College football bowl roundup
Published 8:59 pm Monday, December 31, 2007
Music City Bowl: Andre Woodson threw four TD passes against a depleted Florida State defense and Kentucky won its second straight Music City Bowl, beating the Seminoles 35-28 for Bobby Bowden’s first bowl loss in December. Kentucky hadn’t ended back-to-back seasons with bowl wins since 1951-52, but the Wildcats pulled off the feat in Nashville, Tenn., one year after surprising Clemson, coached by Bowden’s son, Tommy. As for the elder Bowden, who has led Florida State to 26 straight bowls and two national titles, his December bowl record finally has its first blemish at 7-1-1. Florida State played wihout three dozen players because of injuries and suspensions stemming from an academic cheating scandal.
Humanitarian Bowl: Clifton Smith rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns, Tom Brandstater threw for a score and ran for another, and Fresno State beat Georgia Tech 40-28 in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Fresno State’s offense was surprisingly unstoppable against a Yellow Jackets defense that was among the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference and led the country in sacks during the regular season with 47. But Fresno State (9-4) kept Brandstater on his feet, and even when Georgia Tech (7-6) did get a little heat on the junior, he showed the ability to escape the pocket and keep plays alive.
Insight Bowl: Zac Robinson threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more TDs, leading Oklahoma State to a 49-33 victory over Indiana in Tempe, Ariz. A sophomore making his 11th college start, Robinson completed 24 of 34 passes for 302 yards. He also threw an interception. Dantrell Savage ran for 100 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys (7-6, 4-4 Big 12), who matched their season-high point total.
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Freshman quarterback Kodi Burns threw a touchdown pass and scored on a 7-yard run in overtime to lead Auburn to a 23-20 victory over Clemson. After Mark Buchholz kicked a 25-yard field goal on Clemson’s opening possession of overtime, Burns scored on a spinning run on a third-and-3 play. Auburn’s starting quarterback, Brandon Cox, ran for a first down on a fourth-and-1 play from the 16 to keep Auburn’s overtime possession alive. No. 22 Auburn (9-4) denied No. 15 Clemson (9-4) its first 10-win season since 1990.
Associated Press
