1959 Orange Bowl

The 1959 Orange Bowl featured the Syracuse Orangemen (8–1) and the Oklahoma Sooners (9–1) in the 25th annual Orange Bowl, played on Thursday, January 1, 1959, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.[2][3]

1959 Orange Bowl
25th Orange Bowl
Syracuse Orangemen Oklahoma Sooners
(8–1) (9–1)
Independent Big Seven
6 21
Head coach: 
Ben Schwartzwalder		 Head coach: 
Bud Wilkinson
APCoaches
910
APCoaches
55
1234 Total
Syracuse 0006 6
Oklahoma 14070 21
DateJanuary 1, 1959
Season1958
StadiumBurdine Stadium
LocationMiami, Florida
FavoriteOklahoma by 13 [1]
Attendance75,281
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJoe Boland & Jim McKay

Background

This was Oklahoma's fourth Orange Bowl in six seasons while Syracuse was making their second Orange Bowl appearance in six seasons. Oklahoma had won its thirteenth straight Big Seven title and Syracuse was an independent. The first of the day's four major bowl games, kickoff was at 1 p.m. EST on CBS television,[4] and Oklahoma was a thirteen-point favorite.[1]

Game summary

Oklahoma scored early with a Prentice Gautt rushing touchdown three minutes into the game. With the quarter running down, Syracuse fumbled the ball back to the Sooners after driving to the Sooners red zone. With 2:56 left in the quarter, Brewster Hobby caught a lateral and then passed to Ross Coyle, who ran 79 yards for the touchdown and a 14–0 lead. After a scoreless second quarter, Hobby sealed the game when he returned a Syracuse punt 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 21–0 after three quarters.

Mark Weber gave the Orangemen their only points on his touchdown run after a 69-yard drive, but the two-point conversion failed on an incomplete pass, and that was the end of the scoring. Despite Syracuse's run attack, two fumbles by the backs and two passes that were intercepted doomed the Orange as Oklahoma won their fourth Orange Bowl in six seasons.[5][6][7]

Aftermath

In the following season, Syracuse went undefeated and won the national title.

Statistics
StatisticsOklahomaSyracuse
First Downs1218
Yards Rushing152239
Yards Passing9372
Total Yards245311
Punts-Average8–37.08–31.2
Fumbles-Lost2–12–2
Interceptions02
Penalties-Yards3–354–20

Source:[8]

References
  1. "Oklahoma lives up to press notices in win". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). UPI. January 2, 1959. p. 2.
  2. "Explosive Oklahoma whips Syracuse in Orange Bowl". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1959. p. 17.
  3. Segreti, James (January 2, 1959). "Sooners' fast start defeats Syracuse, 21-6". Chicago Tribune. p. 3, sec. 3.
  4. "Bowls at glance". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). January 1, 1959. p. 14.
  5. "1959 | Orange Bowl". Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  6. http://cuse.com/sports/2002/1/1/1959OrangeBowl.aspx
  7. "1959 Orange Bowl". Oklahoma Sooners Football Media Guide. Oklahoma Sooners Athletics. p. 154. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  8. "Sooners speed past Syracuse". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1959. p. 3B.
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