The 2002 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl featured the North Texas Mean Green and the Cincinnati Bearcats. It was North Texas' second consecutive New Orleans Bowl appearance.
Quarterback Gino Guidugli got Cincinnati on the board first with a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tye Keith, to give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Nick Bazaldua connected on a 30-yard field goal, before the end of the first quarter to make the score 7-3. In the second quarter, running back Patrick Cobbs scored on a 27-yard touchdown run, to give North Teas a 10-7 lead. Cornerback Jeremy Pearl intercepted a Cincinnati pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, to increase the lead to 17-7.
In the third quarter, Kevin Galbreath scored on a 35-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 24-7. Johnathan Ruffin connected on two third quarter field goals to cut the deficit to 24-13. Franklin Calicott returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown with five minutes left to cut the lead to 24-19. That was the final score of the game.
Famous quotes containing the word bowl:
“It all ended with the circuslike whump of a monstrous box on the ear with which I knocked down the traitress who rolled up in a ball where she had collapsed, her eyes glistening at me through her spread fingers—all in all quite flattered, I think. Automatically, I searched for something to throw at her, saw the china sugar bowl I had given her for Easter, took the thing under my arm and went out, slamming the door.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)