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Blast From The Past: Liberty Bowl 12-27-1990

Matt Gutridge's picture
December 27, 2014 at 7:09pm
7 Comments

I apologize if you read this before it went to Blog Heaven and for giving you consecutive bowl game losses. 

This is one of the flattest games I have ever seen the Buckeyes play.

12-27-1990 Liberty Bowl Tampa, Florida
  1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
No. 24 Ohio State 5 0 0 6 11
Air Force 0 6 7 10 23

 

BACKGROUND
The Buckeyes entered this game with a 7-3-1 record and were coming off of a 13-16 home defeat against Our Rivals who were ranked 15th. Ohio State's other losses in the regualr season were 26-35 at home against No. 18 USC and 20-31 to No. 13 Illinois the next week in Ohio Stadium.

The Buckeyes' best win of the regular season was a 27-26 last minute win over No. 6 Iowa in Iowa City.

 

Air Force was coached by Fisher DeBerry and came into this game with a 6-5 record. The Falcons were on a two-game winning streak and defeated both Navy and Army to win the 1990 Commander and Chief Trophy. 

 

RECAP OF THE GAME PER nytimes.com

Rob Perez scored twice on short runs, and Carlton McDonald intercepted a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown tonight to help Air Force upset Ohio State, 23-11, in the Liberty Bowl.

Air Force (7-5) built a 13-5 lead on a pair of 1-yard runs by Perez. Ohio State (7-4-1) rallied and closed the gap to 2 points. Air Force responded with a field goal before McDonald put away the game away with his second interception.

Air Force finished with 254 yards on the ground, with Perez carrying 26 times for 93 yards.

Despite having a weight advantage of about 50 pounds a man along the line of scrimmage, Ohio State had trouble running against the quicker Air Force defense.

 

OHIO STATE PLAYERS

  • Robert Smith led Ohio State with 62 rushing yards (4.8 ypc) and a touchdown.
  • Greg Frey completed 10/27 passes for 110 yards.
  • Bobby Olive had a game-highs with 63 yards receiving (15.8 ypr) and 4 receptions.

 

 

Quarterback Rob Perez guided the Falcons to the upset victory.

Quarterback Rob Perez guided the Falcons to the upset victory.

AIR FORCE PLAYERS 

  • Rob Perez completed 1/3 passes for 11 yards and an interception. Perez also rushed for a game-high 93 yards and 2 touchdowns.
  • Rodney Lewis ran for 74 yards (6.2 ypc).
  • DB Carlton McDonald 2 interceptions and a touchdown.   

 

KEY PLAY
Carlton McDonald's 40-yard interception of Greg Frey that McDonald returned for a touchdown.

 

THE REST OF THE STORY
After winning the 1987 Cotton Bowl Ohio State was in the middle of a four-game bowl losing streak. The Buckeyes lost the 1990 Hall of Fame Bowl (Auburn), 1990 Liberty Bowl (Air Force), 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl (Syracuse) the 1993 Citrus Bowl (Georgia).

John Cooper won his first bowl game against BYU in December of 1993. Cooper finished his Ohio State career with a 3-8 bowl record

Air Force's Carlton McDonald was named the WAC defensive player of the year in '91 and '92, a consensus All-American in 1992, and was second in voting for the 1992 Thorpe Award.  

Sources
nytimes.com
Wikipedia
Ohio State Team Guide

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