Texas Tech overcomes 38-7 deficit to register 44-41 win



Shannon Woods' 3-yard TD dash in overtime finished off Minnesota.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEMPE, Ariz. -- After spotting Minnesota a 31-point lead, Texas Tech rallied for a stunning 44-41 overtime victory in the Insight Bowl Friday night, the biggest comeback in Division I-A bowl history.
Joel Monroe kicked a 32-yard field goal to put Minnesota up 41-38 in overtime, but Shannon Woods scored on a 3-yard run to win it for the Red Raiders.
The previous record for a bowl comeback was 30 points, set by Marshall against East Carolina in the 2001 GMAC Bowl.
Tech (8-6) appeared finished after Minnesota (6-7) took a 38-7 lead with 7:47 to go in the third quarter. But the Red Raiders mounted a furious comeback, scoring 31 unanswered points in less than 20 minutes.
Alex Trlica's 52-yard field goal as regulation expired sent the game into overtime.
Tech's comeback began with 4:58 to go in the third quarter, when Graham Harrell hit Joel Filani for a 43-yard score to cut the lead to 38-14. That touchdown started an avalanche that buried Minnesota.
Harrell threw for 445 yards and two touchdowns. Woods rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns and Filani caught nine passes for 144 yards.
For Minnesota, Amir Pinnix ran for 179 yards, Bryan Cupito threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns and Jack Simmons caught seven passes for 134 yards.
Sun BowlOregon State 39, Missouri 38
EL PASO, Texas -- Yvenson Bernard barely pushed into the end zone on a gutsy 2-point conversion run after Joe Newton caught a 14-yard touchdown pass with 22.1 seconds left to give No. 24 Oregon State a dramatic victory.
The Beavers (10-4) trailed by 14 points with 12:08 to go before rallying for their eighth victory in nine games. Bernard's 7-yard reception had cut the gap to seven with 6:02 to go.
Tony Temple had 194 yards, four short of the Sun Bowl record, on 20 carries with two touchdowns and Chase Daniel threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns for Missouri (8-5). The Tigers lost four of their last five after a 6-0 start.
Matt Moore threw for 356 yards and four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth score for Oregon State, which helped produce the second-highest scoring game in the Sun Bowl's 73-year history.
Bernard's conversion run came after Missouri called a timeout to freeze kicker Alexis Serna before the extra point. Instead, it gave the Beavers time to persuade coach Mike Riley to go for the win. And the gamble paid off.
Newton also caught an 11-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and had six receptions for 74 yards.
Music City BowlKentucky 28, Clemson 20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Andre Woodson threw for three touchdowns and 299 yards in the Wildcats' first postseason victory in 22 years.
Woodson completed 20 of 28 passes to finish his breakout season with 31 touchdowns. He joins Tim Couch in 1997-98 as the only Wildcats quarterbacks to top the 30-touchdown mark in a season.
Behind Woodson, the game's Most Valuable Player, the Wildcats (8-5) racked up their highest point total in bowl history. They won their sixth bowl game overall and their first since a victory over Wisconsin in the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl. Kentucky made its first bowl appearance since 1999.
Liberty BowlSouth Carolina 44, Houston 36
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Gamecocks defensive end Jordin Lindsey came up with two turnovers for a defense that slowed down Houston in the second half, and coach Steve Spurrier won his first bowl game at South Carolina.
Blake Mitchell tied a bowl record by throwing four touchdown passes, Cory Boyd ran for two more TDs as the Gamecocks (8-5) finished Spurrier's second season with their best record since going 9-3 in 2001.
Kevin Kolb, making his 50th start at quarterback for Houston (10-4) and leading the nation's sixth-best offense, finished 26-of-39 for 386 yards and three touchdowns.
Champs Sports BowlMaryland 24, Purdue 7
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sam Hollenbach passed for 223 yards and two touchdowns and Lance Ball rushed for 98 yards to lead Maryland.
The Terrapins (9-4) were able to keep Purdue's offense, the NCAA's 10th best at 425 yards per game, in check by blanketing its speedy wideouts, batting down several passes -- and keeping the ball away from the Boilermakers (8-6).
Keon Lattimore added 86 yards rushing on 20 carries for the Terps, who held the ball for 39:48.
Boilermakers quarterback Curtis Painter completed 23-of-36 passes for 264 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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