Bowling Green Falcons	Penn State Nittany Lions ©
Played September 5, 1987 at Beaver Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Bowling Green	0
Penn State ©	1	6	0	0	1.000	2	0	0	1.000	3	0	0	1.000	1	0	0	1.000

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

The 1987 Penn State Nittany Lions of coach Joe Paterno were ranked 11^th nationally & featured many returning stars including All-American OG Steve Wisniewski.  The Bowling Green Falcons of coach by Moe Ankney presented the opening opposition.  The Nittany Lions posted a 28-point 2^nd quarter while the defense held the Falcons to 3 yards rushing in the game as Penn State retained The Belt with a 45-19 victory that was Paterno’s 200^th career win.  The Nittany Lions took the lead in the 1^st quarter when PK Eric Etze kicked a 28-yard field goal but the Falcons responded with a 5-yard touchdown pass from QB Rich Dackin to RB Jeff Davis giving Bowling Green a 7-3 lead heading into the 2^nd quarter.  Penn State erupted for 4 touchdowns in the 2^nd quarter.  QB Matt Knizer found WR Ray Roundtree for a 17-yard touchdown pass, RB John Greene scored on a 20-yard run, & WR Michael Timpson returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown as the Nittany Lions took a 24-7 lead.  Dackin threw to WR Reggie Thornton for a 68-yard touchdown pass but Knizer hit RB Blair Thomas on a screen pass & Thomas turned it into a 67-yard touchdown pass.  Bowling Green PK Jason Zeller hit a 32-yard field goal to finish the 1^st half scoring with Penn State leading 31-16.  In the 3^rd quarter, Penn State LB Quintus McDonald recovered a Bowling Green fumble in the end zone for a touchdown & Thomas scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to finish the scoring for the Nittany Lions.  Zeller added a 35-yard field goal in the 4^th quarter to close the scoring for the Falcons.  Knizer finished with 165 yards passing with 2 touchdowns in the win.  Dackin threw for 288 yards with 2 touchdowns & Thornton added 7 catches for 152 yards to his touchdown in the loss.  Penn State finished the season 8-4 while the Falcons finished 5-6.  Bowling Green would play for The Belt again in 2003.

 

 

 

Alabama Crimson Tide	Penn State Nittany Lions ©
Played September 12, 1987 at Beaver Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Alabama	2	18	4	0	.818	9	3	0	.750	6	0	0	1.000	3	1	0	.750
Penn State ©	1	7	0	0	1.000	3	0	0	1.000	3	0	0	1.000	1	0	0	1.000

 

First-year coach Bill Curry brought the 19^th ranked, 1-0 Alabama Crimson Tide to meet 11^th ranked, 1-0 Penn State Nittany Lions of coach Joe Paterno in Happy Valley.  Penn State had taken The Belt from Alabama a year earlier & the Tide was primed for vengeance.  Alabama All-SEC RB Bobby Humphrey rushed for 220 yards with a touchdown in leading the Tide to a 24-13 win to reclaim The Belt.  Humphrey scored in the 1^st quarter when he took a pitch around the right side for a 73-yard touchdown run & PK Phil Doyle kicked a 46-yard field goal as the Crimson Tide took a 9-0 lead into the 2^nd quarter.  Alabama's QB David Smith scored on a 1-yard run & the 2-point conversion made the score Alabama 17 Penn State 0.  The Nittany Lions closed the gap before halftime when QB Tom Bill connected with WR Ray Roundtree for a 21-yard touchdown pass.  Neither team scored in the 3^rd quarter as both defenses tightened but the Crimson Tide scored early in the 4^th quarter on a 10-yard touchdown run by RB Bo Wright giving Alabama a 24-7 lead.  Penn State’s final touchdown came on a 60-yard pass from QB Matt Knizer to Roundtree.  Humphrey added a 57-yard completion on a halfback option pass to his rushing exploits as Alabama held the ball for 36:07 of the game.  Knizer threw for 163 yards with his touchdown & Roundtree had 4 catches for 114 yards with his 2 scores in the loss.  The Nittany Lions finished the season 8-4 while the Crimson Tide finished 7-5.  Penn State would play for The Belt again in 10 weeks.

 

 

 

 

Florida Gators	Alabama Crimson Tide ©
Played September 19, 1987 at Legion Field

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Florida	1	2	3	0	.400	1	2	0	.333	1	1	0	.500
Alabama ©	3	19	4	0	.826	9	3	0	.750	7	0	0	1.000	3	1	0	.750

 

The 11^th ranked, 2-0 Crimson Tide of coach Bill Curry hosted the 1-1 Florida Gators of coach Galen Hall.  Florida All-SEC RB Emmitt Smith, a freshman making his first start, rushed for 2 touchdowns & set a Florida school-record with 224 yards rushing while PK Robert McGinty kicked 3 field goals as the Gators defeated Alabama for the first time since 1963, an 8-game streak, & claimed The Belt with a 23-14 win.  Both defense held firm in the 1^st half with Alabama getting only a 36-yard field goal from PK Phil Doyle while Florida got field goals of 26 & 21 yards from McGinty making the score Florida 6 Alabama 3 at the half.  The Crimson Tide knotted the game at 6-6 in the 3^rd quarter when Doyle connected on a 25-yard field goal.  Smith put the Gators ahead with a 30-yard touchdown run giving Florida a 13-6 lead with 5:39 left in the 3^rd quarter.  McGinty put the Gators up 16-6 in the 4^th quarter when he kicked a 37-yard field goal.  Midway through the final quarter, Smith’s 1-yard touchdown run put Florida ahead 23-6.  Alabama got a touchdown on a 13-yard pass from back-up QB Vince Sutton to TE Angelo Stafford.  Florida QB Kerwin Bell threw for 130 yards with 2 interceptions while Alabama starting QB David Smith was held to 20 yards passing completing just 2 of 10 pass attempts.  The Crimson Tide finished the season 7-5 while the Gators finished 6-6.  Alabama would play for The Belt again in 7 weeks.

 

 

 

Mississippi State Bulldogs	Florida Gators ©
Played September 26, 1987 at Florida Field

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Mississippi State	0	0	1	0	.000	0	1	0	.000
Florida ©	2	3	3	0	.500	1	2	0	.333	2	1	0	.667

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

Coach Rocky Felker brought his 2-1 Mississippi State Bulldogs to Gainesville to meet the 2-1 Florida Gators of coach Galen Hall.  Florida’s All-SEC RB Emmitt Smith rushed for 3 touchdowns to lead the Gators to a 38-3 rout of the Bulldogs to retain The Belt.  The Gators took the lead in the 1^st quarter when RB Wayne Williams broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown run giving Florida a 7-0 lead.  Mississippi State got their only points of the game early in the 2^nd quarter when PK Joel Logan hit a 32-yard field goal but Smith scored his first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run & the Gators led 14-3.  Florida pushed the lead to 21-3 before halftime when QB Kerwin Bell hit WR Stacey Simmons for a 34-yard touchdown pass.  Florida continued to pile up points in the 3^rd quarter with Smith scoring on runs of 42 & 20 yards sandwiched around a 43-yard field goal by PK Robert McGinty.  The 4^th quarter saw no scoring for either team as both coaches substituted liberally.  Bell finished with 205 yards passing with a touchdown while Smith added 173 yards rushing to his 3 scores.  Mississippi State QB Albert Williams threw for just 82 yards with an interception in the loss.  Florida finished the season 6-6 while the Bulldogs finished 4-7.  Mississippi State would play for The Belt again in 1989.

 

 

 

Florida Gators ©	Louisiana State Tigers
Played October 3, 1987 at Tiger Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Florida ©	2	4	3	0	.571	2	2	0	.500	2	1	0	.667
Louisiana State	1	1	3	0	.250	1	3	0	.250

 

 

First-year coach Mike Archer & the 7^th ranked, 3-0-1 Louisiana State Tigers hosted the 19^th ranked, 3-1 Florida Gators of coach Galen Hall.  The Tigers rallied with 10 point in the 4^th quarter & Florida PK Robert McGinty missed a 37-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game with 0:15 left as Louisiana State claimed The Belt with a 13-10 win over the Gators.  Things started better for McGinty as he gave Florida a 3-0 lead in the 1^st quarter when he hit a 50-yard field goal for the only points of the quarter for either team.  The Tigers tied the game at 3-3 when PK David Browndyke hit a 31-yard field goal in the 2^nd quarter.  Florida’s All-SEC RB Emmitt Smith put the Gators in front at the half when he scored on a 7-yard touchdown run.  Neither team was able to score in the 3^rd quarter with McGinty missing a 42-yard field goal attempt.  The 4^th quarter belonged to the Tigers as RB Harvey Williams tied the game at 10-10 early in the quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run to finish a 74-yard drive.  Browndyke’s 24-yard field goal with 5:34 accounted for the final points but Louisiana State had to withstand the final drive of Florida.  The Gators drove to the Louisiana State 20-yard line before a brisk wind helped push McGinty’s tying field goal attempt wide to the right.  Louisiana State All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson threw for 223 yards while All-American WR Wendell Davis had 8 catches for 102 yards.  Florida QB Kerwin Bell threw for 104 yards with an interception & Smith rushed for 184 yards with his touchdown.  The Gators finished the season 6-6 while the Tigers finished 10-1-1 & ranked 5^th nationally.  Florida would play for The Belt again in 1988.

 

 

 

Louisiana State Tigers ©	Georgia Bulldogs
Played October 3, 1987 at Sanford Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Louisiana State ©	2	2	3	0	.400	2	3	0	.400
Georgia	0	0	1	0	.000	0	1	0	.000

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

 

The 7^th ranked, 4-0-1 Louisiana State Tigers of coach Mike Archer traveled to Athens to meet the 16^th ranked, 4-1 Georgia Bulldogs of Vince Dooley.  Louisiana State PK David Browndyke kicked 4 field goals & All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson threw a 5-yard touchdown pass with 3:36 left in the game as the Tigers claimed a 26-23 victory over the Bulldogs to retain The Belt.  The teams exchanged field goals in the 1^st quarter with PK Jonathan Crumley hit a 34-yard kick for the Bulldogs while Browndyke hit from 26 yards for the Tigers.  Louisiana State dominated the 2^nd quarter with a 36-yard touchdown pass from QB Mickey Guidry to WR Tony Moss & Browndyke hit from 20 & 35 yards giving the Tigers a 16-3 halftime lead.  The Bulldogs got the only points of the 3^rd quarter when QB James Jackson threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to WR John Thomas but the missed extra-point attempt left Georgia trailing 16-9 as the teams started the 4^th quarter.  Early in the final quarter, Browndyke hit a 21-yard field goal to giving the Tigers a 10-point lead at 19-9.  The Bulldogs responded with a 74-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to WR Cassius Osborn & they took a 23-19 lead when RB Rodney Hampton scored on a 14-yard touchdown run with 6:58 left.  Tigers’ All-American WR Wendell Davis was critical in the winning drive making 2 diving catches for 11-yard gains to keep the drive alive.  Hodson hit TE Brian Kinchen for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 3:36 to play & the Tigers held on for the win.  Hodson finished with 209 yards passing with a touchdown while Davis had 11 catches for 128 yards.  Jackson threw for 170 yards with 2 touchdowns in the loss.  Louisiana State finished the season 10-1-1; ranked 5^th nationally while the Bulldogs finished 9-3 & ranked 13^th nationally.  Georgia would play for The Belt again in 1989.

 

 

 

Kentucky Wildcats	Louisiana State Tigers ©
Played October 17, 1987 at Tiger Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Kentucky	0	0	1	0	.000
Louisiana State ©	2	3	3	0	.500	2	3	0	.400	1	0	0	1.000

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

 

The 6^th ranked, 5-0-1 Louisiana State Tigers of coach Mike Archer hosted the 4-1 Kentucky Wildcats of coach Jerry Claiborne.  Louisiana State RB Harvey Williams scored 2 touchdowns while the Tigers defense held the Wildcats to just three 1^st half field goals in a 34-9 win over Kentucky to retain The Belt.  Louisiana State opened the game with a 9-play, 69-yard drive with Williams scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead.  Kentucky got a 45-yard field goal from PK Joey Worley but the Wildcats trailed 7-3 starting the 2^nd quarter.  Early in the quarter, Louisiana State LB Ron Sancho recovered a fumble by the Wildcats at the Kentucky 4-yard line.  All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to WR Rogie Magee put the Tigers up 14-3.  The Wildcats’ offense moved the ball well throughout the rest of the 2^nd quarter but could not getting into the end zone instead settling for field goals from 29 & 41 yards by Worley making the score Louisiana State 14 Kentucky 9 at the half.  The Tigers defense stiffened & Williams scored his second touchdown in the 3^rd quarter on a 2-yard run before RB Eddie Fuller broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown run putting Louisiana State ahead 28-9 entering the 4^th quarter.  Louisiana State PK David Browndyke connected on field goals of 47 & 27 yards for the only points in the 4^th quarter.  Hodson finished with 222 yards passing with a touchdown while All-American WR Wendell Davis had 7 catches for 99 yards making him the Louisiana State career leader in receptions with 158.  Kentucky QB Glenn Fohr threw for 164 yards but 2 interceptions in the loss.  Louisiana State finished the season 10-1-1; ranked 5^th nationally while the Wildcats finished 5-6.  Kentucky has not played for The Belt again.

 

 

 

Louisiana State Tigers ©	Mississippi Rebels
Played October 31, 1987 at Veterans Memorial Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Louisiana State ©	2	4	3	0	.571	3	3	0	.500	1	0	0	1.000
Mississippi	0	0	1	0	.000									0	1	0	.000

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

 

The 5^th ranked, 6-0-1 Louisiana State Tigers of coach Mike Archer traveled to Jackson to meet the 3-5 Mississippi Rebels of coach Billy Brewer.  Louisiana State All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson & All-American WR Wendell Davis connected on 3 touchdown passes while the offense amassed 630 yards total offense in a 42-13 rout of the Rebels to retain The Belt.  The Tigers took a 7-0 lead when Hodson hit Davis for a 45-yard touchdown pass.  The Rebels responded with a 28-yard field goal by PK Bryan Owen making the score Louisiana State 7 Mississippi 3.  Hodson hit Davis for an 11-yard touchdown pass as Louisiana State pushed the lead to 14-3 at the end of the 1^st quarter.  Mississippi got within 4 points when QB Mark Young found RB Willie Goodloe open for a 3-yard touchdown pass & then teams went to their locker rooms at halftime with Louisiana State leading 14-10.  The Rebels got within 1 point early in the 3^rd quarter when Owen hit a 22-yard field goal but the Tigers took over from there.  Hodson & Davis combined for their third touchdown of the day, this one coming on a 39-yard touchdown pass, as the Tigers took a 21-13 lead to the 4^th quarter.  Louisiana State RB Eddie Fuller scored on a 10-yard touchdown run & less than a minute later RB Harvey Williams broke loose for a 76-yard touchdown run as the Tigers took a 35-13 lead.  A 15-yard touchdown run by Louisiana State RB Sam Martin finished the scoring.  Hodson threw for 224 yards with 3 touchdowns while Davis had 6 catches for 133 yards with his 3 scores, & Williams added 165 yards rushing to his score.  Mississippi QB John Darnell threw for 144 yards while Young threw for 81 yards with a touchdown in the loss.  Louisiana State finished the season 10-1-1; ranked 5^th nationally while the Rebels finished 3-8.  Mississippi would play for The Belt again in 2007.

 

 

 

Alabama Crimson Tide	Louisiana State Tigers ©
Played November 7, 1987 at Tiger Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Alabama	3	19	5	0	.792	9	4	0	.692	7	0	0	1.000	3	1	0	.750
Louisiana State ©	2	5	3	0	.625	3	3	0	.500	2	0	0	1.000

 

The 13^th ranked, 6-2 Alabama Crimson Tide of Bill Curry met the 5^th ranked, 7-0-1 Louisiana State of coach Mike Archer with the chance to be Belt Champion for the 2^nd time this season.  Earlier, the Tide had defeated Penn State to become champs but lost to Florida in their first defense.  Alabama’s defense forced 5 Louisiana State turnovers while the offense held the ball for 40:25 as the Crimson Tide upset the Tigers 22-10 to claim The Belt.  Louisiana State had to play without All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson for most of the game since he had not practiced all week due to a knee injury.  Back-up QB Mickey Guidry lead the Tigers until the middle of the 4^th quarter but was not able to rally the offense.  The Crimson Tide took the lead in the 1^st quarter when PK Phil Doyle hit field goals from 45 & 29 yards giving Alabama a 6-0 lead entering the 2^nd quarter.  Louisiana State got on the board in the 2^nd quarter when PK David Browndyke hit a 37-yard field goal & RB Victor Jones scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 10-6 lead at the half.  Although the Tigers lead at the half, Alabama had dominated on the field & that showed in the 2^nd half.  Alabama RB Bo Wright scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the 3^rd quarter to put the Crimson Tide back in front at 13-10 & Doyle hit a 32-yard field goal early in the 4^th quarter to push the lead to 16-10.  Hodson came into the game for Louisiana State with seven minutes left but Alabama CB Gene Jelks intercepted his first pass attempt at the Louisiana State 30-yard line.  The Crimson Tide got the clinching score on a 10-yard touchdown run by RB Bobby Humphrey.  Hodson drove the Tigers towards a score late in the game but Alabama CB John Mangum intercepted his final pass in the end zone.  Humphrey rushed for 177 yards with his touchdown while QB Jeff Dunn threw for just 62 yards with an interception.  For Louisiana State, Guidry threw for 115 yards while Hodson threw for 65 yards but 2 interceptions & All-American WR Wendell Davis had 9 catches for 101 yards.  The Tigers finished the season 10-1-1; ranked 5^th nationally while the Crimson Tide finished 7-5.  Louisiana State has not played for The Belt again.

 

 

 

Alabama Crimson Tide ©	Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Played November 14, 1987 at Notre Dame Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Alabama ©	4	20	5	0	.800	9	4	0	.692	8	0	0	1.000	3	1	0	.750
Notre Dame	1	8	6	0	.571	2	3	0	.400	5	3	0	.625	1	0	0	1.000

 

Previous Belt Meetings

 

 

The 7^th ranked, 7-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish of coach Lou Holtz hosted the 10^th ranked, 7-2 Crimson Tide of coach Bill Curry for The Belt.  In last year’s match-up in Birmingham, Alabama rolled to a 28-10 win & the Irish hoped to avenge that loss.  The Notre Dame defense dominated Alabama holding them to 185 total yards while the Fighting Irish offense rushed for 348 yards & held the ball for 33:12 of game time in posting a 37-6 win claiming their second Belt reign.  The game stayed close in the 1^st quarter with Alabama getting a 34-yard field goal from PK Phil Doyle while Notre Dame got a 49-yard field goal from PK Ted Gradel.  The 2^nd quarter was where the Notre Dame offense took control of the game with QB Tony Rice running for a 12-yard touchdown & finding TE Andy Heck on a 3-yard touchdown pass after Alabama was penalized for being offsides as Notre Dame was trying a field goal attempt giving the Fighting Irish a chance for the touchdown.  The pass to Heck put the Fighting Irish ahead 17-3 before Gradel hit a field goal from 21 yards making the lead 20-3.  Doyle connected on a field goal from 28 yards as Alabama closed to 20-6 at the half but Notre Dame controlled the rest of the game.  Gradel converted a 22-yard field goal for the only points of the 3^rd quarter.  The 4^th quarter saw 2 long touchdown runs by the Fighting Irish.  RB Mark Green scored on a 74-yard touchdown run & RB Ricky Watters scored on a 75-yard touchdown run to complete the rout.  Rice finished with 117 yards passing, Green added 149 yards rushing to his score, & Heisman Trophy winning, All-American WR Tim Brown had 4 catches for 114 yards.  The Crimson Tide finished the season 7-5 while the Fighting Irish finished 8-4 & ranked 17^th nationally.  Alabama has not played for The Belt again.

 

 

 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish ©	Penn State Nittany Lions
Played November 21, 1987 at Beaver Stadium

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Notre Dame ©	2	9	6	0	.600	3	3	0	.500	5	3	0	.625	1	0	0	1.000
Penn State	1	7	1	0	.875	3	1	0	.750	3	0	0	1.000	1	0	0	1.000

 

 

The 7^th ranked, 8-1 Fighting Irish traveled to Happy Valley to meet the 7-3 Penn State Nittany Lions of Joe Paterno.  The Nittany Lions had held The Belt as the season started then dropped it to Alabama.  Penn State had won last season’s Belt match on their way to a National Championship & Notre Dame hoped to duplicate that feat.  Penn State DT Pete Curkendall sacked Notre Dame QB Tony Rice at the 5-yard line to stop a 2-point conversion attempt with 0:31 left as the Nittany Lions upset Notre Dame 21-20 & claimed The Belt they had lost earlier in the season.  The game was a nail-biter throughout as the teams traded scores until the final seconds.  Penn State got a break in the 1^st quarter when they chose to quick-kick instead of risking a long return by Heisman Trophy winning, All-American WR Tim Brown.  The plan worked better than expected when Penn State S Brian Chizmar recovered a fumble by Notre Dame S Brandy Wells who had tried to return the punt.  The 19-yard drive that followed took only 2 plays with RB John Greene scoring for the Nittany Lions on a 10-yard touchdown run.  Notre Dame tied the game at 7-7 when QB Tony Rice scored on a 32-yard touchdown run.  Penn State got the lead back in the 2^nd quarter when RB Blair Thomas scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.  Just before the half ended, Notre Dame drove to the Penn State 3-yard line with 0:30 left in the half.  Holtz substituted for Rice with QB Kent Graham who had completed 10 of 15 pass attempts during the season but had also thrown 3 interceptions.  Expecting the pass, Chizmar intercepted Graham in the end zone & Penn State had a 14-7 halftime lead.  Rice tied the game at 14-14 for Notre Dame in the 3^rd quarter when he scored on an 11-yard touchdown run.  The Nittany Lions put together a 15-play, 76-yard drive the took over seven minutes before Greene scored on a 3-yard touchdown run putting Penn State ahead 21-14 with 7:34 left to play.  After exchanging punts, Notre Dame took their last chat from their own 30-yard line with just over four minutes left.  The Fighting Irish drove inside the Penn State 1-yard line before RB Anthony Johnson scored the touchdown with 0:31 left when Holtz decided to go for the win.  Notre Dame flooded the right side with receivers & planned to have Rice roll to his right with an option to pass or run but Curkendall grabbed Rice around the ankle & sacked the Fighting Irish quarterback to end the rally.  Thomas finished with 214 yards rushing with his touchdown while Penn State QB Matt Knizner threw for just 40 yards with an interception.  Rice threw for 92 yards while rushing for 67 yards with his 2 touchdowns & Brown was held to just 4 catches for 80 yards in the loss.  The Fighting Irish finished the season 8-4; ranked 17^th nationally while the Nittany Lions finished 8-4.  Notre Dame would play for The Belt again in 1990.

 

 

 

Penn State Nittany Lions ©	Clemson Tigers
Florida Citrus Bowl Played January 1, 1988 at the Florida Citrus Bowl

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Penn State ©	2	8	1	0	.889	4	1	0	.800	3	0	0	1.000	1	0	0	1.000
Clemson	1	1	1	0	.500	1	1	0	.500

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None