Official recap
The Crimson Tide exploded dramatically in the second quarter to open a 24-7 halftime lead and then rolled for a shocking 39-28 decision in the Orange Bowl.
The stage had been set for all the national marbles. No. 1 Michigan State had been upset by UCLA and No. 2 Arkansas had been upset by LSU, leaving No. 3 Nebraska as the only unbeaten power.
When the firing stopped, the Cornhuskers had become the third unbeaten team of the day to fall, and Alabama was able to jump from its pre-game No. 4 ranking to a second straight national title.
Alabama led 7-0 midway through the first quarter as quarterback Steve Sloan warmed up for a brilliant aerial performance with a 21-yard TD pitch to Ray Perkins. Nebraska countered early in the second quarter as Bobby Churchich came off the bench to launch a brilliant aerial show of his own. Churchich tossed a 33-yard TD strike to All America end Tony Jeter to even the count at 7-7.
Nebraska's defense forced Alabama to punt from its own 10, but a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Tide a new lease and Alabama used the break to good advantage — Sloan passing the Tide the length of the field for the go-ahead TD.
It was the same story the next time the Tide got the ball, a 93-yard aerial drive that gave Alabama a 21-7 lead with 1:42 left in the half. This set the stage for two straight successful Alabama on-side kicks, the first setting up an 18-yard field goal to give the Tide a 24-7 halftime bulge that the Cornhuskers simply couldn't overcome.
COMPLETE RECAP
OWH STORY & PHOTOS
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
1965 NU ROSTER
SERIES HISTORY | NU BOWLS
'65 HONORS | '65 STATS
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Alabama 39
Nebraska 28
Jan. 1, 1966
Miami, FLAlabama 7 17 8 7 - 39
Nebraska 0 7 6 15 - 28
First Quarter
ALA - Ray Perkins 32 pass from Steve Sloan
(Dave Ray kick), 9:36 remaining.
Second Quarter
NEB - Tony Jeter 33 pass from Bob Churchich
(Larry Wachholtz kick), 12:15.
ALA - Les Kelley 4 run (Ray kick), 7:11.
ALA - Perkins 11 pass from Sloan (Ray kick), 1:42.
ALA - FG Ray 18, 0:34.
Third Quarter
NEB - Ben Gregory 49 pass from Churchich
(pass failed), 9:35.
ALA - Steve Bowman 1 run (Perkins pass from Sloan), 4:29.
Fourth Quarter
NEB - Churchich 1 run (Wachholtz kick), 14.58.
ALA - Bowman 3 run (Ray kick), 8:13.
NEB - Jeter 14 pass from Churchich
(Gregory pass from Churchich), 2:50.
Attendance: 74,214.
ALA NEB
14 First downs rushing 6
12 First downs passing 10
3 First downs penalties 1
29*** Total first downs 17
57 Rushing plays 24
225 Yards gained rushing 146
3 Yards lost rushing 1
222 Net yards gained rushing 145
29 Forward passes tried 19
20 Forward passes completed 12
296 Yards gained passing 232
518 Net yards rushing & passing 377
2 Own forward passes intercepted 1
0 Yards returned intercepted passes 16
5 Number of punts 3
31.2 Average yards punts 41.7
62 Yards returned all kicks 138
0 Fumbles 4
0 Fumbles Lost 4
8 Number of Penalties 8
62 Yards penalized 86
25 Long Rushing play 27
39 Long passing play 49
***Orange Bowl Record
RUSHING
ALABAMA No. Gained Lost Net Avg. Long
Kelley 26 118 0 118 4.5 25
Bowman 21 86 1 85 4.0 19
Canterbury 7 19 0 19 2.7 7
Sloan. 3 2 2 0 0.0 2
NEBRASKA
Kirkland 7 67 0 67 9.6 27
Solich 4 27 0 27 6.8 12
Wilson 5 19 1 18 3.6 8
Duda 2 12 0 12 6.0 9
Gregory 2 12 0 12 6.0 7
Tatman 1 4 0 4 4.0 4
Winters 1 4 0 4 4.0 4
Churchich 2 1 0 1 0.5 1
PASSING
ALABAMA Att. Cmp. Int. Yards Long TD
Sloan 28 20** 2 296** 39 2
NEBRASKA
Churchich 17 12 1 232 49 3+
Duda 2 0 0 0 0 0
PASS RECEIVING
ALABAMA No. Yds Long TD
Perkins 9 159 39 2+
Cook 3 34 15 0
Duncan 3 32 17 0
Homan 2 37 31 0
Bowman 1 21 21 0
Kelley 1 8 8 0
Tolleson 1 5 5 0
NEBRASKA
White 4 61 20 0
Jeter 3 73 33 2+
Gregory 2 55 49 1
Winters 2 42 22 0
Solich 1 1 1 0
PUNTING No. Yds Avg. Long
Davis (A) 5 156 31.2 40
Kuehl (N) 3 125 41.7 48
PUNT RETURNS No. Yds Long
Kelley (A) 1 23 23
Moseley (A) 1 11 11
Wachholtz (N) 1 3 3
Poggemeyer (N) 1 5 5
KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Long
Kelley (A) 1 17 17
Homan (A) 1 11 11
Solich (N) 4 130 66
MISC. PLAYS Type of Play Yds
Wachholtz (N) Interception 16
Carstens (N) Interception 0
Crane (A) Interception 0
**Orange Bowl Game Record
+ Equals Orange Bowl Game Record
PARTICIPATION
ALABAMA
(Offense)
Ends—Perkins, Cook, Tolleson, Brewer, Shankles
Tackles—Duncan, Dowdy, Thompson (L.), Johnson, Rustin
Guards—Calvert, Stephens, Bruce, Carroll
Centers—Crane, Killgore
Backs—Sloan, Kelley, Homan, Bowman, Busbee, Stabler, Davis (Steve), Raburn
(Defense)
Ends—McLeod, Gilmer, Harris, Newbill
Tackles—Sullivan, Cole, Sides
Guards—Somerville, Byrd, Harpole, Morris
Linebackers—Trimble, Bates, Sherrill,
Chatwood, Moss, Bedwell, Stewart
Backs—Ray, Johns, Mosley, Reitz, Canterbury, Propst, McLeod
NEBRASKA
(Offense)
Ends—Jeter, White Richnafsky
Tackles—Carlson, Brown, Brichacek, Taucher
Guards—Allers, Osberg, Kudrna, McCord
Centers—Peterson, Drum
Backs—Duda, Kirkland, Wilson, Solich, Churchich, Wachholtz, Gregory,
Tatman, Kuehl, Weber, Winters
(Defense)
Ends—Janik, Coleman (L.), Patton, Zimmer
Tackles—Czap, Barnes, Strohmyer, Stith
Guards—Meylan, Murphy
Linebackers—Kennedy, Senkbeil, Alvarez, Coleman (R.)
Backs—Johnson, Carstens, Mueller, Poggemeyer, Vactor, Thorell
OFFICIALS
Morris Harrison, Atlanta, referee; George Morris, Columbus (Ga.), linesman;
Jack Langford, Atlanta, timer; John Miskovsky, Oklahoma City, umpire; Marcus
Rosky, Des Moines, field judge; Kenneth Pryor, Bartlesville (Okla.), back judge.
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