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A tight squeeze

Penn State rebounds for rainy 27-23 win over Miami

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Posted: Sunday September 19, 1999 07:37 PM

Two costly turnovers gave PSU a chance to steal a win away from Daniel Franks and the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl. AP

MIAMI (AP) -- As quickly as you can say 4th-and-2, No. 3 Penn State turned a soggy Saturday into a victory celebration at the Orange Bowl.

First, the Nittany Lions stopped No. 8 Miami a yard short of a first down. Then, on the next play, Kevin Thompson threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to Chafie Fields with 1:41 left and Penn State had a 27-23 victory over the Hurricanes.

"It's games like these that are the reason I stay in the game," Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno, drenched but smiling, said. "We were a little lucky today. You got to feel great for these kids."

After Fields shook off two tacklers and raced into the end zone, Penn State players ran onto the field, jumping and thrusting their helmets into the air. The rain-soaked crowd of 74,427 was stunned. Just seconds earlier, they were cheering what they thought would be Miami's biggest win since coach Butch Davis took over five years ago.

"We had the taste in our mouths," Miami cornerback Leonard Myers said, "and then it was gone."

Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington, who had another shoving incident with a punter, said he thought his team could lose but when the game turned, "it was the greatest feeling in the world. I love Miami!"

This was a game, played in a steady rain, the Hurricanes (2-1) hoped would mark their return to college football's elite. It looked that way after Miami roared back from a 17-3 deficit and led 23-20 on James Jackson's 39-yard TD run with 7:42 left.

And when Miami's Edward Reed intercepted a pass by Rashard Casey, who alternated at quarterback with Thompson, it looked like Penn State (4-0) was finished.

But Jackson, who carried 33 times for 129 yards and two TDs, was stuffed by linebacker Maurice Daniels on fourth-and-2 at the Penn State 21 after a 1-yard gain. A measurement was called for, but the ball was a yard short.

"Fourth and two was a big thing," Paterno said. "They make a first down and it's over. But I thought we did stop them."

Davis, questioned about not going for a field goal and a six-point lead instead, said: "A field goal would not have won it. ... We thought we would make the first down."

Thompson wasted no time when the Lions took over. He dropped back and found Fields, who had five catches for 177 yards, near the 40-yard line. Fields shook off the attempted tackle of Mike Rumph at the 50, and headed toward the end zone. Reed lunged to reach Fields, but was left face down on the wet grass as the flanker raced into the end zone.

"I say that every time I get the ball I've got a chance to make big play," said Fields, who also caught a 49-yard TD pass from Casey on the final play of the first quarter.

Miami got the ball back twice more, but each time Kenny Kelly threw interceptions. The final one was by Bhawoh Jue with 35 seconds left, and the Lions ran out the clock.

"This is a disappointing outcome to this game," Davis said. "You can't go into this type of game against a quality opponent like Penn State and make the fundamental mistakes we made and expect to win."

Thompson, who started, was 9-of-15 for 147 yards and a TD, while Casey was 7-of-9 for 99 yards and a TD.

For Miami, Kelly was 11-of-21 for 160 yards and a TD, but had four interceptions and lost a fumble.

Penn State moved to a 17-3 lead to open the third quarter. Kenny Watson's 52-yard kickoff return gave the Lions the ball on the Miami 46 and Eric McCoo capped the short drive with a 2-yard TD run.

Miami, which got its initial first down with 4:37 left in the first half, struck back late in the third quarter. Jackson took a pitchout from Kelly and ran 18 yards for a TD to make it 17-10 with 3:56 left in the period.

Penn State was on its way for another score, but Casey's 74-yard run to the Miami 6 was called back when tight end Tony Stewart was called for clipping. The Lions punted, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, the game was tied 17-all on Kelly's 40-yard TD pass to Santana Moss.

Penn State moved ahead 20-17 on Travis Forney's 26-yard field goal with 10:40 left, but Jackson's second TD - thanks to a crushing block by guard Richard Mercier - put Miami ahead by three points. Andy Crosland, who kicked a 29-yard field goal late in the first half, was wide left with the extra point, and Miami led 23-20.

Trailing 10-0, Miami was unable to take advantage of a fumbled punt by Watson at the Lions 34. The Hurricanes blew another scoring chance when Kelly fumbled after running 23 yards to the Lions 8. Arrington recovered.

Arrington stirred things up on Miami's first series. He fought off a block and collided with punter Crosland, who retaliated by pushing the linebacker away. Both players were called for personal fouls -- offsetting penalties -- and the Nittany Lions took possession after the 40-yard punt.

The play wasn't as damaging as the stunt Arrington pulled last week, when he was hit with two penalties for wrestling with Pittsburgh punter.

 

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Penn State’s LaVar Arrington says Miami gave him a workout. (92 K) Penn State’s Derek Fox says beating Miami was a big win for his team. (80 K) Miami head coach Butch Davis says it’s not possible to beat Penn State when making so many mistakes. (111 K) Visit Multimedia Central for the latest audio and video
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