Army March Halted by Auburn, 32-29
SHREVEPORT, La. — Auburn quarterback Dameyune Craig was shocked, yet not surprised by what he saw in the fourth quarter of the Independence Bowl.
Craig had 440 of his school-record 447 yards by the end of the third quarter, when the Tigers (8-4) led No. 24 Army by 25 points and had scored on six of nine possessions.
But the Cadets then scored 22 fourth-quarter points, and missed a chance to send the game into overtime only after J. Parker missed a 27-yard field goal with 29 seconds left.
“We came out and pretty much controlled the game, but they are the military, and they never gave up,†said Craig after Auburn’s 32-29 victory. “You have to feel proud to have a group like this defending your country.â€
Craig threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Auburn avoided its first three-game losing streak since 1981. He was 24 for 40 for an Independence Bowl-record 372 yards, and also ran for 75 yards.
The failed Army comeback provided an eerie reminder for the Tigers, who lost their last two regular season games late. Georgia scored on the last play of regulation and then defeated Auburn, 56-49, in four overtimes, and Alabama scored in the final minute to win, 24-23.
“In a year where it seems like you have been snake bit, you just start to think that bad things may happen,†Auburn Coach Terry Bowden said. “A win like this does not make up for some of the close losses, but it makes for a lot more positive off-season.â€
It appeared Army was content to send the game to overtime when, facing third down from the 10, Parker came on to try a field goal with 33 seconds left. He had made 17 in a row from inside 30 yards.
“We would have been happy going into overtime,†Army Coach Bob Sutton said. “That is why we didn’t throw one more time.â€
Ronnie McAda, the Army quarterback who didn’t throw an interception all season, threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Rod Richardson with 1:27 left. Bobby Williams, who also ran for two touchdowns, scored the two-point conversion to get the Cadets within three points.
