1972 Orange Bowl

Teams

Main article: 1971 NCAA University Division football season

Alabama

Main article: 1971 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Nebraska

Main article: 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Game summary

Six-point favorite Nebraska entered the game on a 31-game unbeaten streak, and scored first on a two-yard touchdown run by Jeff Kinney. Future Heisman Trophy winner 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, quarterback Jerry Tagge and Gary Dixon added touchdown runs of one and two yards respectively, as Nebraska led convincingly 28–0 with over eight minutes remaining in the first half. There was no additional scoring before halftime as the Husker defense stifled the Tide's previously potent Wishbone offense with All-American running back Johnny Musso.

In the third quarter, Bama's Terry Davis scored on a three–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 one-yard touchdown run by reserve senior QB Van Brownson made the final score 38–6.

With top-ranked Nebraska's 32-point victory, the 1972 Orange Bowl was one of the most lopsided meetings of #1 vs #2, specifically in a season-ending bowl game. It was also Alabama's largest margin of defeat in a postseason game until the 2026 Rose Bowl against Indiana, which the Hoosiers won 38–3.

Scoring

;First quarter:

• Nebraska – Jeff Kinney 1-yard run (kick failed), 3:01
• Nebraska – Johnny Rodgers 77-yard punt return (Maury Damkroger pass from Jerry Tagge), 0:00 ;Second quarter:
• Nebraska – Tagge 1-yard run (Rich Sanger kick), 12:43
• Nebraska – Gary Dixon 2-yard run (Sanger kick), 8:49 ;Third quarter:
• Alabama – Terry Davis 2-yard run (run failed), 5:49
• Nebraska – Sanger 21-yard field goal, 0:00 ;Fourth quarter:
• Nebraska – Van Brownson 1-yard run (Sanger kick), 4:45 :Source:

Statistics

:{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" ! Statistics !! Alabama !! Nebraska

Final polls

Nebraska (13–0) was first in both major polls and was the consensus national champion, having defeated the next three teams in the final AP Poll released on January 3: Oklahoma, Colorado, and Alabama. The Huskers earned all 55 first-place votes in the AP poll; in the UPI coaches poll released in early December, they received 29 of the 31 first-place votes, with the other two to Alabama.

Notes

References

References

1. (December 7, 1971). "Award for top team delayed". The Times-News.
2. (January 3, 1988). "Should there be college Super Bowl?". The Courier–News.
3. Taylor, Jim. (January 2, 1972). "Nebraska blast Alabama". Toledo Blade.
4. Jenkins, Dan. (December 20, 1971). "King Cornhusker Goes Bear Hunting".
5. (January 2, 1972). "Nebraska rips Tide, still No. 1". Spokesman-Review.
6. Reed, Delbert. (January 2, 1972). "Cornhuskers kill Crimson Tide dream, 38-6". Tuscaloosa News.
7. Jenkins, Dan. (January 10, 1972). ["All yours, Nebraska"](https://www.si.com/vault/1972/01/10/554404/all-yours-nebraska).
8. (January 3, 1972). "Huskers the greatest?". Eugene Register-Guard.
9. Grimsley, Will. (January 3, 1972). "College grid power switches to Big 8". Daytona Beach Morning Journal.
10. (2005). "Bowl games: 1972 Orange Bowl". 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football media guide.
11. Thomas, Ben. (January 5, 1971). "Nebraska wins the vote as nation's best college club". Eugene Register-Guard.
12. (January 4, 1972). "Huskers solid No. 1". Reading Eagle.
13. link. (2012-11-14 ''cfbdatawarehouse.com'')
14. Madden, Bill. (December 7, 1971). "Coaches agree". Reading Eagle.