1970 NCAA Tournament
The 1970 Tournament was based on the final UPI rankings. The first round featured half the games being won by the lower seed, but seeds 1 thru 4 all advanced. In the Elite Eight, The top three teams moved on, but #9 Auburn went into Tennessee and stunned the #4 Vols. The semi finals were #9 Auburn at #1 Texas and #3 Nebraska at #2 Ohio State. Both Auburn and Nebraska won easily, setting up a Championship game in the Rose Bowl between the Tigers and the Cornhuskers.
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National Semi Final #1 (Auburn Tigers at Texas Longhorns)
December 26, 1970 @ Memorial Stadium, Temp 31, Clear Skies, No wind
The Auburn Tigers scored on three of their first four possesions, bulding a 20-0 lead and never looking back. With just over four minutes to play in the opening quarter, Pat Sullivan connected on a 36yd TD pass to Mickey Zofko. On the 2nd play from scrimmage on the ensuing Texas possesion, Eddie Phillips dropped the snap and Morell Jenkins recovered for Auburn at the Longhorn 32yd line. Two plays later Terry Henly ran 29yds for a score. Gardner Jett missed the extra point, and it was 13-0 Auburn.
The Longhorns regrouped on their next drive an were threatening to score, having moved to the Auburn 22yd line just as the 2nd quarter was underway. However the drive was snuffed out when on 4th and four, Phillips pass for Danny Kay Lester was picked off by Ronnie Ross. Auburn converted the turnover into points when Sullivan and Zofko hooked up again, this time a 10yd scoring pass making the score 20-0. Texas again responded with a good drive and this time cashed in as Phillips ran in from 4yds out. It was 20-7, and that would be the score as the teams headed into the locker room at halftime. Auburn took the 2nd half kick and went right down the field, but just when it looked like they were going to add to their lead, the Longhorns came up with a big turnover when Stan Mauldin interecepted Sullivan in the endzone. Again Sullivan was going to Zofko, but Texas had it sniffed out. For the rest of the game the defenses took over and neither team really came remotely close to scoring. Finally, with just under seven minutes to play, Sullivan threw his 3rd TD pass of the day. This one a 36yd strike to Terry Beasley. It was 27-7 and that would be the final. MVP: Pat Sullivan QB, AUB - 321yds, 3TD |
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National Semi Final #2 (Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio State Buckeyes)
December 26, 1970 @ Ohio Stadium, Temp 29, Cloudy, Wind 6 mph - crosswind
The Buckeyes struck first. After forcing a three and out on Nebraska's opening possesion, Leo Hayden busted out on a 3rd and one play for 35yds and Touchdown giving OSU an early 7-0 lead.
On the Huskers next possesion kicker Paul Rogers missed on a 41yd field goal try. After the teams swapped punts Nebraska found the paydirt early in the 2nd quarter. Van Brownson and Guy Ingles hooked up on a 43yd pass play. Rogers missed the extra point, so OSU stayed in front 7-6. OSU quarterback Ron Maciejowski was interecepted on the next Buckeye drive. Nebraska converted that turnover into three points as Rogers finally made a kick, this one a 34yd field goal putting the Huskers up 9-7. Late in the 3rd OSU's other quarterback, Rex Kern had the Buckeyes into Nebraska territory, but on a 4th and seven, he was intercepted by Bill Kosch. Kosch returned the pick to the Nebraska 45yd line. With only 1:44 on the clock, it looked like Nebraska would run out the clock and take their lead into the locker room. But, Brownson came out throwing and three completions had the Huskers at the OSU 34yd line. Then on a 2nd down, Brownson found a streaking Johnny Rodgers wide open. Rodgers coasted into the end zone and just like that, Nebraska took a 16-7 lead into halftime. The 3rd quarter featured neither team really sustaining any offense let alone a scoring threat. The 4th quarter began with Nebraska having the ball at their own 40yd line. Nebraska moved the ball a little then got a big Pass Interference penalty on the Buckeyes to help a lot. Brownson then found Phil Harvey for a short 5yd TD pass and it was 23-7 Huskers and just over 13 minutes left to play. The Buckeyes responded in part to a long 66yd run by John Brockington that set them up at the Huskers 11yd line. Hayden then scored his 2nd TD of the game and it was 23-14. The Buckeyes forced a three and out and got the ball back on their own 46yd line. They drove to the Huskers 25yd line but Kern tried to force a pass into Bruce Jankowski that was picked off by Jim Anderson ending the threat. It took the Huskers just two more plays to ice the game. First Rodgers hauled in a pass for a 64yd gain to the OSU 15yd line. The next play Brownson hit Jerry List for a 15yd TD and it was 30-14. Jeff Kinney added a late 7yd TD run to put the final score at 36-14. MVP: Van Brownson QB, NEB - 245yds, 4TD |
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National Championship (Auburn Tigers vs Nebraska Cornhuskers)
January 2, 1971 @ The Rose Bowl, Temp 62, Clear Skies, Wind 5 mph - slight crosswind
Auburn received the opening kick and drove to the Nebraska 28yd line before stalling. Gardner Jett came on an shanked a 45yd field goal try, keeping the game scoreless. Nebraska was able to pick up one first down before having to punt. Jeff Hughes delivered and excellent punt, pinning Auburn back at their 5yd line. Auburn responded with a 17 play, 95 yard drive capped by a Pat Sullivan 1yd sneak into the endzone just as the first quarter expired. 7-0 Auburn after one.
The two teams swapped punts but then Nebraska tied the game on a Jerry Tagge to Johnny Rodgers 17yd scoring pass. With 9:29 left in the half the game is tied up at 7-7. Auburn responded by moving the ball to around midfield before having to punt. David Beverly's punt was a great one. The ball bounced out at the Huskers 1yd line. On first down Nebraska gave the ball to Frank Vactor on an inside run. He was stuffed and knocked backwards down in the end zone for a safety, giving Auburn a 9-7 lead. The Tigers got the ball back via a free kick and started with great field position at their own 47yd line. After a first down run by Tommy Lowry, Auburn called a play-action pass. The fake worked as the Nebraska defenders bit, allowing Alvin Bresler to get behind the defense. Sullivan hit him in stride for a 49yd TD pass. In a minute and three seconds Auburn scores nine points to lead 16-7. Nebraska was able to get a 41yd Paul Rogers field goal before halftime making it a 16-10 game at the half. Nebraska recieved the 2nd half kick off and two plays later Tagge fumbled the ball and Auburn recovered at the Nebraska 18yd line. Wallace Clark ran three straight times and on the third, rumbled seven yards for a Touchdown. It's now 22-10. The Tigers elected to go for two points but failed as Sullivan's pass to Dick Schmalz fell incomplete. Nebraska got the ball with 7:38 left in the quarter at their own 19yd line and put together a long scoring drive similar to what Auburn did earlier. The Huskers go 81yds in 16 plays taking 7:46 off the clock. The drive is capped by an 8yd TD run by Dan Schneiss. It's now 22-17 as we head to the final quarter. Auburn answered with a scoring drive of their own. Sullivan Terry Beasley hooked up on 37yd TD pass to make the score 29-17 with 10:10 remaining in the game. Nebraska was able to advance to the Auburn 16yd line, but facing a 4th and three and knowing a field goal didn't really help them, they went for it. Tagge tossed a flare pass to Joe Orduna, but he came up 2yds short. Auburn takes over on downs with 8:05 to play. They picked up one first down before punting back to Nebraska and 4:52 on the clock. Nebraska went right down the field as Auburn was in a semi-prevent defense. Tagge ran in from 13yds out and it was now 29-24 with 2:30 left in the game. Zofko carried for 21yds on first down. Then again for a yard. On 2nd nine, Auburn tried to surprise the Huskers with a pass, but Sulivan's throw was interecepted by Joe Blahak. He returned the pick 38yds to the Auburn 34yd line. Nebraska now has the ball with 1:58 to play in the game and just 34yds away from the lead. Tagge threw to Vactor for 2yds. Then on 2nd down, Tagge threw for Orduna but John Hayworth picked off the pass sealing the Championship for Auburn. Sullivan kneeled three times to run out the clock. The Auburn Tigers are the 1970 Tournament Champions! MVP: Larry Willingham PR/S, AUB - 12Tkl, 6 Ret Yds |
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