| Year Game Played: | 1984 |
| Game Name: | Sugar Bowl |
| Subheader: | 50th edition |
| Football Season: | 1983 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Auburn |
| Visitor Nickname: | Tigers |
| Visitor School: | Auburn University |
| Visitor Record: | 10–1 |
| Visitor Conference: | SEC |
| Visitor Coach: | Pat Dye |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 3 |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | 3 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 3 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 6 |
| Home Name Short: | Michigan |
| Home Nickname: | Wolverines |
| Home School: | University of Michigan |
| Home Record: | 9–2 |
| Home Conference: | Big Ten |
| Home Coach: | Bo Schembechler |
| Home Rank Ap: | 8 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 8 |
| Home 1Q: | 7 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Date Game Played: | January 2 |
| Stadium: | Louisiana Superdome |
| City: | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Mvp: | Bo Jackson (Auburn RB) |
| Odds: | Auburn by 4 to 4½ points[1] [2] |
| Referee: | Dixon Holman (SWC) |
| Attendance: | 77,893 |
| Us Network: | ABC |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles |
The 1984 Sugar Bowl was the 50th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 2. Part of the 1983–84 bowl game season, it matched the third-ranked Auburn Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the #8 Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference.[3] Favored Auburn was shut out until the third quarter, but rallied with three field goals to
New Year's Day was on Sunday in 1984, and the college bowl games were played the following day.
See main article: 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season.
See main article: 1983 Auburn Tigers football team.
See main article: 1983 Michigan Wolverines football team.
The game kicked off shortly after 7 p.m. CST, televised by ABC, at the same time as the Orange Bowl on NBC.[3] [4]
The only scoring in the first half was on a four-yard touchdown run by Michigan quarterback Steve Smith. It was set up by a 19-yard completion from Smith to Triando Makray, and 38 yards rushing by Rick Rogers. The Wolverines finished the first quarter with a 116–61 differential in yardage and took that 7–0 lead into halftime.
Auburn used a tremendous Wishbone rushing attack throughout the game and attempted only six passes. They finished with 301 rushing yards on 21 first downs, with 130 yards by Bo Jackson, the game's MVP. Midway through the third quarter, Auburn kicker Al Del Greco made a 31-yard field goal to get the Tigers on the scoreboard and the quarter ended with Michigan leading 7–3. In the fourth quarter, Del Greco added two more field goals, of 32 and 19 yards, the latter in the last half-minute, to seal a 9–7 victory for Auburn.
| Statistics | Auburn | Michigan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 21 | 12 | |
| Rushes–yards | 67–301 | 31–118 | |
| Passing yards | 21 | 125 | |
| Passing (C–A–I) | 2–6–1 | 9–25–1 | |
| Total Offense | 73–332 | 56–243 | |
| Return yards | 8 | 13 | |
| Punts–average | 4–42.0 | 8–38.3 | |
| Fumbles–lost | 4–3 | 2–1 | |
| Turnovers< | -- by--> | 4 | 2 |
| Penalties–yards | 3–15 | 6–49 | |
| Time of possession | 37:32 | 22:28 |
Despite Auburn's victory and a loss in the Cotton Bowl by No. 2 Texas, who Auburn had lost to by 13 points at home on September 17, the Tigers were not voted national champions in either of the final wire service polls. The #5 Miami Hurricanes vaulted past Auburn to the top spot with their 31–30 victory over top-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl; Auburn remained at third in both final polls.[5]