1985 Aloha Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1985 Aloha Bowl
, part of the 1985 bowl game season, took place on December 28, 1985, at Aloha Stadium
in Honolulu
, Hawaii
. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference
(SEC), and the USC Trojans of the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10). Alabama was victorious in by a final score of 24–3. Alabama
running back
Gene Jelks and linebacker
Cornelius Bennett
were named the game's co-MVPs.
and a tie against to compile an 8–2–1 record. Following their victory over Auburn
, the Crimson Tide accepted an invitation to play in the Aloha Bowl on November 30 after Tennessee defeated to clinch a birth in the 1986 Sugar Bowl
. The appearance marked the first for Alabama in the Aloha Bowl, and their 38th overall bowl game
.
hit a 48-yard shot in the first for Alabama and Don Shafer hit a 24-yard shot in the second quarter. Craig Turner scored the first touchdown
of the contest on a 1-yard run to complete a 10-play, 58-yard drive in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide closed out the game with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. The first came on a 24-yard pass from Mike Shula
to Clay Whitehurst and the second on a 14-yard Al Bell run. For their performances, running back
Gene Jelks and linebacker
Cornelius Bennett
were named the game's co-MVPs.
Aloha Bowl
The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
, part of the 1985 bowl game season, took place on December 28, 1985, at Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
in Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC), and the USC Trojans of the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10). Alabama was victorious in by a final score of 24–3. Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Gene Jelks and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000...
were named the game's co-MVPs.
Alabama
The 1985 Alabama squad finished the regular season with losses to Penn State and Tennessee1985 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1985 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 325 points while the defense allowed 140 points. At season’s end, the Volunteers ranked fourth in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
and a tie against to compile an 8–2–1 record. Following their victory over Auburn
1985 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1985 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season.-Season:Bo Jackson rushed for 1,786 yards, which was the second best single-season performance in SEC history behind Herschel Walker's 1,891 rushing yards for the Georgia in 1981...
, the Crimson Tide accepted an invitation to play in the Aloha Bowl on November 30 after Tennessee defeated to clinch a birth in the 1986 Sugar Bowl
1986 Sugar Bowl
The 1986 Sugar Bowl, featuring the 2nd ranked Miami Hurricanes and the 8th ranked Tennessee Volunteers, was played on January 1, 1986, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana....
. The appearance marked the first for Alabama in the Aloha Bowl, and their 38th overall 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...
.
USC
The 1985 USC squad finished the regular season with losses to Baylor, , Notre Dame, and Washington to finish with a record of 6–5. Following their victory over UCLA, the Trojans accepted an invitation to play in the Aloha Bowl on November 25. The appearance marked the first for USC in the Aloha Bowl, and their 29th overall bowl game.Game summary
In a first half dominated by both defenses, both the Crimson Tide and the Trojans traded field goals resulting in a 3–3 tie at the half. Van TiffinVan Tiffin
Van Tiffin is a former American football placekicker.- College career :Tiffin was the Alabama Crimson Tide's primary placekicker from 1983-1986. He holds the school record for longest converted field goal, with a successful 57-yard attempt against Texas A&M in 1985...
hit a 48-yard shot in the first for Alabama and Don Shafer hit a 24-yard shot in the second quarter. Craig Turner scored the first touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
of the contest on a 1-yard run to complete a 10-play, 58-yard drive in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide closed out the game with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. The first came on a 24-yard pass from Mike Shula
Mike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
to Clay Whitehurst and the second on a 14-yard Al Bell run. For their performances, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Gene Jelks and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000...
were named the game's co-MVPs.