Donnan Doesn’t Leave Comeback Win to Chance

TAMPA, Fla. —  Georgia Coach Jim Donnan didn’t take any chances this time, and as a result, the Bulldogs completed the biggest comeback in bowl history.

Hap Hines kicked a 21-yard field goal in overtime as No. 21 Georgia pulled out a 28-25 victory over No. 19 Purdue in the Outback Bowl after trailing 25-0 early in the second quarter.

Donnan could have given the Bulldogs a chance to win in overtime with a touchdown, but he remembered a bitter overtime loss to rival Georgia Tech in the regular-season finale. In that game, Donnan passed up a chance to kick the winning field goal in the waning seconds, and the Bulldogs lost the ball just short of the end zone on a disputed fumble. Georgia Tech went on to kick a field goal in overtime for a 51-48 victory.

This time, Donnan ordered a field goal attempt on second down with the ball sitting squarely in front of the goal posts.

“For you people who weren’t at the other game, we ran one more play,” Donnan said, “and it will probably haunt us for the rest of our life.”

The victory in the Outback Bowl was similar to a year ago when Georgia fell behind, 21-0, against Virginia in the Peach Bowl before rallying for a 35-33 victory.

The previous record for the most points having to overcome to win a Division I-A bowl game was 22. Brigham Young defeated Southern Methodist, 46-45, in the 1980 Holiday Bowl after trailing, 35-13, and Notre Dame rallied from a 34-12 deficit in the 1979 Cotton Bowl to beat Houston, 35-34.

Purdue (7-5) suffered three losses during the regular season by a combined 16 points.

“This game is how our whole season has gone,” said Purdue quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 36 of 60 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. “We are very strong in the first half.”

The Boilermakers led 25-0 before the second quarter was five minutes old, but couldn’t keep it going. Travis Dorsch missed three field-goal attempts--including a 43-yarder in overtime. He also missed his second extra-point attempt in the first quarter, which led to Purdue trying--and failing to convert--a pair of two-point conversions.

Those points were critical when Quincy Carter guided Georgia (8-4) on a 13-play, 94-yard drive for the tying touchdown. Randy McMichael made a spectacular catch of a Carter pass for an eight-yard touchdown with 1:19 left.

Carter was 20 for 33 for 243 yards and also ran for 41 yards and a touchdown.