Liberty Bowl Player Profile, History & More

2006 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Player Profile, History & More

South Carolina (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3)

Dec. 29th, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

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By Richard Cirminiello

Liberty Bowl History
2005	Tulsa 31, Fresno State 24
2004	Louisville 44, Boise State 40
2003	Utah 17, Southern Miss 0
2002	TCU 17, Colorado State 3
2001	Louisville 28, BYU 10
2000	Colorado State 22, Louisville 17
1999	Southern Miss 23, Colorado State 17
1998	Tulane 41, BYU 27
1997	Southern Miss 41, Pitt 7
1996	Syracuse 30, Houston 17
1995	East Carolina 19, Stanford 13
1994	Illinois 30, East Carolina 0
1993	Louisville 18, Michigan State 7
1992	Mississippi 13, Air Force 0
1991	Air Force 38, Mississippi State 15
1990	Air Force 23, Ohio State 11
1989	Mississippi 42, Air Force 29
1988	Indiana 34, South Carolina 10
1987	Georgia 20, Arkansas 17
1986	Tennessee 21, Minnesota 14
1985	Baylor 21, LSU 7
1984	Auburn 21, Arkansas 15
1983	Notre Dame 19, Boston Coll 18
1982	Alabama 21, Illinois 15
1981	Ohio State 21, Navy 28
1980	Purdue 28, Missouri 25
1979	Penn State 9, Tulane 6
1978	Missouri 20, LSU 15
1977	Nebraska 21, North Carolina 17
1976	Alabama 36, UCLA 6
1975	USC 20, Texas A&M 0
1974	Tennessee 7, Maryland 3
1973	NC State 31, Kansas 18
1972	Georgia Tech 31, Iowa State 30
1971	Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13
1970	Tulane 17, Colorado 3
1969	Colorado 47, Alabama 33
1968	Mississippi 34, Virginia Tech 17
1967	NC State 14, Georgia 7
1966	Miami 14, Virginia Tech 7
1965	Mississippi 13, Auburn 7
1964	Utah 32, West Virginia 6
1963	Miss State 16, NC State 12
1962	Oregon State 6, Villanova 0
1961	Syracuse 15, Miami 14
1960	Penn State 41, Oregon 12
1959	Penn State 7, Alabama 0

Liberty Bowl Player Profile
LB Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina – Brinkley is Exhibit A and B why trolling the ranks of the junior colleges can sometimes produce a gem…or two.  Less than a year removed from Georgia Military College, he immediately evolved into the Gamecocks’ most valuable and intimidating defensive player, landing on this year’s All-SEC first team.  Brinkley led South Carolina with 96 tackles, nearly twice as many as any other teammate, 12½ tackles for loss and four sacks.  At 6-2 and 258 pounds, he’s also South Carolina’s most physical presence, patrolling his side of the ball like a warden, while daring opposing players to enter his space.  Both big and fast, Brinkley is larger than every Gamecock defensive end, including twin brother Casper, yet has the kind of sideline-to-sideline speed that already has NFL scouts doing a double take.  They’ll have to wait another year for the burgeoning stud, however, who made a promise to his mom that he’d finish up school and get his degree.  Brinkley would also like to enjoy one more year with his brother, who just happens to also be his closest friend.  The pair, known as “Jap” and “Cap” since they little kids, were a package deal during the recruiting process, an eventual twin killing for Steve Spurrier and the program, which has already bagged 134 tackles, 22½ tackles for loss and nine sacks courtesy of the JC pipeline.

Best Cougar Bowl Moment – The last second upset of Nebraska in the 1980 Cotton Bowl warrants real strong consideration, however, it’s the 30-21 win over unbeaten Maryland in the 1977 Cotton Bowl that has a special place in the hearts’ of Cougar fans.  The school’s first trip to a New Year’s Day bowl game was the finishing touch on an unforgettable season that saw Houston stun the Southwest Conference by winning the league in its first year as a member. 

Best Gamecock Bowl Moment – South Carolina has won three of its last four bowl games, the only three postseason victories in school history.  In the 2002 Outback Bowl, the Gamecocks allowed Ohio State to rally from a 28-point deficit before Daniel Weaver booted a game-winning 42-yard field goal for a sigh-of-relief victory.  It was South Carolina’s second straight win over the Buckeyes in Tampa and a symbol of just how far the program had progressed under Lou Holtz.      

Houston's best win ... Houston 34 ... Oklahoma State 25
The two teams put on an offensive show with 955 yards of total offense, but things slowed down late when a heavy downpour kicked in. The Cougars were able to break open a close game with a seven-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter. OSU had two late drives, but misfired on a fourth down pass and later lost a fumble on the Houston five. Kevin Kolb threw four touchdown passes highlighted by a 42-yard scoring play to Donnie Avery, but Oklahoma State's Bobby Reid was up to the ask throwing a 75-yard scoring pass to Adarius Bowman and two touchdown passes to D'Juan Woods.

Houston's worst loss ... UL Lafayette 31 ... Houston 28
UL Lafayette got down 21-0 as Kevin Kolb threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, and then went on a 31-7 run with Jerry Babb running for a 14-yard score to start and throwing a four-yard pass to Kevin Belton to finish it off. The Ragin' Cajuns dominated the second half on offense holding on to the ball for 20:41 highlighted by an 18-play, 85-yard drive for the winning points. Houston had one final drive, but it stalled before it could get going. Drew Edmiston nailed field goals from 23, 37 and 51 yards out for ULL.

South Carolina's best win ... South Carolina 31 ... Clemson 28
South Carolina scored the last 14 points of the game and held on as Clemson's Jad Dean missed a 39-yard field goal with 13 seconds to plays. Mike Davis ran for two third quarter scores and Ryan Succop nailed a 35-yard field goal after Clemson connected on several big scoring plays. Jacoby Ford started off the scoring with a 76-yard touchdown catch for the Tigers and C.J. Spiller ran for scores from 80 and 31 yards while the defense picked off Blake Mitchell three times early taking one for a score. But Mitchell settled down and was almost flawless in the second half.

South Carolina's worst loss ... Georgia 18 ... South Carolina 0
Georgia got field goals from 46, 46 and 42 yards from Brandon Coutu along with a nine-yard touchdown run from Danny Ware to get past South Carolina in an occasionally ugly battle. The Bulldog defense held USC to only 35 rushing yards and forced five fumbles, recovering three. South Carolina's defense had its moments after Georgia starting QB Joe Tereshinski got knocked out with an ankle injury. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions, but he led the team on three scoring drives. South Carolina got into the red zone three times and didn't come away with any points.

2006 Liberty Bowl
Tulsa 31 ... Fresno State 24 
Tulsa tied it at 24 early in the fourth quarter on a 54-yard touchdown pass to Ashlan Davis and got the winning score on a four-yard Paul Smith run with just under three minutes to play. Fresno State moved to the Tulsa 35, but QB Paul Pinegar was intercepted by Nelson Coleman. In a nearly dead-even game, Tulsa held a 14-7 first half lead on a 63-yard touchdown run by Tarion Adams, but Fresno State was able to comeback and took the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 21-yar touchdown pass to Joe Fernandez.
Player of the game: Tulsa QB Paul Smith completed 18 of 27 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown and ran seven times for 45 yards and a score.
Stat Leaders: Fresno State - Passing: Paul Pinegar, 19-30, 213 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Wendell Mathis, 31-117, 1 TD. Receiving: Jason Fairman, 6-73
Tulsa - Passing: Paul Smith, 18-27, 234 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tarrion Adams, 11-102, 1 TD. Receiving: Ashlan Davis, 8-128, 1 TD

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South Carolina Bowl History (3-11)

2005	Independence	Missouri 38, South Carolina 31
2001	Outback	South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28
2000	Outback	South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7
1995	Carquest	South Carolina 24, West Virginia 21
1988	Liberty	Indiana 34, South Carolina 10
1987	Gator	Louisiana State 30, South Carolina 13
1984	Gator	Oklahoma 21, South Carolina 14
1980	Gator	Pittsburgh 37, South Carolina 9
1979	Hall of Fame	Missouri 24, South Carolina 14
1975	Tangerine	Miami (Ohio) 20, South Carolnia 7
1969	Peach	West Virginia 14, South Carolina 3
1945	Gator	Wake Forest 26, South Carolina 14

Houston Bowl History (8-8)

2005	Fort Worth	Kansas 42, Houston 13
2003	Hawaii	Hawaii 54, Houston 48 (3OT)
1996	Liberty	Syracuse 30, Houston 17
1988	Aloha	Washington State 24, Houston 22
1985	Cotton	Boston College 45, Houston 28
1981	Sun	Oklahoma 40, Houston 14
1980	Garden State	Houston 35, Navy 0
1980	Cotton	Houston 17, Nebraska 14
1979	Cotton	Notre Dame 35, Houston 34
1977	Cotton	Houston 30, Maryland 21
1974	Bluebonnet	Houston 31, NC State 31 (tie)
1973	Bluebonnet	Houston 47, Tulane 7
1971	Bluebonnet	Colorado 29, Houston 17
1969	Bluebonnet	Houston 36, Auburn 7
1962	Tangerine	Houston 49, Miami (Ohio) 21
1952	Salad	Houston 26, Dayton 21