1968 Gator Bowl

The 1968 Gator Bowl, part of the 1968 bowl game season, took place on December 28, 1968, at the Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Missouri Tigers, representing the Big Eight Conference.

1968 Gator Bowl
Missouri Tigers Alabama Crimson Tide
(7–3) (8–2)
Big Eight SEC
35 10
Head coach: 
Dan Devine		 Head coach: 
Bear Bryant
APCoaches
1617
APCoaches
1212
1234 Total
Missouri 77021 35
Alabama 0703 10
DateDecember 28, 1968
Season1968
StadiumGator Bowl Stadium
LocationJacksonville, Florida
MVPTerry McMillan, (QB, Missouri) & Mike Hall (LB, Alabama)[1]
Attendance68,011

The game featured two eventual College Football Hall of Fame coaches, Bear Bryant at Alabama and Dan Devine at Missouri.[2] Missouri won the game, 35–10.

Teams

Alabama
See also: 1968 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

The 1968 Alabama squad finished the regular season with an 8–2 record, with its two losses coming by a combined three points to Ole Miss and Tennessee. Following the team's victory over Miami, Alabama accepted an invitation to play in the Gator Bowl on November 20.[3] The appearance marked the first for Alabama in the Gator Bowl, and the school's 22nd overall bowl game.[4]

Missouri
See also: 1968 Missouri Tigers football team

Missouri finished the regular season with a record of 7–3, with losses to Kentucky, Oklahoma and Kansas. Following the team's loss against Oklahoma, Missouri accepted an invitation to play in the Gator Bowl on November 18.[3] The appearance marked the third for Missouri in the Gator Bowl, and the school's 11th overall bowl game.[5]

Game summary

The Missouri Tigers scored first, with a Terry McMillan 4-yard touchdown run to complete an eleven-play, 71-yard drive to take a 7–0 lead.[6][7]

In the second quarter, Alabama scored their only touchdown of the game after Donnie Sutton intercepted a McMillan pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7–7.[6] Missouri retook the lead late in the second when McMillan scored from five yards out to give the Tigers a 14–7 lead at the half.[6] After a scoreless third quarter, the Crimson Tide scored their final points of the game on a 28-yard field goal by Mike Dean to cut the Missouri lead to 14–10. Missouri responded with three touchdowns to put the game out of reach.[6] The first score was set up after Roger Wehrli intercepted a Neb Hayden pass and returned it to the Bama 21 yard line. Four plays later, McMillan scored his third touchdown of the game on a two-yard run.[6] Greg Cook scored next on a 35-yard touchdown run and Dennis Poppe had the final points after returning a Scott Hunter pass 47 yards for a touchdown.[6]

For the game, Missouri completed zero passes, but they rushed for 402 yards and they outgained the Crimson Tide 402 yards to 132.[8] The 25-point loss was the worst for Alabama in its 22 bowl game history, and the 35 points Missouri scored were the most Alabama had ever surrendered in a bowl game.[4]

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP Missouri Alabama
1 11 71 Missouri Terry McMillan 4-yard touchdown run, Bill Sangster kick good 7 0
2 Alabama Interception returned 38 yards for touchdown by Donnie Sutton, Mike Dean kick good 7 7
2 3:03 57 Missouri Terry McMillan 5-yard touchdown run, Bill Sangster kick good 14 7
4 Alabama 28-yard field goal by Mike Dean 14 10
4 4 21 Missouri Terry McMillan 2-yard touchdown run, Bill Sangster kick good 21 10
4 1 35 Missouri Greg Cook 35-yard touchdown run, Bill Sangster kick good 28 10
4 Missouri Interception returned 47 yards for touchdown by Dennis Poppe, Bill Sangster kick good 35 10
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 35 10

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2017-12-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "College Football Hall of Fame" (English). Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  3. Land, Charles (November 20, 1968). "It's Gator Bowl, Missouri for Crimson Tide". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 8. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  4. "College Football Data Warehouse: Alabama bowl games". Archived from the original (English) on 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  5. "College Football Data Warehouse: Missouri bowl games". Archived from the original (English) on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  6. Land, Charles (December 29, 1968). "Missouri does the showing, 35–10". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 11.
  7. "The Gator Bowl 1968: AP recap". Archived from the original on 2012-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  8. "1960's Game History". taxslayergatorbowl.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
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