1953 Orange Bowl

American college football game August 2023 December 2025 Orange Bowl 19th Orange Bowl File:Miami orange bowl stadium cropped.jpg Burdine Stadium in Miami, Florida, hosted the Orange Bowl. January 1 1953 1952 Burdine Stadium Miami, Florida Syracuse University Syracuse Orangemen 7–2 14 NR Ben Schwartzwalder Independent 6 0 0 0 University of Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide 9–2 9 9 Harold Drew SEC 7 14 20 20 Alabama by 13 William Halloran (EAIFO;split crew: EAIFO, SEC) 66,280 CBS Red Barber The 1953 Orange Bowl, part of the 1952 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1953, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Syracuse Orangemen, competing as a football independent. Alabama won the game by a record margin of 61–6. The 55-point margin of victory remained the largest for a bowl game until the 2008 GMAC Bowl, and still stands as the largest margin of victory for an Alabama football team in a bowl game. Teams Alabama 1952 Alabama Crimson Tide football team The 1952 Alabama squad posted their best overall record the 1950s, finishing 9–2 leading into the postseason. However, losses to Tennessee and Georgia Tech cost the Tide an SEC title. The day after defeating Maryland 27–7, Alabama accepted a bid to play in the Orange Bowl on New Years Day.Tide gets bowl bid United Press Associations The Tuscaloosa News 1 November 24, 1952 The appearance marked the second for Alabama in the Orange Bowl, as they defeated Boston College 37–21 in the 1943 game. Syracuse 1952 Syracuse Orangemen football team The 1952 Syracuse squad finished the regular season with a record of 7–2 and as winners of the Lambert Trophy for the first time in school history.Syracuse puts up eastern prestige against Alabama https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ER4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=orange-bowl%20alabama%20syracuse&pg=7128%2C43644 Ben Funk The Tuscaloosa News 8 January 1, 1953 January 4, 2011 The Orangemen accepted a bid to play in the Orange Bowl after Navy declined the initial bid.Syracuse signed for Orange Bowl https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aZwuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s9kFAAAAIBAJ&dq=orange-bowl%20alabama%20syracuse&pg=5115%2C198080 Ben Funk Beaver Valley Times 10 November 25, 1952 January 4, 2011Syracuse Lands in Orange Bowl After Navy Refuses Bid https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65615668/ 19 December 2020 Star-Gazette AP 25 November 1952 Elmira, New York 22 Game summary Alabama opened the scoring on the afternoon with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Clell Hobson to Bobby Luna to take a 7–0 lead.Bama smashes records, Syracuse, 61 to 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Eh4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6870%2C70648 Edwin Watkins The Tuscaloosa News 1 January 2, 1953 January 4, 2011 Syracuse responded on the following possession with their lone points of the game on a 15-yard, Joe Szombathy touchdown run. After the extra point failed, the score was 7–6. The Orangemen did not score again while the Crimson Tide scored 54 unanswered points. Alabama extended their lead to 21–6 at the half with two touchdowns on a one-yard Bobby Marlow run and a 50-yard Thomas Tharp reception from Hobson. The scoring continued in the third quarter with three more touchdowns on a 38-yard Bobby Luna run and runs of one and 30-yards by Tommy Lewis. Leading 41–6, Alabama scored another three touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard Joe Cummings reception from Bart Starr, an 80-yard Hootie Ingram punt return and a 60-yard Marvin Hill interception return. The final score of 61–6 set an NCAA record for largest margin of victory in a bowl game, surpassing the previous record of 49 points set by Michigan in both the 1902 and 1948 Rose Bowl Games.Alabama routs Syracuse in 'Worst mismatch,' 61–6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=40UxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RhAEAAAAIBAJ&dq=orange-bowl%20alabama%20syracuse&pg=4884%2C2649646 Associated Press The Milwaukee Sentinel Section 2, Page 4 January 2, 1953 January 4, 2011Alabama eleven wins greatest bowl mismatch https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f5kKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FUwDAAAAIBAJ&dq=orange-bowl%20alabama%20syracuse&pg=3298%2C65698 Associated Press Ellensburg Daily Record 8 January 2, 1953 January 4, 2011Bama gains most lop-sided win in bowl history, 61–6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mXwbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l00EAAAAIBAJ&dq=orange-bowl%20alabama%20syracuse&pg=4687%2C246282 United Press Associations The Pittsburgh Press 25 January 2, 1953 January 4, 2011 The 55-point margin of victory stood as the all-time record for a bowl game through the 2008 GMAC Bowl where Tulsa defeated Bowling Green 63–7 for a 56-point margin of victory.https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=280060189 https://web.archive.org/web/20171117070206/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=280060189 dead November 17, 2017 Smith's 14th straight 300-yard game leads Tulsa past Bowling Green January 6, 2008 Associated Press ESPN.com January 3, 2011 The 55-points still stands as the largest margin of victory for an Alabama football team in a bowl game.Capital punishment: Alabama takes down Michigan State http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110102/news/110109998 Cecil Hurt The Tuscaloosa News January 2, 2011 July 23, 2011http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/010111aac.html 2011 Capital One Bowl Postgame Notes January 1, 2011 RollTide.com January 2, 2011 Syracuse Alabama expand 1 8:13 Alabama RecTD Bobby Luna Clell Hobson 27 good Bobby Luna 0 7 1 2:45 Syracuse RushTD Joe Szombathy 15 failed 6 7 2 13:11 Alabama RushTD Bobby Marlow 1 good Bobby Luna 6 14 2 4:40 Alabama RecTD Thomas Tharp Clell Hobson 50 good Bobby Luna 6 21 3 Alabama RushTD Bobby Luna 38 good Bobby Luna 6 28 3 Alabama RushTD Tommy Lewis 1 good Bobby Luna 6 35 3 Alabama RushTD Tommy Lewis 30 failed Bobby Luna 6 41 4 14:50 Alabama RecTD Joe Cummings Bart Starr 21 good Bobby Luna 6 48 4 Alabama Other 80-yard punt return by Hootie Ingram, Bobby Luna kick failed 80 failed Bobby Luna 6 54 4 Alabama IntTD Marvin Hill 60 good Bobby Luna 6 61 6 61 References Orange Bowl Category:Orange Bowl Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football bowl games Category:Syracuse Orange football bowl games Orange Bowl Orange Bowl Category:American football competitions in Miami