1989 Liberty Bowl

August 2023 March 2026 Liberty Bowl 31st Liberty Bowl December 28 1989 1989 Ole Miss Rebels 7–4 Billy Brewer SEC 14 14 7 7 Randy Baldwin (RB, Ole Miss) Air Force Falcons 8–3–1 Fisher DeBerry WAC 9 0 6 14 Raycom Dave Barnett and Dave Rowe bg Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, Tennessee 60,128 The 1989 Liberty Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game played on December 28, 1989, in Memphis, Tennessee. The 31st edition of the Liberty Bowl was contested between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Air Force Falcons. Background The Rebels finished tied for 4th position in the Southeastern Conference while the Falcons finished 2nd in the Western Athletic Conference. This was the first year in which the winner of the Commander in Chief's Trophy received an automatic bid to the Liberty Bowl. The two teams had matched up before in 1983. Chucky Mullins (who had been paralyzed in a game just two months ago) visited the Ole Miss locker room prior to the game in his first visit outside the hospital prior to his injury. Game summary First quarter Ole Miss – Hines 32 pass from Darnell (Hogue PAT), 3:53 remaining Air Force – Wood 37 FG, 11:16 remaining Ole Miss – Baldwin 23 run (Hogue PAT), 9:18 remaining Air Force – Dowis 2 run (pass failed), 3:19 remaining Second quarter Ole Miss – Baldwin 21 run (Hogue PAT), 10:20 remaining Ole Miss – Coleman 58 punt return (Hogue kick), 1:21 remaining Third quarter Air Force – Johnson 3 run (run failed), 12:50 remaining Ole Miss – Coleman 11 run (Hogue PAT), 0:26 remaining Fourth quarter Ole Miss – Thigpen 8 pass from Shows (Hogue PAT), 10:44 remaining Air Force – Senn 35 pass from McDowell (pass failed), 9:02 remaining Air Force – Senn 21 pass from McDowell (Durham run), 2:34 remaining Randy Baldwin rushed for 177 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, and John Darnell passed for 19-of-33 for 261 yards and a touchdown.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ole/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/OM_Bowl_History.pdf Ole Miss Bowl History https://web.archive.org/web/20160121220628/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ole/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/OM_Bowl_History.pdf 2016-01-21 Aftermath The two teams would meet up three years later in the Liberty Bowl again. Statistics Statistics Ole Miss Air ForceFirst downs 30 25Rushing yards 248 259Passing yards 285 233Total yards 533 513Passing C-A-I 21–37–0 14–24–2Punts–average 5–38.2 4–43.3Fumbles–lost 2–2 3–2Penalties–yards 7–45 2–12 References Liberty Bowl Category:Liberty Bowl Category:Ole Miss Rebels football bowl games Category:Air Force Falcons football bowl games Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl