Wisconsin State Journal from Madison, Wisconsin • 25

LLE 3D Wisconsin State Journal Thursday, January 2, 1992 AROUND THE BOWL GAMES Orangemen zoom past Buckeyes Orangemen Buckovet of Ohio State cornerback Foster Paulk less than a minute later. "Nobody pushed the panic button," Syracuse Coach Paul Pas-qualoni said. "We knew that to win this game we had to play as a team. We would have to stay together." Ohio State put together two promising drives in the second quarter, but was stopped on downs at the Syracuse 1 on one march and settled for a 34-yard field goal by Tim Williams on the other. On the goal-line stand, Syracuse stopped the Buckeyes on three consecutive plays from the 1.

"There's no question that our inability to score when we got the ball to the 1-yard line hurt us," Cooper said. "We went to a three-back offense and ran our best play and they still stopped it." back-to-back losses that aren't likely to quiet Cooper's critics. Ohio State trailed, 14-3, at half-time and didn't get its offense on track until after Syracuse's John Biskup kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Orangemen a 17-3 advantage. Carlos Snow returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to midfield and scored 11 plays later on a 2-yard run to trim the deficit to 17-10. The Buckeyes tied the game midway through the fourth quarter when Steve Tovar blocked Pat O'Neill's punt at the Syracuse 15 and Tito Paul recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

Undaunted, Syracuse came right back. Ismail returned the kickoff 15 yards to the 37 and Graves found Johnson streaking downfield ahead HALL OF FAME BOWL and never fully recovered. "We felt going into the game that their skill people were the whole secret to the game," said Ohio State Coach John Cooper, who had compared Ismail, younger brother of former Notre Dame star Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, to Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard of Michigan. "Then you look up at the scoreboard," the Buckeyes coach added, "and all of a sudden you're behind, 14-0. There's no way you can emulate their speed in practice." Syracuse (10-2) finished the season with a six-game victory streak, while Ohio State (8-4) finished with Seminoles turn over Texas TAMPA, Fla.

(AP) Syracuse's Qadry "Missile" Ismail worried Ohio State. But it was Marvin Graves, Shelby Hill and Antonio Johnson who beat the Buckeyes. While Ismail's 57-yard reception set up a field goal, Hill and Johnson scored touchdowns on passes from Graves covering 50 and 60 yards, respectively, to lead the 16th-ranked Orangemen to a 24-17 college football victory Wednesday in the Hall of Fame Bowl. Johnson's touchdown snapped a 17-17 tie with 7 minutes, 5 seconds remaining and spoiled Ohio State's bid to overcome a lethargic start. The Buckeyes fell behind in the first quarter on Hill's touchdown and a 3-yard run by Graves, who threw for a career-high 309 yards to be named most valuable player, Texas Greg Hill (27) fumbles on r'9M if DALLAS (AP) Quarterback Casey Weldon and fifth-ranked Florida State got sweet Cotton Bowl consolation for a season gone sour.

Weldon, a senior, scored his first touchdown since 1988 and it held up for a hard-earned 10-2 college football victory Wednesday over ninth-ranked Texas and the nation's top defense. The Seminoles defense, ranked 10th nationally, also did its part in a game that produced a record-tying 13 turnovers. "The defense and offensive line carried me today and I almost broke their backs," Weldon said. "But it was a great win. It won't make up for having that championship ring on our finger." Weldon had a career-high four interceptions in Florida State's first Cotton Bowl appearance, but the Seminoles (11-2) offset that by recovering a game-record six fumbles by the Aggies (10-2) on a rainy New Year's Day.

Florida State, ranked No. 1 for 10 weeks, suffered emotionally draining losses to Miami, (by one point) and Florida (five points) to shatter its national title dreams. Coach Bobby Bowden, who won his seventh consecutive bowl, said the Seminoles "needed something good to happen." It happened in the first quarter. could have jumped to a big lead except for fumbles and dropped passes. "We won this game like we lost the other two to Miami and Florida," Bowden said.

"It was a game we could have lost and we won it. I would have hated to face spring A 10 would be just fine for surprising Pirates When everyone scrambles today to see whether Miami (Fla.) remained No. 1 or whether second-ranked Washington was convincing enough to supplant the Hurricanes atop The Associated Press college football poll, a good portion of the state of North Carolina will look down to the No. 10 spot. That's where East Carolina hopes it'll be today after completing the best season the Greenville, N.C., school has had with a stunning 37-34 Peach Bowl victory Wednesday.

The Peach Bowl triumph capped an 11-1 season in which the only blemish came in the form of a 38-31 season-opening loss to Illinois. "I think this team deserves to be a Top 10 football team," Coach Bill Lewis said of his 12th-ranked Pirates. "This team will not be upset with where we finish because we have a tremendous feeling of self-satisfaction for what we have accomplished regardless of the polls." Most of the self-satisfaction has come because of senior quarterback Jeff Blake, a Florida native who was highly recruited but as a defensive back. Blake, who finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting, engineered a comeback in which the Pirates scored 20 points in 5 minutes, 54 seconds. "I know I've said this before," Lewis added.

"But now anybody who watched Jeff Blake in the fourth quarter knows how true it is. There's not a football player in America none, you can name them all that's done more for a football team than Jeff Blake has done for us." Deion in blue pinstripes? Can't you see it now? LeRoy Butler and Terrell Buckley side by side in the defensive backfield for the Green Bay Packers? That thought became a possibility when Buckley, a junior at Florida State, declared he will forgo bis final year of eligibility and make himself available for the National Football League draft. Buckley, who led Division I with 12 interceptions (the third-highest major-college total ever), could be snatched up by the Packers with the fifth overall selection in the draft and possibly join Butler, a former Seminoles defensive back. "Anywhere in the top 10 would be fine," Buckley said. Butler, by the way, was on the sidelines as Buckley concluded his playing career with the Seminoles in a 10-2 victory over Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

And as for Deion Sanders, the Milwaukee Brewers are always looking for another outfielder. 'Future' is washed out Sometimes, it's silly. Sometimes, it's spectacular. Mostly, it was looked forward to. But for the first time in the history of the Orange Bowl, the half-time extravaganza was canceled because of a steady rain.

Many parts of the $350,000 laser and fireworks show were rendered inoperable by the rain, said Orange Bowl Committee Executive Director Steve Hatchell. "The show at most would be 50 percent of what it would have been," Hatchell said. "It wouldn't be Orange Bowl quality." The National Weather Service-said nine-tenths of an inch of rain fell at Miami International Airport in the hours leading up to the game. The halftime show, titled "Back to the Future," was a lights-out. space show featuring the Hanna-Barbera characters, the Fifth Dimension and Lee Greenwood.

NBC was plagued by audio and visual problems throughout its telecast of the Orange Bowl, even losing its on-site commentary in the fourth quarter. Two power feeder cables originating from the Orange Bowl to the main NBC production truck burned out. NBC spokesman Vince Wladika said the network lost its picture for only 18 seconds, although it did not have the normal picture for 15 minutes. "We literally hot-wired a transformer to the main production truck to supply power," Wladika said. wmrntUm East Carolina offensive lineman Tom Scott, on Pirates quarterback Jeff Blake during a wild fourth quarter "Jeff was real calm out there.

It was almost like he was God." Clemson linebacker Levon Kirkland, after the Tigers' top-ranked defense allowed 537 yards (230 rushing, 146 passing, 161 return) to California: "They did everything right. It was a shock. Nobody had done that to us before." Compiled by Steve Drumwright from State Journal, wire services 1 yard line Wednesday in Cotton Bowl. SUGAR BOWL Bettis said. "Most of the country feels like we don't, but the Sugar Bowl gave us the invitation." The Irish (10-3) overcame a 13-0 deficit in which Florida (10-2) appeared headed toward a one-sided victory with a 236-31 edge in total offense less than 5 minutes into the second quarter.

"We beat the No. 3 team, and we didn't have a lot of help doing it," Irish Coach Lou Holtz said. "They didn't have a lot of fumbles; they didn't have penalties. It was a tremendous team effort." Rick Mirer threw two touchdowns in the comeback, a 40-yarder to Lake Dawson in the second quarter and a 4-yarder to Irv Smith in the third to put the Irish up, 17-16. First downi Ruihoi-vordt Patting vardt Return vardt Patting Puntt Fumblet-lost Ponaltlot-vardt Tlmt of pottettlon It JS-W 309 11 11-91-1 7-40 3-0 0-49 13:01 37-93 174 14-32-0 7-41 0-0 3 45 27:59 tvracut .14 I I 7 14 17 OHIO Stale 17 7 Syracuse Hill.

50. patt from Gravn (Bltkuo. 1 kick) Ivracuu Gravn, 3, run (Bltkuo, kick) Ohio Hat FG, Wllllomt, 34 IvrocuM FG, Bltkuo, 32 Ohio $1010 Snow, run (Wllllamt, kick) OMo Hon Paul, rocavtrod Mocked punt In tnd ion (Wllllamt, kick) tyracuM A. Johnton, past from Gravn (Bltkup, kick) i Alt. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Ruthlng: Svracuto D.

Walkor 14-40, Forroll 1-24, A. Wooton 4-15, Richardson 3-1, Loo 1-3, Womack 1-2, Gravot 10-(mlnut 4), llmall Hmlnus 9). Ohio Stato Snow 10-54, Horrlt 7-21, Bv'note 5-17, Cothram 3-14, Graham 3-4, Galloway 1-2, HorbitroK O-lmlnul 30). Potting: Svracuto Gravot 11-31-1-309, Ohio A Stato Horbttrolt 14-32-0-174, Rocolvlng: Svracuto A. Johnton 4-15, Hill 1-42, Walkor 3-14, Forroll 2-34, Godnoy J-n, itmall 1-57, Barkor 1-21, Wooton 1-11, Rlcharaton 1-7.

Ohio Stott -Galloway 4-88, Edwordt 2-17, Colhron 2-14, Snow 2-9, Saundort 1-28, Stobloln 1-18. COTTON BOWL training with three straight losses." Florida State led, 7-2, after a controversial and fumble-filled first half that produced eight turnovers in the rain. There were four fumbles and four interceptions. On Texas first possession, tailback Greg Hill tore loose for a 39-yard run, but when he was tackled by Errol McCorvey, the ball squirted free at the 1 and bounced out of bounds about a yard deep in the Florida State end zone. The Aggies thought it was a touchdown, but the officials ruled it was a fumble and put the ball on the Seminoles 2, leading to only points, a safety by linebacker Quentin Coryatt.

"We missed two chances," Aggies Coach R.C. Slocum said. "Greg fumbled and then we had a touchdown pass dropped. There were a lot of what-ifs for us." Aggiot 12 42-123 57 55 6-24-2 9-40 7-8 6-50 24:01 First down Ruthn-yardt Patting yards Return vardt Patting Punts Fumblot-lost Ponaltln-vards Tlmo of pottottlon 17 48-188 92 14 14-32-4 8-43 3-1 11-77 33:59 Florida Stato 1-10 8-3 Toxm AAM Toiat AAM Safety. Coryatt tackod Weldon In nd lone Florida stow Weldon, 4, run (Thomas, kick) Florida Stato FG, Thomas, 27 Att.

73,728. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Ruthlng: Florida Stat Jackson 27-119, Bennett 11-47, McMlllon 2-16, Baker 1-14, Weldon 7-(mlnut I). Texat AS.M Hill 14-71, Carter 7-22, McAfee 5-19, Sim-moot 4-19, Rlcharaton 9-5, Thomas 2-mlnus 4), Blgoens Hmlnut 9). Poising: Florida State Weldon 14-32-4-92. Tokos Richardson 6-24-2-57.

Receiving: Florida State Baker 4-44, Jackson 3-20, McCorvey 2-20, Johnson 2-19, Bennett 2-(mlnut 16), Frier 1-5. Texas Harrison 2-27, Hill 2-17, Math-ewt 1.10, Mitchell 1-3, CITRUS BOWL OoMen Bears 22 42-144 230 141 21-33-0 6-45 3-0 8-60 29:29 Tigert 19 44-206 123 10 15-34-3 8-42 1-0 6-62 30:31 First downs Ruthn-vordt Patting yardl Return yards Patting Puntt Fumbln-lott Penalties-yards Time of potseitlon California 17 10 10 8 37 3 7 3 8 II Clemton California zomalt, 1, run (Brlen, kick) California FG, Brlen, 31 California Treaat, 72, punt return (Brlen, kick) Clemson FG, Welch, 33 California white, 2, run (Brlen. kick) Cameron, 62, run (Welch, kick) FG, Brlen, 33 FG, Welch, 36 FG, Brlen, 34 Dawklns, 23, post from Pawtowskl California Clemton California California (Brlen, kick) Att. 44,192. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Ruining California White 23-103, Chapman 5-25, Mahlum 1-16, Fdwardt 2-14, Klein Hmlnut 1), Zomalt 3-(minut 1), Powtawtki 8-(mlnut 10).

Clemson Harris 14-83, Cameron 13-64, Blunt 15-41, Boiln 1-4, Wlther-tpoon 1-5, Ryans 1-5. Potting: California Pawtowskl 21-33-O-230, Klein 0-1-0-0, Clemton Cameron 15-33-1-123, McLen 0-2-1-0, Moncrlef 0-1-1-0. Receiving: California Zomalt 4-41, Dawklm 5-55, White 3-39, Treaot 2-24, Caldwell 2-20, Chapman 1-36, Woodoll 1-8, Jonei 1-7. Clemton Smith 7-71, Blunt 3-38, Wlthertpoon 3-9, Gib ton 3-15. WoMpack 20 56-164 197 38 14-74-1 3-24 1-1 3-34 34:07 First downs Rushes-yardi Patting yards Return yard! Pasting Puntt Fumbles-toft Penalties-yard! Time of pot teuton North Carolina state 24 34-42 376 53 31-51-3 5- 33 4-1 6- 45 23:53 .7 7 13 7 34 37 East Carolina ..7 10 0 36 North Carolina Slate Downs, 2, (Hartman, kick) East Carolina van Buren, 5, patt from Blake (Brenner, kick) North Carolina state Harrison, 4, post from Jordan (Hartman, kick) Eatt Cor oil no FG, Brenner, 77 East Carolina Golllmore, 55, post from Blake (Brenner, kick) North Carolina State Hlnton, 14, past from Jordan (Hartman, kick) North Carolina State Manlor, 1, run (kick failed) North corokna state Davenport, 52, past from George (Hortmon, kick) East Carolina Blake, 2, run (Brenner, kick) East Carolina Johnson, IS, past from Blake (past foiled) Eatt CoroUM Fisher, 22, post from Blake (Brenner, kick) Att.

59.37?. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: North Carolina State Barbour 23-90, Downs 10-43, Mamar 15-54, Wllllamt Hmlnut 31, Davenport Hmlnut 9), Jordan 4-(mlnut 9 1. Eatt Carolina -Van Buren 11-45, Danlelt 2-3, Johnson Hmlnut 13), Bloke IO-(mlnut 13). Paiung: North Carolina State Jordan 15-23-1-143, Georoo 1-1-0-53. East Carolina Blake 31-51-3-378.

Receiving: North Carolina State Davenport 4-118, Williams 4-30, Hlnton 3-37, Show 3-4, Harrison 1-4, Oeoroe 1-3. East Carolina Flther 12-144, Johnson 4-54, Golllmore 5-113, van Buren 5-30, Driver 2-37, Daniels Hmlnut 7L fv 1 Happy returns for Cal Irish thwart Florida 5 Associated Press Florida State gained possession of ball. Fighting kith 23 49-279 154 31 14-19-1 2-34 Fk-st downs Ruthes-vords Pasting vardt Return vardt Patting Puntt Fumbln-lost Penalflet-vardt Time of possMslon Notre Dame Ooton 29 33-141 370 4 28-50-3 3- 53 0-0 4- 40 4-3 3-15 29:00 31:00 7 10 22 39 Florida .10 4 0 12 28 Florida Jackson, 15. past from Matthews (Czvzewskl, kick) Florida FG, Ciyiewskl, 26 Florida FG, Czvzewtkl, 14 Notre Dame Dawson, 40, post from Mirer (Hen-trlch, kick) Florida FG, Czvzewskl, 34 Notre Dame FG, Pendergast, 23 Notre Dome I. Smith, 4, post from Mirer (Pendergast, kick) Florida FG, Czvzewtkl, 37 Florida FG, Czvzewtkl, 24 Notre Dame Berltt, 3, run (Brooke, pats from Mirer) Notre Dame Betttt, 49, run (Penderoost, kick) Florlaa Houston, 34, post from Matthews (patt failed) Notre Dome Bettli, 39, run (Pendergast, kick) Aft.

74,447. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Ruining: Notre Dome Betttt 14-150, Culver 13-93, T. Brookt 13-48, Falllo Hmlnut 3), Mirer Hmlnut 30). Florida Rhett 15-43, McClenaon 7-34, Matthews 7-27, McNabb 4-17. Polling: Notre Dame Mirer 14-19-1-154.

Florida Matthew! 28-58-2-370. Receiving: Notre Dame T. Smith 7-75, Dawson J-49, Brown 1-11, Culver 1-4, Betht 1-5, 1. Smtlh 1-4, Pollard 1-4. Florida W.

Jackson 8-148, Sullivan 4-47, Rhett 4-36, Houston 3-52, Hill 3-41, McClenaon 3-19, Everett 2-18, McNabb 1-7. many Lions vokinteert 12 25 First downs Ruthet-yards Passing vardt Return vardt Patting Puntt Fumbln-lost Penothet-vardt Time of potseitlon 37-76 45-171 ISO 104 270 49 21-43-1 4-34 5-3 3-34 32:21 11-28-0 9-48 0-0 3-34 27:39 Penn State 7 0 14 31 41 Tennettee 10 0 7 8 17 Penn Slate Goth, 10, past from Sacca (Fayak, kick) Tennessee Stewart, 1, run (Becksvoort, kick) Tennntee FG, Bescktvoort, 24 Tenneiiee Fleming, 44, pal! from Kelly (Becktv- oort, kick) Penn state LaBarca, 3, patt from Sacca (Fayak, kick) Pern State Brady, 13, patt from Sacca (Fovak, kick) Penn Stow Anderson, 1, run (Fovak, kick) Pern State Givens, 23, fumble return (Fayak, kick) Penn state McDuffie, 37, pott from Sacca (Fovak, kick) Att. 71,133. RWHVIDUAL STATISTICS Ruining: Penn State Anderson 17-57, Gosh 7-15, Morris 3-15, Hammonds 1-10, Collins 4-7, Sacca S-mtnut 26). Tennntee Stewart 15-44, Hovden 13-54, Campbell 3-23, Faulkner 2-21, Phllllpt 3-6, Brunson 2-5, Shuler Hmlnut 1), Hutton Hmlnut 5), Kelly Hmlnut IS).

Polling: Penn State Sacca 11-28-0-150. Tennessee Kelly 20-40-1-273, Shuler 1-3-0-mlnut 3). Receiving: Penn State McDuffie 4-78, Drovton 1- 35, Brady 1-13, Anderson 1-11, Gash 1-10, LaBarca 1-3. Tennntee Pickens 8-100, McCletkev 4-34, Fleming 2- 68, Faulkner 2-If, Phllllot 2-8, Kerr 1-27, Stewart 1-10, Adams 1-4. ORLANDO, Fla.

(AP) Brian Treggs returned punts for California for four seasons and never broke one for a touchdown. Until Wednesday. "All year my teammates have been getting on me about not breaking one," said Treggs, whose 72-yard return capped a 17-point first quarter that catapulted 14th-ranked Cal to a 37-13 college football victory over 13th-ranked Clemson in the Citrus Bowl. "The only thing I can remember about it is seeing all the Clemson players fall down as I ran toward the end zone," said Treggs, who returned five punts for 124 yards. Cal, finishing 10-2 for its first 10-victory season since 1949, went 76 yards for a touchdown on its first drive and never relinquished control while ending Clemson's string of five consecutive bowl victories.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Third-ranked Florida's longshot dream of winning college football's national championship ended before the Gators got a taste of Jerome Bettis in the Sugar Bowl Wednesday. Bettis, Notre Dame's 247-pound sophomore fullback, scored three touchdowns in a span of 2 minutes, 44 seconds in the final 5 minutes as the 18th-ranked Fighting Irish snapped Florida's eight-game victory streak with a 39-28 victory. The wild finish Florida also scored a touchdown produced the highest-scoring game in the 58-year history of the Sugar Bowl, a mark that had stood since 1972 when Oklahoma beat Auburn, 40-22. Bettis (16 rushes, 150 yards) scored on runs of 3 yards with 4:48 left, 49 yards with 3:32 remaining and 39 yards with 2:04 to go. "We feel like we belong here," Penn State TEMPE, Ariz.

(AP) O.J. McDuffie's 39-yard punt return and Tyoka Jackson's single-handed sack and fumble recovery revived dormant Penn State as the sixth-ranked Nittany Lions handed lOth-ranked Tennessee a 42-17 college football loss in the Fiesta Bowl Wednesday. Tony Sacca threw four touchdown passes, but the defense got most of the credit for a 28-point outburst in a 3-minute, 59-second stretch of the second half. The Nittany Lions (11-2) didn't have to drive more than 35 yards for any of the four scores. The outburst didn't end there, as McDuffie grabbed a 37-yard scoring throw with 10:07 to play and only 7:49 after the Volunteers (9-3) held a 17-7 lead.

Earlier, Sacca threw touchdown passes of 3 yards to Chip LaBarca and 13 yards to Kyle Brady, Richie blitzes Volunteers Blake, Pirates prevail ATLANTA (AP) Jeff Blake ran for one touchdown and threw for two more in a span of 5 minutes, 54 seconds of the fourth quarter Wednesday, leading East Carolina to a 37-34 college football victory in the Peach Bowl over intrastate rival North Carolina State. Peach bowl Blake, who had the best day of his career with 378 yards, four touchdown passes and another rushing, capped the 20-point flurry with a 22-yard scoring pass to Luke Fisher with 1:32 left. The Pirates (11-1) withstood a final drive by the Wolfpack (9-3) when Damon Hartman's 49-yard field-goal attempt went wide right on the final play of the game. N.C. State had led, 34-17, on Charles Davenport's 52-yard catch.

FIESTA BOWL Anderson scored on a 2-yard dive and Reggie Givens picked Andy Kelly's fumble out of the air and returned it 23 yards for a score. Givens had set up Anderson's touchdown with an interception at the Tennessee 26. Sacca's throw to Brady came on the first play after Jackson sacked Kelly, knocked the ball loose and recovered it. It gave Penn State a 21-17 lead, its first since Sacca threw a 10-yard scoring pass to fullback Sam Gash early in the game. "We needed a spark, we needed anything to get us going," Sacca said of McDuffie's third-quarter punt return.

"We needed anything to get us going. We were really struggling.".