Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 1, 1993 TAG: 9301010053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SHREVEPORT, LA. LENGTH: Medium
DOOLEY GOES OUT A WINNER
Wake Forest football coach Bill Dooley said his Demon Deacons would need a mistake-free game in the Independence Bowl to beat Oregon.He was wrong.
Wake Forest committed six turnovers in spotting the Ducks a 19-point lead, then rallied for a 39-35 victory Thursday, sending Dooley into retirement with the school's first bowl win since 1946.
"Credit Oregon's defense for our poor first-half performance," Dooley said. "But we came in at halftime and settled down and said, `Hey, let's play like we're capable and execute.'
"In the second half we played error-free football, and we won."
Wide receiver Bobby Jones hit Todd Dixon with a 61-yard touchdown pass with 12:02 left to give the Deacons the lead for good. They scored 29 unanswered points in 13:35 to become the third team to win the Independence Bowl after trailing at halftime.
"It was two different football games today. We won the first one, and they won the second one. They just scored more points in the second one," Oregon coach Rich Brooks said. "We came out in the second half and got outplayed. They kicked our fannies all over the field."
Dixon caught five passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns and was selected the offensive player of the game. Herman O'Berry, who forced two fumbles, recovered both and ran one 24 yards for a touchdown - he also had an interception - was the defensive player of the game.
Oregon led 29-10 with 9:43 left in the third quarter, and Wake Forhad a net gain of minus-7 in its previous six possessions. Dooley had a few tricks left, though. He had John Leach lateral - almost turnover No. 7 - to John Henry Mills on the kickoff, and Mills brought it from the 6 to the 35. The drive faltered, but the Demon Deacons (8-4) were fired up.
Keith West then led the Deacons 61 yards before Ned Moultrie scored from the 1.
They forced Oregon (6-6) to punt, and on the next play Leach broke down the sideline for 48 yards to the Oregon 31. Three plays later, West hit Dixon for 30 yards and a 29-24 lead.
Oregon's next punt pinned Wake Forest at its 8. Leach ran for 16 to give the Deacons some room, and, four plays later, Jones took the ball on an end around and Dixon scored.
Despite missing some action in the first quarter with a jammed finger, Dixon set a bowl record with 166 receiving yards.
The 74 points set a record for the Independence Bowl, as did the 39 points for the winning team. Oregon 13976-35 Wake Forest 731415-39
WF-Leach 1 run (Green kick)
Ore-Burwell 40 run (Thompson kick)
Ore-O'Berry 24 fumble return (pass failed)
WF-FG Green 38
Ore-Ferry 4 pass from O'Neil (kick failed)
Ore-FG Thompson 48
Ore-Molden 8 interception return (Thompson kick)
WF-Moultrie 1 run (Green kick)
WF-Dixon 30 pass from West (Green kick)
WF-Dixon 61 pass from Jones (Leach pass from West)
WF-Leach 6 run (Green kick)
Ore-Harris 10 pass from O'Neil (kick failed)
A-31,337 OreWF First downs 23 18 Rushes-yards 32-83 49-193 Passing 227 323 Return yards 101 8 Comp-att-int 24-40-116-29-3 Punts 7-36 4-40 Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-3 Penalties-yards 6-55 11-108 Time of possession 29:25 30:35 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Oregon, Burwell 11-48, Whittle 7-27, Shedrick 6-23, O'Neil 6-12, Moore 1-4, Deadwiler 1-(-21). Wake Forest Leach 21-116, Moultrie 11-60, Wells 7-36, Johns 1-10, West 9-(-29).
PASSING-Oregon, O'Neil 24-40-1-227. Wake Forest, West 15-27-3-262, Jones 1-1-0-61, Leach 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING-Oregon, Harris 6-74, Burwell 5-39, Jones 4-56, Ferry 3-25, Whittle 3-3, McLemore 1-14, Shedrick 1-13, Deadwiler 1-3. Wake Forest, Dixon 5-166, Mills 4-83, Jones 2-45, Leach 2-12, John 1-8, Moultrie 1-5, Estes 1-4.