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NCAA Football Recap (Kentucky-Penn St)
Posted: Fri January 1, 1999 at 6:46 p.m. EST TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Penn State won the Outback Bowl by playing its brand of football and spoiled Kentucky's first New Year's Day party in 47 years. Travis Forney kicked four field goals and star linebacker LaVar Arrington blocked a field goal and made a key fourth-down stop as the Nittany Lions shut down offensive powerhouse Kentucky, 26-14. Penn State gave up two first-quarter touchdown passes to Tim Couch but kept the standout quarterback from reaching the end zone thereafter with a defense that bent but did not break. Trying to get back into the contest, Kentucky mounted a 17-play, 60-yard drive late in the fourth quarter. But the Nittany Lions defense stiffened deep in its own territory and then ran off all but the final 13 seconds to seal the victory. The Nittany Lions (9-3) scored 23 unanswered points after falling behind 14-3 and held the Wildcats to their lowest point total since a 23-13 loss to Georgia on October 25th, 1997. Kentucky entered the game eighth in the nation at 37.9 points per game. "You hung in there and had a chance to get discouraged (we told the team at halftime," said Penn State coach Joe Paterno. "But they kept their poise and discipline on defense. Kentucky had a great time early, you don't get any better than they did early. I was pleased the way we came through that." Couch completed 30-of-48 passes for 337 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Kentucky (7-5), which was playing on New Year's Day for the first time since a victory over Texas Christian in the 1952 Cotton Bowl. "I'm proud of our players and proud of our seniors and I told them that in the lockerroom," said Kentucky coach Hal Mumme. "We couldn't have got here without our seniors and their leadership. We have a real young football team and we've learned something today playing against Coach Paterno." Couch, a 6-5, 225-pound junior, has until January 8th to declare for the NFL draft. Should he make that decision, he is expected to be the top overall pick. "It (staying at Kentucky) is kind of so-so right now where I am at," Couch said. "I am kind of torn between living out a dream of being an NFL quarterback or coming back and playing with my teammates. A sellout crowd of 66,005 at Raymond James Stadium watched Paterno win his 19th bowl game, a coaching record. Paterno, who celebrated HIS 72nd birthday on December 21st, has 307 victories in his remarkable career. "It feels great," said Forney. "Just being a part of the team in general under this coach setting records ... being in the record book. "It's just a good feeling." The Nittany Lions trailed 14-13 at halftime, but Forney gave them the lead midway through the third quarter when he bounced a kick off the right upright for a 29-yard field goal. Kentucky moved to the Penn State 12-yard line on the ensuing possession and appeared set to regain the lead when Seth Hanson lined up for a 29-yard field goal. But Arrington broke through the line to block the kick and the Nittany Lions took control at the 20. Eric McCoo's 30-yard scamper pushed the ball to midfield and a personal foul hit later on the drive moved Penn State inside the Wildcats 10. But the Lions were unable to punch it in and Forney booted a 25-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the third quarter. McCoo racked up 105 yards on 21 carries and Kevin Thompson was 14-of-27 for 187 yards and a touchdown for the Nittany Lions, whose much-maligned offense totaled 420 total yards to 444 for Kentucky. Andrew Stewart caught seven passes for 71 yards. Kentucky was faced with a 4th-and-1 from its own 35 on the next possession, when coach Hal Mumme gambled and handed to Derek Homer. But Arrington stopped Homer in the backfield, giving Penn State control. "That was more than just stopping them for a yard," said Lions defensive end Courtney Brown, who was voted the game's Most Valuable Player. "We picked up momentum from that and it was kind of a turn around." "I don't question going for it on my part, I question the call," said Mumme. "I made a really bad call. I would have gone for it again, but I would have made a better call." Six plays later, the Lions ran a reverse to receiver Chafie Fields, who sprinted around the right end and into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown that completed the scoring. Homer totaled 64 yards on seven receptions and fellow back Anthony White added 40 yards on three catches as Penn State keyed on Kentucky's dangerous wideouts. Anthony White, Lance Mickelsen and Craig Yeast combined for just eight catches and 143 yards. "I think that he (Yeast) was pretty good and make sure that he didn't get any big plays on us," said Penn State cornerback Anthony King, who picked off Couch twice. "They got a couple of big plays early so we just tried to slow that down." Penn State made the first big play of the game when linebacker Eric Sturdifen blocked Jimmy Carter's punt on the game's opening possession, giving the Nittany Lions control at the Kentucky 37. But Penn State was not able to capitalize and was forced to give the ball right back to Kentucky, which quickly drove 66 yards in six plays and took a 7-0 lead on Couch's dart down the middle to Mickelsen for a 36-yard score. The Lions answered with Forney's 43-yard field goal, but the Wildcats need just four plays on their next possession to reach the end zone again. Couch hit running back White in the left flat and White faked past safety Derek Fox before completing the 16-yard touchdown. "We were moving the ball well (in the first half)," said Yeast. We just kind of shut down. We got away from the things we were doing and we just didn't do a good job of executing." A 14-yard punt by Carter early in the second quarter gave Penn State control near midfield and the Nittany Lions struck two plays later when Thompson hit Joe Nastasi down the right side for a 56-yard touchdown. "They (Kentucky defenders) were fast and they got to me a few times and they certainly put a lot of pressure on me," said Thompson. "But our receivers and tight ends were able to come open on some of our routes and the last second I was able to get rid of it." Forney's 26-yarder with 1:03 left in the half brought the Lions within a point.© 2000 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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