1965 Orange Bowl

1965 Orange Bowl
31st Orange Bowl
1234 Total
Texas 71400 21
Alabama 0773 17
DateJanuary 1, 1965
Season1964
StadiumOrange Bowl
LocationMiami, Florida
MVPJoe Namath (Alabama QB)
FavoriteAlabama by 3 points[1]
RefereeE.D. Cavette (SEC;
split crew: SEC, SWC)
Attendance72,880
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersJim Simpson, Bud Wilkinson
Orange Bowl
 < 1964  1966

The 1965 Orange Bowl, part of the 1964–65 bowl season, was the 31st edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Friday, January 1. Part of the 1964–65 bowl season, It matched the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the #5 Texas Longhorns of the Southwest Conference (SWC). Texas built an early lead and won 21–17.[2][3][4]

This was the first Orange Bowl game played at night,[1][5] and the first live national network telecast of a college football game during prime time.[6] NBC acquired the television rights and the kickoff was moved to follow the network's Rose Bowl telecast, without competition from other bowls. It also was the first Orange Bowl in twelve years not to include a team from the Big Eight Conference.

Despite Alabama's loss they were still named co-national champions (along with Arkansas).

  1. ^ a b Land, Charles (January 1, 1965). "Tide, Texas in Orange Bowl battle". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 6.
  2. ^ Underwood, John (January 11, 1965). "Fabulous in defeat". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
  3. ^ "Alabama fell six inches short". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. January 3, 1965. p. 10.
  4. ^ "Tenacious Texas tops No.1 ranked Alabama". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1965. p. 1B.
  5. ^ "Orange Bowl". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 31, 1964. p. 12.
  6. ^ Vecsey, George (January 6, 2010). "Namath Has His Own Memories of '65". The New York Times. Retrieved January 19, 2016.