1968 Orange Bowl

The 1968 Orange Bowl was an American college football bowl game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Oklahoma Sooners.

Background

Oklahoma was champion of the Big Eight Conference after going a perfect 7–0–0 in conference play, their first conference title since 1962 and first Orange Bowl since 1963. After losing to UCLA in the first game of the season, the Volunteers won nine consecutive games. Tennessee was also perfect in conference play as they were champion of the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1956, though they did not get to play #1 USC in the Rose Bowl that year, instead it went to #4 Indiana, the Big Ten co-champion, due to the Pac-8–Big Ten contract. It was their first Orange Bowl since 1947.

Game summary

Bob Warmack gave the Sooners a 7–0 lead on his touchdown run in the first quarter. He added in a touchdown pass and Steve Owens scored a touchdown run to make it 19–0 at halftime. Jimmy Glover returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown to make it 19–7. A touchdown run by Fulton made it 19–14 and a Karl Kremser field goal from 26 yards made it 19–17. Oklahoma made it 26–17 on Bob Stephenson's interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Tennessee then scored on Dewey Warren's touchdown plunge making it 26–24. Oklahoma was at their own 43 yard line with 1:54 to go in the game. Fairbanks decided to go for the first down despite only leading by two points. Steve Owens was given the ball, but he was stopped by linebacker Jack Reynolds, giving the ball back to the Volunteers. With seven seconds to go in the game, Tennessee sent Karl Kremser in to attempt a 43-yard field goal. The kick sailed wide right, giving Oklahoma the win.^[1]

Aftermath

The Volunteers did not return to the Orange Bowl until 1998. Oklahoma returned to the Orange Bowl in 1976.

Statistics

Statistics	Oklahoma	Tennessee
First Downs	18	18
Rushing Yards	203	172
Passing Yards	107	160
Total Yards	310	332
Interceptions	3	2
Punts-Average	5-47.0	2-32.0
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	1-1
Penalties-Yards	2-10	4-27

References

^ http://game.orangebowl.org/orange-bowl-history/the-history-of-the-orange-bowl/1960s/1968/

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[1] ttp://game.orangebowl.org/orange-bowl-history/the-history-of-the-orange-bowl/1960s/1968/

[1]

v t e Orange Bowl
History & conference tie-ins	History Miami Orange Bowl Hard Rock Stadium College Football Playoff Broadcasters Atlantic Coast Conference Big Ten Conference Southeastern Conference Notre Dame
Games	1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 (January) 1996 (December) 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 (January) 2014 (December) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 (January) 2021 (December) 2022 2023 2025
Notes	The game was also the national title game (Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, or Bowl Championship Series) in 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2005. There was an Orange Bowl in January and December in 1996, 2014, and 2021. The 2015, 2018, and 2021 (December) editions were College Football Playoff semifinals.