Buckeye Rosters

Recap

MEMPHIS (AP) — Jimmy Gayle, Ohio State’s No.2 tailback, has a bone to pick with the odds-makers for the Liberty Bowl.

The Big Ten football co-champions, favored by 14 points, narrowly staved off a Navy rally to win the post-season classic, 31-28, Wednesday night.

“Actually,” said Gayle, “we were the underdogs because of everything that was written about the game. That helped Navy.”

Gayle’s touchdown runs of one and two yards earned him the honor as Ohio State’s top offensive player in the game. His last score put the Buckeyes ahead to stay 24-20 late in the third quarter.

The Buckeyes (9-3) ended a four-game bowl losing streak without much help from their principal weapon, Art Schlichter.

Starting his 48th straight college game, the Buckeyes’ senior quarterback managed only 11 completions in 26 tries for 159 yards, although he did throw touchdown passes of 50 and nine yards to Gary Williams and Cedric Anderson, respectively.

Schlichter was in tears afterward, saying “I was a little off tonight. I have played good and we lost. I was poor and now we win.”

In fact, Navy sophomore quarterback Marco Pagnanelli out-dueled his more-heralded opponent. Pagnanelli, despite suffering a head injury, hit 14 of 27 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, each for one yard to tight end Greg Papajohn.

The last came with eight seconds left. The same combination clicked for two extra points, but the rally died when Ohio State recovered the following on-side kickoff.

George Welsh, Navy’s winningest coach who is leaving for the University of Virginia next week, said: “I’m a little disappointed we couldn’t do it. I wanted the upset. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a moral victory.”

Tailback Eddie Meyers, the game’s most valuable player with 117 yards rushing, conceded Navy’s underdog status aroused the Midshipmen.

“I think that we proved to everyone that although you’re an underdog on paper, paper does not measure the will, the power, the strength of a man’s heart, his ability to come back, his desire to win,” Meyers said.

Navy, winding up 7-4-1 after its third bowl appearance in four seasons, was its own worst enemy. Four major Midshipmen errors led to three touchdowns and one field goal for Ohio State, which built 10-0 and 31-20 leads.

The Midshipmen’s staying power did not surprise Earle Bruce, Ohio State’s coach.

“They came back strong,” Bruce said. “That’s what you expect of Navy. It’s great to get a bowl win, especially when the other team keeps coming at you the way Navy did.”

Bob Atha kicked a 35-yard field goal to start Ohio State’s scoring.

Linebacker Kenneth Olson ran back a blocked punt 20 yards for Navy’s other touchdown. Steve Fehr added field goals of 41 and 23 yards.