1996 Gator Bowl

Last updated

1996 Toyota Gator Bowl
51st Gator Bowl
1234Total
Syracuse20014741
Clemson00000
DateJanuary 1, 1996
Season 1995
Stadium Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Location Jacksonville, Florida
MVP Donovan McNabb (Syracuse), QB
Peter Ford (Clemson), CB
Referee Jim Kemerling (Big Ten)
Attendance45,202
United States TV coverage
Network NBC
Announcers Tom Hammond & Bob Trumpy
Gator Bowl
 < 1994 1997 > 

The 1996 Gator Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game between the Syracuse Orangemen and the Clemson Tigers.

Contents

Background

This was the first Gator Bowl to feature the second-place teams from the Big East Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference. This was Syracuse's first Gator Bowl since 1966, and Clemson's first since 1989. This was the first Gator Bowl game to be played at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, which was built on the site of the former Gator Bowl Stadium.

Game summary

Donovan McNabb went 13-of-23 for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Orangemen routed the Tigers in a rain soaked contest. Malcolm Thomas started the scoring for the Orangemen on a 1-yard touchdown run after a drive of 64 yards. McNabb went on a 5-yard run for a touchdown to make it 13–0. Marvin Harrison caught a touchdown pass from McNabb to make it 20-0 as the first quarter ended. After a scoreless second quarter, Thomas ran for his second touchdown to make it 27–0. Harrison caught his second touchdown from McNabb from 56 yards out to make it 34-0 after three quarters. Kaseem Sinceno caught a touchdown pass from McNabb in the fourth to close out the scoring. Clemson was held to less than 200 yards and committed 3 turnovers. Marvin Harrison caught seven receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns in his final college game. This was Syracuse's sixth straight bowl win. [1]

Aftermath

Both teams ended up playing another bowl game in the calendar year of 1996. The Tigers made three more bowl games before the turn of the century, and the Orange made four before the 1990s ended. The Tigers would return to the Gator Bowl in 2001, 2009 and 2023.

Statistics

StatisticsSyracuseClemson
First Downs2112
Yards Rushing15890
Yards Passing30969
Total Yards467159
Punts-Average4-43.56-49.3
Fumbles-Lost1-01-0
Interceptions13
Penalties-Yards7-651-16

Related Research Articles

The National Football League playoffs for the 2003 season began on January 3, 2004. The postseason tournament concluded with the New England Patriots defeating the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, 32–29, on February 1, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Philadelphia Eagles season</span> 72nd season in franchise history; second overall Super Bowl appearance

The 2004 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 72nd in the National Football League (NFL). The Eagles entered the season as back-to-back-to-back NFC runner ups and had been one of the most successful teams in the league after the Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb era began in 1999, making it to the playoffs for four straight seasons and to the NFC Championship Game in 2001, 2002, and 2003. However, the team could not reach the Super Bowl in any of those years, despite being favored in the latter two NFC title games. In the offseason, this already championship-level team was reinforced on both sides of the ball by the free agent additions of wide receiver Terrell Owens, defensive end Jevon Kearse and middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, their third-round draft pick in 1998.

The 1999 Orange Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 1999. It was also one of 1998–99 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) games. This 65th edition of the Orange Bowl featured the Syracuse Orangemen, and the Florida Gators. Florida came into the game with a 9–2 record, whereas Syracuse was 8–3. Consequently, the Gators were favorites playing in their home state.

The 2001 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Clemson Tigers and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 1, 2001. The game was the final contest of the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 41–20 victory for Virginia Tech.

The 2001 Humanitarian Bowl was the fifth edition of the bowl game. It featured the Clemson Tigers versus the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 Fiesta Bowl (December)</span> College football game

The 1997 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Syracuse Orangemen on December 31, 1997, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Kansas State defeated Syracuse, 35-18. The game was part of the 1997-1998 Bowl Alliance of the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season and represented the concluding game of the season for both teams.

The 2002 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 70th in the National Football League. The team improved upon their previous output of eleven wins, going 12–4 and making the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009, as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division. Nebraska scored 16 unanswered points to beat Clemson after being down 21–10 in the third quarter. This game was the first meeting between the Clemson Tigers and the Nebraska Cornhuskers since the 1982 Orange Bowl where Clemson defeated Nebraska for their first national title. This was the second game between both schools with Nebraska evening up the record.

The 1952 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1952 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 58th overall and 19th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Harold Drew, in his sixth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham, Ladd Stadium in Mobile and at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. They finished with a record of ten wins and two losses and with a victory over Syracuse in the Orange Bowl.

The 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a college football bowl game held on December 31, 2012, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. With sponsorship from Chick-fil-A, it was the 45th edition of the game known throughout most of its history as the Peach Bowl. The game began at 7:30 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN. It featured the LSU Tigers from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) against the Clemson Tigers from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and was the final game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. Both Tigers accepted an invitation to the game after achieving a 10–2 regular season record.

The 1986 Gator Bowl (December) game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Clemson Tigers, played on December 27, 1986, at Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. It was the 42nd edition of the bowl game. Through a sponsorship agreement announced in November, the bowl was officially known as the Mazda Gator Bowl.

The 2014 Orange Bowl was a college football bowl game played on Friday, January 3, 2014, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The 80th annual Orange Bowl, featured the Clemson Tigers from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Ohio State Buckeyes from the Big Ten Conference. The game was broadcast live on ESPN at 8:30 PM EST. It was one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. It was sponsored by Discover Financial Services and was officially known as the Discover Orange Bowl.

The 1996 Liberty Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 27, 1996, in Memphis, Tennessee. The 38th edition of the Liberty Bowl, it matched the Houston Cougars and the Syracuse Orangemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957 Cotton Bowl Classic</span> College football game

The 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic was the 21st edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday, January 1. Part of the 1956–57 bowl game season, it matched the independent and eighth-ranked Syracuse Orangemen and #14 TCU Horned Frogs of the Southwest Conference (SWC). Favored TCU held on to win by a point, 28–27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 Cotton Bowl Classic</span> College football game

The 1960 Cotton Bowl Classic was the 24th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, January 1. Part of the 1959–60 bowl game season, it matched the independent and top-ranked Syracuse Orangemen and #4 Texas Longhorns of the Southwest Conference (SWC). The favored Orangemen won, 23–14.

The 1990 Aloha Bowl matched the Arizona Wildcats and the Syracuse Orangemen in their final games of the season.

The 1966 Gator Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game that featured the Tennessee Volunteers and the Syracuse Orangemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2016 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his eighth full year and ninth overall since taking over midway through 2008 season. They played their home games at Memorial Stadium, also known as "Death Valley", and competed in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers entered the 2016 season as the defending national runners-up after a 14–1 season that ended with a loss to Alabama in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship.

The 1989 Gator Bowl was held on December 30, 1989, at the Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The 14th-ranked Clemson Tigers defeated the 17th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers by a score of 27–7. For sponsorship reasons, the game was officially known as the Mazda Gator Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Memorial Stadium, also known as "Death Valley," and competed in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his tenth full year and 11th overall since taking over midway through 2008 season.

References

  1. "1996 Gator Bowl".