Caldwell’s last-play TD lifts South to victory

Published 10:23 pm Saturday, January 26, 2008

MOBILE, Ala. — For once, Andre Caldwell and Erik Ainge had a dramatic finish that both could cheer.

Florida’s Caldwell scored on a 2-yard end around off a handoff from Tennessee’s Ainge on the final play of the Senior Bowl to cap a 14-play, 86-yard final drive and lift the South to a 17-16 win over the North on Saturday.

After careers spent battling for the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division in a bitter rivalry, they made for an odd pairing on the winning play.

“It’s fun to end your college career like that,” said Ainge, whose 13-of-21 passing and 159 yards all came in the second half. “I’ll remember handing the ball to a Gator to win for the rest of my life.”

Caldwell plunged into the end zone, getting hit by Terrence Wheatley at the goal line, and promptly celebrated the fourth-down score with a Gator chomp. Georgia’s Brandon Coutu kicked the extra point.

“I knew I was going to get hit,” Caldwell said. “I just lowered my head. To get in the end zone was a great feeling.”

Ainge, who was invited to the all-star game after Louisville’s Brian Brohm bowed out, took over at his own 14 with 2:48 left after the North was stopped on fourth down. He completed six passes and benefited from a pass interference call and some nice runs for extra yardage by his receivers.

Tulane running back Matt Forte gained 14 yards on a catch and run down to the 2.

Ainge threw three incompletions in the end zone, leaving only 2 seconds on the clock for a final play.

“On that last play, you have a chance to call anything because it’s the last play,” said South coach Mike Nolan of the San Francisco 49ers. “Whereas the ones prior, he just had to keep it alive and not use up all the clock. A play like that you call it the first or second play and we never get another play off. It was a great call and it worked.”

Ainge earned South offensive MVP honors. Forte ran for a game-high 59 yards and had 38 receiving to land the overall MVP award.

Michigan’s Chad Henne, the North offensive MVP, threw two TD passes.

South07010—17

North7207—16

First Quarter

North—Hawkins 36 pass from Henne (Serna kick), 12:00.

Second Quarter

South—Cottam 6 pass from Woodson (Coutu kick), 8:21.

North—Safety, Woodson tackled in end zone, 3:09.

Fourth Quarter

North—Rucker 4 pass from Henne (Serna kick), 14:32.

South—FG Coutu 20, 9:27.

South—Caldwell 2 run (Coutu kick), :00.

A—40,646.

SouthNorth

First downs2117

Rushes-yards37-14333-125

Passing215158

Comp-Att-Int18-33-113-28-2

Return Yards66122

Punts-Avg.2-45.03-51.3

Fumbles-Lost3-22-1

Penalties-Yards3-256-61

Time of Possession32:0227:58

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—South, Forte 8-59, Hillis 9-44, Choice 7-29, Little 3-14, Caldwell 2-14, Hester 1-5, Ainge 1-0, Brennan 3-(minus 6), Woodson 3-(minus 16). North, Washington 5-38, Bernard 8-35, Forsett 9-27, Savage 7-22, Booty 2-2, Hawkins 1-1, Henne 1-0.

PASSING—South, Ainge 13-21-0-159, Woodson 3-6-0-27, Brennan 2-6-1-29. North, Booty 6-12-1-72, Henne 5-9-0-64, Flacco 2-7-1-22.

RECEIVING—South, Forte 4-38, Avery 3-54, Douglas 3-35, Hall 2-20, Tamme 2-12, Choice 1-23, Caldwell 1-18, Hester 1-9, Cottam 1-6. North, Hawkins 3-63, Rucker 3-36, Bowman 2-22, Nelson 1-12, Smith 1-9, Crosslin 1-8, Washington 1-5, Bryant 1-3.