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Capital One Bowl 2005
Iowa 30 |
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) --
Time ran out on the Nick Saban era at LSU, leaving the Iowa Hawkeyes not
a second to spare. Drew Tate threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Warren
Holloway on the final play Saturday, a miracle ending that denied Saban
a triumphant sendoff to the NFL. Instead No. 11 Iowa stunned No. 12
Louisiana State 30-25 in the Capital One Bowl (video). ``You always dislike
losing a game, especially losing a game like this,'' said Saban, who
will become the Miami Dolphins' coach next week. Making the finish all
the more improbable: Fifth-year senior Holloway scored the first
touchdown of his career. ``It really hasn't hit me yet,'' he said.
``Maybe in a month or so.'' His score capped a wild fourth quarter and
spoiled a comeback by the Tigers, who overcame a 12-point deficit with 8
1/2 minutes left. Freshman JaMarcus Russell came off the bench to spark
LSU's rally, throwing two touchdown passes to Skyler Green. When they
connected for a 3-yard score, the Tigers led 25-24 with 46 seconds to
go. After Tate completed two
passes, a penalty pushed Iowa back to its 44 with 14 seconds left. Tate
wound up and threw long to Holloway, who was left open because of busted
coverage. He caught a strike in stride at the 10 and dashed to the end
zone as time expired. When Holloway scored, Saban threw up his arms in
frustration, then watched the entire Iowa team stage a mob scene in the
end zone. Aside from the
fourth-quarter rally, LSU (9-3) struggled on offense and looked sloppy
on special teams playing one week after Saban announced his resignation.
He finished 48-16 in five years with the Tigers, leading them to a bowl
game every season and to the BCS national championship in 2003. Saban
said he would fly back to Baton Rouge with his team and head for Miami
on Tuesday. The Dolphins (4-11) conclude their worst season since the
1960s on Sunday at Baltimore. LSU, which rallied in
fourth quarter to win four times during the regular season, came back
again after Iowa took a 24-12 lead with 12:48 left. Russell, Saban's
third quarterback of the game, capped a 74-yard drive by hitting Green
with a 22-yard scoring pass. The Tigers quickly forced a punt, and this
time Russell moved them 69 yards for a one-point lead that lasted until
the final play.
The late fireworks came
after both offenses sputtered for much of the game. Aside from a 74-yard
touchdown run by Alley Broussard, the Hawkeyes bottled up LSU's potent
running attack. And Iowa totaled just three first downs in the opening
first half but led 14-12 thanks to two big plays. The Hawkeyes scored on
their first possession by burning a blitz. Clinton Solomon caught a
short pass over the middle from Tate, shook off a defender and sprinted
to the end zone for a 57-yard score. Iowa struck again 64 seconds before
halftime on Miguel Merrick's blocked punt. Sean Considine scooped up the
ball at the 7 and scored for a 14-6 lead. LSU answered on the next
play with Broussard's long run. He swept right, cut back, found an
opening and scored on the Tigers' biggest gain of the season. Iowa mounted scoring
marches of 60 and 72 yards in the second half. The first drive ended
with a 19-yard field goal by Kyle Schlicher, and Marques Simmons' 4-yard
touchdown run made it 24-12. |
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Skyler Green’s two 4th quarter TD’s almost sealed it for LSU. |
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Warren's winning touchdown in front of LSU's Travis Daniels (29). |
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The celebration begins. |
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LSU Cartoon |
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Attendance- 70,229 |
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While Tate and Holloway
were the heroes, special teams were the difference. LSU had two punts
blocked, missed a 40-yard extra-point kick after committing two
penalties, and came up short when Saban faked a 39-yard field-goal
attempt. 
