1986 Orange Bowl

1986 Orange Bowl
1986 Orange Bowl
52nd Orange Bowl; National Championship Game
Penn State Nittany Lions	Oklahoma Sooners
(11–0)	(10–1)
Independent	Big 8
10	25
Head coach: ; Joe Paterno	Head coach: ; Barry Switzer
AP	Coaches
1	1
AP	Coaches
3	2
Date	January 1, 1986
Season	1985
Stadium	Orange Bowl
Location	Miami, Florida
MVP	Sonny Brown (Oklahoma DB); Tim Lashar (Oklahoma K)
Favorite	Oklahoma by 7 points
Referee	Robert Aillet (SEC)
Attendance	74,178
United States TV coverage
Network	NBC
Announcers	Don Criqui (play-by-play); Bob Trumpy (color analyst); Bob Griese and Jimmy Cefalo (sideline)
Nielsen ratings	21.3
Orange Bowl
< 1985	1987 >
College Football Championship Game
< 1984	1987 >

The 1986 Orange Bowl was the 52nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, January 1. Part of the 1985–86 bowl game season, it matched the independent and top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions and the #3 Oklahoma Sooners of the Big Eight Conference.^[2] Favored Oklahoma trailed early but won 25–10.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Teams

Penn State

The Nittany Lions won all eleven games, were the only undefeated team coming into this matchup and were ranked first in both polls, but were an underdog in this game. This was Penn State's first Orange Bowl appearance in twelve years.

Oklahoma

The #3 Sooners' sole loss was at home to Miami in mid-October. This was Oklahoma's second straight Orange Bowl appearance and their second straight Big Eight Conference title.

Game summary

The final game of a tripleheader on NBC, the game followed the Rose Bowl and kicked off shortly after 8 p.m. EST, at the same time as the Sugar Bowl on ABC,^[2] which matched second-ranked Miami and #8 Tennessee.

Tim Manoa gave Penn State an early lead on a short touchdown run and they led 7–0 after the first quarter. But Tim Lashar kicked three field goals and Keith Jackson caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Jamelle Holieway as Oklahoma scored sixteen points in the second quarter while Massimo Manca gave the Nittany Lions their only points of the quarter with a late field goal to make it 16–10 at halftime.

Penn State was shut out from there, as Oklahoma's defense took over. Brian Bosworth had twelve tackles and the defense had a total of four interceptions. In the second half, Lashar kicked his third field goal, and Lydell Carr broke for a 61-yard touchdown run to seal the championship for the Sooners.^[3]^[4]^[7]

Kicker Lashar and defensive back Sonny Brown were named the game's most valuable players.

1976 Orange Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No.1 Penn State	7	3	0	0	10
No. 3 Oklahoma	0	16	3	6	25

at Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida

Date: Wednesday, January 1, 1986
Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Game attendance: 74,178
TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play), Bob Trumpy (color analyst), Bob Griese and Jimmy Cefalo (sideline)

Game information

First quarter

PSU – Tim Manoa 1-yard run (Massimo Manca kick)

Second quarter

OKLA – Tim Lashar 26-yard field goal
OKLA – Keith Jackson 71-yard pass from Jamelle Holieway (Lashar kick)
OKLA – Lashar 31-yard field goal
OKLA – Lashar 21-yard field goal
PSU – Manca 27-yard field goal

Third quarter

OKLA – Lashar 22-yard field goal

Fourth quarter

OKLA – Lydell Carr 61-yard run (kick failed)

Statistics

Statistics	PSU	OKLA
First downs	14	12
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards	36–103	52–228
Passing yards	164	91
Passing: comp–att–int	18–34–4	3–6–0
Time of possession	31:23	28:37

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
PSU	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Oklahoma	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Source:^[3]^[4]

Aftermath

The Sooners' championship became unanimous following #2 Miami's 35–7 loss to Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl, which was played at the same time. If the Hurricanes had won, the split national championship was probable as Miami was outranked by Oklahoma in the coaches poll and had soundly defeated the Sooners in Norman. The Sooners would not win the national championship again until 2000.

Penn State was in title contention again the following season, as they finished second in the polls. This time, a matchup between the #1 and #2 teams was able to be made and the Nittany Lions were scheduled to play #1 Miami for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl, which they won.

References

^ "The latest line". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 1, 1986. p. 36.
^ ^a ^b Harvey, Randy (January 1, 1986). "Latest line says Lions out of time". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 1C.
^ ^a ^b ^c Widlic, Kevin (January 2, 1986). "Call 'em No.1, Sooner or later". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Denver Post). p. 1B.
^ ^a ^b ^c Finder, Chuck (January 2, 1986). "Oklahoma rips Penn State, 25-10". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 20.
^ "Volunteers lend Sooners a hand for national crown". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). wire reports. January 2, 1986. p. C1.
^ "Oklahoma tops No. 1 Penn St". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. January 2, 1986. p. 1B.
^ "The 1980s | Orange Bowl".

[latlnppg-1] "The latest line". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 1, 1986. p. 36.

[tdbg-2] Harvey, Randy (January 1, 1986). "Latest line says Lions out of time". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 1C.

[ergdp-3] Widlic, Kevin (January 2, 1986). "Call 'em No.1, Sooner or later". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Denver Post). p. 1B.

[rips-4] Finder, Chuck (January 2, 1986). "Oklahoma rips Penn State, 25-10". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 20.

[handlnd-5] "Volunteers lend Sooners a hand for national crown". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). wire reports. January 2, 1986. p. C1.

[starnws-6] "Oklahoma tops No. 1 Penn St". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. January 2, 1986. p. 1B.

[7] "The 1980s | Orange Bowl".

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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.