Flashback: 1997 Gator Bowl
December 12, 2008 02:58 PM | General
December 12, 2008
MORGANTOWN, WVA. – The 1997 Toyota Gator Bowl was billed as the battle of college football’s two best defenses.
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| West Virginia quarterback Chad Johnston is being chased by North Carolina defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday.
WVU Sports Communications photo |
On one side of the field was 9-2 and 12th-rated North Carolina, which lost out to Florida State for the ACC title. The Tar Heels under ninth-year coach Mack Brown ranked first in the nation in turnover margin, first in scoring defense (10 ppg.), second in total defense (225.6 ypg.), third in pass efficiency defense (83.2) and third in rush defense (73.9 ypg.).
On the other side of the field was 8-3 West Virginia, ranked first in total defense (217.5 ypg.), second in rush defense (61.5 ypg.), second in turnover margin, fourth in scoring defense (12.4 ppg.) and fifth in pass efficiency defense (86.8). The Mountaineers ran off seven straight wins to start the season and were headed for an eighth until a blocked punt by Tremain Mack with 29 seconds left resulted in Miami’s game-winning touchdown.
The following week WVU fell behind 27-0 at halftime and lost to Syracuse 30-7. West Virginia also dropped its regular season finale against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, 31-14. The Gator chose the Mountaineers over Miami and Syracuse because of West Virginia’s ability to fill seats.
However, the smallest Gator Bowl crowd since 1964 – 52,103 – watched North Carolina forced four Mountaineer turnovers, including a disputed Amos Zereoue fumble when West Virginia was making a comeback, that led to a 20-13 Tar Heel victory.
“If someone would’ve told me we would turn the ball over four times and be in the game up until the last seconds, I’d have told them they were crazy,” said West Virginia coach Don Nehlen. “Our kids played as hard as they could. There’s not much more that you can do.”
North Carolina took control of the game in the second quarter when quarterback Oscar Davenport fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to Octavius Barnes and added a 5-yard TD run with 1:15 remaining in the half to put the Tar Heels ahead, 17-3.
West Virginia quarterback Chad Johnston, induced into throwing three interceptions by a Tar Heel secondary that included Dre’ Bly, finally hooked up with David Saunders for a 34-yard touchdown with 12:06 left in the third quarter to make it a football game.
After forcing a North Carolina punt, West Virginia took over at its own 48. Two Zereoue runs netted 12 yards and a 14-yard Johnston-to-Saunders pass down the left sideline moved the football to the Tar Heel 26.
Two plays later, Zereoue fumbled on a second down run and despite appearing to be down, the officials gave the football to North Carolina.
“I did not fumble,” said Zereoue. “I told the referee that I thought he made the wrong call.”
Television replays confirmed Zereoue’s assertion.
“I don’t think one single official saw what happened,” said Nehlen. “Amos pops up so quick after he goes down that I think it confused them. They were all looking at each other to see if anyone saw what happened.
“That was a big, big play. We had all the momentum going our way.”
North Carolina was able to turn Zereoue’s turnover into a nine-play, 65-yard drive that wound up with Josh McGee kicking a 20-yard field goal. Two personal foul penalties called on West Virginia’s defense aided the drive.
“Thirty yards in penalties … that just kills you,” Nehlen said.
The Mountaineers pulled to within a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter when Jay Taylor nailed a 47-yard field goal. Three straight incomplete passes at the North Carolina 30 forced the Mountaineers to go for three points.
West Virginia had one final crack at the Tar Heel defense with 7:12 remaining in the game and starting at its own 41.
A pass interference penalty on third and 11 at the 50 gave the Mountaineers a first down at the Tar Heel 42. A Zereoue 10-yard run up the middle put the football at the North Carolina 28.
Then Johnston, under pressure by North Carolina’s Kivuusama Mays, missed Saunders on a streak down the right sideline. A six-yard pass to Rahsaan Vanterpool left WVU with a third and four at the North Carolina 22.
Zereoue lost two on a run up the middle and Johnston overthrew Zereoue on a fourth down pass in the flat to turn the ball over on downs.
“We put pressure on them and kept blitzing, as we’ve done all year,” said Mack Brown. “When you keep doing that, good things can happen.”
North Carolina reclaimed the football with 1:53 left and was able to run out the clock.
Both defenses controlled the game. North Carolina managed 289 total yards while the Mountaineers could muster just 263.
West Virginia quarterback Chad Johnston was 17 of 34 for 197 yards and a touchdown in his final game for the Mountaineers. Davenport was 14 of 26 for 175 yards and a touchdown. Davenport earned MVP honors after making just his second start as a Tar Heel. He replaced injured starter Chris Keldorf in the Duke win.
“Give Davenport a lot of credit,” Nehlen said. “He sure didn’t look like a kid who did not have any real game experience.”
“We were concerned about turnovers and Oscar trying to win the game,” Brown said. “He won the game but he didn’t try to. He took what was there. His scrambling ability and option ability helped make things happen.”
Leon Johnson led all rushers with 79 yards on 25 carries.
Zereoue finished with 63 yards on 21 tries. Saunders led all receivers with nine catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Bly picked off two passes for the Tar Heels and finished the season with 13 interceptions.
It was West Virginia’s sixth straight bowl loss and dropped the Mountaineers to 3-7 in bowl games under Nehlen. North Carolina was making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance under Brown.
It was the only time West Virginia and North Carolina have faced each other in football.
