1997 Fiesta Bowl |
K-State capped its best season in school history with a 35-18 win over 14th-ranked Syracuse, the Big East Conference champion. Wildcat quarterback Michael Bishop stole the show by throwing for four touchdowns and completing a career-high 14 passes for a career-best 317 yards. Darnell McDonald was on the receiving end of seven Bishop passes and turned them into a school-record 206 yards in receptions and three touchdowns. His 77-yard reception in the fourth quarter was the longest in Fiesta Bowl history. After allowing Syracuse to jump out to a 3-0 lead on the first of Nate Trout’s three field goals, Bishop led the Wildcats to three-consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter. The first came following a failed fake field goal attempt by Syracuse, culminating in a 19- yard pass to McDonald. Bishop followed with a 12-yard TD dash on K-State’s next possession, and wrapped up the first half scoring with a 28-yard completion to Justin Swift on a tight end screen. Syracuse scored 12 points in the final 2:18 to close within 21-15 at the half. Following a scoreless third quarter, Bishop and the Wildcats put away the Orangemen with two big plays in the fourth. McDonald pulled in a long pass along the sidelines, fought off a Syracuse defender and completed a 77-yard TD play, then followed with a 41-yard reception with 3:17 remaining to salt the game away. Bishop finished the game with 390 yards in total offense, including 317 yards passing and 73 yards rushing. Swift caught a career-high five passes for a career-high 98 yards and one touchdown. Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb threw for 271 yards, but completed just 16 of 39 passes. McNabb also ran for 81 yards. Bishop earned the Offensive Player of the Game award, while KSU linebacker Travis Ochs, with an interception and fumble recovery, was named Defensive Player of the Game. NOTING THE WILDCATS • More than 50,000 K-State fans were estimated in attendance. • Michael Bishop was named Offensive Player-of-the-Game and Travis Ochs was named Defensive Player of the Game. Bishop and SU’s Donovan McNabb earned CBS Player of the Game honors. Ed Cunningham and Tim Brando were announcers. • Darnell McDonald set a K-State and Fiesta Bowl record with 206 yards in receptions. His 77-yard pass play with Bishop also set a Fiesta Bowl record for longest completion. • The crowd of 69,367 was the largest to ever witness a
K-State victory. The previous was 65,986 who saw K-State win 12-0
at Nebraska Nov. 9, 1968. |