After Game 18 of the 34-bowl game season, the exciting, high-scoring offenses disappeared as the final score of the Sun Bowl was 3-0 after the world’s 24th-ranked Oregon State Beavers won. they kicked a solo field goal to shutout the 18th-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers.
Sophomore kicker Justin Kahut did the honors with a 44-yard pass with 2:18 remaining before halftime.
Pittsburgh kicker Connor Lee attempted a 58-yard field goal in the final minutes with the help of a steady wind, but missed the crossbar. “He had more confidence on a 58-yard field goal attempt than he did on a 4-and-8,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “I wanted to give our team a chance. I really thought I could do it.”
The Beavers came up empty on the best touchdown opportunity of the day, an apparent 9-yard TD reception by John Reese, but the officials ruled it out of bounds.
The Sun Bowl had 20 punts and 10 sacks, and ranked as the lowest-scoring major bowl game in 50 years. You have to go back to the 1959 Cotton Bowl when the Air Force and Texas Christian University (TCU) tied scoreless to find a bowl game that produced fewer points.
The 3-0 result was also the lowest-scoring Sun Bowl since a scoreless tie between Catholic and Arizona State in 1940, 68 years ago.
Oregon State won its fifth straight bowl game since coach Mike Riley began his second term as coach in 2003. Riley’s record since returning 6 years ago is 48-28 (63%).
Riley didn’t say much about the 3-0 win. “That’s the game we were in. We played the game. We ended up winning it. Some people will call it ugly, but I can’t.” Good job Mike, never apologize for being successful. People who didn’t like the game can drink milkshakes sitting alone in the desert.
The Panthers were making their first bowl appearance since the 2004 season and the first under Wannstedt, who played offensive tackle for Pitt and blocked for future Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett. Wannstedt was also a head coach in the NFL, spending 6 years with the Chicago Bears and 5 years with the Miami Dolphins before returning to coach at his alma mater.
The Pitt Panthers led the Big East in scoring this year, but they didn’t do as well against Oregon State.
The Beavers played the game without their sensational freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who led the Pac-10 in rushing this year, gaining 1,253 yards on 259 carries (a 4.8 average) and scoring 11 touchdowns. Rodgers, suffering from a shoulder injury, is 5-foot-6 and 180 pounds soaked.
Both teams finished their season at 9-4.
Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley
