1969 Liberty Bowl

Last updated
1969 Liberty Bowl
11th Liberty Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Colorado Buffaloes
(6–4)(7–3)
SEC Big Eight
3347
Head coach: 
Bear Bryant 		Head coach: 
Eddie Crowder
1234Total
Alabama01914033
Colorado102101647
DateDecember 13, 1969
Season 1969
Stadium Memphis Memorial Stadium
Location Memphis, Tennessee
MVP Bobby Anderson, Colorado TB
Favorite Colorado by 1 point [1]
Attendance50,144
United States TV coverage
Network ABC
Announcers Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson
Liberty Bowl
 < 1968   1970 > 

The 1969 Liberty Bowl, part of the 1969 bowl game season, took place on Saturday, December 13, at Memphis Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The competing teams in the eleventh edition of the Liberty Bowl were the Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Colorado Buffaloes of the Big Eight Conference. [1] [2] Favored by a point, [1] Colorado won 47–33. [3] [4]

Contents

Teams

Alabama

Alabama finished the regular season with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, LSU, and Auburn to compile a 6–4 record. Following their victory over Miami, the Crimson Tide accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl on November 17. [5] The appearance marked the second for Alabama in the Liberty Bowl, and their 23rd overall bowl game.

Colorado

Colorado lost to Penn State, Oklahoma, and Nebraska to compile a 7–3 record in the regular season. Following their victory over Kansas State, the Buffaloes accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl on November 22. [6] It was the first Liberty Bowl for Colorado and their fifth bowl appearance.

Game summary

The game kicked off shortly after 12:20 pm CST. [1] [2]

In a game dominated by both offenses, Colorado took a 10–0 first quarter lead. Ward Walsh scored first on a 13-yard touchdown run and Dave Haney connected on a 30-yard field goal for the Buffaloes. [3] Early in the second quarter, Colorado extended their lead to 17–0 after a three-yard Bobby Anderson touchdown run. Alabama responded with touchdown runs of 31-yards from Scott Hunter and six-yards from George Ranager to cut the lead to 17–13. [3] With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Walsh scored again on 15-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing drive, Alabama responded with a two-yard Johnny Musso touchdown run to make the score 24–19. [3] However, the following kickoff was returned 91-yards by Steve Engel to give the Buffaloes a 31–19 lead at the half. [3]

In the third quarter, Alabama took their only lead of the game following a pair of Neb Hayden touchdown passes; the first came on a 55-yard reception by Griff Langston and the second on a ten-yard reception by Musso to give the Crimson Tide a 33–31 lead. [3] Colorado then scored 16 fourth quarter points to seal the 47–33 victory with a pair of Anderson touchdown runs and a safety made when Bill Brundige and Herb Orvis sacked Hayden in the endzone. [3]

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP AlabamaColorado
111:36Colorado Ward Walsh 13-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good07
14:54Colorado30-yard field goal by Dave Haney010
212:38Colorado Bobby Anderson 3-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good017
210:13Alabama Scott Hunter 31-yard touchdown run, Oran Buck kick good717
24:49AlabamaGeorge Ranager 6-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass incomplete1317
22:38Colorado Ward Walsh 15-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good1324
21:01Alabama Johnny Musso 2-yard touchdown run, 2-point run failed1924
20:46ColoradoSteve Engel 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Dave Haney kick good1931
313:39AlabamaGriff Langston 55-yard touchdown reception from Neb Hayden, Oran Buck kick good2631
37:47Alabama Johnny Musso 10-yard touchdown reception from Neb Hayden, Oran Buck kick good3331
410:57Colorado Bobby Anderson 2-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good3338
42:48ColoradoNeb Hayden tackled in end zone for a safety by Bill Brundige and Herb Orvis 3340
40:45Colorado Bobby Anderson 3-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good3347
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.3347

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Colorado favored to drop Alabama". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 12, 1969. p. 22.
  2. 1 2 Land, Charles (December 12, 1969). "Offense big thing for Tide". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Land, Charles (December 14, 1969). "Buffaloes rumble past Tide, 47–33". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 1. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  4. ↑ Shearer, Ed (December 14, 1969). "Anderson-powered Buffaloes beat Tide". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1B.
  5. ↑ Land, Charles (November 17, 1969). "Crimson Tide, Auburn to play in bowl games". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Colorado to face Tide in Liberty". The Florence Times. (Alabama). UPI. November 23, 1969. p. 13. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
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