1974 Peach Bowl Explained

Year Game Played:1974
Game Name:Peach Bowl
Caption:Peach Bowl logo
Football Season:1974
Visitor Name Short:Texas Tech
Visitor Nickname:Red Raiders
Visitor School:Texas Tech University
Home Name Short:Vanderbilt
Home Nickname:Commodores
Home School:Vanderbilt University
Visitor Record:6-4–1
Visitor Conference:SWC
Home Record:7-3–1
Home Conference:SEC
Visitor Coach:Jim Carlen
Home Coach:Steve Sloan
Visitor 1Q:0
Visitor 2Q:0
Visitor 3Q:3
Visitor 4Q:3
Home 1Q:0
Home 2Q:3
Home 3Q:0
Home 4Q:3
Date Game Played:December 28
Stadium:Fulton County Stadium
City:Atlanta, Georgia
Mvp:Offensive: Larry Isaac, Texas Tech
Defensive: Dennis Harrison, Vanderbilt
Referee:Percy Penn (SWC;
split crew: SWC, SEC)
Attendance:34,188

The 1974 Peach Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Texas Tech represented the Southwest Conference (SWC) and Vanderbilt represented the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the competition. The game was the final competition of the 1974 football season for each team and resulted in a 6–6 tie.[1] [2]

Background

Texas Tech entered the game with a 6–4–1 record and had been ranked most of the season, rising as high as #9 in the AP Poll during the season.[3] Losses in Texas Tech's final two regular season games bumped them out of the poll.[2] Vanderbilt entered the game with a 7–3–1 record, closing their regular season with a tie against rival Tennessee.[1] This was their first bowl game since 1955.

Game summary

Neither team scored in the first quarter. Vanderbilt led 3–0 at halftime thanks to a 31-yard field goal kicked with ten minutes left in the second quarter.[4]

With three minutes left in the third quarter the Red Raiders drove to the Vanderbilt 16 yard line but only got 3 points out of the drive on a 26-yard field goal. Texas Tech then attempted another field goal after a Vanderbilt fumble but the attempt was blocked.[4]

In the fourth quarter Vanderbilt retook the lead, 6–3, after a 26-yard field goal. Texas Tech responded with a 35-yard field goal with two minutes left in the game. Vanderbilt could not turn its final possession into a score and the game ended in a 6–6 tie.[4]

Texas Tech finished with 19 first downs to Vanderbilt's 10 and with 306 yards of rushing offense to Vanderbilt's 140.[4] [5]

Statistics

Statistics Texas Tech Vanderbilt
First downs 19 10
Rushing yards 306 140
Passing yards 35 60
Total offense 341 200
Punt average35.8 40.1

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1974 Vanderbilt Commodores game by game results . https://web.archive.org/web/20090917044617/http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Vanderbilt.htm . 2009-09-17 . live . 2009-09-24 .
  2. http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/TexasTech.htm#1974 1974 Texas Tech Red Raiders game by game results
  3. Web site: AP Poll Archive, Texas Tech, 1974 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120328120413/http://www.appollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?teamid=52&seasonid=1974 . 2012-03-28 . dead . 2009-09-24 .
  4. Phil Steele's SEC Football 2009 Preview, p. 49
  5. Web site: Auto PDF p hotos s chools text sports m footbl auto PDF 05mediaguide bowlhistory.