University of Oregon
Wake Forest
Ducks Struggle Against Demon Deacons In Seattle
12/30/02 | Football
SEATTLE (AP) - Despite having one of the nation's best rushing offenses, Wake Forest took to the air in the Seattle Bowl.
James MacPherson completed 9 of 16 passes for a season-high 241 yards and two touchdowns as the Demon Deacons beat Oregon 38-17 Monday at Seahawks Stadium.
MacPherson, who also ran for a score, hit Jason Anderson with TD passes of 57 and 63 yards as Wake Forest (7-6) finished with a winning record for the second straight year. The Deacons haven't had consecutive winning seasons since 1987-88.
The Ducks (7-6) started the season 6-0 and were ranked as high as No. 6, but they simply weren't the same without quarterback Joey Harrington, a 2001 Heisman finalist last year. The team lost five of its last six, a year after going 11-1 and winning the Fiesta Bowl.
Entering Monday's game, Wake Forest was ranked eighth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 239.9 yards a game. The Deacons ran for 256 against Oregon, even with their early emphasis on the passing game.
The Ducks opened the game with Jared Siegel's 45-yard field goal, but Wake Forest answered with a seven-play, 65-yard drive, topped by Ovie Mughelli's 1-yard run.
Oregon starter Jason Fife completed just 1 of 7 passes for 4 yards before he was replaced late in the first quarter by redshirt freshman Kellen Clemens.
MacPherson fared batter, hitting Anderson with a 57-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter to push Wake's lead to 14-3. MacPherson added a 1-yard touchdown dash with 2:40 left before halftime.
With 26 seconds left in the half, Clemens hit Samie Parker with a 7-yard scoring strike to make it 21-10.
Matt Wisnosky had a 43-yard field goal for Wake Forest before Oregon's Matt Floberg narrowed it to 24-17 on a 1-yard run with 5:39 left in the third quarter.
MacPherson, who had just six touchdown passes going into the game, closed the third quarter with his 63-yard touchdown pass to Anderson. Chris Barclay added a 12-yard TD run late in the game for the final margin.
Clemens finished 19-of-31 for 161 yards.
Oregon tailback Onterrio Smith, who missed three of the last four games with an injury to his left knee that required surgery in late November, returned and gained 62 yards on 18 carries in what would be his final college game if he declares himself eligible for the NFL draft. In nine regular-season games, Smith ran for 1,079 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Barclay led the Deacons with 82 yards on 19 carries. Tailback Tarence Williams, who got off to a slow start this season but rushed for 550 yards in his final five games, had 53 yards on 16 carries.
Late in the third quarter, Williams appeared to twist his left knee on a run and spent several minutes prone on the field as trainers attended to him. He was taken from the field by cart and did not return.
Wake Forest defensive end Calvin Pace remained one sack short of the school record of 30 set by Mike McCrary. Like Smith, Pace was returning from an injury that cut his season short. He broke his left leg Nov. 23 against Navy and practiced for the first time Thursday.
The second annual Seattle Bowl marked the first meeting between the Ducks and Demon Deacons since Dec. 31, 1992 in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. Wake Forest won 39-35.
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Seattle Bowl Stats
Wake Forest 38, Oregon 17.
Wake Forest 7 14 10 7 - 38
Oregon 3 7 7 0 - 17
First Quarter
Ore-FG Siegel 45, 12:25.
WF-Mughelli 1 run (Wisnosky kick), 10:26.
Second Quarter
WF-Anderson 57 pass from MacPherson (Wisnosky kick), 12:38.
WF-MacPherson 1 run (Wisnosky kick), 2:40.
Ore-Parker 7 pass from Clemens (Siegel kick), :26.
Third Quarter
WF-FG Wisnosky 43, 9:37.
Ore-Floberg 1 run (Siegel kick), 5:39.
WF-Anderson 63 pass from MacPherson (Wisnosky kick), 2:02.
Fourth Quarter
WF-Barclay 12 run (Wisnosky kick), 2:48.
A-38,241.
WF Ore
First downs 23 13
Rushes-yards 66-256 29-125
Passing 241 165
Comp-Att-Int 9-16-0 20-41-0
Return Yards 54 172
Punts-Avg. 5-48 6-50
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 3-15 2-10
Time of Possession 34:34 25:26
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Wake Forest, Barclay 19-82, F.Davis 9-65, Williams 16-53, Mughelli 9-26, MacPherson 8-14, Burney 3-14, C.Davis 1-4, team 1-(minus 2). Oregon, Smith 18-62, Howry 1-36, Clemens 5-14, Willis 1-9, Fife 3-3, Floberg 1-1.
PASSING-Wake Forest, MacPherson 9-16-0-241. Oregon, Clemens 19-31-0-161, Fife 1-10-0-4.
RECEIVING-Wake Forest, Anderson 3-157, Landfried 3-45, F.Davis 2-27, Thomas 1-12. Oregon, Howry 5-50, Wrighster 5-34, Parker 4-43, Floberg 2-21, Willis 2-16, Smith 2-1.
