1997 Fiesta Bowl (December)

1997 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
December Bowl Game
Kansas State Wildcats Syracuse Orangemen (10-1) (9-3) Big 12 Big East 35 18 Head coach:  Bill Snyder Head coach:  Paul Pasqualoni AP Coaches BA 10 9 10 AP Coaches BA 14 14 14
1 2 3 4 Total Kansas State 0 21 0 14 35 Syracuse 3 12 0 3 18
Date	December 31, 1997
Season	1997
Stadium	Sun Devil Stadium
Location	Tempe, Arizona
Favorite	Kansas State by 4[1]
Referee	David Witvoet (Big Ten)
Attendance	69,367
United States TV coverage
Network	CBS
Announcers	Tim Brando and Ed Cunningham
Fiesta Bowl  < 1997 (Jan) 1999 >

The 1997 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Syracuse Orangemen on December 31, 1997, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Kansas State defeated Syracuse, 35-18. The game was part of the 1997-1998 Bowl Alliance of the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season and represented the concluding game of the season for both teams.

First Quarter[]

The Orangemen jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the first of ’s three field goals.

Second Quarter[]

Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop led the Wildcats to three-consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter. Following a failed fake field goal attempt by Syracuse, Bishop completed a 19-yard pass to Darnell McDonald. Bishop then followed with a 12-yard TD rush on their next possession, and ended with a 28-yard completion to Justin Swift on a tight end screen. Syracuse came back to score 12 points in the final 2:18 to cut the lead to 21-15 at the half.

Third Quarter[]

No scoring occurred.

Fourth Quarter[]

McDonald caught a 77-yard TD play from a long pass along the sidelines, and then followed with a 41-yard reception with 3:17 remaining to seal the game away.

Aftermath[]

Kansas State[]

Bishop threw for four touchdown passes, completing a career-high 14 passes for a career-best 317 yards. He finished the game with 390 yards in total offense including 317 yards passing and 73 yards rushing.

McDonald caught seven of Bishop’s passes for a school-record of 206 yards and three touchdowns. His 77-yard reception in the fourth quarter was the longest in Fiesta Bowl history.

Swift caught a career-high five passes for a career-high 98 yards and one touchdown.

Bishop earned the Offensive Player of the Game award, while KSU linebacker , was named Defensive Player of the Game after he had an interception and fumble recovery.

Syracuse[]

Quarterback Donovan McNabb threw for 271 yards and ran for 81 yards, but completed just 16 of 39 passes.

Syracuse’s seven-game bowl game win streak had ended.

References[]

External links[]

• 1997 Fiesta Bowl (Archived 2009-10-22)
• [1]