Miami Routs Louisiana State and Takes Orange Bowl Bid

BATON ROUGE, La. — Steve Walsh knew what would happen if the third-ranked Miami Hurricanes got some help.

They did, and it turned into the kind of rout Walsh had envisioned.

With Walsh throwing for two touchdowns and the Hurricanes getting five turnovers and a botched punt, Miami rolled to a 44-3 victory over No. 11 Louisiana State Saturday night, the worst home-field setback for the Tigers since a 46-0 loss to Tulane in 1948.

“I knew if they came out and kept making mistakes, this team is sharp enough to blow anybody out,” Walsh said after passing for 220 yards.

“We got a lead and that helped,” Walsh said. “We really believed early that we could run the ball, and that helped when the monsoon started because you really couldn’t see the receivers down field.”

It was the fourth victory in a row for the Hurricanes (8-1), who accepted an invitation before the game to meet Nebraska in the Orange Bowl game.

The defending national champions added to their impressive road record, going to 24-2 away from home in their 5 years under Coach Jimmy Johnson. It was the Hurricanes’ 40th victory in their last 41 regular-season games.

Walsh was credited with an 18-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter when Cleveland Gary fumbled into the end zone, where teammate Randal Hill recovered for the score.

Walsh, who completed 15 of 29 passes and had 1 intercepted, threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Gary in the fourth quarter, giving Walsh 28 touchdown passes this season, breaking his tie with Vinny Testaverde for the school record.

LSU (7-3) had its 5-game winning streak snapped, but the Tigers had plenty of chances to make it close in a game played at times in a driving rain.

“We didn’t do much,” LSU Coach Mike Archer said. “They proved that they’re an outstanding football team.”

The Tigers got inside the Miami 20 four times between the middle of the second quarter and the first 6 minutes of the third, but managed only one field goal, a 27-yarder by David Browndyke 1 second before halftime.

Gary scored on a 31-yard run on the first play of the second quarter, and Carlos Huerta kicked field goals of 37, 21 and 22 yards.

Miami scored twice in the final 4 minutes on Roland Smith’s 47-yard return of an interception and Alex Johnson’s 16-yard run after a fumble recovery.

LSU, which has clinched a tie for the Southeastern Conference championship, will face Florida State in the Sugar Bowl or Syracuse in the Hall of Fame Bowl. Eighth-ranked Auburn can share the SEC crown with a victory over Alabama Friday.

LSU’s Tom Hodson completed 18 of 40 passes for 226 yards, with 2 interceptions.

LSU’s offense, held to 32 yards at the time, began moving the ball after Huerta’s second field goal gave the Hurricanes a 20-0 lead. The Tigers got inside the Miami 20 3 times in the second quarter, but got only 1 field goal.

Hodson connected on passes of 24 and 18 yards to Tony Moss, and Alvin Lee pounced on Calvin Windom’s fumble for a 12-yard gain to the Miami 5.

LSU reached the 3 before Hodson tripped retreating from center for a 5-yard loss and then threw incomplete before Browndyke failed on a 24-yard field goal try midway through the second period.

Hodson’s 25-yard pass to Willie Wiliams at the Miami 25 gave the Tigers another chance 2 minutes later, but the drive ended when Charles Pharms intercepted Hodson’s fourth-down pass in the end zone.