Sugar Bowl
1962
Alabama 10
Arkansas 3
Alabama’s defense proved genuine once again as the national collegiate football champs carved out a 10-3 victory over stubborn Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl classic here, January 1.
Alabama wasted no time in lighting up the scoreboard. With only eight minutes gone in the opening period, the Crimson Tide moved 79 yards, with Fullback Mike Fracchia’s 43 yard dash to the Porker’s 12 highlighting the march. Quarterback Pat Trammell, who called a near perfect game, carried the remainder of the way on a rollout.
A record crowd of 82,910 watched as Tim Davis booted a 32 yard field goal in the second period to put Alabama out in front, 10-0.
Coach Frank Broyles’ Razorbacks, finding it hard to puncture Bama’s granite like defense, cut the Tide’s lead to seven points when Mickey Cissell split the uprights with a 23 yard field goal in the third period.
Coach Bear Bryant, who guided the Red Elephants to a perfect season- 11-0 - was bubbling with joy.
“I thought it was a great game.” He said with a smile. “I’m as proud of them as if the score had been 100-0. Wee came to play. Our boys rose up real well and stopped them on the big plays.”
“Fracchia didn’t let them catch their breath with his shots up the middle and Trammell, like always, did whatever he had to do. Our boys did a good job stopping Lance Alworth. He’s a good competitor, but we just didn’t give him a chance today. If we had, it could have been a different ball game.”
Trammell, the Southeastern Conference total offensive leader the past season, repeatedly picked up yardage with his seemingly slow style of running.
However, the decisive factor was the hot pursuit of the Alabama line. The Crimson Tide, champs of the SEC, showed why they had the best defensive record in the country in 1961. They swarmed into the Arkansas backfield all afternoon. At the end of the first half, Bama halted a Porker drive on its own 10 and in the third period, halted the Wild Hogs on the seven.
Broyles was disappointed with his clubs offensive showing.
“We knew when we went into the game that we were going to have trouble grinding out yardage against this team.” He said. “But, we never thought it would be this hard.”
“We just couldn’t get our offense going. I guess the main reason was Alabama’s great defense. Bama’s offense was just what we expected- tough and aggressive. Our boys were tight and uneasy in the first half. That didn’t help, but when you’re playing the number one team in the nation, you expect that. In the second half, I thought we did a respectable job.”
The game ended almost like it started, on a note of high drama. It started when Arkansas surged down the field with Alworth catching a 31 yard pass from quarterback George McKinney on the Bama 43- only to fumble.
After failing to move the pigskin, Alabama punted to the Razorback’s 20 yard stripe. Two plays later, Arkansas was made beneficiary of a pass interference call that gave the Porkers the ball on the Tide 40. McKinney immediately went to the air again. This time he tossed one that barely eluded Alworth’s hands at the goal line.
Alabama knocked down another pass and then Butch Wilson jumped high to intercept a third and stepped out of bounds inches short of the goal. Trammell butted up the middle three times and failed to budge the Razorbacks’ line.
“We planned to give them a safety on fourth down.” Bryant said after the game. But, it proved unnecessary. Time ran out before the ball could be put into play again.
Asked if Alabama was a tough as Ole Miss or Texas, Broyles said, “I wouldn’t compare the three. All I can say is we had the unfortunate privilege of playing all three of them this season.
Pat Trammell (12) scores from 12 yards out for the games only touchdown in the first period
The stars of each team, Trammell (left) and Alworth (right)
Arkansas's Paul Dudley is brought down by Jimmy Wilson. Lance Alworth (23) attempts to block
The first of six national championships for Bear Bryant
Attendance: 82,910
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
UAL- Trammell
12 run (Davis kick)
Second Quarter
UAL- FG 32
Davis
Third Quarter
UAR- FG 23 Cissell
Individual
Statistics
Rushing
UAL- Wilson 5-23, Fracchia 20-123, Trammell 18-63
UAR- Dudley
6-35, Moody 8-25, Alworth 10-15
Passing
UAL- Trammell 4-10-20
UAR- McKinney
2-10-55
Receiving
UAL- Oliver 2-13, Clark 2-7
UAR- Alworth 2-55
