Blue Devils outlast Hoosiers in overtime
Hokies hang on to give Beamer wild win in career finale.
Ross Martin kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime, and Duke won a bowl game for the first time in 54 years with a 44-41 victory over Indiana on Saturday in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York.
After Martin made his kick on the first possession of the extra period, the Hoosiers’ Griffin Oakes missed a 38-yard attempt to hand the Blue Devils their first bowl victory since the 1961 Cotton Bowl.
Oakes’ try sailed above the right upright and was ruled wide. Oakes protested that it was good, but the kick could not be reviewed, and Duke’s players poured onto the field to celebrate.
Shaun Wilson had 282 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns for the Blue Devils (8-5), including a 98-yard kickoff return. Quarterback Thomas Sirk accounted for 318 yards and three touchdowns before getting hurt in overtime. His 5-yard TD run tied the score with 41 seconds left.
Oakes then missed a 55-yard potential game-winning attempt at the end of regulation.
Sirk was 17 of 37 for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also had 155 yards on the ground, including a 73-yard score in the first half.
Indiana’s Nate Sudfeld was 28 of 51 for 389 yards and three touchdowns. Devine Redding filled in for the injured Jordan Howard (knee) and rushed for 227 yards on 35 carries, but it was not enough for the Hoosiers (6-7), who have not won a bowl since the 1991 Copper Bowl.
Independence Bowl Virginia Tech 55, Tulsa 52: Michael Brewer threw for 344 yards, Isaiah Ford had 227 yards receiving and coach Frank Beamer won his final game at Virginia Tech by beating Tulsa in Shreveport, La.
The 69-year-old Beamer announced in November he would retire following the season. He finished with a 238-1212 record at Virginia Tech over 29 seasons.
Virginia Tech (7-6) was playing in a bowl for the 23rd straight season. The first game of that streak also was in the Independence Bowl in 1993, when the Hokies beat Indiana 45-20.
This trip to Shreveport was filled with plenty of offense, but had more drama.
Tulsa (6-7) rallied from a three-touchdown deficit in the second half to pull to 55-52 with 3:47 left. Virginia Tech’s Dadi L’homme Nicolas ended Tulsa’s final drive with a sack of Dane Evans on fourth down. Heart of Dallas Bowl
Washington 44, Southern Miss 31: Myles Gaskin broke a third-quarter tie with an 86-yard run and finished with a season-high 181 yards and four touchdowns to help Washington beat Southern Mississippi.
The Huskies (7-6) won their last two regular-season games by a combined 97-17 over Oregon State and Washington State to become bowl eligible and then delivered Chris Petersen’s first postseason victory in his two seasons at Washington.
The Golden Eagles (9-5) were seeking their first win over a Power 5 conference team since 2011. Sun Bowl
Washington State
20, Miami 14: Luke Falk threw two touchdown passes to lead Washington State over Miami in snowy El Paso, Texas.
Erik Powell added field goals of 30 and 25 yards to help the Cougars (9-4) win a bowl game for the first time since the 2003 Holiday Bowl.
Miami (8-5) lost its sixth consecutive bowl game.