Sat Jan 26 21:01:14 2008

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Caldwell's game-winning TD wins Senior Bowl for South

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Mobile, AL (Sports Network) - Andre Caldwell's two-yard touchdown run on the last play of the game lifted the South over the North, 17-16, in the 59th annual Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan and his staff guided the winning South squad for the game, while Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff led the North team.

The North scored the only touchdown of the first quarter, as Michigan's Chad Henne connected with California's Lavelle Hawkins on a 36-yard scoring strike just three minutes in.

The South evened the score with 8:51 left in the second when Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam caught a six-yard TD pass from Kentucky QB Andre Woodson.

Woodson, however, was sacked by Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis with 3:09 left. Ellis recorded a safety on the play to send the North to the locker room with a 9-7 lead.

There was no scoring in the third quarter, and Henne looked to provide the North squad with some breathing room when he hooked up with Missouri tight end Martin Rucker on a four-yard touchdown reception with just 28 seconds gone in the fourth.

A 20-yard field goal by Georgia's Brandon Coutu cut it to 16-10 with 9:27 left, and Caldwell's two-yard end around on the final play capped a 14-play, 86-yard drive that put the South over the hump.

Caldwell, a Florida receiver, took the handoff from Tennessee's Erik Ainge, who completed six passes while leading the final march.

Ainge completed 13-of-21 passes for 159 yards, all in the second half. Henne ended 5-of-9 for 64 yards and two touchdowns for the North.

The game, billed as football's premier pre-draft event, caps a week-long schedule of player practices and planned events that attracted over 800 NFL coaches and scouts and featured 100 of the nation's top senior NFL Draft prospects.

Game Notes

Southern California quarterback John David Booty finished with 72 yards passing and one interception, second only to Ainge...Hawkins led all receivers with three catches for 63 yards and a score... The South held a significant edge in total offensive yards, 358-283...The South owns a 28-25-3 advantage in the all-time series with the North, and also snapped a three-game skid. The North had prevailed in a 27-0 romp last season...The event drew a sellout crowd of 40,646.