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Michael Bishop threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score
as Kansas State closed out the best season in school history with a
35-18 victory over Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl at Tempe, Arizona.
Darnell McDonald had three touchdowns on seven receptions for a Fiesta
Bowl-record 206 yards for Kansas State (11-1), which was making just the
sixth bowl appearance in school history. The Wildcats lost in last
season's Cotton Bowl, 19-15, to Brigham Young, their only other
appearance in a "major" bowl game.
Bishop, who was ranked 43rd in the nation in passing efficiency, was
14-of-23 for 317 yards. Both Bishop and McDonald, who tied a Fiesta Bowl
record with three scoring receptions, were completing their first
seasons at Kansas State after transferring from junior colleges. Bishop
also was the Wildcats' leading rusher, gaining 73 yards on 15 carries.
The Wildcats, playing in a bowl game for the fifth straight season, have
won nine or more games during that stretch. Prior to 1993, they had only
won nine or more games in a season once.
Donovan McNabb completed 16-of-39 passes for 271 yards while gaining 81
yards on 16 carries for Syracuse (9-4), which had its eight-game winning
streak snapped and fell for the first time in its last seven postseason
games, the fifth longest streak in history. The Orangemen, who claimed
their first-ever outright Big East Conference title this season, also
played in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day 1993, defeating Colorado,
26-22. They had not lost in the postseason since falling to Maryland,
35-18, in the 1985 Cherry Bowl.
Kevin Johnson had four receptions for 101 yards and added a 55-kickoff
return for Syracuse, while Nathan Trout booted a Fiesta Bowl
record-tying three field goals.
The two teams combined for one of the wildest quarters in recent bowl
history in the second period, producing 33 points, Johnson's 55-yard
return, a bad snap that resulted in a safety and a field goal four
seconds before halftime.
Kansas State survived 12-consecutive Syracuse points in the last two
minutes of the second quarter and appeared to be on the verge of
building on a 21-15 advantage early in the third. But Bishop, under
heavy pressure, threw up a prayer that cornerback Will Allen intercepted
in the end zone.
The teams combined for just 87 total yards in the third quarter, with
Kansas State holding the advantage, 69-18. Early in the fourth quarter,
Bishop, under pressure again, scrambled right and hit McDonald 30 yards
down the sideline. McDonald was pushed toward the sideline by cornerback
Rod Gadson but remained inbounds and sprinted for a Fiesta Bowl-record
77-yard score (video).
Syracuse tried to fight back as Trout connected on a 40-yard field goal
with 10 minutes to play. But McNabb's fumble inside the Kansas State
15-yard line on the next possession killed the rally. The Wildcats
capped the scoring with 3:17 remaining with Bishop connecting with
McDonald on a 41-yard score.
After the Orangemen took the lead late in the first quarter on Trout's
27-yard field goal, Kansas State drove to the Syracuse 25 and set up for
a field goal attempt. But Martin Gramatica, who won the Lou Groza Award
as the nation's top kicker, pushed the 52-yarder wide right for only his
second miss of the season. He also missed on a second tr in the third
quarter.
The Wildcats began the wild second quarter when Bishop lofted a pass
into the left corner of the end zone for McDonald, who outjumped
cornerback Phil Nash for the 19-yard score (video). Bishop followed with a
12-yard scrambling TD and a 14-3 lead (video). Just over three minutes later,
Kansas State reached the end zone again as Bishop tossed a screen pass
for Justin Swift, who broke several tackles and rambled 28 yards for the
score (video).
But the Orangemen gained the momentum on the ensuing kickoff, when
Johnson broke to his left near the 20 and raced to the Kansas State 45.
The Orangemen cut into the lead two plays later a s freshman Dee Brown
broke through the line and raced 28 yards for a score (video). With the Wildcats
at their own 10, Bishop could not handle the snap from center Kendyl
Jacox, resulting in a safety. The Orangemen converted the free kick into
a 33-yard field goal by Trout four seconds before halftime.
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Attendance-
69,367
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
SU- FG Trout 27
Second Quarter
KSU- McDonald 19 yd pass from Bishop (Gramatica kick)
KSU- Bishop 12 run (Gramatica kick)
KSU- Swift 28 pass from Bishop (Gramatica kick)
SU- Brown 24 run (Trout kick)
SU- Safety, ball batted out of end zone, 1:19
SU- FG Trout 33
Fourth Quarter
KSU- McDonald 77 pass from Bishop (Gramatica kick)
SU- FG Trout 40
KSU- McDonald 41 pass from Bishop (Gramatica kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing
KSU- Bishop 15-77, Hickson 7-26, Goolsby 5-25, Lawrence 11-20
SU- McNabb 16-81, Brown 6-47, McIntosh 11-18
Passing
KSU- Bishop 14-23-1, 317
SU- McNabb 16-39-1, 271
Receiving
KSU- McDonald 7-206, Swift 5-98, Peries 2-13
SU- Johnson 4-101, Turner 2-59, Spotwood 5-51, Brown 3-26
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