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LOOKING BACK: TCU vs. Southern Miss in '00 Mobile Bowl
Dec. 18, 2007
Mobile, Ala. -- Jeff Kelly's 28-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kenny Johnson with eight seconds left lifted Southern Miss to a 28-21 victory over No. 13 TCU in the Mobile Alabama Bowl.
In the first major bowl game of the season, TCU tailback LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 118 yards, his lowest total of the season. The Heisman Trophy finalist carried 28 times and scored two TDs in the third quarter.
Southern Miss (8-4) got a second chance after a fourth missed field goal, and trusted their senior quarterback instead of the shaky kicking game.
With 33 seconds left, they took over at the TCU 43-yard line after Mobile native Etric Pruitt got a hand on John Braziel's punt. Kelly threw two incompletions, then scrambled 14 yards for a first down. On the next play, he lofted a perfect strike over the middle just above safety LaVar Veale's outstretched arm, victimizing the nation's top defense.
The Horned Frogs (10-2) endured a December coaching change and uncertainty over who would lead them into the game. In the end, former defensive coordinator Gary Patterson replaced Dennis Franchione on the sidelines. Franchione left for Alabama Dec. 1 and was initially expected to coach the bowl game. TCU officials decided late last week to allow the Patterson era to begin a season early.
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