12/16/2002 - Football
ESPN Classic To Air 1996 Aloha Bowl Game

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-ESPN Classic will air Navy's thrilling 42-38 victory over California in the 1996 Aloha Bowl on Monday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. Following is a recap of the Mids come-from-behind victory:

1996 Aloha Bowl

Navy 42, California 38

December 25, 1996; Honolulu, Hawai'i

Ben Fay came off the bench in the fourth quarter to lead touchdown drives of 80 and 84 yards, as Navy rallied for a 42-38 victory over California in the Aloha Bowl.

California jumped on top on the opening kickoff as Deltha O'Neal returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Navy answered quickly on a three-play, 69-yard drive, capped off by a seven-yard touchdown run from Tim Cannada.

After Cal went back on top, 14-7, Navy answered with two quick touchdowns of its own, as Chris McCoy scored from one yard out and Ross Scott scored from four yards out. Cal bounced right back to take a 28-21 lead on a touchdown pass from Pat Barnes and a 31-yard run by O'Neal. McCoy answered with a two-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 28 with 39 seconds remaining in the half. That was plenty of time for Cal, as it marched 61 yards in 29 seconds to take a 35-28 halftime lead.

Defense controlled the third quarter, as the only points came on a 41-yard field goal by Cal's Ryan Longwell, giving the Bears a 38-28 lead.

Fay entered the game with 10:38 remaining and promptly drove the Mids 80 yards in 10 plays, as he scored from two yards out to pull the Mids to within three. The Navy defense got the ball back for Fay when junior tackle David Viger stripped Barnes of the ball and senior Jerome Dixon recovered it.

Fay made the game-winning drive look easy, marching the Mids 84 yards on six plays, the big play being a 52-yard pass to senior slotback Cory Schemm. Fay scored from 10 yards out to give the Mids a 42-38 victory.