1985 Liberty Bowl

The 1985 Liberty Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game held on December 27, 1985, in Memphis, Tennessee, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.^[1] The game featured the Baylor Bears, of the Southwest Conference, and LSU Tigers, of the SEC. Baylor won the game, 21–7.^[2]

Baylor entered the game with a 8–3 overall record and 6–2 conference record. The team was led by head coach Grant Teaff. LSU entered the game with a 9–1–1 overall record and 4–1–1 conference record. The team was led by head coach Bill Arnsparger.^[3]

Game summary

Cody Carlson, the Baylor quarterback, tossed scoring passes of 5 and 15 yards to lead the Bears to a 21–7 win. The Tigers' only score came on a Liberty Bowl-record 79-yard punt return by Norman Jefferson.

Baylor overcame the 7–0 deficit to lead 10–7 at the half. Baylor raised their lead to 13–7 in the third quarter on a 35-yard field goal by Syler, but missed a chance to increase their lead to 9 points later in the period when Syler was wide right on a 37-yard attempt.

With Baylor clinging to a 13–7 edge, Carlson, who alternated with Tom Muecke at quarterback for the Bears, capped a 62-yard fourth-quarter march with a 15-yard scoring strike to the split end John Simpson. Carlson then found Matt Clark alone in the end zone with a two-point conversion pass as the Bears took command, 21–7.^[4]

Scoring summary

^[5]

Statistical summary

Team Statistics

(Rushing-Passing-Total): BU - 215-274-489; LSU - 91-101-192.

Individual Statistical Leaders

Rushing (Att.-Yds.-TD): BU - Perry 7-25-0, Rutledge 10-36-0; LSU - Dalton Hillard 20-66-0, Garry James 7-23-0

Passing (Att.-Comp.-Int.-TD-Yds.): BU - Cody Carlson 12-9-0-2-161, Tom Muecke 18-9-0-0-113; LSU - Jeff Wickersham 24-11-0-1-95, Mickey Guidry 3-2-0-0-6.

Receiving (No.-Yds.-TD): BU - John Simpson 3-117-1, Matt Clark 3-31-1; LSU - Garry James 4-25-0, Jean-Batiste 2-23-0. ^[5]

References