1976 Liberty Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||
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18th Liberty Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Date | December 20, 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season | 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Stadium | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Memphis, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Barry Krauss, Alabama LB | ||||||||||||||||||||
Attendance | 52,736 | ||||||||||||||||||||
United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||
Network | ABC | ||||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian | ||||||||||||||||||||
The 1976 Liberty Bowl, part of the 1976 bowl game season, took place on December 20, 1976, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The competing teams in the 18th edition of the Liberty Bowl were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the UCLA Bruins, representing the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8). Alabama won the game, 36–6.
The 1976 Alabama squad finished the regular season with a 9–3 record. The Crimson Tide opened the season ranked #6 only to lose to Ole Miss in their opening game, to eventual conference champion Georgia and to Notre Dame. Following their victory over Auburn, Alabama accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl. [1] The appearance marked the third for Alabama in the Liberty Bowl, and their 30th overall bowl game appearance. [1]
Entering their final regular-season game against rival USC, the Bruins were ranked #2 with their only blemish on the season coming in a tie against Ohio State. With a berth in the Rose Bowl Game at stake, UCLA was upset 24–14 resulting in the Bruins accepting a bid to play in the Liberty Bowl. [2] The appearance marked the first for UCLA in the Liberty Bowl, and both their 8th overall bowl game and their first away from the Rose Bowl. (the Pacific-8 repealed its "Rose Bowl or no bowl" rule in 1975). [2]
After forcing a UCLA punt on the opening possession, Alabama took a 3–0 lead on a 37-yard Bucky Berrey field goal on their first offensive possession. [3] On the ensuing UCLA drive, Bama linebacker Barry Krauss intercepted a Jeff Dankworth pass and returned it 44-yards for a touchdown. [3] The following kickoff was fumbled by Wally Henry of UCLA with Alabama recovering. Five plays later Johnny Davis scored on a run from two yards out and the Crimson Tide were up 17–0 after the first quarter. [3] The only points of the second quarter came on an Alabama trick play. Jack O'Rear took the snap and tossed the ball to halfback Tony Nathan who proceeded to pass it back to O'Rear who made the reception and took it 20 yards for a touchdown and a 24–0 lead. [3] Alabama extended their lead to 30–0 with a pair of Berrey field goals before UCLA got on the scoreboard. Theotis Brown scored the Bruins' only points on a 61-yard touchdown run. [3] Alabama responded with their final points with only 22 seconds remaining in the game on a 1-yard Rick Watson run making the final score 36–6. [3]
Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alabama played in five consecutive New Year's Day bowl games following its Liberty Bowl rout of UCLA. The Crimson Tide won national championships in 1978 and 1979 with Sugar Bowl victories over Penn State and Arkansas, respectively.
The Tide returned to the Liberty Bowl in 1982 in what turned out to be the final game of Bear Bryant's coaching career. Alabama defeated Illinois 21-15 for Bryant's 232nd victory at his alma mater and 323rd overall. Bryant died of a massive heart attack in Tuscaloosa on January 26, 1983, at age 69, 28 days after coaching his last game.
UCLA has yet to return to the Liberty Bowl. The Pacific-8 Conference, which became the Pacific-10 in 1978 with the addition of Arizona and Arizona State, did not send another team to the Liberty Bowl until 1995, when Stanford lost to East Carolina.
Alabama and UCLA played a home-and-home series in 2000 at the Rose Bowl and 2001 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Bruins won both contests.
The 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 85th overall and 46th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 22nd year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished the season undefeated and with a victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. For their collective efforts, the Crimson Tide were recognized as consensus national champions for the 1979 season.
The 1976 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 82nd overall and 43rd season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 19th year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with nine wins and three losses and with a victory over UCLA in the Liberty Bowl.
The 1974 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 80th overall and 41st season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 17th year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with eleven wins and one loss, as SEC champions and with a loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.
The 1973 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 79th overall and 40th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 16th year at his alma mater and 29th overall as a head coach, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with eleven wins and one loss, as SEC champions and with a loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
The 1980 Sugar Bowl was the 46th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Tuesday, January 1. Part of the 1979–80 bowl game season, it matched the undefeated and second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the #6 Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southwest Conference (SWC). Favored Alabama won 24–9, and gained their third national championship of the decade.
The 2001 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. They began their season trying to improve upon a 3–8 (3–5) record during the 2000 season. This was the team's 69th season in the SEC. This marked Dennis Franchione's first season as head coach of the Crimson Tide following the dismissal of Mike DuBose. The team finished with a victory in the 2001 Independence Bowl and an overall record of 7–5.
The 1963 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 69th overall and 30th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his sixth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham and Ladd Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. They finished season with nine wins and two losses and with a victory over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
The 1969 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 75th overall and 36th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 12th year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with six wins and five losses and with a loss against Colorado in the Liberty Bowl.
The 1958 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1958 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 64th overall and 25th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his first year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham and at Ladd Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. They finished with a record of five wins, four losses and one tie. As they finished the season above .500, Alabama secured its first winning season since 1953, and their five victories gave Bryant more wins games in one season than former head coach Jennings B. Whitworth did in previous three.
The 1959 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1959 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 65th overall and 26th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his second year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham and at Ladd Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. They finished with a record of seven wins, two losses and two ties and with a loss against Penn State in the inaugural Liberty Bowl.
The 1936 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1936 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 43rd overall and 4th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas, in his sixth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of eight wins, zero losses and one tie.
The 1945 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1945 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 51st overall and 12th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas, in his 14th year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham and at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. They finished with a perfect season and with a victory in the Rose Bowl over USC. This team was the second season of the "War Babies" as coined by head coach Thomas.
The 1995 CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl, part of the 1994 bowl game season, took place on January 2, 1995, at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference. Alabama was victorious in by a final score of 24–17. This was the 49th Citrus Bowl played.
The 1983 Sun Bowl, part of the 1983 bowl game season, took place on December 24, 1983, at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, United States. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the SMU Mustangs of the Southwest Conference (SWC). Alabama was victorious in by a final score of 28–7. This was the 50th edition of the Sun Bowl.
The 1978 Sugar Bowl was the 44th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 2. Part of the 1977–78 bowl game season, it matched the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the #9 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference.
The 1968 Cotton Bowl Classic, part of the 1967 bowl game season, was the 32nd edition of the college football bowl game, held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Monday, January 1. It matched the eighth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the unranked Texas A&M Aggies, champions of the Southwest Conference (SWC). Underdog Texas A&M won the game 20–16.
The 1975 Orange Bowl was the 41st edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, January 1. Part of the 1974–75 bowl game season, it matched the ninth-ranked independent Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the undefeated #2 Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). It was a rematch of the previous season's Sugar Bowl. In a game dominated by both defenses, underdog Notre Dame held on to upset the Tide, 13–11.
The 1973 Cotton Bowl Classic, part of the 1972 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1973, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Texas Longhorns, representing the Southwest Conference (SWC). Texas won the game by a final score of 17–13.
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 Missouri Tigers, representing the Big Eight Conference, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
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. Favored by a point, Colorado won 47–33.