H-Bowl Quarter by Quarter |
FIRST QUARTER
Key Moment: On second-and-8 from the La. Tech 10, Woody Dantzler drops back to pass and is flushed out of the pocket to his right. He appears ready to tuck the ball and run, but a step before crossing the line of scrimmage he suddenly spots a wide-open Matt Bailey in the back of the end zone. Dantzler delivers a strike, and Clemson takes a 7-0 lead with 5:48 left in the quarter. The Man: Dantzler, who accounts for 53 yards of total offense. His 28 rushing yards include a 22-yard run in which he pushed a pile of La. Tech players forward over the last five yards. The play set up his later scoring pass to Bailey. Second Guess: Though Tech is a passing team, running back Joe Smith is running well early while McCown is off to a slow start. Smith consistently found early holes in the Clemson defense for positive yardage. Establishing the run early would have made the passing game more effective. Time of Possession: Clemson 7:21, La. Tech 7:39 Score: Clemson 7, La. Tech 3 SECOND QUARTER Key Moment: With under 5:00 left in the half and La. Tech driving, down 14-10, Clemson linebackers John Leake and Chad Carson sack Bulldogs' quarterback Luke McCown twice in a span of three plays for a total loss of 12 yards. The sacks take Tech out of field goal position (from Clemson's 34 back to the 46) and force another punt by Dustin Upton. The Man: Woody Dantzler, who begins to establish himself as the best player on the field. He passes for 59 yards and a touchdown, while adding another 22 yards rushing. His scoring pass to Crosby is his second of the game. Second Guess: It's hard to second guess a well-conceived gadget play, unless it fails. That's the case here. Leading 7-3 and driving (first-and-10 at the Tech 39), Clemson tries a reverse pass by Joe Don Reames. Going deep for Crosby, who is a step behind defensive back Quincy Davis, Reames underthrows the ball and Davis intercepts. The turnover proves costly, because La. Tech immediately drives downfield and scores to take the lead. Time of Possession: Clemson 13:56, La. Tech 16:04 Score: Clemson 14, La. Tech 10 THIRD QUARTER Key Moment: Trailing 28-10 and facing third-and-8 from his own 24, Luke McCown tries to get gain the first down - and some much-needed momentum - with a deep throw toward Delwyn Daigre down the right sideline. Instead, Clemson cornerback Brian Mance intercepts the pass at the Tigers' 42. Clemson immediately drives for another touchdown and the rout is on. The Man: Bernard Rambert, who in the third quarter alone scores touchdowns rushing (21 yards) and receiving (62 yards). His scoring reception is a superb individual effort in which he catches a short pass, is hemmed in at the sideline, somehow escapes the grasp of La. Tech's Jason Olford and sprints the final 50 yards for the touchdown. Second Guess: Instead of trying to take what the Clemson defense would give him, McCown continues to try the deep ball against the Tigers' secondary. His first pass after the Mance interception is also picked off by Charles Hafley, which leads to yet another Clemson scoring drive and a 42-10 lead. Time of Possession: Clemson 21:56, La. Tech 23:04 Score: Clemson 42, La. Tech 10 FOURTH QUARTER Key Moment: With less than 3:00 to go, Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden has a Gatorade cooler full of snow dumped on him by his players. That officially touches off the celebration of the Tigers' first bowl victory since 1993. The Man: Derrick Hamilton, who caps off a terrific redshirt freshman season with a highlight-reel touchdown reception of 57 yards. Hamilton breaks several tackles and changes directions at least twice on his way to the endzone. Second Guess: Clemson senior third-string quarterback Matt Schell has his intelligence work against him. Already leading 49-24 and with the ball at the La. Tech 11 with less than :30 to go, Schell checks out of a run and throws a pass into the endzone toward Joel Gardner. The pass fall incomplete, but Schell is pulled from the game by Bowden. Bowden doesn't want to give the appearance of running up the score. Time of Possession: Clemson 31:03, La. Tech 28:57 Score: Clemson 49, La. Tech 24
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