Whenever the #1 and #2 teams in college football meet in a regular season game, that game is nicknamed the "Game of the Century".
Such was the case on December 6, 1969 when #1 Texas traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on #2 Arkansas, in a game that not only would determine who would win the Southwest Conference title and earn a trip to the Cotton Bowl, but also be one win away from a possible national championship.
The game was originally scheduled to take place on October 18th but ABC media director Beano Cook persuaded both teams to move the game to December 6th not only because Texas and Arkansas had combined to go to eight of the previous 10 Cotton Bowls, but he had a feeling that both teams would the game undefeated.
With some help from ABC's Roone Aldridge, the game was moved and Cook's feeling that both teams would be undefeated proved to be correct as both teams entered with identical 9-0 records.
The Longhorns were ranked #1 and were led by head coach Darrell Royal, who was in his 13th season as the head coach of the Longhorns having led Texas to a national championship in 1963.
The Longhorns had become the #1 team in the country on the strength of their offense, a wishbone option offense led by junior quarterback James Street which averaged 44 points per game, which was also tops in college football.
Meanwhile, the Razorbacks entered the "Game of the Century" ranked #2 behind head coach Frank Broyles, who was in his 12th season as the head coach of the Razorbacks.
While the Longhorns had a run-oriented offense, the Razorbacks used a pro-style passing offense led by quarterback Bill Montgomery and bolstered the best defense in the country whose average entering the Texas game was only 6.8 points per game.
If the game needed more hope, President Richard Nixon announced he would be attending the game to present the winner of the game with a plaque to commemorate the victory.
In front of 47,500 fans at Razorback Stadium and an audience of over 50 million television viewers, Texas and Arkansas met in the "Game of the Century".
Texas got the ball to start the game but gave it right back to the Razorbacks when halfback Ted Koy dropped a handoff from Street on the second play from scrimmage, leading to a fumble that was recovered by Arkansas defensive back Bobby Field at the Longhorns' 22-yard-line.
Arkansas would come out throwing as Montgomery threw two straight incomplete passes before hitting flanker John Rees for a 20-yard gain on 3rd & 10 to set up 1st & goal from the two-yard-line.
Halfback Bill Burnett would carry the ball on the next two plays with the second carry being an one-yard touchdown to give Arkansas a 7-0 lead just 87 seconds into the game.
Texas would respond with a drive into Arkansas territory as they drove from their 20-yard-line to the Razorbacks' 46-yard-line until Street was picked off on a deep pass intended for Cotton Speyrer by Arkansas defensive back Terry Stewart to give the ball back to the Hogs at their eight-yard-line.
From there, the Razorbacks would drive down to the Texas 26-yard-line as Montgomery connected with Chuck Dicus three times for 46 yards before throwing an apparent 26-yard touchdown pass to Dicus, only to have nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty on Rees, pushing Arkansas back to the Longhorns' 41-yard-line.
Montgomery would then be sacked for a 24-yard-loss pushing the Razorbacks all the way back to their 35-yard-line as they would be forced to punt the ball away after failing to convert on 3rd & 49.
 |
| Arkansas quarterback Bill Montgomery would complete 14 of 22 passes for 205 yards and threw one touchdown and two interceptions. |
The two teams would exchange punts as the game moved into the second quarter when the Razorbacks drove from their 20-yard-line to the Texas 37-yard-line, only to have Montgomery be sacked by Longhorns defensive tackle Carl White for a 10-yard-loss which to kill the drive and force another Arkansas punt.
Taking over at their 18-yard-line, the Longhorns would run the ball 15 straight times, picking up 49 yards as they drove to the Arkansas 31-yard-line where they were faced with a 4th & 5.
Royal decided to go for the 1st down, bolstered by the fact that the Longhorns had converted on a 4th & 2 just a few plays earlier.
However, lightning would not strike twice as Arkansas linebacker Cliff Powell penetrated the Texas backfield and forced Street to throw a quick pass which fell incomplete, giving the ball back to the Razorbacks with 1:38 left in the first half.
The Razorbacks were content going into the locker room with a 7-0 lead as they ran the ball three straight times before having to punt with just a few seconds left before halftime.
That is when Longhorns defensive end Bill Zapalac bursted through to block the punt and recover it at the Arkansas 22-yard-line only to have time run out before the Longhorns could come out and try a field goal, allowing the Razorbacks to escape with a 7-0 halftime lead.
Texas would get the ball to start the second half but like in the first half gave it right back to the Razorbacks as Speyrer fumbled on the opening kickoff, which was recovered by Arkansas' Paul Blevins at the Longhorns' 38-yard-line.
However, the Texas defense would force a three-and-out to give their offense the ball back at the Longhorns' 20-yard-line until Speyrer fumbled the ball again, this time after an completed pass which was recovered by the Razorbacks at their 47-yard-line.
It looked like the Longhorns were going to force another three-and-out as the Razorbacks were faced with a 3rd & 7 until Montgomery scrambled for 19 yards and a 1st down at the Texas 31-yard-line.
Then after a two-yard run by Bill Burnett, Montgomery threw a pass to Dicus, who made the catch at the Texas' 10-yard-line, then run into the end zone untouched to complete a 29-yard touchdown which extended the Razorbacks' lead to 14-0 with 9:06 left in the third quarter.
The Longhorns would drive into Arkansas territory on their ensuing possession but would turn the ball over for the third time in the third quarter as Street was picked off by Razorbacks safety Dennis Berner to give Arkansas the ball at their 23-yard-line.
The Razorbacks would drive to the Texas 37-yard-line until a sack of Montgomery cost Arkansas five yards and forced another punt which landed in the end zone for a touchback to give the Longhorns the ball at their 20-yard-line.
The Longhorns would drive to the Arkansas 42-yard-line in eight plays as the third quarter came to a close with Texas still trailing 14-0 as the final 15 minutes began.
That is when Street took the ball around the left side and then cut back across the field to run for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 14-6 just 13 seconds into the 4th quarter.
Royal decided to go for two following the touchdown, which was successful as Street again ran around the left side for the two-point conversion to make it 14-8.
 |
| Texas quarterback James Street would account for 197 yards of total offense as he threw for 124 on 6-of-10 passes and ran for 73 yards on eight carries. |
The Razorbacks would begin its next possession at their 20-yard-line as Montgomery would connect with Dicus on two passes for 40 yards to lead Arkansas into Texas territory as the Razorbacks drove to the Texas' nine-yard-line where the Hogs had 1st & goal.
After a two-yard run by Burnett and an incomplete pass, the Razorbacks were faced with a 3rd & goal at the Texas seven-yard-line when Montgomery dropped back to pass, only to be intercepted in the end zone by Texas cornerback Danny Lester, who returned it back to the Texas 20-yard-line to give the ball back to the offense but more importantly keeping it an one-score game at 14-8 with 10:45 left in the game.
The Longhorns would drive to the Arkansas 38-yard-line when on 3rd & 3, All-American defensive tackle Dick Bumpus hit Street as he was about to pitch the ball to Koy, leading a fumble that was recovered by the Razorbacks' Gordon McNulty to give Arkansas the ball at its 42-yard-line after the sixth Texas turnover of the game.
The Texas defense would force a three-and-out to give the Longhorns the ball back at their 36-yard-line midway through the 4th quarter.
Three straight runs by fullback Steve Worster picked up seven yards leading to a 4th & 3 situation at the Longhorns' 43-yard-line with 4:43 remaining when Texas called timeout.
On the sidelines, Royal huddled with his quarterback and told Street to call "Right 53 Veer Pass" a deep pass intended for tight end Randy Peschel, causing Street to ask Royal "Are you sure that's the call you want?" to which Royal replied "Damn right I'm sure!".
Street took the snap, dropped back, and fired a pass down the left side for Peschel, who made an over-the-shoulder catch despite double coverage for a 44-yard completion and a 1st down at the Arkansas 13-yard-line.
After a two-yard run by Koy on 1st down, Street handed the ball off to fullback Jim Bertlesen who ran it in for a 11-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14.
Texas kicker Happy Feller would come on to kick the all important extra points to give the Longhorns a 15-14 lead with just 3:58 to play.
The Razorbacks took over at their 20-yard-line as Montgomery connected with Dicus on two passes for nine yards while also throwing an incomplete pass to set up a 4th & 1 at the Arkansas 29-yard-line.
Montgomery would hand the ball off to Burnett, who picked up the first down on a two-yard run, as Montgomery went back to the air on the following play, hitting Burnett for nine yards, which was followed by a two-yard-run by Montgomery to give the Razorbacks a 1st down at their 42-yard-line with 2:21 to go.
Then after a two-yard run by Bruce Maxwell, Montgomery connected with Burnett on back-to-back passes that gained 17 yards to put the Razorbacks at the Longhorns' 39-yard-line when Montgomery tried throw a pass to Rees that would put Arkansas in field goal range, only to have Texas cornerback Dan Campbell pick it off at the Longhorns' 21-yard-line with 1:13 to go.
The Longhorns would run out the clock to come away with the 15-14 win as to clinch the Southwest Conference Championship and a trip to the Cotton Bowl, but more importantly keep their undefeated season in tact as they moved to 10-0 while the Razorbacks dropped to 9-1.
As the Longhorns celebrated the win in the locker room, they were visited by President Nixon who presented them with a plaque and proclaimed Texas as the national champions, causing a major controversy as the national championship would not be determined until after all the bowl games had been played.
Plus, Penn State was ranked #3 and also undefeated as they were set to play Missouri in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.
In the end, Texas would finish #1 in the final AP poll as they came back to defeat Notre Dame 21-17 in the Cotton Bowl to claim the national championship despite Penn State's 10-3 win over Missouri in the Orange Bowl.
 |
| President Richard Nixon presents Texas head coach Darrell Royal with the "national championship" plaque following the Longhorns win in the "Game of the Century". |
No comments:
Post a Comment