LIBERTY BOWL : Mississippi Downs Air Force

Randy Baldwin rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns and John Darnell gave Air Force a lesson in aerial assault Thursday night as Mississippi defeated the Falcons, 42-29, in the Liberty Bowl.

Darnell, who completed 19 of 33 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown, led the Rebels (8-4) on drives of 70 and 67 yards on their first two possessions as Mississippi built a 14-3 lead over the Falcons (8-4-1).

Darnell peppered the slower Falcons defensive backfield with passes to Willie Green and Reid Hines, opening up the line of scrimmage for Baldwin’s slashing runs.

With Darnell and Baldwin drawing the bulk of the Falcons’ attention, flanker Pat Coleman turned in a pair of sparkling scoring runs that sealed the victory.

Coleman scored on a 58-yard punt return in the second quarter and added an 11-yard touchdown on a reverse that gave Mississippi a 35-15 lead at the end of three quarters.

Baldwin, whose status had been questionable before the game due to turf toe, set a Rebel bowl-game mark with his rushing total and became the first Rebel rusher to gain more than 100 yards in a game this season. He had scoring runs of 23 and 21 yards among his 14 carries.

The Mississippi defense was able to contain Air Force quarterback Dee Dowis, who had both rushed and passed for more than 1,000 yards this season to 178 yards of total offense. Dowis hit only seven of 16 passes for 86 yards and threw two interceptions. He ran 18 times for 92 yards and one touchdown.

After Mississippi went in front 14-3, Dowis guided the Falcons 66 yards to their only touchdown of the first half, with Dowis scoring from the two.

Jeff Carter intercepted Dowis’ two-point conversion pass in the end zone to mark the beginning of the self-destruction of the Falcons and preserve a 14-9 Rebel lead.

On the Falcons’ next possession, Carter intercepted Dowis again, this time at the Air Force 43.

After a 22-yard reception by Rich Gebbia, Baldwin slipped a pair of tacklers at the line and ran to the end zone for a 21-9 lead.

Air Force was forced to punt from its 12 late in the second quarter. Coleman took the punt at the Rebels’ 42, started up the middle and broke to the sideline, racing 58 yards for a touchdown that left Air Force trailing, 28-9, at the half.

Mississippi led by as much as 42-15 in the second half.