1988 Sugar Bowl

1988 USF&G Sugar Bowl
54th edition
Auburn Tigers Syracuse Orangemen
(9–1–1) (11–0)
SEC Independent
16 16
Head coach: 
Pat Dye		 Head coach: 
Dick MacPherson
APCoaches
66
APCoaches
44
1234 Total
Auburn 7306 16
Syracuse 0736 16
DateJanuary 1, 1988
Season1987
StadiumLouisiana Superdome
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
MVPDon McPherson (Syracuse QB)
FavoriteAuburn by 2½ points[1]
RefereeJohn McClintock (Big Eight)
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC
AnnouncersKeith Jackson (Play by Play) Bob Griese (Color)
Mike Adamle (Sideline)
Sugar Bowl
 < 1987  1989 > 

The 1988 Sugar Bowl was the 54th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday, January 1. Part of the 1987–88 bowl game season, it featured sixth-ranked Auburn Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the undefeated #4 Syracuse Orangemen, an independent.[1][2]

The game ended in a 16–16 tie after slightly-favored Auburn made a thirty-yard field goal in the final seconds.[3][4][5][6] It is the only tie in Sugar Bowl history.[7]

  1. ^ a b Bouchette, Ed (January 1, 1988). "One goal out of Syracuse's reach". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 27.
  2. ^ Oates, Bob (January 1, 1988). "Orange looking for 12-0 season". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 3D.
  3. ^ Bouchette, Ed (January 2, 1988). "Syracuse fit to be tied with 16-16 Sugar Bowl outcome". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  4. ^ Oates, Bob (January 2, 1988). "Dye settles for a tie with Syracuse". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 3B.
  5. ^ Shearer, Ed (January 2, 1988). "Last play FG allows Auburn to tie Syracuse". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. p. 1B.
  6. ^ Goldgerg, Dave (January 2, 1988). "Tigers' Searels upset with decision to tie". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. p. 14.
  7. ^ "Turn Back the Clock to 1988: Syracuse Left Fuming By Auburn Decision". Sugar Bowl. October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.