Larry Wachholtz interception | Photo courtesty of Orange Bowl Committee
Alabama 39
Nebraska 28
Jan. 1, 1966
Miami, FL
Alabama 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 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 int. 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.
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
OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR: 1, 2, 3
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAIL VARSITY (2015)
1965 NU ROSTER
SERIES HISTORY | NU BOWLS
'65 HONORS | '65 STATS