1955 Gator Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1955 Gator Bowl
, part of the 1955 bowl game season, was the eleventh annual contest and took place on December 31, 1955, at the Gator Bowl Stadium
in Jacksonville
, Florida
. The competing teams were the and the , both representing the Southeastern Conference
(SEC). Vanderbilt upset
favored Auburn 25–13 to secure their first ever bowl victory. This remained the lone bowl victory for the Commodores through their 16–14 victory over Boston College
in the 2008 Music City Bowl
.
Alabama. The appearance was the fifth overall bowl appearance and third consecutive in the Gator Bowl for the Tigers.
for a 38-yard touchdown reception. The Commodores retook a 13–7 lead on the next drive after Orr scored on a three-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 76-yard drive that included a 45-yard run by Orr himself. After having a 51-yard Orr touchdown pass called back because of a holding penalty
, Vanderbilt scored later in the quarter on a one-yard Orr touchdown run. The Commodores then scored their final points on the first play of the fourth quarter when Don Hunt scored on a one-yard touchdown run to give Vanderbilt a 25–7 lead. Auburn scored the final points of the game late in the fourth when Joe Childress
caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Cook to make the final score 25–13. For their performances, Vanderbilt quarterback Don Orr and Auburn running back Joe Childress mere named co-MVPs of the game.
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, part of the 1955 bowl game season, was the eleventh annual contest and took place on December 31, 1955, at the Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, it was radically reconstructed in 1994 in preparation for the Jacksonville Jaguars inaugural season and became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now EverBank Field. It is most notable for hosting the Gator...
in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The competing teams were the and the , both representing the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC). Vanderbilt upset
Upset
An upset occurs in a competition, frequently in electoral politics or sports, when the party popularly expected to win , is defeated by an underdog whom the majority expects to lose, defying the conventional wisdom...
favored Auburn 25–13 to secure their first ever bowl victory. This remained the lone bowl victory for the Commodores through their 16–14 victory over Boston College
2008 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2008 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Boston College's fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Eagles were led by...
in the 2008 Music City Bowl
2008 Music City Bowl
The 2008 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was the eleventh edition of the college football bowl game played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The game started at 2:30 pm US CST on Wednesday, December 31, 2008. The game, telecast on ESPN, pitted the Vanderbilt Commodores against the Boston...
.
Auburn
The 1955 Auburn squad finished the regular season 8–1–1. The Tigers lost to and tied en route to their third place finish in the conference. They accepted an invitation to play in the Gator Bowl against Vanderbilt in the days following their victory over long-time rivalIron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
Alabama. The appearance was the fifth overall bowl appearance and third consecutive in the Gator Bowl for the Tigers.
Vanderbilt
The 1955 Vanderbilt squad finished the regular season 7–3. The Commodores lost to Georgia, and . They accepted an invitation to play in the Gator Bowl in the days following their loss to Tennessee. The appearance was the first all-time bowl appearance for Vanderbilt.Game summary
Vanderbilt got on the scoreboard first after Don Orr threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Joe Stephenson to give the Commodores a 7–0 lead. Auburn responded on the next drive to tie the game at seven after Howell Tubbs connected with Fob JamesFob James
Forrest Hood James, Jr., known as Fob James , is an American politician, a civil engineer, and an all-American half-back...
for a 38-yard touchdown reception. The Commodores retook a 13–7 lead on the next drive after Orr scored on a three-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 76-yard drive that included a 45-yard run by Orr himself. After having a 51-yard Orr touchdown pass called back because of a holding penalty
Holding (American football)
In gridiron football, holding is the illegal restraining of another player who is not in possession of the ball. Holding is banned in most football leagues because it does not allow fair play of the game and increases the risk for injury....
, Vanderbilt scored later in the quarter on a one-yard Orr touchdown run. The Commodores then scored their final points on the first play of the fourth quarter when Don Hunt scored on a one-yard touchdown run to give Vanderbilt a 25–7 lead. Auburn scored the final points of the game late in the fourth when Joe Childress
Joe Childress
Joe Childress was a running back in the National Football League. For his entire career, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals. Joe left the Cardinals to coach the Houston Oilers. In his 40's, Joe contracted cancer and began the battle which ultimately he lost. He received numerous honors in his...
caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Cook to make the final score 25–13. For their performances, Vanderbilt quarterback Don Orr and Auburn running back Joe Childress mere named co-MVPs of the game.