Navy's Bid Comes Up Short
In Poinsettia Bowl, Utah Proves That Good Passing Can Trump a Solid Running Attack
Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada completed 7-of-14 pass attempts for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
(AP)
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Friday, December 21, 2007
SAN DIEGO, Dec. 20 -- The Navy football team went from disappointment, to hope, to elation, to disappointment -- all in the final 87 seconds of the Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday night against Utah.
Ultimately, Navy's 35-32 loss before 39,129 was not clinched until Utah safety Joe Dale intercepted a pass by Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada with 26 seconds left.
"The whole game was filled with ups and downs," Navy senior slotback Zerbin Singleton said. "Especially in the final two minutes."
And the game ended with controversy.
In the final four minutes, Utah appeared to fumble the ball into the end zone, which would have been a touchback and given Navy possession. But the Utes were given possession at the 1, and a review did not overturn the call.
After the game, bowl organizers issued a statement acknowledging the officials' call was a mistake and noted that Navy should have been given the ball at the 20.
Instead, Navy was unable to convert a fourth and one at its 9 and Utah scored a touchdown three plays later to give the Utes a 35-25 lead with 1 minute 27 seconds left.
The Mids (8-5) closed to 35-32 following a 58-yard touchdown pass from Kaheaku-Enhada to Singleton with 57 seconds left. Then, senior Joey Bullen executed an onside kick that wound up in the arms of Singleton and Utah sophomore linebacker Stevenson Sylvester. Just inches from the Navy sideline and new coach Ken Niumatalolo, Singleton wrestled the ball from Sylvester and gave Navy possession at its 42.
Following a nine-yard gain by Kaheaku-Enhada on first down, Navy threw a long pass downfield on second down. Utah was in man-to-man coverage and Kaheaku-Enhada threw to senior slot back Reggie Campbell.
As a sophomore, Campbell had scored five touchdowns in a 51-30 victory over Colorado State in the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl. Last year, Campbell fumbled in the final minute, and Boston College scored the winning field goal as time expired in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
And on Thursday, Campbell was unable to make a play on the ball, and Dale intercepted the pass at the Utah 31. Campbell had also lost a fumble at the 2 yard line.
"Reggie is only human," Niumatalolo said. "He made a gazillion plays for us over the years."
