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     ORANGE BOWL  
         
 
The Orange Bowl is a college football game played annually on New Years' Day. It is also the second-oldest bowl game that was set up in 1933 as a significant part of the Miami Palm Festival. The Orange Bowl is the nation's most vibrant and spectacular game and festival. In 1932, George E. Hussey, athletic director for Florida Power & Light and Miami's executive greeter along with Earnie Seiler, Miami's recreation director witnessed the attention gained by California's Rose Bowl and parade. Though they were apprehensive but still organized playoffs between the Manhattan College and University of Miami . Manhattan was defeated by Miami in the game played on a Moore Park field (7-0). On January 1, 1935 , the game was played for the first time under the Orange Bowl banner at the Orange Bowl Stadium. The Orange Bowl Stadium underwent five expansions in the time period of 62 years. In 1939, Earnie Seiler became the Orange Bowl's first full-time business manager. He used his tactful strategies to make the Orange Bowl a big hit. The Orange Bowl soon became one of college football's "Big Four" bowlsthat vied with the Cotton, Sugar and Rose in creating
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championship football history year in and year out. The era of 40s was the phase of development and prosperity for the Orange Bowl game. The decade of 40s was embellished by Paul Christman (1940), Georgia 's Frankie Sinkwich (1942), Boston College 's Mike Holovak (1943), LSU's Steve Van Buren (1944), Georgia Tech's Frank Broyles (1945) and Texas ' Tom Landry (1949).

The 50s was marked by new clubs and new athletes. The Orange Bowl also witnessed its first two leading teams play in Miami . In 1954, a five-year tie-up between the ACC and Big Seven conferences was made. During this period, the Oklahoma teams made four appearances in the Orange Bowl Classic. The players who were at the apex of their college career were Kentucky 's Babe Parilli (1950), Oklahoma 's Prentice Gautt (1959) and Clemson coach Frank Howard (1951 and 1957). The decade of 1960s was full of dazzling individual performance. The impact of players like Georgia's Fran Tarkenton, Missouri's Dan Devine, Navy's Joe Bellino, Alabama's Lee Roy Jordan, Auburn's Shug Jordan, Alabama's Lee Roy Jordan, Ray Perkins and Steve Sloan, Florida's Larry Smith and Kansas' John Riggins was tremendous. In 1965, the Orange Bowl became the first major bowl game to be played at night. Albama's Namath who suffered a knee injury became the recipient of the Orange Bowl's first MVP award for his 18-of-37, 255 yard, two-touchdown performance. In 1966, the National Championship accolade was won by Albama against Nebraska after the Associated Press voting was carried out. In 1971, Nebraska made a comeback in the Orange Bowl and seized the National Championship title by beating LSU (17-12). Penn State 's Franco Harris (1970), Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti (1974) and Nebraska 's Rich Glover (1971, 1972 & 1973) became the preeminent stars of the 70s.

Due to the strength of the Big Eight Conference and the appearance of the University of Miami on the national scene, the committee of Orange Bowl put together four national championship games in 1980s. In the second quarter of 80s Federal Express became their commercial sponsor. The decade was also fortunate for the Miami 's. They won two National Championship titles. The Orange Bowl continued to host the leading teams. It also became a part of the Bowl Alliance. As an important member of the Bowl Alliance, the Orange Bowl hosted the legendary National Championship game in 1994. In the late 1994, the Orange Bowl committee moved its game to Pro Player Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale . The FedEx Orange Bowl is now part of the Bowl Championship Series, where number one and number two teams are matched up for a National Championship game. On January 3, 2001 , under the sponsorship of BCS, the Orange Bowl became the location of National Championship. The FedEx Orange Bowl, along with the Nokia Sugar Bowl, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the Rose Bowl, will rotate over the next five years in hosting the #1 vs. #2 National Championship. The Orange Bowl in its set up of 68 years has witnessed 15 national champions belonging to Miami .

BCS Title Games

2002 Season: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Title Game)
2003 Season: Nokia Sugar Bowl (Title Game)
2004 Season: FedEx Orange Bowl (Title Game)
2005 Season: Rose Bowl (Title Game)

Orange Bowl is at Dolphins Stadium in Miami Florida on January 3rd 2006. Get your tickets for the big game now and watch Penn State fight Florida state.

 

 
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