2002 San Francisco Bowl - Statistical Summary

Statistical Summary

Thanks to his performance during the game, Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge became just the fifth player in Air Force history and the 16th player in NCAA Division I-A history to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 1,000 yards in the same season. Despite that performance, Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall was named the game's most valuable player for his winning effort. Randall finished the game having completed 18 of his 23 passes for 177 yards. Harridge completed four of his 19 passes for 91 yards and two interceptions. After completing a pass on the second play of the game, Harridge did not complete another pass until there were less than five minutes remaining in the game, throwing 11 consecutive incomplete passes in the intervening period.

The 2002 San Francisco Bowl was the final collegiate game of Tech running back Lee Suggs, whose two touchdowns allowed him to finish his collegiate career with 336 points, the second-most career points scored by a player in the Big East. Suggs also extended his NCAA-record streak of consecutive games with a rushing touchdown to 27. That record still stands today. Suggs finished the game with 19 carries for 70 rushing yards in addition to his two touchdowns. Tech wide receiver Ernest Wilford, who caught five passes for 50 yards, set what was then a school record for receptions in a season with 51. This broke the record of 46, set by Mike Burnop in 1971.

Air Force finished the game with 227 rushing yards and 318 total yards on offense. The Falcons also committed four 15-yard personal foul penalties in addition to other, more minor, penalties accumulated during the game. Air Force's leading rusher was Anthony Butler, who carried the ball 17 times for 75 yards. Anthony Park was the Falcons' leading receiver, catching Harridge's second-play 47-yard throw for his only reception of the game.