2007 Liberty Bowl History & More

AutoZone Liberty Bowl Profiles, History, Best Bowl Moments & More

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

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

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Scroll Down For Each Team's Bowl History

By Richard Cirminiello

Liberty Bowl History
2006	South Carolina 44, Houston 36
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

Best Knight Bowl Moment: While the outcome didn’t wind up in its favor, UCF’s lone bowl appearance was one of the more exciting games of the 2005 bowl season.  Facing Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl, the Knights dropped a 49-48 overtime shootout, despite getting 11 catches for 210 yards and three touchdowns from WR Brandon Marshall.

Best Bulldog Bowl Moment: Playing through a blizzard for much of the game, Mississippi State defeated Texas A&M, 43-41, in the 2000 Independence Bowl, one of the wilder games of the postseason.  The Bulldogs fought back from 14 down in the fourth quarter, winning the game on a blocked extra point that was returned for a two-pointer and a six-yard touchdown scamper from QB Wayne Madkin. 

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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UCF Bowl History (0-1)

2005

Hawaii

Nevada 49, UCF 48

Mississippi State Bowl History (6-6)

2000	Independence	Miss State 43, Texas A&M 41 OT
1999	Peach	Miss State 17, Clemson 7
1999	Cotton	Texas 38, Miss State 11
1995	Peach	NC State 28, Miss State 24
1993	Peach	North Carolina 21, Miss State 14
1991	Liberty	Air Force 38, Miss State 15
1981	Hall of Fame	Miss State 10, Kansas 0
1980	Sun	Nebraska 31, Miss State 17
1974	Sun	Miss State, 36, North Carolina 24
1963	Liberty	Miss State 16. NC State 12
1941	Orange	Miss State 14, Georgetown 7
1937	Orange	Duquesne 13, Miss State 12