1977 Orange Bowl

The 1977 Orange Bowl featured a matchup between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The #12 Buffaloes came into the game from the Big Eight Conference with an 8–3 record. The Buckeyes came out of the Big Ten Conference with an 8–2–1 record, ranked 11th in the nation. This was the only Orange Bowl between 1976 and 1981 which did not feature Oklahoma, and the only one from 1976 through 1989 which did not include the Sooners or the Nebraska Cornhuskers (the 1979 game matched Nebraska and Oklahoma).

Colorado scored quickly, jumping out to an early 10–0 lead. However, Rod Gerald, who had not played since the seventh game of the season due to a bone chip in his lower back, came off the bench to lead the Bucks to its ninth win of the season.

Gerald rushed 14 times for 81 yards, including 17 on his first carry setting up a 36-yard scoring run by Jeff Logan. Ohio State was on the scoreboard with 3:11 to go in the first quarter.

The Buckeyes scored on their next two possessions with Tom Skladany;s 28-yard field goal with 9:33 left in the half and Pete Johnson's 3-yard run with 24 seconds remaining before halftime. That capped a 99-yard drive after a blocked Colorado field goal attempt, and gave Ohio State the lead for good. Gerald ended the scoring with a 4-yard run with a minute left in the fourth quarter, and was named the back of the game.

Ohio State with 271 yards rushing, outgained Colorado 330–271.

This was the first Orange Bowl played on natural grass in seven years, since January 1970. Poly Turf, similar to AstroTurf, was installed for the 1970 season and removed in early 1976, following Super Bowl X.

Scoring summary

First quarter

CO - Zettenberg 26 field goal, 9:04

CO - Moorehead 11 pass from Knapple (Zettenberg kick), 3:54

OSU - Logan 36 run (Skladany kick), 3:11

Second quarter

OSU - Skladany 28 field goal, 9:33

OSU - Johnson 3 run (Skladany kick), 0:24

Third quarter

OSU - Skladany 20 field goal, 2:30

Fourth quarter

OSU - Gerald 4 run (Skladany kick), 0:45

References

1976–77 NCAA football bowl game season

Independence (Dec. 13) Tangerine (Dec. 18) Liberty (Dec. 20) Fiesta (Dec. 25) Gator (Dec. 27) Peach (Dec. 31) Bluebonnet (Dec. 31) Sugar (Jan. 1) Cotton (Jan. 1) Orange (Jan. 1) Rose (Jan. 1) Sun (Jan. 2)

Orange Bowl Game

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 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2016

Notes	The game was also the national title game for either the Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, or Bowl Championship Series in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2005. There was an Orange Bowl in January and December in 1996 and 2014. The game was a semifinal for the College Football Playoff in its 2015 edition.

Colorado Buffaloes bowl games

Ohio State Buckeyes bowl games

Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.

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