1966 Orange Bowl

1966 Orange Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Nebraska Cornhuskers
(8–1–1) (10–0)
SEC Big Eight
39 28
Head coach: 
Bear Bryant		 Head coach: 
Bob Devaney
APCoaches
44
APCoaches
33
1234 Total
Alabama 71787 39
Nebraska 07615 28
Date January 1, 1966
Season 1965
Stadium Orange Bowl
Location Miami, Florida
Favorite Alabama[1]
Attendance 72,214
United States TV coverage
Network NBC
Announcers Curt Gowdy & Paul Christman

The 1966 Orange Bowl was played on January 1, 1966, in Miami, Florida. featured the third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference.[2][3]

This was the second year that the Orange Bowl was played at night on New Year's Day, after the other college football bowl games. Due to losses by both #1 Michigan State in the Rose Bowl and #2 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl earlier in the day, the game had turned into a de facto national championship game, as the AP would be taking a final post-bowl vote for the first time ever. Alabama was slightly favored.[1]

Teams

Alabama

Nebraska

Game summary

Alabama scored first on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Steve Sloan to Ray Perkins as Alabama took a 7–0 lead. In the second quarter, Nebraska's Bob Churchich threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Tony Jeter to tie the game at 7. Alabama's Les Kelly scored on a 4-yard touchdown run as the Crimson Tide led 14–7. Sloan and Perkins connected for the second time of the game, as Alabama led 21-7. An 18-yard field goal before halftime gave Alabama a 24–7 lead.[3]

In the third quarter, Churchich threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Ben Gregory as Nebraska narrowed the deficit to 24-13. Steve Bowman scored on a 1-yard touchdown run giving Alabama a 32–13 lead. In the fourth quarter, Churchich scored on a 1-yard run making it 32–20. Bowman scored on a 3-yard run as Alabama led 39–20. Churchich threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tony Jeter as the final score and Alabama won 39–28.[3]

Aftermath

In the final AP poll, Alabama climbed to first for the national championship, while Nebraska dropped to fifth.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "'Bama choice over Tide (Huskers) in Orange Bowl". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. January 1, 1966. p. 11.
  2. ↑ Land, Charles (January 1, 1966). "Tide, Nebraska tangle tonight". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 6.
  3. 1 2 3 "39-28 win for 'Bama in Miami". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. January 2, 1966. p. D1.
  4. ↑ Green, Bob (January 4, 1966). "Tide keeps AP title trophy". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. p. 7.
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