biskup's 32-yard field goal. Georgia, which started six freshmen, marched 66 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive of the game as Talley hit four straight passes for 52 yards with Hampton catching three for 47 yards. The 6-6 record marked Georgia's first non-winning season since 1979, when the Bulldogs finished 5-6.

That was the last time they were not in a bowl game. If- Clemson gets 27-7 win after 4 Major turnovers The Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. Cary Conklin threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter Satur- day, and Freedom r-y All-Ameri-oOWl can Emmitt Smith as Washington beat Florida 34-7 in the Freedom Bowl. Conklin said: "We felt we needed to come out right at the start and put some points on the board. We were able to do that and get a lead.

And after we got the lead, everything went our way." Washington (8-4) won its second Freedom Bowl. The Huskies, returning to postseason play after their nine-year bowl streak ended in 1988, beat Colorado in 1985. Lewis, a second-team All-Pacific-10 Conference pick, gained 97 yards on 27 carries. Smith, who will decide soon whether hell return for his senior season or turn pro, had 17 yards his lowest since gaining 16 in his debut as a freshman on seven carries. "I didn't expect to come into the game and run all over Washington," Smith said.

"When the defense is designed basically to stop the run, you're not going to run over them. It's not easy to run against an eight-man front." Smith carried twice in the second half as the Gators were forced to go to the air after falling behind, 27-7. Conklin, a senior who was named as Washington's MVP, completed 21 of 39 passes for 217 yards. His backup, Mark Brunell, scored the only points in the second half on a 20-yard run with 2:21 left. Coach Don James used 1 Gator Bowl AP photo Washington's Dennis Brown chases and the third quarter of Saturday's Freedom Bowl sacks Florida quarterback Donald Douglas in in Anaheim, Calif.

The Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Clemson's defense became West Virginia's nightmare Saturday in the Gator Bowl. "They ran us down from behind and from everyplace else," West Virginia coach Don Nehlen said after Clemson capitalized on four second-half turnovers for a 27-7 victory over the Mountaineers. Clemson linebacker Levon Kirkland said the Tigers' speed overwhelmed West Virginia and frustrated quarterback Major Harris, who committed all four turnovers. Kirkland said: "He really hadn't seen speed like we had." Harris was intercepted once and lost three fumbles.

The last fumble was recovered in the end zone by Clemson's Chester McGlockton for a touchdown that gave the Tigers a 24-7 lead with 8:08 remaining. Harris said: "I hurt the team. I made a couple of key mistakes. It's really hard for you to drive down the field against a team like Clemson." Chris Gardocki's second field goal of the game, a 24-yard kick with 3:16 left, completed the Clemson scoring. job when Galen Hall resigned on Oct.

8 after admitting to two NCAA rules violations. On Florida's second play from scrimmage, quarterback Donald Douglas faked a handoff to Smith and turned upfield on a 67-yard scoring run that tied it at 7. Conklin threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Andre Riley for a 17-7 lead with 2:34 left in the first quarter. for Gary Darnell, Florida interim head coach. Steve Spurrier, who won the Heisman Trophy as Florida's quarterback in 1966, is expected to be named the Gators' new coach in the next few days.

Darnell said, "If this wasn't our worst performance, it's close to our worst performance of the year." Florida finished 7-5 and was 3-4 under Darnell, who got the Brunell for one series in the first half after the Huskies went ahead, 24-7. Conklin looked sharp directing Washington's new short-passing game, leading the Huskies to scores on their first three drives. He threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mario Bailey on the Huskies' first possession, which was kept alive on a penalty for running into the punter. The game likely was the last Newest bowl may play to half-empty stadium Make A Resolution To Quality Copper Bowl Money A -k 1989 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL H5VM UUU Signature Serien DSdU The Associated Press TUCSON, Ariz. The newest postseason football game, the Copper Bowl, is having trouble drawing attention and ticket buyers.

The bowl debuts at 5:05 p.m. today with North Carolina State playing Arizona. But the game between the 7-4 teams may be played before a half-empty house. Only 30,000 tickets had been old by Saturday morning, though Arizona Stadium seats 57,000. Officials said with TBS' broadcast of the game being aired in Tucson and the chance of cold, rainy weather, expecting a turnout of 85,000 would be optimistic, i Crowd aside, the teams are pleased at the prospect of playing each other.

i "We're happy to be invited to a bowl game," said quarterback Shane Montgomery, who led State's offense with 2,632 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. "A lot of people felt we didn't deserve it." Arizona coach Dick Tomey, noting the Wolfpack's fundamental soundness, said: "They're used to winning and used to doing things well. I'm real impressed with them." State coach Dick Sheridan said, "It's an honor and opportunity to measure ourselves against the Pac-10 and a team the caliber of Arizona." The Wolfpack dropped their last three games and finished tied for fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference at 4-3. Arizona finished the Pacific-10 options including: 10 speaker JBL high level audio system with compact disc 6 Passenger Comfort Front Wheel Drive Dual Power Seats All available power Memory Seat With Lumbar Power Glass Moonroof Full leather Interior Anti-Theft alarm system Anti-lock Brakes Driver Passenger Side Air-Bags Conference season with a win, ending up 5-3 in the league and tied for second. The Wildcats rely on a strong running game, using the I-wish-bone option, which averaged almost 241 yards in leading the Pac-10 for the third straight year.

Wolfpack linebacker Bobby Houston, one of three all-ACC defensive players for the Wolfpack, said: 'We're gonna have our work cut out. They have a great team." The Wolfpack will rely on a defense that gave up less than 137 yards a game rushing. Arizona tackle Glenn Parker said: "They get to the ball, that's for sure. They swarm. They have good technique.

They're good technicians." Arizona guard John Brandom said, "They're sound; they're well-coached." Arizona tackle Anthony Smith, one of three all-Pac-10 defensive picks for the Wildcats, said playing at home is an advatange while adding to the pressure. "Our fans expect us to win every time we go on the field, and that's the way we play; we expect to win," he said. Comerback Darryl Lewis said, "We're used to everything, the turf, just little things that come from being the home team." Offef expires 1-3-90 Read and chuckle about the best, and worst, products of the 1980's. Monday in Money Matters! Statesman Journal For convenient home delivery call 399-6622 or 1-800-452-2511. Hours you can call are between 6:30 a.m.

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