HONOLULU, Hawaii-Kansas State played Boston College to a defensive standoff much of the afternoon at Aloha Stadium, but the Wildcat offense never got on track and fell 12-7 in the 1994 Aloha Bowl. The Eagles sacked K-State quarterback Chad May eight times, including a four-hit effort by end Mike Mamula, who was named the game's most valuable player.

Couple that with a ground game that gained just 30 yards from its running backs and K-State netted just 124 altogether in finishing 9-3. The Eagles couldn't distance themselves from the Wildcats despite a 51-yard bolt by David Green on the second play of the game. That carry led to an early 7-0 cushion for the Eagles but would be the only touchdown they'd score.

"For the most part, I thought our defense played well," Bill Snyder said. "I didn't like that early play of the ball game because it put them in position to score a quick touchdown, but otherwise I felt our defense played fairly well."

K-State's lone score came with eight seconds left in the first quarter when Joe Gordon crashed the middle of BC's line and blocked a punt by Jeff Beckley. Chris Sublette recovered the ball on the first hop in the end zone and the game was tied 7-7. However, BC would answer with its own end zone patrol later in the half when Mamula applied the biggest of his hits on May for a safety with 2:37 left.

The 'Cats reached the BC 19 on their ensuing drive, but Eric Shorter intercepted a dropped pass in the flat on third-and-15 with 19 seconds left in the half.

Still, a defense that featured punter Eric Hardy, Gordon and a pair of 10-tackle performances from Chuck Marlowe and Mario Smith kept the 'Cats within striking distance until the end. BC could only tack on a 35-yard field goal by David Gordon with 1:18 remaining in the second half.

That left K-State with one final shot. After barely converting a first down with a 21-yard strike to Mitch Running, May found Ron Brown one player later for a 16-yard completion to reach the BC 45 with 10 seconds left. May heaved the ball into the end zone on the game's final play, but the ball was knocked away from Running at the last moment to preserve the win for Boston College.

JOE GORDON NAMED MVP Lost in the shuffle of K-State's 12-7 setback to Boston College, was a brilliant performance by sophomore cornerback Joe Gordon, who was chosen Kansas State's Most Valuable Player. After earning first-team All-Big Eight honors during the regular season, Gordon had an outstanding postseason with a blocked punt, an interception, three tackles and two pass deflections to key the Wildcat defense.

Gordon set up K-State's only score of the day late in the first quarter when he burst through the line to block a punt, which was recovered by Chris Sublette for a K-State touchdown.