1969 Sun Bowl
36th edition
Georgia Bulldogs Nebraska Cornhuskers
(5–4–1) (8–2)
SEC Big Eight
6 45
Head coach: 
Vince Dooley		 Head coach: 
Bob Devaney
APCoaches
1412
1234 Total
Georgia 0006 6
Nebraska 1801413 45
DateDecember 20, 1969
Season1969
StadiumSun Bowl
LocationEl Paso, Texas
MVPPaul Rogers (Nebraska K)
FavoriteNebraska by 7 points[1]
RefereeVance Carlson (Big Eight;
split crew: Big Eight, SEC)
Attendance31,176
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersFrank Glieber, Don Perkins
Sun Bowl
 < 1968  1970 > 

The 1969 Sun Bowl was the 36th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, December 20. It featured the Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference and the fourteenth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference.[2][3][4]

Teams

Georgia

Main article: 1969 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Georgia was sixth in the Southeastern Conference; after a 5–1 start, the Bulldogs were winless in their last four games to finish the regular season at 5–4–1. It was their second appearance in the Sun Bowl; they won five years earlier.

Nebraska

Main article: 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The Cornhuskers finished as co-champions of the Big Eight Conference with Missouri after losing to them on October 11. While Missouri went to the Orange Bowl, Nebraska made its first appearance in the Sun Bowl.

Game summary

Ultimately, a favorable wind for one team and a long running quarter proved to be the outlines for victory. Nebraska's Paul Rogers kicked four field goals in the first quarter (50, 32, 42, 37) while also scoring a touchdown run by Jeff Kinney to make it 18–0 by the end of the first quarter. It was later determined by Sun Bowl officials that the first quarter had possibly run too long, in part due to a scoreclock malfunction.

While Georgia held the Huskers in the second quarter, Nebraska took back control in the third on two touchdowns, one from a Mike Green touchdown reception from Van Brownson, and the other on a Brownson touchdown run. Dan Schneiss made it 38–0 in the fourth on a touchdown plunge of his own. Paul Gilbert scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to get Georgia on the scoreboard. Reserve quarterback Jerry Tagge made the final score 45–6 on his 2-yard touchdown run.[2][3] For his kicking efforts, Rogers was named MVP.[5][6][7] The Huskers forced eight Georgia turnovers: two fumbles and six interceptions.

Nebraska finished 9–2 and climbed to eleventh in the final AP poll; Georgia fell to 5–5–1.

Scoring

First quarter

Second quarter

No scoring

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Source:[2][3][4]

Statistics

Statistics   Georgia   Nebraska
First downs 11 17
Rushing yards 55 190
Passing yards 130 165
Passes 11–35–6 18–35–2
Total yards 185 355
Return yardage 86 34
Fumbles–lost 2–2 1–0
Turnovers by 8 2
Punts–average 10–42.2 7–35.6
Penalties–yards 3–31 6–50
Source:[2]

Aftermath

Nebraska won national championships in the next two seasons and this was the first of six straight bowl wins, the last five in major bowls. The Huskers returned to the Sun Bowl in 1980 and Georgia in 1985.

References

  1. ^ "Nebraska-Georgia to play today in Sun Bowl Classic". Victoria Advocate. Texas). Associated Press. December 20, 1969. p. 1B.
  2. ^ a b c d "Nebraska's field goals, defense stops Georgia". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 21, 1969. p. 17.
  3. ^ a b c "Nebraska rips Georgia, 45-6". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. December 21, 1969. p. 2, section 4.
  4. ^ a b "Nebraska crushes Georgia, 45–6". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. December 21, 1969. p. 1, sports.
  5. ^ "Bowl History - Nebraska too much for Dogs in 1969 Sun Bowl" (PDF). grfx.cstv.com. p. 79. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Nebraska 45, Georgia 6 | Recaps – Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | December 31, 2021 | el Paso, Texas".
  7. ^ "1969 Sun Bowl".
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