ALL AMERICAN BOWL : North Carolina State Holds Off Favre to Score 31-27 Victory

Terry Jordan ran for one score and passed for another, and Greg Manior ran 41 yards for a late touchdown, but it took a defensive stand to assure North Carolina State’s 31-27 victory over Brett Favre and Southern Mississippi in the All American Bowl Friday night.

Jordan scored on a 10-yard run and passed 12 yards to Bobby Jurgens as the Wolfpack (7-5) spoiled the coaching debut of Jeff Bower, who took over at Southern Mississippi (8-4) when Curley Hallman left after the regular season to accept the Louisiana State job.

N.C. State was leading, 24-21, when linebacker David Merritt intercepted a pass with about six minutes left. Manior scored on the next play to make it 31-21.

Brett Favre, who passed for 341 yards, drove the Golden Eagles 86 yards for a final touchdown, with a five-yard run by Michael Welch cutting the N.C. State lead to four points. This proved to be crucial when, with time running down, Favre drove the Golden Eagles to the N.C. State 20. With Southern Mississippi forced to try for a touchdown instead of a field goal, Favre was sacked by N.C. State’s Mark Thomas as time expired.

Favre, who passed for 7,695 yards during his career, completed 28 of 39 attempts, throwing for two touchdowns with one interception.

Jordan, who took over the starting quarterback job in the Wolfpack’s sixth game and finished with 1,221 yards, completed 15 of 25 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.