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Caldwell's final-play TD lifts South
By JOHN ZENOR, AP Sports Writer
Jan 27, 2008 - 4:37:59 AM

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MOBILE, Ala. - Andre Caldwell scored on a 2-yard end around on the final play of the Senior Bowl to cap a 14-play, 86-yard final drive and lift the South to a 17-16 win over the North on Saturday.

South Team wide receiver Andre Caldwell (5), of Florida, is pursued by the North Team's Tracy Porter (19), of Indiana, on the final play of the Senior Bowl football game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008. Caldwell scored on the two-yard end-around to tie the game. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)


The Florida receiver took the handoff from his team's former rival, Tennessee's Erik Ainge, and plunged across the goal line. Caldwell celebrated with a Gator chomp in the final game of his college career, and Georgia's Brandon Coutu made the extra point.

Ainge, who was invited to the all-star game after Louisville's Brian Brohm bowed out, took over at his own 14 with 2:48 left after the North was stopped on fourth down. He completed six passes and benefited from a pass interference call and some nice runs for extra yardage by his receivers.

He completed an 18-yarder to Caldwell on fourth-and-10 from the South's 14, then hooked up with Houston's Donnie Avery for a 22-yarder across the middle. The South got another first down on a pass interference call and Harry Douglas of Louisville caught the ball across the middle and managed to outrun everyone to the sideline to stop the clock after a 23-yard gain.

Tulane running back Matt Forte then gained 14 yards on a catch and run down to the 2. Ainge threw three incompletions in the end zone, leaving only 2 seconds on the clock for a final play.

Ainge completed 13 of 21 passes for 159 yards, all of it coming in the second half.

Michigan's Chad Henne accounted for both North touchdowns with a 36-yard pass to Lavelle Hawkins of California in the first half and a 4-yarder to Missouri tight end Martin Rucker with 14:32 left in the game. He and Ainge were the only quarterbacks to avoid costly mistakes.

The defensive players accounted for many of the big plays before the South's final drive. Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis outshined his college quarterback, John David Booty, by sacking Andre' Woodson of Kentucky to record a safety for the North.

Those two points were the margin until the fourth quarter.

Then, Henne marched the North down the field for another touchdown to make it 16-7. He completed a 16-yarder to Rucker but mostly handed off to Chauncey Washington. The Southern California tailback ran for 30 yards on three carries during the drive.

Henne completed five of nine passes for 64 yards.

Henne was the only one of the five quarterbacks who had significant time and no turnovers in the first half. Booty was intercepted by UTEP's Quintin Demps in the end zone to stop a promising drive. He finished with 72 yards passing, second only to Ainge.

Woodson lost a fumble in addition to getting tackled for the safety by Ellis, widely regarded as the game's top prospect. Woodson did have a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam.


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