1993 Gator Bowl Explained

Year Game Played:1993
Title Sponsor:Outback
Game Name:Gator Bowl
Football Season:1993
Visitor Name Short:Alabama
Visitor Nickname:Crimson Tide
Home Name Short:North Carolina
Home Nickname:Tar Heels
Visitor Record:8–3–1
Visitor Conference:SEC
Home Record:10–2
Home Conference:ACC
Visitor Coach:Gene Stallings
Home Coach:Mack Brown
Visitor Rank Ap:18
Visitor Rank Coaches:18
Visitor Rank Bowlcoalition:18
Home Rank Ap:12
Home Rank Coaches:11
Home Rank Bowlcoalition:12
Visitor 1Q:0
Visitor 2Q:10
Visitor 3Q:7
Visitor 4Q:7
Home 1Q:0
Home 2Q:10
Home 3Q:0
Home 4Q:0
Date:December 31, 1993
Date Game Played:December 31
Stadium:Gator Bowl Stadium
City:Jacksonville, Florida
Mvp:Alabama QB - Brian Burgdorf
North Carolina WR - Corey Holliday
Referee:Doyle Jackson (SWC)
Attendance:67,205
Us Network:TBS
Us Announcers Link:List of announcers of major college bowl games
Us Announcers:Gary Bender, Pat Haden and Craig Sager

The 1993 Gator Bowl, a bowl game during the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season, took place on December 31, 1993, at the Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the North Carolina Tar Heels, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Alabama won the game 24–10. With sponsorship by Outback Steakhouse, the game was officially known as the Outback Gator Bowl.

Teams

Alabama

See also: 1993 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. The 1993 Alabama squad opened the season ranked No. 2 only to tie with Tennessee in week six. The Crimson Tide went on to lose to both LSU and Auburn to finish the regular season with a record of 8–2–1. Although finishing second behind Auburn in the Western Division, as the Tigers were ineligible to play in the SEC Championship Game due to NCAA violations, Alabama played in the game for the second consecutive year.[1] After losing to Florida for the SEC Championship, Alabama announced it accepted a bit to play in the Gator Bowl against North Carolina.[2] The appearance marked the second for Alabama in the Gator Bowl.

In the week following the Iron Bowl, cornerback Antonio Langham was declared ineligible for both the SEC Championship Game and the Gator Bowl.[3] In August 1995, the NCAA ruled that Langham was ineligible to participate with the Alabama squad retroactive to him signing with a sports agent following the 1992 season.[4] As part of the NCAA sanctioned penalty, all games that Langham played in were officially forfeited changing their season record from 9–3–1 to 1–12 with the lone victory being over North Carolina in the Gator Bowl.[4]

North Carolina

See also: 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels football team. The 1993 North Carolina squad lost to both Florida State and Virginia to finish the regular season with a record of 10–2.

Notes and References

  1. News: Auburn stifles Tide with aggressive plays . Tommy . Deas . The Tuscaloosa News . 1C . November 21, 1993 . January 20, 2010.
  2. News: High flying Gators off to the Sugar Bowl . Tommy . Deas . The Tuscaloosa News . 1C . December 5, 1993 . January 20, 2010.
  3. News: Langham declared ineligible, UA appeals . Tommy . Deas . The Tuscaloosa News . 1A . November 30, 1993 . January 20, 2010.
  4. News: Forfeitures will revise UA history . Tommy . Deas . The Tuscaloosa News . 1C . August 1, 1995.