2001 GMAC Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2001
GMAC Bowl
, a college football
bowl game
held on December 19 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama
, pitted the Marshall Thundering Herd
, then of the Mid-American Conference
, against the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA
. This game featured what was then the biggest comeback in NCAA
Division I-A (now Division I FBS) bowl history, as Marshall came back from a 38-8 halftime deficit to force overtime
and eventually win 64-61 in double overtime. It was also the highest-scoring bowl game in history, breaking the previous record set when Texas Tech
defeated Air Force
55-41 in the 1995 Copper Bowl
. Although the record for greatest bowl comeback was broken by Texas Tech when it returned to the Copper Bowl, by then renamed the Insight Bowl
, in 2006
, the 2001 GMAC Bowl remains the highest-scoring bowl game ever.
The game, with an official attendance of 40,139, was telecast on ESPN2
. It was a rematch of one of Marshall's most historically significant games. On November 14, 1970, the two teams met at East Carolina
, with the Pirates winning 17-14. That night, the plane carrying the Herd back to Huntington, West Virginia
crashed just before landing, killing all 75 on board. The two teams had only met one time since the crash, a 45-0 East Carolina win in 1978. Today, they meet every season, as Marshall joined C-USA in 2005
(the 35th anniversary of the crash) and is grouped with ECU in the conference's East Division.
s" who would go on to become teammates on the Jacksonville Jaguars
—senior David Garrard
for East Carolina, who would join the Jags in 2002, and junior Byron Leftwich
for Marshall, who joined the team a year later. The two remained teammates until 2007, when Garrard beat out Leftwich for the team's starting position in the preseason and Leftwich was released, soon signing with the Atlanta Falcons
. (As of the 2009 NFL season
, Garrard is still with the Jaguars, while Leftwich is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers
.)
, Leftwich threw a screen pass
deep in his own territory that bounced off the arms of intended receiver Denero Marriott into the hands of Ty Hunt, who returned the interception 12 yards for the game's first touchdown
. On Marshall's second possession, a snap out of the shotgun
went over Leftwich's right shoulder, and Jerome Stewart picked up the ball and ran it back 43 yards for another Pirates touchdown. Marshall appeared to be finding its rhythm on its third drive, with Leftwich completing five consecutive passes. However, that drive also ended in a turnover
, with Leftwich throwing an interception to Stewart in the end zone
. The quarter would end with the Pirates up 21-0, with Garrard scoring on a 9-yard run.
, the Herd finally got on the board when Leftwich connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Darius Watts
. The ensuing two-point conversion made the score 24-8. However, the Pirates' domination continued, with Leonard Henry scoring the first of his three rushing touchdowns on the night and Garrard scoring on another short run after Marshall fumbled on an attempted punt return. The half ended with East Carolina up 38-8, and several thousand fans left the game then.
which East Carolina recovered. The Pirates were unable to move the ball on three downs and punted. The kick went for a touchback
, giving the Herd the ball on their own 20 with 50 seconds and no timeouts left.
Leftwich then led the Herd on a furious last-minute drive, connecting with three passes of 20 yards or more before finding Watts in the end zone for a touchdown with 7 seconds left. All Marshall needed to cap a historic comeback was for Head to kick the extra point—but for the seventh time that season, he missed, leaving the game tied at 51-51. The game was already the highest-scoring in bowl history even before going to overtime, with the two teams combining for 102 points, breaking the previous record of 96.
on what appeared to be an 8-yard touchdown pass. The drama was not over, as a penalty was called on the play. The call turned out to be against the Pirates, and the touchdown stood, capping an improbable comeback. This was the last of five games that the Pirates lost by seven points or less in that season.
of BYU in the 1989 Holiday Bowl
(however, Detmer's record was set in regulation). This record still stands as of 2007. East Carolina earned the dubious honor of scoring the most points ever by a losing team in a bowl game. The two teams combined for 16 touchdowns, also a bowl game record. As of 2007 this game not only remains the highest-scoring in bowl history, but also remains the highest-scoring bowl game at the end of regulation time, with the total 102 points scored in regulation, edging out the 101 points scored in California's
52-49 win over Virginia Tech
in the 2003 Insight Bowl
. The only other bowl game to see 102 total points scored was the 2003 Hawaii Bowl
, in which Hawaii
defeated Houston
54-48 in three overtimes.
2001 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
, a college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
held on December 19 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, pitted the Marshall Thundering Herd
2001 Marshall Thundering Herd football team
The 2001 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in 2001 season in NCAA Division I-A. When Marshall played ECU in the GMAC Bowl, it was the highest scoring bowl game in college football history.-Schedule:...
, then of the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
, against the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. This game featured what was then the biggest comeback in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I-A (now Division I FBS) bowl history, as Marshall came back from a 38-8 halftime deficit to force overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
and eventually win 64-61 in double overtime. It was also the highest-scoring bowl game in history, breaking the previous record set when Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
defeated Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
55-41 in the 1995 Copper Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
. Although the record for greatest bowl comeback was broken by Texas Tech when it returned to the Copper Bowl, by then renamed the Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
, in 2006
2006 Insight Bowl
The 2006 Insight Bowl, a college football bowl game held on December 29 at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, pitted the Texas Tech Red Raiders against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I FBS bowl history...
, the 2001 GMAC Bowl remains the highest-scoring bowl game ever.
The game, with an official attendance of 40,139, was telecast on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. It was a rematch of one of Marshall's most historically significant games. On November 14, 1970, the two teams met at East Carolina
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. The official capacity of the stadium is 50,000, making it the third largest college stadium in North Carolina. The record attendance for the stadium was on October...
, with the Pirates winning 17-14. That night, the plane carrying the Herd back to Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
crashed just before landing, killing all 75 on board. The two teams had only met one time since the crash, a 45-0 East Carolina win in 1978. Today, they meet every season, as Marshall joined C-USA in 2005
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
(the 35th anniversary of the crash) and is grouped with ECU in the conference's East Division.
The buildup
This game was expected to be a high-scoring affair, as both teams featured "high-flying quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s" who would go on to become teammates on the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
—senior David Garrard
David Garrard
David Douglas Garrard is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent.Garrard played college football at East Carolina. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and served as the team's starting quarterback from 2007 to 2010...
for East Carolina, who would join the Jags in 2002, and junior Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich
Byron Antron Leftwich is an American football quarterback in the National Football League who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University.Leftwich has also played...
for Marshall, who joined the team a year later. The two remained teammates until 2007, when Garrard beat out Leftwich for the team's starting position in the preseason and Leftwich was released, soon signing with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. (As of the 2009 NFL season
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
, Garrard is still with the Jaguars, while Leftwich is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.)
First quarter
The start of the game could not have been much better for East Carolina or worse for Marshall. On the second play from scrimmageScrimmage
A scrimmage, or exhibition game, is an informal sports contest or practice match engaged in for practice purposes which does not go on the regular season record. Scrimmage may also refer to:* Line of scrimmage, in American football and related games...
, Leftwich threw a screen pass
Screen pass
A screen pass is a type of play in American football. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is being thrown, when in fact the pass is merely a short one, just beyond the defensive linemen. Screens are usually deployed...
deep in his own territory that bounced off the arms of intended receiver Denero Marriott into the hands of Ty Hunt, who returned the interception 12 yards for the game's first touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. On Marshall's second possession, a snap out of the shotgun
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
went over Leftwich's right shoulder, and Jerome Stewart picked up the ball and ran it back 43 yards for another Pirates touchdown. Marshall appeared to be finding its rhythm on its third drive, with Leftwich completing five consecutive passes. However, that drive also ended in a turnover
Turnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
, with Leftwich throwing an interception to Stewart in the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
. The quarter would end with the Pirates up 21-0, with Garrard scoring on a 9-yard run.
Second quarter
After the Pirates' Kevin Miller kicked a field goalField goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, the Herd finally got on the board when Leftwich connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Darius Watts
Darius Watts
Darius Orlando Watts is an arena football offensive specialist for the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft.In his career, Watts has also played for the New York Giants...
. The ensuing two-point conversion made the score 24-8. However, the Pirates' domination continued, with Leonard Henry scoring the first of his three rushing touchdowns on the night and Garrard scoring on another short run after Marshall fumbled on an attempted punt return. The half ended with East Carolina up 38-8, and several thousand fans left the game then.
Third quarter
Marshall dominated the third quarter much as East Carolina had controlled the first quarter. The comeback started early, with Ralph Street returning a Garrard interception for a touchdown. Leftwich then ran for another touchdown; after the Pirates added another Miller field goal, the Herd's Terence Tarpley returned another Garrard interception for a touchdown, a play that was seen as the game's turning point. Marshall added another touchdown on a Franklin Wallace run before the end of the quarter, making the score 41-36.Fourth quarter
This quarter was a back-and-forth affair. A Miller field goal, increasing the Pirates' lead to 44-36, was followed by a Marshall drive ending with a Leftwich touchdown pass to Marriott, giving the Herd the chance to tie the game with a two-point conversion, which failed. Henry then ran for a second touchdown. With 1 minute 53 seconds left, Curtis Head kicked a field goal for Marshall to cut the lead to 51-45. Marshall then tried an onside kickOnside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
which East Carolina recovered. The Pirates were unable to move the ball on three downs and punted. The kick went for a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
, giving the Herd the ball on their own 20 with 50 seconds and no timeouts left.
Leftwich then led the Herd on a furious last-minute drive, connecting with three passes of 20 yards or more before finding Watts in the end zone for a touchdown with 7 seconds left. All Marshall needed to cap a historic comeback was for Head to kick the extra point—but for the seventh time that season, he missed, leaving the game tied at 51-51. The game was already the highest-scoring in bowl history even before going to overtime, with the two teams combining for 102 points, breaking the previous record of 96.
Overtime
Both teams scored rushing touchdowns in the first overtime period, with Wallace's second score of the night matched by Henry's third. In the second overtime, the Herd defense was able to hold the Pirates to a Miller field goal. When Marshall got the ball, Leftwich connected with Marriott on a pass that put them first-and-goal at the Pirates' 4-yard line. Two running plays lost a total of 4 yards. On third-and-goal, Leftwich connected with Josh DavisJosh Davis (American football)
Josh Davis is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Marshall....
on what appeared to be an 8-yard touchdown pass. The drama was not over, as a penalty was called on the play. The call turned out to be against the Pirates, and the touchdown stood, capping an improbable comeback. This was the last of five games that the Pirates lost by seven points or less in that season.
Records
Leftwich's 576 passing yards for the game tied the bowl-game record set by Ty DetmerTy Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
of BYU in the 1989 Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
(however, Detmer's record was set in regulation). This record still stands as of 2007. East Carolina earned the dubious honor of scoring the most points ever by a losing team in a bowl game. The two teams combined for 16 touchdowns, also a bowl game record. As of 2007 this game not only remains the highest-scoring in bowl history, but also remains the highest-scoring bowl game at the end of regulation time, with the total 102 points scored in regulation, edging out the 101 points scored in California's
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
52-49 win over Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
in the 2003 Insight Bowl
2003 Insight Bowl
The 2003 Insight Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the and the at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona on December 26, 2003. The game was the final contest of the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 52–49 victory for California...
. The only other bowl game to see 102 total points scored was the 2003 Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
The Hawaii Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2002. Typically played on either Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, the game matches teams from either...
, in which Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
defeated Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
54-48 in three overtimes.
See also
- Houston Oilers at Buffalo Bills, 1993 Wildcard PlayoffThe Comeback (American football)The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
- The Monday Night MiracleThe Monday Night Miracle (American football)In the National Football League, "The Monday Night Miracle" refers to a Monday night game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins played at Giants Stadium on October 23, 2000.-Background:...
- 2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football gameThe 2006 edition of the Michigan State Spartans / Northwestern Wildcats football game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Spartans, after falling behind to the Wildcats 38-3 with 9:54 remaining in the 3rd quarter, rallied to score 38 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats...
(a 35-point comeback in the 2006 college regular season) - 2006 Insight Bowl2006 Insight BowlThe 2006 Insight Bowl, a college football bowl game held on December 29 at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, pitted the Texas Tech Red Raiders against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I FBS bowl history...
, which broke the record for greatest bowl comeback