1968 Liberty Bowl
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| 1968 Liberty Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | December 14, 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Memphis Memorial Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 46,206 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ABC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1968 Liberty Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Ole Miss Rebels from the University of Mississippi at Memphis Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on December 14, 1968. The game was the final contest of the 1968 college football season for both teams, and ended in a 34-17 victory for Mississippi.
Two year after a previous trip to the Liberty Bowl, Virginia Tech was again asked to travel to Memphis to play in a post-season bowl game. This time, the opponent was Mississippi, which had amassed a 6–3–1 record during the regular season.[1] The Hokies came into the game with a 7–3 record that included a loss to Tech's previous Liberty Bowl opponent, Miami.[2]
The 1968 Liberty Bowl kicked off on January 14, 1968. As in the Hokies' previous appearance in the Liberty Bowl, Virginia Tech got off to a fast start. On the game's second play, Tech ran 58 yards for a touchdown, courtesy of a trick play. After Mississippi fumbled, Tech recovered and scored another quick touchdown. At the end of the first quarter, Tech added a field goal to the two touchdowns it had already earned, making the score 17–0 at the end of one quarter. From that point onward, however, almost nothing would go in Virginia Tech's favor. Tech attempted an onside kick following the field goal, but were unable to successfully recover the ball. With good field position following the kick, Mississippi quarterback Archie Manning orchestrated a 49-yard drive for the Rebels' first points of the game.[3]
Mississippi scored another touchdown before halftime, and the Hokies clung to a 17–14 lead at the beginning of the second half. That three-point lead quickly evaporated, however, as 21 seconds into the third quarter, Mississippi's Steve Hindman ran for 79 yards and a touchdown to give Mississippi a 21–17 lead.[4] Ole Miss added 13 more points before the game was over and earned the victory, 34–17.[5] The Virginia Tech offense was stymied by repeated turnovers. Tech fumbled the ball three times and Tech quarterback Humphries threw two interceptions.[3] Tech committed 120 yards in penalties and was held to just two passing yards for the entire game.[6]
[edit] Notes
- ^ 2007 Ole Miss Media Guide Mississippi Athletics Department, olemisssports.com. Page 179. Accessed February 21, 2008.
- ^ Virginia Tech Football Past Schedules: 1968-1969 Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 20, 2008.
- ^ a b 1968 Liberty Bowl Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 21, 2008.
- ^ 2007 Ole Miss Media Guide Mississippi Athletics Department, olemisssports.com. Page 169. Accessed February 21, 2008.
- ^ Virginia Tech Football Opponent History Database: Mississippi Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 20, 2008.
- ^ 2007 Ole Miss Media Guide Mississippi Athletics Department, olemisssports.com. Page 161. Accessed February 21, 2008.
| Preceded by 1967 Liberty Bowl |
Liberty Bowl 1968 |
Succeeded by 1969 Liberty Bowl |
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