1967 Orange Bowl

The 1967 Orange Bowl was the 33rd edition of college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Monday, January 2. The Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) defeated the independent Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 27–12.[2][3]

1967 Orange Bowl
33rd edition
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Florida Gators
(9–1) (8–2)
Independent Southeastern
12 27
Head coach: 
Bobby Dodd		 Head coach: 
Ray Graves
APCoaches
88
APCoaches
NR11
1234 Total
Georgia Tech 6006 12
Florida 07713 27
DateJanuary 2, 1967
Season1966
StadiumOrange Bowl
LocationMiami, Florida
MVPLarry Smith (Florida TB)
FavoriteGeorgia Tech (slight)[1]
Attendance72,426
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersCurt Gowdy, Paul Christman

Teams
Main article: 1966 NCAA University Division football season

Georgia Tech
Main article: 1966 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

The eighth-ranked Yellow Jackets were making their first Orange Bowl appearance in fifteen years and were led by Bobby Dodd, completing his 22nd season as head coach.

Florida
Main article: 1966 Florida Gators football team

The Gators were led on offense by quarterback Steve Spurrier, winner of the Heisman Trophy. They finished second to Georgia and Alabama, who went to the Cotton Bowl and Sugar Bowl, respectively. This was Florida's first Orange Bowl and their fourth bowl appearance in six years under head coach Ray Graves, a former assistant to Dodd at Georgia Tech.

Game summary
Florida head coach Ray Graves being carried off the field

This was the third year the game was played at night, following the Rose Bowl.

Kim King threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to Craig Baynham to give Georgia Tech a 6–0 lead. In the second quarter, Graham McKeel scored on a touchdown plunge to put Florida up 7–6, which was the score at halftime.

Georgia Tech was deep in Florida territory in the third quarter when Bobby Downs intercepted a pass from King to give Florida the ball on their own six. On the next play, sophomore tailback Larry Smith broke free and ran 94 yards for a touchdown to give Florida a 14–6 lead.

In the fourth quarter, McKeel ran for another touchdown to make it 21–6; Florida added another touchdown run to extend its lead to 21 points, at 27–6. Georgia Tech's Jack Coons caught a five-yard pass from Harmon Wages to close the gap to 27–12, but that was the end of the scoring.[2][3] Smith ran for 187 yards and was the player of the game.[4]

Aftermath

Dodd retired after the game, though he stayed as athletic director at Georgia Tech until 1976. The Yellow Jackets returned to the Orange Bowl in 2010, and the Gators in 1999. Florida's next major bowl game was eight years later in the Sugar Bowl against Nebraska, while Georgia Tech did not play in another major bowl until the Orange in 2010.

In the previous thirteen Orange Bowls, a Big Eight Conference team was a participant twelve times. This was the last edition without the Big Eight for seven years, when Penn State defeated LSU in January 1974.

Statistics
Statistics  Florida  Ga. Tech
First Downs2217
Rushing Yards284197
Passing Yards165122
Passes15–326–22
Total Yards449319
Interceptions14
Punts-Average7–36.16–42.3
Fumbles-Lost1–12–1
Turnovers25
Penalties-Yards4–325–41
Source[2][3]

References
  1. "Tech remains Orange Bowl favorite". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1967. p. 2C.
  2. "Soph steals Orange Bowl show, as Florida gets 'sweetest' win". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 3, 1967. p. 39.
  3. "Florida Gators prove they belong in 'Big Time'". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 3, 1967. p. 3B.
  4. http://game.orangebowl.org/orange-bowl-history/the-history-of-the-orange-bowl/1960s/1967/
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