1969 Sugar Bowl

The 1969 Sugar Bowl was the 35th edition of the college football bowl game, played at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday, January 1. It featured the fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the #9 Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southwest Conference (SWC).[1][2]

1969 Sugar Bowl
35th edition
Arkansas Razorbacks Georgia Bulldogs
(9–1) (8–0–2)
Southwest Southeastern
16 2
Head coach: 
Frank Broyles		 Head coach: 
Vince Dooley
APCoaches
99
APCoaches
44
1234 Total
Arkansas 01006 16
Georgia 0200 2
DateJanuary 1, 1969
Season1968
StadiumTulane Stadium
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
MVPChuck Dicus (Arkansas SE)
FavoriteGeorgia by 7 points[1][2]
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersCharlie Jones,
George Ratterman

Underdog Arkansas won 16–2,[3][4] and split end Chuck Dicus was named the outstanding player after catching twelve passes.[5]

Teams
Main article: 1968 college football season

Arkansas
Main article: 1968 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Guard Jim Barnes was a consensus All-American for the Razorbacks in 1968. Bill Burnett's 16 touchdowns scored tied him for eighth-most points scored nationally. The Hogs lost only once, to the #17 Texas Longhorns, 39–29. The Razorbacks and Longhorns thusly shared the Southwest Conference crown for 1968, but Texas received the bid to the Cotton Bowl based upon the head-to-head victory.

Georgia
Main article: Georgia Bulldogs football under Vince Dooley § 1968 Season

Vince Dooley's Georgia Bulldogs went 8–0–2 and won the SEC, only tying Tennessee and Houston. The Bulldogs' ferocious defense was anchored by consensus All-American end Bill Stanfill.

Game summary

Georgia's number-one ranked defense matched up against the ninth-ranked offense of Arkansas on New Year's Day in New Orleans. The first game of a major bowl tripleheader (Rose, Orange) on NBC, it kicked off at 1 pm CST.[1][2]

The first quarter was scoreless; in the second, Arkansas quarterback Bill Montgomery threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chuck Dicus, but Georgia got a safety to pull within 7–2. Arkansas kicker Bob White made a 34-yard field goal and the Razorbacks led 10–2 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, White kicked field goals of 24 and 31 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the Arkansas win at 16–2.

The game had twenty punts (ten each) and eleven turnovers (eight by Georgia).

Statistics
StatisticsArkansas Georgia 
First Downs1313
Rushing41–4047–75
Passing17–39–111–31–3
Passing Yards185117
Total Offense80–22578–192
Punts–avg.10–33.610–38.5
Fumbles–lost4–25–5
Turnovers38
Penalties–yards4–314–25
Source:[3][4]

Aftermath

After twelve years, this was last Sugar Bowl on NBC; it returned to ABC in January 1970.

Arkansas returned to the Sugar Bowl the following year; Georgia's next major bowl was seven years later in the Cotton Bowl, also against Arkansas, and returned to the Sugar Bowl the following year.

References
  1. "It's fun for Georgia". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 31, 1968. p. 8.
  2. "Razorbacks hope 3rd time is charm in Sugar battle". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 1, 1969. p. 1, section 2.
  3. "Razorback defense stops 'Dogs, 16-2". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1969. p. 1, section 2.
  4. "Arkansas defense sparkles in win over Georgia squad". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1969. p. 16.
  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2012-06-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  • ESPN College Football Encyclopedia
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