Arizona State's Quincy Yancy (91) strips the ball loose from Iowa quarterback Matt Sherman (12) during the second quarter of the Sun Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, in El Paso, Texas. Arizona State recovered the fumble. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Web posted January 1, 1998

By Bob Greene
Associated Press

Southern Mississippi's biggest Liberty Bowl battle Wednesday was between the Golden Eagles' offense and defense.

Lee Roberts and Sherrod Gideon teamed up for three touchdown passes and the Southern Mississippi defense scored three more TDs as the Golden Eagles routed Pittsburgh 41-7 to win in its first bowl since 1990.

``These guys have some sort of communication between them that's unbelievable,'' Eagles coach Jeff Bower said of the Roberts-to-Gideon combination. ``They know each other extremely well. They've made big plays all year and did it again tonight.''

No. 22 Southern Mississippi finished 9-3, its best record since going 10-2 in 1988, and ruined the first bowl game for Pittsburgh (6-6) since 1989.

Earlier in the day, No. 16 Arizona State captured the Sun Bowl by defeating Iowa 17-7. In a late game, No. 10 Kansas State stopped No. 14 Syracuse 35-18 in the Fiesta Bowl.

The national championship can be decided on Thursday.

Top-ranked Michigan can wrap up the crown by beating No. 8 Washington State in the Rose Bowl. But if Washington State wins, then the title could hinge on Friday's Orange Bowl, where No. 2 Nebraska takes on No. 3 Tennessee.

Before the Rose Bowl kicks off, there will be a full day of football Thursday, beginning with the Outback Bowl where No. 12 Georgia meets Wisconsin. Then comes No. 7 North Carolina and Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl, No. 6 Florida and No. 11 Penn State in the Citrus Bowl, and No. 5 UCLA and No. 20 Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl before the Rose Bowl clash.

In a night contest, No. 4 Florida State will take on No. 9 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

Fiesta Bowl

At Tempe, Ariz., Michael Bishop won the battle of quarterbacks with Donovan McNabb, throwing for four touchdowns and running for another as Kansas State increased its record to 11-1 -- the only loss to Nebraska.

Bishop's 77-yard touchdown throw to Darnell McDonald while on a full run trying to elude Syracuse defenders early in the fourth quarter gave Kansas State a 28-15 lead, and he sealed the victory with a 41-yard TD pass to McDonald with 3:17 left. McDonald caught three of Bishop's touchdown passes, setting a Fiesta Bowl record with 206 receiving yards.

Bishop threw for 317 yards, while McNabb threw for 271 yards and was intercepted once. Both quarterbacks led their teams in rushing, with Bishop running 15 times for 73 yards and McNabb running 16 times for 81 yards.

It was the first loss in eight bowl games for Syracuse (9-4), which also had its eight-game winning streak snapped.

Liberty Bowl

At Memphis, Tenn., Southern Mississippi never trailed as Roberts hit Gideon with a 31-yard TD toss on their sixth play of the game. Roberts also threw TD passes of 8 and 5 yards to Gideon.

Roberts was 18-of-26 for 227 yards and Gideon finished with a bowl record seven catches for 111 yards.

Pittsburgh's Pete Gonzalez, who threw for 30 touchdowns and 2,657 yards in the regular season, was hassled by the Eagles' blitzing, aggressive defense. Gonzalez completed only five passes before connecting on a Liberty Bowl-record 89-yard pass play with Jake Hoffart, Pittsburgh's longest pass play of the season.

Then Southern Mississippi's defense took over. Perry Phenix returned a Pittsburgh fumble 16 yards for a touchdown, Adalius Thomas returned an interception 26 yards for another score and Terrance Parrish picked off Gonzalez three minutes later and scored from 63 yards out to make it 41-7.

Sun Bowl

At El Paso, Texas, Mike Martin rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown to lead Arizona State over Iowa. Sun Devils quarterback Steve Campbell, a career backup starting his first game, made the most of a modest passing game, completing 5-of-11 passes for 109 yards and a 35-yard touchdown.

The ASU defense did the rest, keeping the nation's ninth-ranked scoring offense out of the end zone until the final minute and limiting the Hawkeyes to 209 total yards.

Iowa's only score came on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Randy Reiners to Richard Carter with 49 seconds remaining.