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Tangerine Bowl 2002
Texas Tech 55 Clemson 15 |
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By ALAN SCHMADTKE The Orlando Sentinel
Texas Tech used them all on Monday against Clemson, burying the Tigers beneath passer Kliff Kingsbury and something equally as effective- one mean defense.
The Red Raiders' quick and stubborn defensive front set the tone and tamed the Tigers in the Tangerine Bowl, pummeling Clemson 55-15 before just 21,689 at the Florida Citrus Bowl.
An offensive showdown materialized, at least on one sideline.
"I saw somewhere they predicted the score to be about 60-25. Well, that was about right," Clemson rover Altroy Bodrick said. "It was not us being flat; they were on the top of their game."
Pass-happy Kingsbury delivered all the blazing fireworks his resume promised, passing for 375 yards and three scores to become the NCAA's third 5,000-yard man.
The Red Raiders (9-5) posted their most wins in a season since a 9-3 campaign in 1995. They also snapped the school's four-game bowl losing streak.
With fresh legs after a series of short but focused bowl practices, they raced to a 24-0 lead and merely enjoyed making plays. Nehemiah Glover caught a 46-yard touchdown pass for one score (video), Wes Walker raced 59 yards with a punt return for another.
"We got into a good rhythm. Once we get into rhythm, it's hard to stop," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said.
"I felt like we should have had a couple more," Kingsbury said.
Meanwhile, Tech's defense blanketed Clemson (7-6) and its redshirt freshman quarterback, Charlie Whitehurst. He was sacked four times, pressured countless others and finished the night on the sideline, exhausted and sore, having given way to backup Willie Simmons.
"I honestly felt sorry for him. We gave him shot after shot after shot," Texas Tech defensive end Aaron Hunt said.
On plays where Whitehurst didn't buy time or scramble, he forced throws to receivers who weren't open.
In seven previous games in 2002, Whitehurst threw two interceptions. He threw three before halftime, the last of which Tech stole at the goal line with less than a minute to go.
"The fact we couldn't get any offensive consistency early, that put us in a bind," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "You give them more at-bats, from turnovers, and you see what they can do."
Hot from the start, Kingsbury completed 32-of-43 passes, eventually piling up his season passing total to 5,017 yards, the third-best season in NCAA history.
"If you want to beat a big-time team, you have to get to their big-time quarterback. And we didn't," Clemson linebacker Nick Eason said. "I'm totally embarrassed. That's the most embarrassing moment of my life."
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| Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury. | Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst. |
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Texas Tech catches Clemson's Yusef Kelly. |
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Nehemiah Glover breaks loose on 46 yard TD reception. |
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Texas Tech's Taureen Henderson scored twice. |
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Attendance- 21,689
Scoring Summary
First Quarter TT- FG Treece 29 TT- Glover 46 yard pass from Kingsbury (Treece kick) TT- Peters 19 yard pass from Kingsbury (Treece kick)
Second Quarter TT- Henderson 10 run (Treece kick) CU- Safety, punt blocked out of end zone TT- FG Treece 40
Third Quarter CU- Hall 10 yard pass from Whitehurst (Hunt kick) TT- Francis 2 yard pass from Symons (Bishop kick)
Fourth Quarter CU- Jasmin 2 run (pass failed) TT- Welker 9 yard pass from Kingsbury (Bishop kick) TT- Henderson 26 yard pass from Symons (Bishop kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing TT- Henderson 10-60, Welker 4-30, Munlin 5-26 CU- Hill 5-16, Kelly 5-15
Passing TT- Kingsbury 32-43-375, Symons 7-9-89 CU- Whitehurst 20-48-263, Simmons 5-8-56
Receiving TT- Glover 8-121, Henderson 8-56, Peters 7-86, Francis 6-88, Hartfield 4-64, Welker 3-20 CU- Youngblood 7-134, Hamilton 4-72, McKelvey 2-33, Jasmin 2-22, Hall 2-15
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ORLANDO,
Fla.- The gunslingers from Lubbock, Texas, strolled around Orlando for
five days showing off flashy, offensive six shooters.
