By TODD DVORAK, Associated Press
Writer
January 2, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla., (AP) -- Warren Holloway's game-winning catch
that lifted Iowa to a stunning victory over LSU Saturday was a
fitting end to an impressive Hawkeye season.
On the last play of the game, Holloway grabbed Drew Tate's
desperation heave and dashed into the end zone as time expired,
lifting No. 11 Iowa to a 30-25 victory over the Tigers in the
Capital One Bowl.
The play will surely be etched in Hawkeye lore. It also
cemented Iowa's third straight season with 10 wins or more,
back-to-back January bowl victories and spoiled Nick Saban's
send-off as LSU coach.
Not bad for a senior who had never caught a TD pass, and a
team with the nation's worst rushing game.
``This has been a pretty unusual year in a lot of regards,''
said head coach Kirk Ferentz, who guided his team to a 10-2
record and share of the Big Ten title, the second in three
years.
``The resiliency these guys have shown week in and week out
... is hard to put into words. For this thing to end today the
way it did is probably pretty fitting.''
Holloway's improbable catch also closed the book on the Saban
era at LSU.
Saban will take over this week as head coach of the
Miami Dolphins,
a team suffering through its worst season since the 1960s.
After arriving in Baton Rouge in late 1999, Saban instantly
turned around a program that compiled a 7-15 record the previous
two seasons.
Since Saban, the Tigers have won 48 games -- the best
five-year run in school history -- earned two SEC titles and won
the 2003 BCS Championship with a 21-14 victory over Oklahoma in
the Sugar Bowl.
The Tigers (9-3) nearly gave Saban a farewell to savor.
LSU rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter,
and took the lead in the final minute when backup quarterback
JaMarcus Russell tossed a 3-yard TD -- his second of the quarter
-- to Skyler Green, putting the Tigers up 25-24 with 46 seconds
left.
But four plays later, Tate spoiled the fun, throwing a
56-yard perfect strike to Holloway, who was wide open down the
middle thanks to busted coverage.
``The disappointing thing here is that the last 14 seconds
... of this game tarnishes what a lot of good football players
and seniors on this team have been able to accomplish in their
career,'' said Saban, who is expected to be replaced by Oklahoma
State head coach Les Miles.
As they did all season, the Hawkeyes found ways to beat LSU
despite a rushing game that will be remembered as one of the
worst in school history.
Averaging a measly 75 rushing yards per game, Iowa turned to
special teams, a stout run defense and Tate, a first-year
quarterback with a knack for making big plays.
A blocked punt by backup safety Miguel Merrick in the second
quarter -- Iowa's second of the game and fifth blocked kick of
the year -- led to a second touchdown.
Aside from Alley Broussard's 74-yard TD run late in the
second quarter, Iowa's defense shut down the Tigers ground game,
which averaged 200 yards during the season.
Tate was named bowl MVP after going 20-for-32, good for 287
yards and two touchdowns, the first a 57-yarder to Clinton
Solomon in the first quarter.
``For the game to go the way it went, with a lot of people
contributing and different areas of our football team making big
plays ... it's just a tremendous team effort,'' Ferentz said.
Updated on Sunday,
Jan 2, 2005 3:38 pm EST
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