1977 Orange Bowl

The 1977 Orange Bowl featured a matchup between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Ohio State Buckeyes.[2][3] The #12 Buffaloes came into the game from the Big Eight Conference with an 8–3 record. The Buckeyes came out of the Big Ten Conference with an 8–2–1 record, ranked 11th in the nation.[4]

This was the only Orange Bowl between 1976 and 1981 without Oklahoma, and the only one from 1976 through 1989 without either the Sooners or Nebraska (the 1979 game matched both). The night before, Nebraska won the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, and Oklahoma took the Fiesta Bowl a week earlier.

Underdog Colorado scored quickly, jumping out to an early 10–0 lead. However, Rod Gerald, who had not played since the seventh game of the season due to a bone chip in his lower back, came off the bench to lead the Bucks to its ninth win of the season.[2][3]

Gerald rushed 14 times for 81 yards, including 17 on his first carry setting up a 36-yard scoring run by Jeff Logan. Ohio State was on the scoreboard with 3:11 to go in the first quarter.

The Buckeyes scored on their next two possessions with Tom Skladany;s 28-yard field goal with 9:33 left in the half and Pete Johnson's 3-yard run with 24 seconds remaining before halftime. That capped a 99-yard drive after a blocked Colorado field goal attempt, and gave Ohio State the lead for good. Gerald ended the scoring with a 4-yard run with a minute left in the fourth quarter, and was named the back of the game.

Ohio State, playing in its first bowl game other than the Rose Bowl, with 271 yards rushing, outgained Colorado 330–271.

This was the first Orange Bowl played on natural grass in seven years, since January 1970. Poly-Turf, similar to AstroTurf, was installed for the 1970 season, replaced in 1972, and removed in early 1976, following Super Bowl X. Through 2019, this is the Buckeyes' only Orange Bowl victory.

Colorado did not return to the Orange bowl until it made back-to-back appearances in 1990 and 1991.