1972 Orange Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1972
Orange Bowl
was played on January 1, 1972, at the Orange Bowl
in Miami, Florida
. In the final game of the 1971
college football
season, top-ranked and defending national champion
Nebraska
soundly defeated the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide, 38–6.
Nebraska scored first on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jeff Kinney
, then Johnny Rodgers
scored on a 77–yard punt return on the final play of the first quarter, as Nebraska led 14–0. In the second quarter, Jerry Tagge
and Gary Dixon added touchdown runs of one and two yards respectively, as Nebraska led convincingly 28–0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Bama's Terry Davis scored on a 3–yard touchdown run making the score 28-6, eliminating the shutout. Nebraska's Rich Sanger kicked a 21–yard field goal at the end of the third quarter, and a 1–yard touchdown run by reserve senior QB Van Brownson made the final score 38–6.
With #1 Nebraska winning by 32 points, the 1972 Orange Bowl was one of the most lopsided meetings of #1 vs #2, specifically in a season-ending bowl game
.
Nebraska (13-0) was the consensus national champion
, having defeated the next three teams in the final AP Poll
(released in January 1972): Oklahoma, Colorado, and Alabama.
1971 college football season
The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs...
Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
was played on January 1, 1972, at the Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In the final game of the 1971
1971 college football season
The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season, top-ranked and defending national champion
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
Nebraska
1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1971 college football season. Nebraska was coached by Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln...
soundly defeated the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide, 38–6.
Nebraska scored first on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jeff Kinney
Jeff Kinney
Jeffrey Bruce "Jeff" Kinney is a former professional football player, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills for five seasons in the NFL. At 6'2" and 215 lb., Kinney was selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft with the 23rd overall pick...
, then Johnny Rodgers
Johnny Rodgers
Johnny Steven Rodgers is a former American college football player voted the University of Nebraska's "Player of the Century" and the winner of the 1972 Heisman Trophy.-College career:...
scored on a 77–yard punt return on the final play of the first quarter, as Nebraska led 14–0. In the second quarter, Jerry Tagge
Jerry Tagge
Jerry Lee Tagge is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the NFL, WFL, and CFL from 1972-79. He is best known as the quarterback of the Nebraska Cornhusker teams which won national championships in 1970 and 1971....
and Gary Dixon added touchdown runs of one and two yards respectively, as Nebraska led convincingly 28–0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Bama's Terry Davis scored on a 3–yard touchdown run making the score 28-6, eliminating the shutout. Nebraska's Rich Sanger kicked a 21–yard field goal at the end of the third quarter, and a 1–yard touchdown run by reserve senior QB Van Brownson made the final score 38–6.
With #1 Nebraska winning by 32 points, the 1972 Orange Bowl was one of the most lopsided meetings of #1 vs #2, specifically in a season-ending bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
.
Nebraska (13-0) was the consensus national champion
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
, having defeated the next three teams in the final AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
(released in January 1972): Oklahoma, Colorado, and Alabama.
External links
- The Orange Bowl 1972
- HuskerPedia.com - 1972 Orange Bowl