Game Summary - January 1, 1996
Penn State 43, Auburn 14
The Hall of Fame Bowl changed it's name to the Outback Bowl with the signing of Outback Steakhouse as the title sponsor. Thus a new name was born with the 1996 game.
This game was a matchup of coaches as much as teams as the winningest bowl coach, Joe Paterno, faced Auburn's Terry Bowden in his first post-season appearance.
Fighting a constant downpour, both teams began slowly. Auburn's Stephen Davis rushed for 92 yards in the first period before an injury shifted the Tiger attack to the air. The Nittany Lions led 9-7 two minutes before the half when a Kim Herring interception gave them the ball at midfield. Two passes later, a 43 yarder to Joe Jurevicius and an 8 yarder to TB Mike Archie, Penn State took a 16-7 score into the locker room.
The second half was all Penn State as Auburns spread passing game could never get on track in the unrelenting conditions. The Nittany Lions, however, scored on all four possessions in the third period, including two TDs by Bobby Engram, to amass an insurmountable 43-7 lead.
In spite of the rains, the Lions managed 487 yards in total offensive, 4 passing TDs and 43 points - all bowl records. State's Engram was the game MVP with a bowl record 113 yards receiving and two TDs. More than six inches of rain fell that day in what is now known as the "Mud Bowl."