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. Slightly favored,[1][2] Alabama won, 39–28.[4][5]
Alabama scored first on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Steve Sloan to Ray Perkins. In the second quarter, Nebraska's Bob Churchich threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Tony Jeter to tie the game at seven. Alabama's Les Kelly scored on a four-yard touchdown run as the Crimson Tide regained the lead at 14–7. Sloan and Perkins connected again from eleven yards out, then Alabama recovered the ensuing onside kick; a 19-yard field goal David Ray in the final minute gave the Crimson Tide a commanding 24–7 lead at halftime.[4]
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 from a yard out, and a successful two-point conversion, increased the Tide's lead to 32–13.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Churchich ran in from a yard to make it 32–20. Alabama answered with a time-consuming drive, with Bowman scoring on a three-yard run, which put the lead back to nineteen points at 39–20 with just over eight minutes remaining. Churchich threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jeter with less than three minutes to go for the last score as Alabama won 39–28.[4][5] Quarterback Sloan was named the game's outstanding player.
In the final AP poll, Alabama climbed to first for the national championship, while Nebraska dropped to fifth.[8]
Both Nebraska and Alabama would play for the National Championship again in the 1972 Orange Bowl, where the Cornhuskers exacted revenge over the Tide in a 38-6 blowout win to repeat as national champions.
Referencesedit
^ abc"Light 'Bama team Orange Bowl pick". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1966. p. 9.
^ ab"'Bama choice over Tide (Huskers) in Orange Bowl". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. January 1, 1966. p. 11.
^Land, Charles (January 1, 1966). "Tide, Nebraska tangle tonight". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 6.
^ abcde"39-28 win for 'Bama in Miami". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. January 2, 1966. p. D1.
^ abcdLand, Charles (January 2, 1966). "Stakes were high, so was Tide". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 11.
^ ab"Game-by-game recaps: 1966" (PDF). 2019 Capital One Orange Bowl media guide. January 2019. p. 33.
^ ab(PDF). 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football media guide. (supplement). 2005. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^Green, Bob (January 4, 1966). "Tide keeps AP title trophy". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. p. 7.
1966, orange, bowl, 32nd, edition, college, football, bowl, game, played, orange, bowl, miami, florida, saturday, january, final, game, 1965, bowl, season, matched, third, ranked, undefeated, nebraska, cornhuskers, eight, conference, alabama, crimson, tide, so. The 1966 Orange Bowl was the 32nd edition of the college football bowl game played at the Orange Bowl in Miami Florida on Saturday January 1 The final game of the 1965 66 bowl season it matched the third ranked and undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the 4 Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference SEC 1 3 1966 Orange Bowl32nd Orange BowlNational Championship GameAlabama Crimson Tide Nebraska Cornhuskers 8 1 1 10 0 SEC Big 839 28Head coach Bear Bryant Head coach Bob DevaneyAPCoaches44 APCoaches331234 TotalAlabama 71787 39Nebraska 07615 28DateJanuary 1 1966Season1965StadiumOrange BowlLocationMiami FloridaMVPSteve Sloan Alabama QB FavoriteAlabama by 3 points 1 2 RefereeMorris Harrison SEC split crew SEC Big Eight Attendance72 214United States TV coverageNetworkNBCAnnouncersCurt Gowdy Paul ChristmanOrange Bowl lt 1965 1967 gt College Football Championship Game lt 1964 1966 Nov gt 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 Slightly favored 1 2 Alabama won 39 28 4 5 Contents 1 Teams 1 1 Alabama 1 2 Nebraska 2 Game summary 2 1 Scoring 3 Statistics 4 Aftermath 5 References 6 External linksTeams editMain article 1965 NCAA University Division football season Alabama edit Main article 1965 Alabama Crimson Tide football team Nebraska edit Main article 1965 Nebraska Cornhuskers football teamGame summary editAlabama scored first on a 32 yard touchdown pass from Steve Sloan to Ray Perkins In the second quarter Nebraska s Bob Churchich threw a 33 yard touchdown pass to Tony Jeter to tie the game at seven Alabama s Les Kelly scored on a four yard touchdown run as the Crimson Tide regained the lead at 14 7 Sloan and Perkins connected again from eleven yards out then Alabama recovered the ensuing onside kick a 19 yard field goal David Ray in the final minute gave the Crimson Tide a commanding 24 7 lead at halftime 4 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 from a yard out and a successful two point conversion increased the Tide s lead to 32 13 On the first play of the fourth quarter Churchich ran in from a yard to make it 32 20 Alabama answered with a time consuming drive with Bowman scoring on a three yard run which put the lead back to nineteen points at 39 20 with just over eight minutes remaining Churchich threw a 14 yard touchdown pass to Jeter with less than three minutes to go for the last score as Alabama won 39 28 4 5 Quarterback Sloan was named the game s outstanding player Scoring edit First quarter Alabama Ray Perkins 21 yard pass from Steve Sloan David Ray kick 9 36 Second quarter Nebraska Tony Jeter 33 yard pass from Bob Churchich Larry Wachholtz kick 12 15 Alabama Les Kelley 4 yard run Ray kick 7 11 Alabama Perkins 11 yard pass from Sloan Ray kick 1 42 Alabama Ray 19 yard field goal 0 34 Third quarter Nebraska Ben Gregory 49 yard pass from Churchich pass failed 9 35 Alabama Steve Bowman 1 yard run Perkins pass from Sloan 4 29 Fourth quarter Nebraska Churchich 1 yard run Wachholtz kick 14 58 Alabama Bowman 3 yard run Ray kick 8 13 Nebraska Jeter 14 yard pass from Churchich Gregory pass from Churchich 2 50 Source 4 5 6 7 Statistics editStatistics Alabama Nebraska First Downs 29 17 Rushes yards 57 222 24 145 Passing yards 296 232 Passes C A I 20 29 2 12 19 1 Total Offense 86 518 43 377 Punts average 5 31 2 3 41 7 Fumbles lost 0 0 4 4 Turnovers 2 5 Penalties yards 8 62 8 86 Source 4 5 6 7 Aftermath editIn the final AP poll Alabama climbed to first for the national championship while Nebraska dropped to fifth 8 Both Nebraska and Alabama would play for the National Championship again in the 1972 Orange Bowl where the Cornhuskers exacted revenge over the Tide in a 38 6 blowout win to repeat as national champions References edit a b c Light Bama team Orange Bowl pick Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press January 1 1966 p 9 a b Bama choice over Tide Huskers in Orange Bowl Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press January 1 1966 p 11 Land Charles January 1 1966 Tide Nebraska tangle tonight Tuscaloosa News Alabama p 6 a b c d e 39 28 win for Bama in Miami Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press January 2 1966 p D1 a b c d Land Charles January 2 1966 Stakes were high so was Tide Tuscaloosa News Alabama p 11 a b Game by game recaps 1966 PDF 2019 Capital One Orange Bowl media guide January 2019 p 33 a b Bowl games 1966 Orange Bowl PDF 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football media guide supplement 2005 Archived from the original on July 23 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Green Bob January 4 1966 Tide keeps AP title trophy Tuscaloosa News Alabama Associated Press p 7 External links edithttp www huskerpedia com games 1965 11alabama html Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1966 Orange Bowl amp oldid 1204290106, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
