Alabama 39
Nebraska 28

Jan. 1, 1966 • 7 p.m. Central
Orange Bowl • Miami, FL • NBC
1st2nd3rd4th F 
Alabama7178739
Nebraska0761528
Larry Wachholtz interception
Courtesty of Orange Bowl Committee
Larry Wachholtz picks off a Crimson Tide pass.
Larry Wachholtz interception
Courtesy of Orange Bowl Committee
Larry Wachholtz picks off a Crimson Tide pass.
First Quarter
ALA: Ray Perkins 32 pass from Steve Sloan (Dave Ray kick) 9:36
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

                     ALA      NEB
First downs           29       17
  By rushing          14        6
  By passing          12       10
  By penalty           3        1
Rushes-Net Yds    57-222   24-145
Net Yds passing      296      232
  Comp-Att-Int   20-29-2  12-19-1
Total offense     86-518   43-377
Punts-Average     5-31.2   3-41.7
Fumbles-Lost         0-0      4-4
Penalized-Yds       8-62     8-86

RUSHING
ALA: Kelley 26-118; Bowman 21-85; Canterbury 7-19; Sloan 3-0.

NEB: Kirkland 7-67; Solich 4-27; Wilson 5-18; Duda 2-12; Gregory 2-12; Tatman 1-4; Winters 1-4; Churchich 2-1.

PASSING
ALA: Sloan 20-28-2 296.

NEB: Churchich 12-17-1 232; Duda 0-1-0 0.

RECEIVING
ALA: Perkins 9-159; Cook 3-34; Duncan 3-32; Homan 2-37; Bowman 1-21; Kelley 1-8; Tolleson 1-5.

NEB: White 4-61; Jeter 3-73; Gregory 2-55; Winters 2-42; Solich 1-1.

Attendance: 74,214

ADDITIONAL STATS

Coverage

Recap

Tide wrecks Huskers’ dream of national title

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 Bob 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 took 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 onside kicks, the first setting up an 18-yard field goal to give the Tide a 24-7 halftime bulge the Huskers simply couldn’t overcome.

FULL RECAP

Larry Wachholtz tackle
Larry Wachholtz lays a hard lick on Frank Canterbury. | Courtesy of Orange Bowl Committee
  • Larry Wachholtz tackle
     
    • Larry Wachholtz lays a hard lick on Frank Canterbury. | Courtesy of Orange Bowl Committee
Neb. sources
Omaha World-Herald
Lincoln Journal Star
Ala. Sources
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Anniston Star
Selma Times-Journal
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Miami News
Miami Herald
Sports Illustrated
Chicago Tribune
Associated Press
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Photos & Video
Photos
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Pregame & team info
1965 schedule
05/08Reds 33, Whites 27
09/18TCUW 34-14
09/25@ Air ForceW 27-17
10/02Iowa St.W 44-0
10/09WisconsinW 37-0
10/16@ Kansas St.W 41-0
10/23ColoradoW 38-13
10/30@ MissouriW 16-14
11/06KansasW 42-6
11/13@ Oklahoma St.W 21-17
11/25OklahomaW 21-9
01/01AlabamaL 28-39
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