Kansas State Uses Bishop to Checkmate Syracuse

In a nightclub here earlier this week, Michael Bishop spotted Donovan McNabb across a darkened room. Kansas State’s quarterback approached and extended his hand to his much-heralded counterpart from Syracuse, saying how much he admired him.

McNabb listened then replied dryly, “Who are you?”

Their stature reversed Wednesday night.

Bishop, a junior completing his first year of Division I-A competition, put on a spectacular display of versatility to lead Kansas State to a 35-18 victory over Syracuse in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

For his part, McNabb attempted to personally carry his team and was unable to do so. A purple-clad contingent of about 32,000 Wildcat fans gave Sun Devil Stadium the air of a home game for Kansas State. Apparently few among the crowd of 69,367 were Syracuse fans, or were bold enough to cheer for the team.

Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder, displaying his usual calm exterior, afterward simply said that he was “happy” with the Wildcats’ 11-1 record. He quickly added that he was not happy with the lone loss.

Of his quarterback, Snyder offered an underwhelming assessment.

“I was awful pleased with his performance,” he said. “Michael is one of those young guys who sometimes has a feeling that he can do anything. You have to be careful with that.”

Snyder, a perfectionist, was dwelling on Bishop’s lone interception and his of sometimes risky decisions. The interception was Kansas State’s only turnover.

Bishop was the Wildcats’ leading rusher with 73 yards. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 317 yards and four touchdowns. Darnell McDonald was the beneficiary of Bishop’s hot hand, catching seven passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns.

For his efforts, Bishop was named the offensive player of the game.

“The offensive line gave me all the time I needed,” Bishop said. “Without the offensive line, we don’t go anywhere.”

Bishop is a junior-college transfer who has been a part of the Wildcat program for only four months. The soft-spoken player said he was already thinking about next season.

McNabb, like Bishop, is equally adept and comfortable passing or rushing the ball himself. He ran for a team-high 81 yards but in his eagerness to rally the Orangemen as he has done throughout the season, McNabb pressed to make the big play. His second-quarter interception led to a Kansas State touchdown and his inexplicable fumble--no one touched him--set up the Wildcats’ final touchdown.

“The better the team plays, the better the quarterback,” said Syracuse Coach Paul Pasqualoni. “It’s not just the quarterback.”

The Orangemen were penalized eight times for 68 yards, the sort of mistake Pasqualoni predicted would sink his team.

“We just made far too many mistakes, far too many,” he said.

The loss ends the Orangemen’s bowl winning streak at eight, and they end the season at 9-4.

Syracuse did get unexpected help from its place kicker, Nathan Trout, who had missed seven extra points this season. His three field goals set a Fiesta Bowl record but they were not things of beauty--barely getting over the crossbar each time.

Kansas State’s All-American kicker Martin Gramatica missed on his two field-goal attempts.

The Orangemen began on a misleading note by scoring on their first possession, a field goal by Trout. The Wildcats didn’t score until the second quarter. That drive typified Bishop’s contribution--he was responsible for 71 of 76 yards (there was a five-yard penalty) and threw four passes and ran once.

It was the first of three touchdowns Kansas State scored in consecutive possessions in the second quarter. Syracuse narrowed the margin with a touchdown, a safety and a field goal, all in a span of 1:45. While the Wildcats led, 21-15, at the end of the first half, it looked as if the Orangemen were mustering the same resilience that brought the team back from a 1-3 start.

That was made unlikely with a 92-yard fourth-quarter drive by Kansas State that gave the Wildcats a 28-15 lead. Trout trotted out with a 40-yard field goal and Bishop connected with McDonald on a 41-yard pass play for the game’s final touchdown.