Nebraska 38
Alabama 6

Jan. 1, 1972 • 6:45 p.m. Central
Orange Bowl • Miami, FL • NBC
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Alabama00606
Nebraska14143738
First Quarter
NEB: Jeff Kinney 2 run (Rich Sanger kick wide) 2:01
NEB: Johnny Rodgers 77 punt return (Maury Damkroger, pass from Jerry Tagge) 0:00 
Second Quarter
NEB: Tagge 1 run (Sanger kick) 12:43
NEB: Gary Dixon 2 run (Sanger kick) 8:49  
Third Quarter
ALA: Terry Davis 3 run (run failed) 5:49 
NEB: Sanger 21 field goal 0:00
Fourth Quarter
NEB: Van Brownson 1 run (Sanger kick) 4:45

                             ALA      NEB 
First Downs ................. 16       15  
  Rushing ................... 13        9
  Passing .................... 3        5 
  Penalty .................... 0        1 
Rushes-Net Yards ........ 58-241   47-183
  Yards Gained ............. 290      201 
  Yards Lost ................ 49       18 
Net Yards Passing ........... 47      159 
  Passes Att-Comp-Int.... 13-3-2  20-11-0 
Total Offense plays-yds.. 71-288   67-342 
Interception returns-yds.... 0-0     2-30 
Punts-average ........... 7-43.3   5-42.4 
Punts returns-yards ......  4-36    6-136
Kickoff returns-yards .... 7-128      0-0 
Fumbles-lost ............... 5-2      3-2 
Penalties-yards ........... 4-58     4-50 

LEADING NU RUSHER: Jeff Kinney 20-99. 
LEADING NU PASSER: Jerry Tagge 11 for 19-159. 
LEADING NU RECEIVER: Johnny Rodgers 4-84. 
ATTENDANCE: 78,151

COMPLETE STATS

 

Coverage

Game recap

SI cover

Cornhuskers swamp the Tide for repeat title

The national championship showdown between No. 1 Nebraska and No. 2 Alabama barely got started before the powerful Cornhuskers erased all doubt.Nebraska led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 28-0 at halftime, en route to a 38-6 thrashing of the Crimson Tide.

Taking advantage of a Tide error, NU marched 47 yards in five plays for a 6-0 lead with 12:59 gone in the game. On the last play of the first quarter, Johnny Rodgers recorded another of his sensational punt returns, this time for 77 yards and a 14-0 lead.

Alabama fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and NU had to march only 27 yards to make it 21-0 with 2:17 gone in the second period.

FULL RECAP

Bob Devaney
Jerry List & Mike Beran give Bob Devaney a championship ride.
OWH & LJS
Alabama sources
Florida sources
More sources
Photos/Audio/Video
Pregame press
Game & team info
1971 schedule
05/08Reds 64, Whites 21
09/11OregonW 34-7
09/18MinnesotaW 35-7
09/25Texas A&MW 34-7
10/02Utah St.W 42-6
10/09@ MissouriW 36-0
10/16KansasW 55-0
10/23@ Oklahoma St.W 41-13
10/30ColoradoW 31-7
11/06Iowa St.W 37-0
11/13@ Kansas St.W 44-17
11/25@ OklahomaW 35-31
12/04@ HawaiiW 45-3
01/01AlabamaW 38-6
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