1948 Orange Bowl

1948 Orange Bowl
1948 Orange Bowl
14th Orange Bowl
Kansas Jayhawks	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
(8–0–2)	(9–1)
Big 6	SEC
14	20
Head coach: ; George Sauer	Head coach: ; Bobby Dodd
	AP
	12
	AP
	10
Date	January 1, 1948
Season	1947
Stadium	Burdine Stadium
Location	Miami, Florida
Referee	T. G. Kain (SEC;; split crew: SEC, Big Six)
Attendance	59,578
Orange Bowl
< 1947	1949 >

The 1948 Orange Bowl featured the Kansas Jayhawks and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Background

Kansas had completed their second straight Big Six Conference title in their final year under Sauer, and were appearing in their first ever bowl game. The Yellow Jackets had finished 2nd in the Southeastern Conference, appearing in their second straight bowl game under Dodd, and their first Orange Bowl since 1945.

Game summary

The Jayhawks were a team not favored by many, with some favoring the Jackets as a 13 point favorite, and Georgia Tech took the lead first on a James Patton touchdown catch from Jim Stil. Ray Evans would respond with a touchdown run to make it 7-7 at halftime. Still would throw two touchdowns in the third quarter, one each to Billy Queen and Still to make it a 20-7 lead heading into the final quarter. But the Jayhawks would not back down as Evans caught a touchdown pass and narrowed the lead to 20-14, as Kansas was in position to drive for the win. But with :37 seconds left, quarterback Lynne McNutt fumbled on a quarterback sneak and in the ensuing pile, it was determined that Rollo Phillips of Georgia Tech recovered the ball, clinching the victory.^[1] ^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Aftermath

Sauer would leave Kansas after the game, and the Jayhawks would not return to a bowl game until 1961 nor return to the Orange Bowl until 1969. Georgia Tech would go to two more Orange Bowls under Dodd's tenure before his retirement in 1966.

Statistics

Statistics	GT	KU
First Downs	9	14
Yards Rushing	75	77
Yards Passing	129	158
Total Yards	204	235
Punts-Average	9-40.0	7/34.0
Fumbles-Lost	1-1	4-1
Interceptions	0	1
Penalties-Yards	10-70	5-37

References

^ "1948 Orange Bowl". Georgia Tech Football Media Guide. Georgia Tech Athletics. p. 272. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
^ "1948 players revisit Orange Bowl experience".
^ "The 1940s | Orange Bowl".
^ "KU History".
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[sfmg-1] "1948 Orange Bowl". Georgia Tech Football Media Guide. Georgia Tech Athletics. p. 272. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.

[2] "1948 players revisit Orange Bowl experience".

[3] "The 1940s | Orange Bowl".

[4] "KU History".

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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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.