1966 Sugar Bowl

The 1966 Sugar Bowl was the 32nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, January 1 . Part of the 1965–66 bowl game season, it matched the undefeated and sixth-ranked Missouri Tigers of the Big Eight Conference and the unranked Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Missouri was slightly favored,[1] and won 20–18.[2]

1966 Sugar Bowl
32nd edition
Missouri Tigers Florida Gators
(7–2–1) (7–3)
Big Eight Southeastern
20 18
Head coach: 
Dan Devine		 Head coach: 
Ray Graves
APCoaches
66
APCoaches
NR12
1234 Total
Missouri 01730 20
Florida 00018 18
DateJanuary 1, 1966
Season1965
StadiumTulane Stadium
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
MVPSteve Spurrier (Florida QB)
FavoriteMissouri by 2½ points[1]
Attendance67,421
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersJim Simpson, Bud Wilkinson

Teams
Main article: 1965 NCAA University Division football season

Missouri
Main article: 1965 Missouri Tigers football team

The Tigers entered the game with a 7–2–1 record; they lost by two points to undefeated #5 Nebraska in the Big Eight.

Florida
Main article: 1965 Florida Gators football team

The Gators had three losses during the regular season.

Game summary

The Sugar Bowl was the first game of a major bowl tripleheader (Rose, Orange) on NBC, and kicked off at 1 pm CST.[3]

After a scoreless first quarter, Missouri went on a tear in the second quarter. Charlie Brown scored on a 16-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 7–0 lead. Defensive back Johnny Roland came in on offense and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Earl Denny as the Tigers extended their lead to 14–0. Bill Bates kicked a 27-yard field goal and Missouri led 17–0 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Bates kicked a 34-yard field goal as Missouri led 20–0 at the end of three. Florida attempted to make a furious comeback in the fourth quarter; quarterback Steve Spurrier threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to halfback Jack Harper as Florida got within 20–6. Spurrier threw another 21-yard touchdown pass to end Charles Casey as Florida got within 20–12. Spurrier scored himself from two yards out, as the score became 20–18.[2] Florida failed on three consecutive two-point conversion attempts, and had they just kicked the extra points, they may have ended with a win.[4]

Despite playing on the losing team, Spurrier was named the Most Valuable Player for the game.

Scoring

First quarter

No scoring

Second quarter

  • Missouri – Charlie Brown 10-yard run (Bill Bates kick)
  • Missouri – Earl Denny 11-yard pass from Johnny Roland (Bates kick)
  • Missouri – Bates 37-yard field goal

Third quarter

  • Missouri – Bates 34-yard field goal

Fourth quarter

Statistics
StatisticsMissouriFlorida
First Downs1818
Rushing62–25716–(-2)
Passing5–14–127–46–1
Passing Yards50352
Total Offense76–30762–350
Punts–avg.5–44.06–32.5
Fumbles–lost2–21–1
Turnovers32
Penalties–yards2–303–25
Source:[2]

Aftermath

This was the sixth major bowl appearance for Missouri, and their second Sugar Bowl (1942). Their only major bowl since was four years later in the Orange Bowl. Missouri honored the 1965 Tigers in the 2015 season, bringing the team to midfield at halftime of their 24–10 win over South Carolina, then coached by Spurrier.[5]

This was Florida's first appearance in a major bowl; their first victory came the following year in the Orange Bowl. The Gators' next Sugar Bowl was in December 1974 and their first win came in January 1994.

References
  1. "Missouri fears Gator running". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 31, 1965. p. 8.
  2. "Missouri dumps Florida, 20-18". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1966. p. 14A.
  3. "National championship at stake in 4 bowl games today". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 1, 1966. p. 7.
  4. "Two-point bid failed for Gators". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1966. p. 14A.
  5. http://www.komu.com/news/1966-sugar-bowl-championship-team-honored
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