1969 Liberty Bowl
11th Liberty Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Colorado Buffaloes
(6–4) (7–3)
SEC Big Eight
33 47
Head coach: 
Bear Bryant		 Head coach: 
Eddie Crowder
1234 Total
Alabama 019140 33
Colorado 1021016 47
DateDecember 13, 1969
Season1969
StadiumMemphis Memorial Stadium
LocationMemphis, Tennessee
MVPBobby Anderson, Colorado TB
FavoriteColorado by 1[1]
Attendance50,144
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC
AnnouncersChris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson

The 1969 Liberty Bowl, part of the 1969 bowl game season, took place on Saturday, December 13, at Memphis Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The competing teams in the eleventh edition of the Liberty Bowl were the Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Colorado Buffaloes of the Big Eight Conference.[1][2] Favored by a point,[1] Colorado won 47–33.[3][4]

Teams

Alabama

Alabama finished the regular season with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, LSU, and Auburn to compile a 6–4 record. Following their victory over Miami, the Crimson Tide accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl on November 17.[5] The appearance marked the second for Alabama in the Liberty Bowl, and their 23rd overall bowl game.

Colorado

Colorado lost to Penn State, Oklahoma, and Nebraska to compile a 7–3 record in the regular season. Following their victory over Kansas State, the Buffaloes accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl on November 22.[6] It was the first Liberty Bowl for Colorado and their fifth bowl appearance.

Game summary

The game kicked off shortly after 12:20 pm CST.[1][2]

In a game dominated by both offenses, Colorado took a 10–0 first quarter lead. Ward Walsh scored first on a 13-yard touchdown run and Dave Haney connected on a 30-yard field goal for the Buffaloes.[3] Early in the second quarter, Colorado extended their lead to 17–0 after a three-yard Bobby Anderson touchdown run. Alabama responded with touchdown runs of 31-yards from Scott Hunter and six-yards from George Ranager to cut the lead to 17–13.[3] With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Walsh scored again on 15-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing drive, Alabama responded with a two-yard Johnny Musso touchdown run to make the score 24–19.[3] However, the following kickoff was returned 91-yards by Steve Engel to give the Buffaloes a 31–19 lead at the half.[3]

In the third quarter, Alabama took their only lead of the game following a pair of Neb Hayden touchdown passes; the first came on a 55-yard reception by Griff Langston and the second on a ten-yard reception by Musso to give the Crimson Tide a 33–31 lead.[3] Colorado then scored 16 fourth quarter points to seal the 47–33 victory with a pair of Anderson touchdown runs and a safety made when Bill Brundige and Herb Orvis sacked Hayden in the endzone.[3]

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP Alabama Colorado
1 11:36 Colorado Ward Walsh 13-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good 0 7
1 4:54 Colorado 30-yard field goal by Dave Haney 0 10
2 12:38 Colorado Bobby Anderson 3-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good 0 17
2 10:13 Alabama Scott Hunter 31-yard touchdown run, Oran Buck kick good 7 17
2 4:49 Alabama George Ranager 6-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass incomplete 13 17
2 2:38 Colorado Ward Walsh 15-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good 13 24
2 1:01 Alabama Johnny Musso 2-yard touchdown run, 2-point run failed 19 24
2 0:46 Colorado Steve Engel 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Dave Haney kick good 19 31
3 13:39 Alabama Griff Langston 55-yard touchdown reception from Neb Hayden, Oran Buck kick good 26 31
3 7:47 Alabama Johnny Musso 10-yard touchdown reception from Neb Hayden, Oran Buck kick good 33 31
4 10:57 Colorado Bobby Anderson 2-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good 33 38
4 2:48 Colorado Neb Hayden tackled in end zone for a safety by Bill Brundige and Herb Orvis 33 40
4 0:45 Colorado Bobby Anderson 3-yard touchdown run, Dave Haney kick good 33 47
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 33 47

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Colorado favored to drop Alabama". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 12, 1969. p. 22.
  2. 1 2 Land, Charles (December 12, 1969). "Offense big thing for Tide". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Land, Charles (December 14, 1969). "Buffaloes rumble past Tide, 47–33". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 1. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  4. ↑ Shearer, Ed (December 14, 1969). "Anderson-powered Buffaloes beat Tide". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1B.
  5. ↑ Land, Charles (November 17, 1969). "Crimson Tide, Auburn to play in bowl games". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Colorado to face Tide in Liberty". The Florence Times. (Alabama). UPI. November 23, 1969. p. 13. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
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