Sports

College football

MVP Davis gains 150 as Clemson holds on

Associated Press
Published December 28, 2005

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ORLANDO - James Davis walked out of the Citrus Bowl with the game ball under one arm and the most valuable player trophy under the other.

It was obvious who was the key to Clemson's latest victory.

Davis, a freshman, ran for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown, Charlie Whitehurst scrambled for a score and the No. 23 Tigers beat Colorado 19-10 in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday, handing the Buffaloes (7-6) their fourth consecutive loss.

Davis' 6-yard touchdown run with 1:38 left sealed a fourth straight win for Clemson (8-4).

"I can't wait until he knows what he's doing," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "He doesn't know what he's doing right now. He's a special talent."

Backup quarterback Brian White replaced starter James Cox midway through the fourth quarter and led a 69-yard scoring drive that made it 13-10 with 5:45 left. His 2-yard touchdown pass to Quinn Sypniewski ended a streak of 14 quarters without a TD.

But Davis and Whitehurst answered, moving the Tigers 61 yards in 4:07.

Davis ran 28 times and eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the fourth time this season - a school record for a freshman.

Whitehurst was 19-of-27 for 196 yards and threw an interception. He showed no signs of shoulder problems after arthroscopic surgery this month.

Clemson's leading receiver, Chansi Stuckey, sat out the second half with a concussion. Freshman Aaron Kelly caught a team-high four passes for 36 yards, including a 23-yarder on the game-sealing drive.

Cox made his second career start, overthrowing and underthrowing receivers and making poor decisions with the ball.

He finished 4-of-12 for 26 yards and was sacked three times.

ASU 45, RUTGERS 40: Rudy Carpenter threw for 467 yards and four touchdowns and the Sun Devils amassed an Insight Bowl-record 678 yards in Phoenix.

The teams combined for an Insight record 1,210 yards.

The Scarlet Knights (7-5), in their second bowl game and first since 1978, led 33-31 after Jeremy Ito's 48-yard field goal with 12:56 to play.

But Arizona State (7-5) took the lead for good when, on second and 25, Carpenter threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Matt Miller. A two-point conversion pass made it 39-33 with 10 minutes left.

Consecutive false start penalties ruined Rutgers' next possession, and the Sun Devils scored again on an eight-play, 69-yard drive to lead 45-33.

Ryan Hart's 29-yard touchdown pass to Tres Moses made it 45-40 with two minutes left, but the Sun Devils recovered the onside kick to win consecutive bowl games for the first time since 1987.

LSU QB Russell out

ATLANTA - Louisiana State starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell is out with an injury and Miami will be without starting receiver Ryan Moore, who is suspended, for Friday's Peach Bowl, but coaches said they have backups ready to play.

LSU left Russell behind when it arrived in Atlanta, ending speculation he might return from a shoulder injury. Sophomore Matt Flynn, who has appeared in 24 games, will make his first start.

Coach Les Miles said Flynn made a strong impression in the preseason when he competed with Russell.

"Matt has a lot of ability and I think our team enjoys his leadership and I think he'll play well," Miles said.

Backing up Russell against Georgia, Flynn completed 3 of 11 for 36 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Against North Texas, Flynn was 7-for-7 for 139 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a 55-yard touchdown against Mississippi.

Miami coach Lary Coker might give star cornerback Devin Hester more time at receiver. Hester had three catches during the regular season, along with eight carries for 70 yards.

"That's a little bit of a bonus for us because he's been a wide receiver, he's been a defensive back, he's been a running back," Coker said.

NORTHERN COLORADO: Nebraska assistant Scott Downing was named coach.

NOTRE DAME: Charlie Weis was among a group of coaches and school officials that arrived on a charter flight for Monday's Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. Weis released the players for their holiday break Friday, and said they all made it to Arizona. "We know it's going to be a tough test, but I can tell you this: We didn't come here just to drink margaritas," Weis said. "We came here to play a football game."

SAN DIEGO: Jim Harbaugh, courted recently by three I-A schools, agreed to a four-year contract to remain as coach at the nonscholarship I-AA Catholic school. Harbaugh interviewed at Rice and San Diego State, and also was a candidate at Temple.

WISCONSIN: Receiver Marcus Randle El was charged with misdemeanor battery after police said he hit former teammate Nick Sutton in the face with a cell phone at a bar this month. Prosecutors accused Randle El of striking Nick Sutton at a bar earlier this month. Randle El, the brother of Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antwaan Randle El, also was charged with a misdemeanor bail violation because of an earlier incident. Randle El is practicing with the team in Orlando for the Capital One Bowl on Monday.

[Last modified December 28, 2005, 01:07:02]