The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 27, 2004, Page 10, Image 10
Clemson turnovers lead to loss at FSU
By BRENT KALLESTAD
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Wyatt
Sexton became an instant hit with
Florida State fans and left coach Bobby
Bowden with a decision to make.
Sexton threw for 162 yards and a
touchdown Saturday after replacing an
injured Chris Rix, and No. 8 Florida
State forced five turnovers in a 41-22
victory over Clemson.
Justin Miller provided most of the
Tigers’ offense with two kickoff returns
for touchdowns and an NCAA record
282 yards on six returns.
Bowden doesn’t like quarterback
controversies and he said he won’t take
long to decide which quarterback will
start against North Carolina next week.
“We’ll have it squared away by
Monday,” Bowden said. “I’m not
worried about that.”
Rix, who has started 37 games for
Bowden, has never been a fan favorite
due largely to some erratic performances
on and off the field, and a 0-5 record
against archrival Miami.
Rix was also involved in the most
recent Florida State quarterback
controversy — two years ago — when
he was replaced as the starter for four
games by Adrian McPherson. But Rix
regained the job after McPherson was
kicked off the team.
This time it was an injury that took
Rix out of the game.
He sprained his right ankle late in
the first quarter and was able to return,
but spent the rest of the game on the
sideline watching Sexton direct the
offense.
The crowd chanted “Wy-att Sex-ton”
during and after the game.
“I would love to have the
opportunity to start,” Sexton said. “I
would like to have the team in my
hands.”
Sexton, a redshirt sophomore from
Tallahassee, completed 17 of 26 passes
with a 47-yard scoring pass to Chauncey
Stovall — the Seminoles’ first TD pass
of the season.
“It was a perfect throw,” said Stovall,
who caught a career-high seven passes
for 96 yards. “Wyatt just sat back in the
^ pocket and waited and I did my thing.”
Rix told Bowden at halftime that he
was ready to go, but the coaches wanted
to give Sexton a chance with the game
on the line.
“I’m happy the coaches had
confidence in me and let me show what I
can do,” Sexton said. “When I first got
in I was extremely nervous. It took me
awhile to get my composure.”
Miller’s two TDs covered 97 and 86
yards. His second touchdown brought
Clemson to within 24-22 midway
through the third period following a
safety.
“It was a great individual
performance by a player who just refused
to quit,” Clemson coach Tommy
Bowden said.
The Seminoles (2-1, 1-1) avenged
last year’s 26-10 loss at Clemson and
gave Florida State’s Bowden a 5-1 record
in matchups against his son.
It was also the elder Bowden’s 344th
career victory, the most ever by a
Division I-A coach.
Tommy Bowden may have his own
quarterback controversy at Clemson (1 -
3, 1-2), which has lost three straight.
His quarterback, Charlie Whitehurst,
threw three interceptions and lost two
fumbles.
“It’s getting to a state where it’s
really, really hurting us,” Tommy
Bowden said. “We should be more
productive than that regardless of how
good they are.”
The Tigers, who have an open week
before visiting Virginia on Oct. 9,
managed only 173 yards, and just two
first down and 23 yards in the second
half.
“When you’re playing defense like
that, you’ve always got a chance to
win,” Bobby Bowden said. “While
you’re making mistakes and getting
adjusted, they’re holding down the
other team.”
The Seminoles’ defense, ranked
ninth nationally going into the game,
scored one touchdown and set up
another just 18 seconds apart in the
second quarter.
The Seminoles took the lead 10-7 on
B.J. Dean’s 1-yard TD run, three plays
after Charles Howard recovered a
fumble by Whitehurst at the 18.
Whitehurst, on Clemson’s next
offensive play, was intercepted by Leroy
Smith, who ran in 31 yards right past
the quarterback to give the Seminoles a
17-7 lead.
This time Clemson countered as
Curtis Baham — wide open in the end
zone — pulled in a 12-yard TD from
Whitehurst to make it 17-14 with 1:47
left in the half.
Whitehurst, who has struggled all
season, completed 10 of 24 passes for
just 88 yards and lost two fumbles. He
has 13 turnovers in Clemson’s first four
games, including 10 interceptions.
James Coleman and Leon
Washington also scored touchdowns for
the Seminoles and Xavier Beitia kicked
field goals of 29 and 38 yards.
PHIL COALE/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is sacked in the fourth quarter Saturday by Florida State’s ■
Travis Johnson, left, and Chauncey Davis, right. Whitehurst and the Tigers fell to 1-3 on the season.
Paladins upset bid ends on OT field goal
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH — Saturday was
supposed to be easy for Pitt. Instead,
the Panthers wound up needing
overtime to win a home game against a
team from a lower classification.
Josh Cummings kicked a 37-yard
field goal in overtime and Pitt, which
scored 21 points in the fourth quarter,
beat Furman 41-38.
“Whether people think it’s a good
victory or not doesn’t matter,” Pitt
coach Walt Harris said. “It goes down
as a win.”
Harris said during the week that
Furman would view the matchup as its
bowl game, a prediction that turned out
to be accurate.
“They’re a representative football
team,” Harris said. “They’re number
two in the country in Division 1-AA
and they showed why.”
Furman (3-1) had the first
possession of overtime but Scott
Beckler missed a 37-yard field goal
attempt. Cummings made his kick after
the Panthers gained six yards on three
running plays.
“We had a great start but we
couldn’t maintain it through the last
couple of series,” Furman coach Bobby
Lamb said. “We just ran out of juice.
Our kids gave tremendous effort. We
threw everything at them. They just
made one more play than we did at the
end.”
Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, a first
year starter, completed ,30 of 36 passes
for 380 yards and three touchdowns.
Raymond Kirkley rushed for 108 yards
on 26 carries for the Panthers.
“Tyler has'learned some things and
he’s still learning some things,” Harris
said. “He has a better feel for what it
takes at this level. He’s very
competitive.”
Division 1-AA Furman has now lost
13 of its last 14 games against Division
1-A opponents.
“We couldn’t get any heat on their
quarterback,” Lamb said. “Their
offensive line is gigantic.”
Pitt (2-1) forced overtime with three
touchdowns in the last 11:33 of the
fourth quarter. The Panthers had fallen
behind 31-14 in the third quarter.
“We obviously have to start playing
better sooner,” Harris said. “As the
game went on, I think we wore them
down a little bit.”
The Panthers were trailing 31-17
when Steve Buches caught an 8-yard
touchdown pass from Palko.
“You could tell late in the game that
we were prepared,” Palko said. “That’s
what you practice for all summer, to
stay strong in the fourth quarter.”
Palko said the Panthers were
confident that they could come back.
“I know it’s not always going to be
like that but I felt like they couldn’t
stop us,” he said. “There isn’t a better
feeling for an offensive player.”
After Pitt drew within a touchdown
at 31-24, Furman used a gimmick play
to score. Isaac West took a handoff on
an end-around and threw a pass to
wide-open Brian Bratton for a 43-yard
touchdown.
The Panthers used a flea flicker to
complete a 40-yard pass that took the
ball to Furman’s 1. Marcus Furman
pitched the ball back to Palko, who
threw to Greg Lee. Kirkley scored on a
1-yard plunge to get Pitt within seven at
38-31.
The tying touchdown was a 38-yard
pass from Palko to Buches with 3:44
left in the quarter and capped an 83
yard drive.
Furman scored 24 consecutive
points after falling behind 14-7 in the
first quarter.
The comeback started after Pitt’s
Malcolm Postell returned an
interception 44 yards for a touchdown.
Postell stepped in front of West to pick
off Ingle Martin’s pass for his second
touchdown return this season.
Furman had arf 80-yard
touchdown drive on the next series.
Daric Carter gained a step on Pitt
linebacker J.J. Horne along the right
sideline and caught a 42-yard
touchdown pass from Martin to tie
the.score at 14.
The Paladins took a 21-14 lead on
West’s 75-yard touchdown reception in
the second quarter. He caught a short
pass from Martin and outran the
Panthers, who were caught in a blitz.
That drive came after Pitt failed to score
on three plays from the Furman 1-yard
line. Palko fumbled the snap on fourth
down and die Paladins took over at the
9.
Beckler made a 42-yard field goal
just before halftime for a 24-14 lead.
Furman opened the second half with
an 80-yard touchdown drive, 30 of the
yards coming on two personal foul
penalties against the Panthers.
Linebacker H.B. Blades was flagged for
roughing the passer after Martin threw
an incomplete pass on third-and-11.
Safety Tyrone Gilliard was penalized
for hitting Carter out of bounds.
Jerome Felton scored on a 1-yard run.
Pitt settled for a 27-yard field goal in
the third quarter after driving to the
Furman 9.
Pitt’s first possession of the game
ended in a turnover when Buches
snapped the ball over punter Adam
Graessle’s head and Furman got the ball
at the Panthers’ 19. Two plays later,
Martin hit Bratton with a 17-yard
touchdown pass.
Pitt answered with an 86-yard drive
that ended with Palko’s 30-yard
touchdown pass to Joe DelSardo. Palko
completed his first 11 pass attempt!
Furman lost both starting safeties on
the first series. Free safety Cam Newton
injured an ankle on the first play from
scrimmage and strong safety Shelton
Riley left three plays later with a knee
injury.
“We have to go back to the training
room and see who we can patch
together for next week,” Lamb said.
Entering the game, Palko had
completed just 43.8 percent of his
passes in Pitt’s first two games.
■ LACROSSE
Continued from page 9
of the ultimate Frisbee club, a
questionable decision by John Houck,
director of club sports. Despite the
setbacks, no one on the team is making
excuses.
“I fully expect us to have a winning
record again this year,” coach Chuck
‘Holland said. “The players are
committed to constant improvement,
and that will help us surprise a lot of
these A-division teams.”
There couldn’t be a better time for
the lacrosse team to make the jump
back up to the A division after a
winning season in the lower bracket.
The team’s confidence and talent level is
as high as it has ever been. With the
sport making its way into high schools
and colleges in the South, more
students are coming to USC with
playing experience.
“I’ve noticed over the last four years
that we’re getting more guys out that
have played before and are from South
Carolina,” fifth-year midfielder John
Cosgrove said.
i lauiuuuany, laciuaac nas uccii a
mainstay in the mid-Atlantic region
and as far up as Maine, but has quickly
spread west as far as California and is
catching on in a big way down in
Florida. In South Carolina, every
school year brings a few new high
school programs. This past year was
Ridge View High School, and Whnc
Knoll is also organizing a team. Still,
the majority of USC players are from
the lacrosse hotbed areas of Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York.
This year’s team returns eight of 11
starters from the 2003-2004 team. All
SELC attackman Ryan Shaw is back
after leading the Gamecocks with 37
goals and 18 assists to lead the offensive
end of the field. Ryan Bruce, Dave
Kalergis and Nick Buzzuto are back to
make up the close defense. At midfield,
Daniel Kerr and John Cosgrove
account for two-thirds of the starting
line.
The lacrosse team will test its talent
and new found confidence against a
grueling schedule. On Feb. 5, the
Gamecocks will travel to Knoxville,
Tenn., for back-to-back league games
against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, two
well-established programs with a
history of running up the score on
USC.
Georgia comes to Columbia for a
Feb. 18 showdown. The Gamecocks
beat the Bulldogs at home in 2002, but
lost in Athens the following year, 9-3.
USC plays at Clemson on April Fools
Day, which should be an intense game.
Last year the Gamecocks beat their most
hated rival in overtime for the first time
in seven years. The team travels to
Atlanta April 9 to play defending SELC
Champion and national power Georgia
Tech.
You can see the USC men’s club
lacrosse team in action Friday night as
it takes on Savannah College of Art
and Design at the Blatt P.E. field at 8
p.m.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
KEITH SRAKOCIC/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pittsburgh running back Raymond Kirkley, right, is stopped short of the goal by Furman safety Andrew
Thacker in the second quarter of Pittsburgh’s narrow overtime victory over the Paladins on Saturday.
■ FOOTBALL
Continued from page 12
touchdown run in which he shjowed off his elusiveness by
making a Trojan defender miss badly.
“(Boyd) made a great block,” Newton said. “I didn’t know
which way he was going to go but he went down so I just
followed behind him and it was a wide open hole.”
Lance Laury sealed the win by intercepting a Leak pass on the USC
31 yard line with 2:13 remaining in the game. Jamada Jackson broke
up the pass with a timely hit and the ball landed directly in Laury’s arms.
Army veteran Tim Frisby, 39, saw his first playing time of the
season. Frisby, a receiver, entered the game on the Gamecocks’
final possession but never had the opportunity to make a catch as
USC executed four running plays to end the game.
“I’m just glad the coach put the trust in me to go out there,”
Frisby said. “I was glad to be part of it.”
Defense was again a major factor for USC, as the Trojans
were held to 207 yards total offense. The much-heralded
Betterson rushed just 12 times for 50 yards. Defensive
coordinator Rick Minter was pleased with how his unit
performed in a difficult situation.
“I was pleased with our defense and the way we rose up under
the circumstances,” Minter said. “We had to play well tonight
the way the game went.”
Comments on this story ? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
■ CLARY
Continued from page 12
package to the table is the right thing to do. I’d like to see
one guy get about 80 percent of the snaps with the other
one coming in to mix things up when we need a spark.
Personally, I don’t care which one it is. I think
both have shown on the playing field that they can
lead this team. But Saturday night, I think they
showed a need to get a better feel for the game. That
can’t be done with equal playing time.
I would also like to give credit where credit is due
as I do each week in this column. I thought both
Pinkins and Newton did some good things. Troy
Williamson continues to play the best football of his
career and, for the third game in a row, broke 100
yards receiving. Also, Josh Brown is doing a fantastic
job for us. His field goals and extra points are not
only higher and look better, but are consistently
going in.
For the fourth game in a row, our defense did a
great job. Troy only got 207 yards, and we forced two
more turnovers. I can’t say enough about those guys.
We’ve got a real challenge next week and I believe
our boys are up to it.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.si. edu
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Dondrial Pinkins scrambles during Saturday’s game
against Troy. Pinkins had a fumble and a touchdown, t
/vy