A sign in the East Carolina rooting section at Aloha Stadium proclaimed early on: "Our Johnson is better than yours!"

And Pirates running back Chris Johnson clearly won the all-Johnson battle over sparingly used Boise State running back Ian Johnson as well as the title of most dominating player in East Carolina's 41-38 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl victory over Boise State yesterday.

Chris Johnson ran for 223 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, part of his NCAA bowl record 408 all-purpose yards. "He carried us on his back," said kicker Ben Hartman, who kicked the game winning field goal, a 34-yarder, as time expired.

Ian Johnson, Boise's preseason Heisman Trophy candidate who suffered an ankle injury in the team's first practice here, carried just four times for 11 yards and no touchdowns.

As much as the fans and TV might have wished for a Johnson vs. Johnson showdown, Chris Johnson said, "I really wasn't focused on him. I had to do my own job."

Despite his domination, Johnson could have been measured for goat horns after fumbling on his 28th rushing attempt and 36th touch of the ball (returns, receptions, rushes) in the game. Boise State's Marty Tadman recovered and returned the ball 47 yards for the game-tying touchdown. It was Johnson's second fumble of the season.

But Johnson redeemed himself with a 30-yard return of the ensuring kickoff to set up the game-winning drive.

"I know my team has my back and, when I have to, I'll put them on my back," Johnson said.

"Now, though, I won't mind that (13-hour return) flight home."

MOM KNEW OUTCOME

Hartman, the kicker, had been told to expect a game-deciding role.

"It was weird because I saw my mom (Ann) the other night and she said, 'I have a strange feeling the game is going to come down to you,' " Hartman said.

"Then, when they got me down in (field goal) range I wanted to go out there and kick it," Hartman said of the 34-yard game-winner, his second this season.

A GOOD TURNOUT

The announced turnstile count was 24,079, which significantly bettered the 16,134 for the 2005 Nevada-Central Florida game, the last one that didn't involve the Warriors.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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