1988 Sun Bowl

American college football game August 2023 January 2026 1988 John Hancock Sun Bowl 55th Sun Bowl 1988 Army Cadets United States Military Academy Alabama Crimson Tide University of Alabama 9–2 Independent 8–3 SEC Jim Young Bill Curry 20 20 7 7 14 0 3 10 7 9 December 24 Sun Bowl El Paso, Texas David Smith, Alabama QBDerrick Thomas, Alabama LB J.C. Louderback (Big Eight) 48,719 CBS (blacked out locally) List of announcers of major college bowl games Verne Lundquist and Pat Haden 1989 The 1988 John Hancock Sun Bowl, part of the 1988 bowl game season, took place on December 24, 1988, at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Army Cadets, competing as a football independent. The game put Alabama's air attack against Army's ground attack, and ended with Alabama just edging past Army in the fourth quarter to win the game 29–28. Teams Alabama 1988 Alabama Crimson Tide football team The 1988 Alabama squad finished the regular season with an 8–3 record and losses against Ole Miss, LSU and Auburn. The appearance marked the third for Alabama in the Sun Bowl, and their 41st overall bowl game appearance. David Smith, hindered by a knee injury early in the season, was presumed to start the game. Prior to the game, Curry sent backup Jeff Dunn home due to violating team rules and elevated Vince Sutton to backup.https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/24/sports/football-army-braces-for-a-well-equipped-passing-attack.html FOOTBALL; Army Braces for a Well-Equipped Passing Attack Gordon S. White Jr Special To the New York Times December 24, 1988 NYTimes.com Army 1988 Army Cadets football team The 1988 Army squad finished the regular season with a record of 9–2 with losses coming against Washington and Boston College. The appearance in the Sun Bowl marked the first for Army in the game, and their third overall bowl game appearance. Game summary The Cadets opened the scoring with a one-yard Mike Mayweather touchdown run to take a 7–0 lead.Smith rallies Tide in Sun Cecil Hurt The Tuscaloosa News 1B December 25, 1988 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VK8pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8aUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6401%2C9093574 January 30, 2011 The Crimson Tide responded with a 37-yard Philip Doyle field goal to cut the lead to 7–3 at the end of the first. In the second quarter, Army again scored on the run with Bryan McWilliams reaching the endzone on a 30-yard run. Alabama again responded with a 22-yard Philip Doyle field goal and a 7-yard Marco Battle touchdown reception from David Smith to close the gap to 14–13 at the half. Army went into halftime with a 14–13 lead by putting up 232 yards on the ground. Alabama put together a 69-yard drive to take its first lead 20–14 in the game half way through the third quarter on a 23-yard Greg Payne touchdown reception. Army answered with another touchdown on the next drive to take the lead back at 21-20. On Alabama's next drive David Smith was intercepted by Army's O'Neal Miller who returned it 57 yards for a touchdown and a 28-20 lead. In the fourth quarter Alabama put together two scoring drives for a 32-yard Doyle field goal and a 2-yard David Casteal run to regain the lead at 29–28.http://www.elpasotimes.com/sunbowl/ci_4688720 Best of the Sun Bowl: #11 November 19, 2006 El Paso Times January 30, 2011 July 30, 2012 https://archive.today/20120730035209/http://www.elpasotimes.com/sunbowl/ci_4688720 dead Army put up 350 yards on the ground against Alabama's 5th-ranked defense that gave up less than 100 yards per game on average during the season. Army Coach Jim Young said about the game "Alabama was one of the better teams in the country. We played them and beat them in everything except the score."http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=1615376 Black Knight Flashback: 1988 October 29, 2009 GoArmySports.com Army Athletic Communications January 30, 2011 August 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes The El Paso Times ranks this game 11th among the top Sun Bowl games ever. Army Alabama expand 1 12:04 7 70 2:56 Army RushTD Mike Mayweather 1 good Keith Walker 7 0 1 1:25 Alabama 14 65 4:30 FG 37 Philip Doyle 7 3 2 14:02 6 69 2:23 Army RushTD Bryan McWilliams 30 good Keith Walker 14 3 2 7:33 Alabama 11 67 6:29 FG 22 Philip Doyle 14 6 2 0:35 Alabama 8 76 RecTD Marco Battle David Smith 7 good Philip Doyle 14 13 3 4:23 Alabama 8 69 2:50 RecTD Greg Payne David Smith 23 good Philip Doyle 14 20 3 1:22 6 69 2:50 Army RushTD Mike Mayweather 3 good Keith Walker 21 20 3 0:07 Army 1 57 IntTD O'Neal Miller 57 good Keith Walker 28 20 4 7:25 Alabama 12 49 4:12 FG 22 Philip Doyle 28 23 4 4:01 Alabama 5 54 2:16 RushTD David Casteal 2 run failed 28 29 28 29 Legacy Alabama quarterback David Smith later became a college football referee in the SEC; games he officiated include the 2013 Senior Bowl and 2018 Sun Bowl.https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/01/former_alabama_quarterback_fin.html Former Alabama quarterback finally makes it to Senior Bowl Tommy Hicks al.com January 26, 2013 December 31, 2018CAPTMCMcCarron 1079827796157915142 The referee for today's @HyundaiSunBowl was the quarterback for Alabama in the 1988 Sun Bowl December 31, 2018 December 31, 2018 References Category:1988–89 NCAA football bowl games 1988 1988 1988 Category:1988 in sports in Texas Category:December 1988 sports events in the United States