New Year’s Day bowl memories: Part 2

Wide Receiver Perry Tuttle (#22) of Clemson helped helped 

he Tigers win the 1982 Orange Bowl.

Source: Facebook/Lethbridge Historical Society

(May be subject to copyright)

As the decade went on, I learned more and more about college football through the news, magazines and some new friends I met when I went to high school.

Because of that, the bowl games I watched on New Year’s Day had greater meaning. Many gave me great football memories, including seeing my first national championship.

National championship
The Clemson Tigers were undefeated and ranked number one in the country when they faced the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl. Led by quarterback Homer Jordan, the Tigers would beat Nebraska and secure their first national championship.

It was a first for me too. It was the first time I saw a team win the national championship, but not the last. This game I also wrote about extensively elsewhere on this blog.

Earlier in the day, I had tuned into the Cotton Bowl, where Alabama was making a return appearance, this time facing the Texas Longhorns. I do not have too many memories of this game, other than that Alabama lost.

I think I was more focused on the Rose Bowl, because I remember that game well. The Washington Huskies had repeated as Pac-10 Conference champions and would play the Iowa Hawkeyes, champions of the Big 10. Back then, the Rose Bowl always pitted the Big-10 champs against the Pac-10 champions.

It was the first time I had ever seen Iowa play, so I was a bit confused. “TV Guide” previewed the game and kept referring to Iowa as the Cyclones. Later, I discovered the Cyclones are from Iowa State, so “TV Guide” just got it wrong. What they got right was pointing out some of Iowa’s really good players such as defensive end Andre Tippett, who was an All-American, and punter Reggie Roby, who set school and college records. They also had a very young Chuck Long at quarterback who played a few downs at the end of the game. They had an innovative coach named Hayden Fry, who had some tricks he called his “Exotic plays”. One, involved inserting back-up quarterback Peter Gales into the game as a receiver for a number of plays, not letting on when or if, he would use him to throw some sort of option pass.

Meanwhile, Washington was returning to the Rose Bowl, but had a lot of new faces. I didn’t recall who played quarterback, until Wikipedia reminded me it was Steve Pelluer. I clearly remember their freshman runningback Jacque Robinson who destroyed the Hawkeyes. Wikipedia reveals he rushed for 142 yards on 20 carries, set up or scored three of the Huskies four touchdowns, and was the game’s most valuable player.

Washington would roll to a 28-0 victory, posting the first shut out in the Rose Bowl since 1953. Still, it was a successful year for Iowa who had their first winning record in 20 years, and their first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1959.

Parting thoughts
I was still getting my feet wet learning about college football, but I was becoming more aware of the teams, the traditions and the players.

Over the next couple years I would see some great players who were just starting out as well as some great teams that competed for conference and national championships.