LendingTree Bowl Notebook (Jan. 4)
LendingTree Bowl Notebook
By Barry Allen
Media Relations Director
2001 Game Voted Among Top 25 All-Time Bowl Games
MOBILE – Marshall’s 64-61 double-overtime win over East Carolina at the 2001 GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile was voted among the Top 25 bowl moments in college football history, according to the Football Bowl Association.
The 2001 game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium ranked No. 21 on the Top 25 list of all-time bowl moments. The 2001 game was one of only six non New Year’s Day games selected by the FBA committee.
The 125 combined points is still the highest scoring bowl game in history. The teams combined for 43 second-half points, the eighth most in bowl history.
Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich set the all-time bowl game passing record with 576 passing yards. He completed 41-of-70 passes for the Thundering Herd.
East Carolina set the all-time bowl record for most points scored by the losing team.
Marshall’s 64 points was the third-most points in bowl history at the time of the game, but now stand sixth in the single-game bowl scoring list.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
Miami and Louisiana football players spent their Saturday morning giving back to the local community.
Miami visited St. Mary’s Home, the oldest child welfare agency in the state of Alabama. It was founded in 1838.
A ministry of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Mobile, St. Mary’s Home provides a home, services, and assistance to children from around the state who have experienced life events that no child should ever face alone. It is through the generosity of our donors that we may continue to do these good works and to provide a stable environment for the health and well-being of our youth.
Fifth-year senior offensive lineman Jack Schroer enjoyed his time on Saturday.
“It’s really humbling to come here,” Schroer said. “We are able to come here and hang out with these kids. I always enjoy times like this, giving back to the local kids. This puts everything in perspective. The smile on their faces makes it all worth it.”
Louisiana spent their time working on various projects with Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Alabama. The team spent time repainting and repairing house in the community and for local veterans.
LOUISIANA POSTS 10-WIN SEASON
Louisiana (10-3) has won 10 games for the first time in program history.
The Ragin’ Cajuns reached the milestone with a 31-30 win over ULM in the regular-season finale on Nov. 30.
“This is a group that has worked really, really hard and made tremendous improvement throughout the season, playing really, really good football when it mattered the most and got in position to win the Western Division,” head coach Billy Napier said.
The win was the team’s seventh Sun Belt Conference victory of the season, also a program high.
After it defeated Troy (Nov. 23), the team clinched its first nine-win season since 1976 and just the fourth nine-win campaign in program history.
MIAMI WINS THE CLOSE ONES
Miami has played five games this season decided by a touchdown or less.
All six wins came in MAC play, including a 26-21 win over Central Michigan to win the 2019 MAC Championship.
“We found a way to win five games by less than a touchdown, which is very difficult to do, right down to the MAC Championship Game,” head coach Chuck Martin said. “We have an awesome group of kids. I think you are going to enjoy being around everyone in our organization and really enjoy being around our kids because they are tremendously talented football players, but they are also a lot of fun to be around every day.”
Miami has one-score wins over Northern Illinois (27-24), Kent State (23-16), Ohio (24-21), Akron (20-17) and Central Michigan (26-21).
LOUISIANA DE JA VU
Louisiana is playing its second game of the season at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The Ragin’ Cajuns defeated South Alabama 37-27 on Nov. 16 in a Sun Belt Conference game.
With the victory, the Ragin’ Cajuns finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record away from home, the first time it has accomplished the feat since 1970.
Having played here once already this season, will that help the Ragin’ Cajuns on Monday night against Miami?
“Our players are certainly comfortable with the venue,” Napier said. “Our players will probably tell you that it does not matter where we play, what time we play or what color uniform we wear does not matter. Its more about our frame of mind, our disposition, are we ready to play? Can we execute, have poise and discipline when it matters. It’s going to come down to fundamentals, techniques and good-decision making.”
Junior running back Elijah Mitchell ran 17 times for 117 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Levi Lewis went 16-for-28 for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
Former Murphy High School standout, Eric Garror recorded two tackle and added a 72-yard punt return to set up the go-ahead field goal late in the third quarter.
