As Buffs bid farewell to great group of seniors, juniors ready to fill their cleats.
fort worth, texas» Louisiana Tech senior quarterback Ryan Higgins was bawling like a baby even before Jonathan Barnes’ game-ending kick went through the uprights to win the Armed Forces Bowl.
“As soon as (the holder) put the ball down, I felt like the kick was money,” Higgins said. “Each person that I hugged after that, it was just getting worse and worse . ... I just couldn’t be happier to send my class and this team out on a high note.”
Higgins threw for 409 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson, and Barnes’ 32-yard field goal broke the game’s fourth tie as the Bulldogs beat Navy 48-45 on Friday.
“Excellent win would be an understatement,” coach Skip Holtz said.
“If you want to be a kicker, you live for that,” Barnes said. “I’m lucky to be able to share it with a bunch of guys that are like my brothers.”
The Bulldogs (9-5) drove for the winning score after Navy freshman quarterback Malcolm Perry ran 30 yards for a touchdown on his only play. Higgins was then 4-for-4 for 58 yards on the final drive.
Navy (9-5), which was trying for its first consecutive 10-win seasons, instead ended with its third straight loss.
Taylor set a bowl record with 12 catches for 233 yards.
Monarchs 1-0 in bowls
B nassau, bahamas» David Washington threw three touchdowns passes, Ray Lawry ran for 133 yards and Old Dominion beat Eastern Michigan 24-20 in the Bahamas Bowl.
The Monarchs won in their first bowl appearance in school history. Old Dominion didn’t play football for 69 years before restarting the program in 2009. They made the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013.
Chunn plunges in three TDs
B mobile, ala.» Jordan Chunn had three short touchdown runs and Troy intercepted four passes in a 28-23 victory over Ohio in the Dollar General Bowl.
The Trojans finished off their first 10-win season since moving up to the FBS in 2001, thanks largely to a defense that came up with three big fourth-quarter stops.
Troy forced 18 turnovers in its last five games.