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Tangerine Bowl 1965
East Carolina 31 Maine 0 |
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Note: In 1964, the NCAA formally began sponsorship of college division bowl games. Before this, they had recognized the games, but offered no sponsorship. The games were played for regional championships and the site of the Eastern championship was Orlando, FL and the Tangerine Bowl. The Tangerine Bowl game itself had been played since 1947 and featured small college teams. The 1964 Eastern championship had been won by East Carolina State College of the Southern Conference, who edged the University of Massachusetts of the Yankee Conference, 14-13.
In 1965, East Carolina repeated as Southern Conference champions with an 8-1 finish. The season earned them a third straight bowl appearance and a chance to defend their Eastern Regional championship. Their opponent would be the University of Maine. The Black Bears would be making their first ever postseason appearance. Maine had won the Yankee Conference, having upset UMass in the season’s first game. The Bears lost their final game of the season to the University of Tampa on a fluke safety, 2-0, but were still awarded the Tangerine Bowl. Their season record was 8-1.
Today, the Tangerine Bowl is known as the Capital One Bowl and is played as a major New Years Day bowl game. Following the 1965 Tangerine Bowl, East Carolina made the jumped to the big college level. Today, ECU competes in Conference USA and has made numerous bowl appearances throughout the years, including New Year’s Day. For Maine, the 1965 Tangerine Bowl was their only bowl appearance. The Bears now still play at the college division level, in the Atlantic 10. But, every now and then, the echoes of the past can still be heard. In 2004, Maine, playing their first Division 1 opponent in 13 seasons, upset Mississippi State University in Starksville, MS.
ORLANDO-Injuries, heat and a good East Carolina club took their toll here Saturday as the defending Tangerine Bowl titlists won the NCAA East Coast small college grid championship by defeating the University of Maine, 31-0.
Injuring a leg in the first quarter after directing the Bears to the enemy 29 yard line, quarterback Dick Devarney returned in the third period only to suffer a shoulder separation with 1:25 to go in the third quarter.
He was taken to Orange Memorial Hospital here for treatment.
The water bucket and the oxygen tank were the two most popular items for the Maine club in the cloudy but humid environment. The Bears staged one penetration to the Pirate 23, but the Carolinians have a fine ball club that gradually wore down the northeast club, Tailback George Richardson was the key behind this one. His ball handling and passing were superb while Dave Alexander on the ground kept Maine in hot water much of the time. Alexander accounted for 170 yards over land.
Meanwhile, Maine’s defensive unit came up with another stellar performance headed by John Huard, named the outstanding defensive man of the game, and Al Riley. In fact, the defense had little time to rest by being in action for 80 plays. Only three times did Maine get more than three series of downs.
The Bears played their hearts out in the heat. East Carolina took the opening kick and got to the Mine 40 and was forced to punt. Devarney led his club back to the Tarheel 39 before it ran out of downs and the blue defense forced another punt. It was about even. The Bruins came right back with another drive, this time reaching the ECC 29 before losing possession. Then came Devarney’s first injury.
George Platter took over from there. The Pirates unloaded their first major attack early in the second period. Alexander and Richardson headed the surge that moved the ball half a yard away from a TD where Maine’s defensive unit held off.
On Maine’s third down, Hal Gleatti, a tiger on defense, stepped in to intercept a pass and get back to the Blue nine. Again, the defense starred with Bob Koscmiersky, another defensive standout, staging and interception of his own.
But the fates were against the Bears once more, a fumble was recovered by Mitch Cannon and State was set for another goal line bid. A 12 yard trip by Alexander and a nine yard toss to Tom Grant had the Pirates back to the one foot line. Platter threw them for a five yard loss, so in came the kicking specialist, Pete Kriz. He booted a field goal from 24 yards out.
The punting of Pete Norris played a big role for the Bears, average nearly 40 yards. He got a beaut away that seemed to get his club out of a jam, but Richardson again got his club on the move. Passes to Churchill Grimes and Ruff Odom started the drive, but it was a 35 yard aerial play to Jim Abernathy that paid off with the first touchdown with 1:28 to go in the half. Kriz added the soccer style kick for the point.
Maine took the kickoff and Platter led his club on a big drive of 60 yards. He almost hit Dennie Doyle on a pass play that was incomplete, but interference was called. He did complete one to Frank Harney that covered 45 yards, then found Paul Keany on a seven-yarder before Carolina defenses took over to get possession on downs. Charlie Belisle headed a blitz that opened the third period but Maine was forced to punt and the Pirates began a 71 yard scoring drive as the Bears began to wilt in the heat. Bill Bailey headed this one with Alexander adding some fine runs and climaxed the drive by going over right tackle to register. Kriz added the point.
A pass interception by Todd Hicks prevented Maine from getting something started and Carolina began another blast from its own 40. The versatile single wing found Alexander passing to Bailey. Ricahrdson connected with Norm Swindell, and again to Grimes on the payoff play, a five yarder with 3:58 left in the period.
A fumble recovery by Doug Avery gave Maine new life but Norris had to come in again for another punt.
Meanwhile, Devarney had entered the game only for a short stay before being injured the second time. The final tally came as a bombshell, Carolina shaking Alexander loose fro a 54 yard TD run.
Carolina had a good ball club, an explosive one that found a lot of trouble with Maine defenses.
Time after time, Huard broke through to make tackles to show why he was named Little All-America. Riley, Walt Hirst, Norm Tardiff with an injured leg, Kocsmiersky, Vern Walker, Ron Lanza and Bob Stolt among others led the defense. Belisle and Ivan Brawn geared Maine’s offense, but the loss of Devarney in his final game was a depressing one to all the Bears.
While Carolina’s brand of ball which is on the large college scale was good, the hot weather had all Maine men at the waterjug and oxygen tanks. They were out of their best playing climate by 25 degrees.
The Pirates are an explosive club and their varied offense kept the defending Bears busy. Alexander, who owns the bowl rushing record, was the top yardage man in this one.
They now move into the big college ranks and made their farewell to the small group a successful one. But, the Bears had nothing to be ashamed of given everything in this big one.
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| The captains shake hands at midfield before the game. | |
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| Frank Harney carries for Maine in the Tangerine Bowl. | |
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| When Devarney left the game, it was all but over for the Bears. | |
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| ECSC is now ECU and competes on the major college level. David Garrard is shown above. |
Marcus Williams helped the Black Bears upset Division I-A Mississippi State in 2004 |
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Attendance: 8350
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter ECC - FG Kriz 24 ECC - Abernathy 35 pass from Richardson (Kriz kick)
Third Quarter ECC - Alexander 1 run (Kriz kick) ECC - Grimes 5 pass from Alexander (Kriz kick)
Fourth Quarter ECC - Alexander 55 run (Kriz kick)
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Owen
Osborne-Bangor Daily News
