NCAA Football Recap (Oregon-Air Force)
Posted: Sat December 20, 1997 at 11:58 p.m. EST
OREGON 41, (21) AIR FORCE 13
Backup quarterback Jason Maas threw three touchdown passes and
Pat Johnson caught two scoring passes as Oregon scored on its
first two plays from scrimmage and routed Air Force,
41-13, in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Tony Hartley also had two touchdown receptions for Oregon (7-5),
which broke a four-game bowl losing streak. Oregon had not won
in the postseason since a 27-24 victory over Tulsa in the 1989
Independence Bowl. The Ducks are 4-8 all-time in the postseason.
Maas completed 9-of-15 passes for 188 yards in relief of starter
Akili Smith, who was 9-of-15 for 87 yards and one touchdown.
Smith did not leave the game because of an injury, but rather
because of a predetermined rotation by coach Mike Bellotti.
Smith and Maas had virtually split the time behind center this
season.
The Falcons (10-3) failed in their attempt to win 11 games for
just second time in team history. Air Force was a school-record
12-1 in 1985, capping that season with a 24-16 victory over
Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl. Air Force fell to 6-7-1 in bowls.
Oregon received the opening kickoff and got on the scoreboard on
its first play when Smith hit a streaking Johnson down the left
sideline for a 69-yard touchdown.
"You get a chance to get some momentum going, get the crowd into
it immediately and fire your players up," Bellotti said. "We
knew we had to either to deep of throw underneath and we tought,
what the heck, let's go deep on the first play. It was a great
way to start the game."
Johnson, who finished with 169 yards on five receptions, had his
second-best game this season. He had eight catches for 179
yards in a wild 58-49 loss to Stanford on September 27th.
"My friend gave me a Superman shirt (to wear under my jersey)
and I wanted to be Superman," said Johnson. "This was a great
opportunity in front of the national media for me to come out,
because I've always felt I was one of the best receivers in the
nation."
The Falcons would go three-and-out on the ensuing series and on
the Ducks' first play of the next possession, Saladin McCullough
took the handoff from Smith and burst up the middle, going
almost untouched 76 yards for another score.
Oregon was penalized for excessive celebration and the resulting
35-yard extra point was wide left.
The touchdown by McCullough was by far the longest scoring run
against the Falcons in a bowl game. The previous mark was a
29-yard run by Ohio State's Robert Smith in the 1991 Liberty
Bowl and Texas Tech's Byron Hanspard in the 1995 Copper Bowl.
McCullough finished with 152 yards on just 17 carries, the
eighth time he has topped the 100-yard mark this season. He
finished the year with 1,345 yards, the highest single-season
total in Oregon history, surpassing Bobby Moore's 1,211 yards in
1971.
With Air Force backed up inside its own 10-yard line midway
through the second quarter, Oregon linebacker Garrett Sabol
broke through the line of scrimmage to block Jason Kirland's
punt. Tailback Kevin Parker recovered in the end zone for a 19-0
lead.
Oregon capped its domination of the first half with 28 seconds
to play as Maas connected with Hartley on a quick slant over the
middle for a seven-yard TD.
Air Force finally got on the scoreboard 6:31 into the third
quarter when on 4th-and-goal from the 1, Blane Morgan scored on
a quarterback sneak. Morgan was hampered throughout by a
bruised thigh which he injured in a practice leading up to the
game.
Morgan, who had led an option rushing attack which ranked ninth
in the nation entering the game, competed just 6-of-19 passes
for 59 yards. Air Force had just 152 yards on the ground after
averaging 233 yards per game during the regular season. Jemal
Singleton led the Falcons with 66 yards on 13 carries.
"I was very disappointed in our performance. I thought we would
give Oregon a better game," said Falcons coach Fisher DeBerry.
"At the same time, I give Oregon a lot of credit. They came in
well-prepared with a great game plan, both offensively and
defensively."
"Having two weeks to prepare for the option is so much easier,"
said Bellotti. "Kids have a sense of a comfort zone and a sense
of seeing and knowing it and having our adjustments ready.
Beyond that, it is really a sign of discipline. Our defense gave
up one touchdown and it almost held them to a shutout and I am
so proud of that group of kids."
Oregon responded to Morgan's score when Maas hooked up with
Hartley on a 21-yard TD pass and then found Blake Spence for the
two-point conversion and a 34-8 advantage. But on Oregon's next
possession, Maas fumbled and defensive tackle Bryce Fisher
returned the ball 45 yards for a score.
"I knew this week would be fun, but I don't think we were
distracted," said Fisher. "Once Thursday came around our focus
was on football. We came out here to win a football game and we
just didn't get it done."
The Ducks ended Air Force's misery on the first play of the
final quarter when Maas found Johnson deep down the middle for a
78-yard scoring pass. Four of Oregon's five touchdown drives
took less than one minute.
Oregon holds an 8-3-1 advantage in the series, including
victories in three of the last five meetings.
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