1989 Gator Bowl (January)

Last updated

1989 Mazda Gator Bowl
1234Total
Michigan State0761427
Georgia71010734
DateJanuary 1, 1989
Season 1988
Stadium Gator Bowl Stadium
Location Jacksonville, Florida
MVPQB Wayne Johnson, Georgia
WR Andre Rison, Michigan State
Referee Courtney Mauzy (ACC)
Attendance76,236
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
Announcers Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, and Chris Fowler
Gator Bowl
 < 1987 1989 (Dec) > 

The 1989 Gator Bowl (January) was a college football postseason bowl game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Contents

Background

Michigan State finished 2nd in the Big Ten Conference after a 0–3–1 start ended with six straight victories before being invited to their second straight bowl game and first ever Gator Bowl. Georgia finished 3rd in the Southeastern Conference and first bowl game since 1987.

The game happened immediately after the December 1989 United States cold wave. Workers at Gator Bowl Stadium flushed 503 toilets continuously in the hopes of avoiding water pipe problems but the stadium still suffered $5000 in damages. [1]

Game summary

First quarter

UGA – Rodney Hampton 6 pass from Wayne Johnson (John Kasay kick), 0:01 left.

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Andre Rison caught 9 pass for 252 yards. Wayne Johnson went 15-of-27 for 227 yards. [2]

Aftermath

This was Vince Dooley's final game with the Bulldogs. The following year, Ray Goff became head coach. The Bulldogs did not return to the Gator Bowl until 2014. As for the Spartans, they reached another bowl game the same year. They have not played in the Gator Bowl since this game.

Statistics

StatisticsMichigan StateGeorgia
First downs2222
Rushing yards158182
Passing yards288227
Total yards446409
Passes (att-comp-int)24–14–027–15–0
Punts–average6–42.84–34.0
Fumbles–lost1–00–0
Penalties–yards8–1025–25

References

  1. Omaye, Jayna (December 13, 2014). "Devastating 1989 freeze killed citrus, ushered in development in Lake County". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  2. "1989 Gator Bowl" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.