NCAA Football Recap (Pittsburgh-So Mississippi)
Posted: Wed December 31, 1997 at 8:51 p.m. EST
Sherrod Gideon set a Liberty Bowl record with three touchdown
receptions and Southern Mississippi got three scores
from its defense as it routed Pittsburgh, 41-7, at Memphis,
Tennessee.
All three defensive scores came within a 15-minute span of the
second half for Southern Mississippi (9-3), which had not won a
postseason game since beating Texas El-Paso, 38-18, in the 1988
Independence Bowl. Gideon, who caught just under five passes
per game during the season, had seven receptions for 111 yards.
The Golden Eagles have posted consecutive seasons with at least
eight wins for the first time since 1980-81. They improved to
3-6 all-time in bowl games and finished above .500 for the
fourth straight season.
Pittsburgh (6-6) was making its first postseason appearance
since the 1989 John Hancock Bowl. The Panthers failed to post a
winning record for the first time in six years. They were a
combined 15-41 during that span.
The Golden Eagles led 14-7 at halftime and extended the
advantage four minutes into the third quarter when cornerback
Perry Phenix picked up a fumble by Billy West and rumbled 18
yards into the end zone.
After Lee Roberts hooked up with Gideon for the third time, a
six-yard TD pass on the final play of the period, defensive end
Adalius Thomas made it 35-7, picking off Pete Gonzalez and
racing 26 yards down the left sideline.
Just over two minutes later, cornerback Terrence Parrish
intercepted Gonzalez near the right sidline and sprinted
untouched to the 5-yard line, where he stiff-armed the Panthers'
quarterback to complete a 63-yard score.
Pittsburgh entered with a plus-four turnover margin.
The 41 points marked the highest output in postseason history
for Southern Mississippi.
Pittsburgh drove eight plays to open the game, but was stopped
on 4th-and-1. Gideon gave Southern Mississippi the early lead,
streaking over the middle to haul in a 31-yard scoring pass from
Roberts. Three minutes into the second quarter the pair hooked
up again, this time for an eight-yard score and a 14-0
advantage.
The Panthers cut the lead in half late in the second quarter as
Gonzalez hooked up with Jake Hoffart for an 89-yard TD. The
play was the second-longest scoring completion in school
history. Quarterback Alex Van Pelt and Dietrich Jells hooked up
for a 91-yard score against Rutgers in 1992.
© 1997 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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