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Orange Bowl 1965
Texas 21 Alabama 17
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The 220-pound Koy raced 79 yards to a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the first quarter. Less than five minutes later Hudson, a former safety man who never played on the offense until this year, shot a soaring 69-yard scoring pass to end George Sauer.
These were the blows that put the No. I ranked and previously unbeaten Crimson Tide in a hole from which they never recovered, although with less than six minutes to play the champions rammed their way to the Texas one-half yard line and could go no farther.
Here Texas stiffened and three times the nation's fifth best defense threw back fullback Steve Bowman and thwarted a quarterback sneak by Namath.
It was a heart-breaking defeat for Namath, playing in tennis sneakers on a leg that throbbed with pain on every throw.
Setting an Orange Bowl record with 18 completions, he passed the Texans dizzy with short bullet heaves and long soaring spirals true to the mark to move into scoring territory. But it was Texas' night.
Namath was voted the game's most valuable player, beating out the hard-running and ever potent Koy.
Namath played three-fourths of the game with a ripped cartilage in his right knee, reinjured in Monday's practice.
"The pain was awful every time I tried a long one.” he said.
Texas third and winning touchdown came with 27 second half after the recovery of a fumble on the Alabama 38. Koy smashed over from the one.
Namath marshaled two comeback drives of 87 and 63 yards- the first midway of the second period and the second in the third period.
The first scoring play was a seven-yarder to halfback Wayne Trimble in the end zone and the second was a 20-yard bullet to end Ray Perkins.
Alabama moved 30 yards to the 16 early in the fourth period and settled for a 26-yard field goal by ace placekicker David Ray.
Coach Paul (Bear) Bryant and his Alabama partisans in the sellout crowd of 72,017 appeared supremely confident that Namath, with his golden arm that has drawn the biggest pro offer in history, would be able to score another touchdown.
This confidence appeared well-founded when Namath, now almost arrogant with the ease in which he operated, shot passes to big Ray Ogden and Bowman and moved the ball to the six with first down and goal to go.
Bowman slammed to the three. Then he went to the two. The little fullback was sent into the middle to the one. Then Namath tried a quarterback sneak. Texas' defense held.
Moments later, when Alabama swarmed into the offensive again, Pete Lammons, who played a titanic role for Texas on defense, snared a pass on the Texas 32, and that was the ball game. There was less than three minutes to play and time ran out for Alabama.
Namath completed 18 of 37 passes for 255 yards, and no player in the history of this bowl game has ever hit as many.
He broke the record of 17 set by Frank Broyles of Georgia Tech against Tulsa in 1945 and Pat Stark of Syracuse against Alabama in 1953.
Koy, son of a former major league baseball player, was the leading ground gainer of the game. He ran for 145 yards in 24 tries for a 5.5 average.
Alabama's leading ground gainer was Bowman, with 23 yards in 10 carries. This gave and indication of the might of the Texas defense, rated fifth best in the country on the ground.
Hudson, the Texas sub-quarterback went into the game when No. 1 signal caller Marvin Kristynik failed to get the team moving, threw 13 times for 101 yards.
Steve Sloan, who started the game at quarterback for Alabama on a fragile knee hurt in the season's final game, threw seven times for 43 yards. He and Namath threw 44 passes between them- an Orange Bowl record.
The victory by once-beaten Texas, the national champions year ago, continued the long time jinx over Alabama and Bryant. Alabama has never beaten a Texas team. This was victory No. 5, with one game ending in a tie. It was Texas Coach Darrell Royal’s second victory over Bryant, who has never beaten him. |
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Ernie Koy, on the cover Sports Illustrated, rushed for 145 yards. |
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Joe Namath hands off to Steve Bowman on fateful Longhorn goal line stand. |
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Namath threw for 255 yards and was the game's MVP. |
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Attendance- 72,017
Scoring Summary
First Quarter UT- Koy 79 run (Conway kick)
Second Quarter UT- Sauer 69 yard pass from Hudson (Conway kick) UA- Trimble 7 yard pass from Namath (Ray kick) UT: Koy 1 run (Conway kick)
Third Quarter UA- Perkins 20 yard pass from Namath (Ray kick)
Fourth Quarter UA- FG Ray 24
Individual Statistics
Rushing |
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MIAMI
(AP) Texas' workhorse Ernie Koy and sub-quarterback Jim Hudson rocked
national champion Alabama with two sledgehammer blows in the first 20
minutes, but the Longhorns had to weather a dazzling air assault by
injured Joe Namath for a 21-17 victory Friday night in the first Orange
Bowl football game under the lights.
