Crimson Tide Top 10 Sugar Bowls: No. 8, 1978 Alabama vs. Ohio State
The Alabama Crimson Tide will be making its 17th appearance in the Sugar Bowl, the most of any team, when it squares off against the No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats inside Caesars Superdome on Dec. 31 (11 a.m. CT on ESPN).
BamaCentral is counting down the Top 10 Sugar Bowls for Alabama:
#3 Alabama 35 (Final: 11-1-0, #2)
#9 Ohio State 6 (Final: 9-3-0, #10)
Alabama quarterback Jeff Rutledge and the Crimson Tide offense wasted no time in getting the game under their control. On the Tide’s second possession, a 10-play, 76 yard march, running back Tony Nathan scored from a 1-yard out.
Alabama’s offensive line established its dominance from the game’s first play. On the game’s opening possession, 16 of Alabama’s 17 plays were running plays as the Crimson Tide held the ball for eight minutes, gaining 60 yards, before the drive ended when Rutledge was stopped on a 2-yard pickup on fourth-and-goal from the 5.
A short time later, Rutledge guided Alabama 76 yards on its next possession. A 29-yard pass to Ozzie Newsome, with a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty added on, put the Crimson Tide in scoring range. Tony Nathan ran into the end zone from the 1 after Bruce Bolton’s six-yard run on a reverse, and the game soon turned into a blowout.
Alabama Recap
Alabama had rebounded nicely after an early-season 31-24 loss at Nebraska, racing into its January 2 Sugar Bowl encounter with the Ohio State Buckeyes riding a strong crest of momentum that had set the Crimson Tide up for a shot at a national title if things broke their way in the other New Year’s Day bowl games.
Since a thrilling 21-20 upset of top-ranked Southern Cal at Los Angeles in October, the Crimson Tide had been on a roll, winning its sixth Southeastern Conference championship in seven years and climbing to third in the national rankings entering the bowl game. The Sugar Bowl was billed as a match between the nation’s two winningest active coaches – Alabama’s Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ohio State’s Woody Hayes.
But the game turned into a rout as Alabama won easily, 35-6, and with the upset by fifth-ranked Notre Dame of top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl, it appeared the Crimson Tide was in position to claim another national championship. But in a controversial and tight vote, the Irish vaulted from fifth to first, with Alabama finishing a close second.
Sugar Bowl Summary
“We thought we had ‘em then.”
Lou Green, an Alabama guard, had Ohio State right where he wanted the Buckeyes – under his foot.
He had cut out pictures of Buckeye stalwarts like Aaron Brown. Tom Cousineau, Byron Cato and Dave Adkins and put them in his sock.
“I wanted to paste Brown’s picture in my helmet,” Green dead-panned, “but some of the guys talked me out of it. I just kept them down there where they couldn’t raise any hell.”
The Buckeyes never get out from underfoot – either Green’s or the ‘Bama team – despite 10 Crimson Tide fumbles, though only two were lost.
Even with that, from start to finish, Alabama was in command.
“The plan,” center Dwight Stephenson said, “was to take it right to them.” And 16 of Alabama’s first 17 plays went right into the teeth of the Buckeye defense. The Crimson Tide held the ball for eight minutes, gaining 60 yards, while Ohio State appeared to be just hanging on, even at that early stage. David Sadler, Green, Bob Cryder and Jim Bunch, the ‘Bama offensive line, thrashed their opposition as the Tide backs consistently gained yardage off tackle. The drive ended short of points when quarterback Jeff Rutledge was stopped on a two-yard pickup on fourth-and-goal from the 5.
“We had a little further to go than I thought,” commented Alabama coach Paul Bryant. “We should have kicked the field goal. It was a stupid call, and I made it.”
The ease in which ‘Bama handled Ohio State, points or not, on that drive carried a message: “We thought we had ‘em then,” Rutledge admitted.
Alabama left that day believing it had made a good case for the national championship.
“Anyone who doesn’t vote for us,” tackle Lloyd David Sadler said with an eye toward the next day’s final balloting after finding out that in the Cotton Bowl Notre Dame beat Texas, the only team ahead o the Tide in the poll, “isn’t voting with a clear conscience.”
Sports Illustrated Said. ...
“The Bear and ‘Bama Cast Their Ballot,” January 9, 1978
By Pat Putnam
In New Orleans no one involved with the Sugar Bowl felt any great compulsion to discuss anything as mundane as a national championship before the game. Instead, they were talking about the dream matchup of Woody and The Bear, who almost incidentally had brought along their teams from Ohio State and Alabama. But like piping-hot gumbo, too much of a good thing can result in heartburn, which finally inspired Ohio State Tailback Jeff Logan to say, "I think everyone is tired of hearing about Woody Hayes and Bear Bryant. I wish they'd just send the two of them into another room and let us play."
On that note, Woody and Bear agreed not to tape their ankles and settled down to a nice little sideline game of two-handed stud, the game ball to the one who drew to the most inside straights. Before Alabama won in a laugher, 35-6, the two old fundamentalists had made the gimme field goal obsolete and were playing as if punting was for the faint of heart.
…
When the game was over, Alabama had rolled up 389 yards against an Ohio State defense that was ranked seventh in the country, and suddenly everyone in New Orleans was talking national championship.
Said Hayes, "If Alabama isn't No. 1, then nobody ever has been."
See Also:
No. 10: 1975 Alabama vs. Penn State
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