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Hall of Fame Classic 1980
Arkansas 34 Tulane 15 |
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By FRANK BROWN Tuscaloosa News Assistant Sports Editor
When halftime rolled around, much of the crowd of 41,000 decided the near-freezing temperatures and a 28-0 lead by Arkansas over Tulane was enough to call it quits. They were right. It was all Razorbacks. Arkansas went on to win convincingly, 34-15.
Nickie Hall was expected to put on an serial show for the Green Wave. He did, connecting on 16 of 37 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. But he was outdone by the game's most valuable player, Gary Anderson of Arkansas.
Anderson rushed for 156 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown. He also returned a punt 80 yards for another score.
For the night, Arkansas collected 383 yards rushing and 466 yards total offense, both Hall of Fame records. The 34 points by Arkansas also was a bowl record, as was the 49 points by both teams.
Those were a few of 16 records either broken or tied in the fourth annual game.
While Anderson won the game's most outstanding offensive player and MVP awards, his teammate Billy Ray Smith, a defensive tackle, took the most outstanding defensive player award. He had eight unassisted tackles, including one for an 11-yard loss, and recovered one fumble. Overlooked by the voters was an outstanding defensive effort by Tulane's Wilfred Simon, who bad 15 unassisted tackles and six assists.
"When they extended the bid to us, I told them to invite anyone they wanted and if we didn't win we'd let them keep their money," said Arkansas coach Lou Holtz. "I don't mean this in disrespect to Tulane or to be bragging, but I just felt good about this team.
"I've always believed in this team. That's why we wanted to come to this game. We hope we'll have a chance to come back here with a better record so we can come to town with our heads high and without having to apologize to anyone for our record."
"It was a big thrill for me to win the MVP," said Anderson. "I'm going to give the trophy to my mother.”
"I think we played the best game of the year. We practice on punt returns all the time and this one just happend to open up,"
Alter Ish Ordonez missed a 51-yard field goal on its first possession, Arkansas got the ball back when Trent Bryant intercepted a Hall pass at the Arkansas 6-yard line and returned it to the Hogs’ 32.
Later in the quarter, Tulane punted from its 38. Anderson took the punt at the Arkansas 20, broke through a crowd and ran 80 yards for the score. Ordonez' kick made it 14-0 with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Arkansas third score came after nine running plays moved the ball from the Hogs' 30 to the Tulane 12. On the 10th play, Tom Jones passed to Steve Clyde for the score. Ordonez' kick made it 21-0 with 7:14 left in the half.
Anderson accounted for the next score on a drive that covered 66 yards in three plays. Anderson scored on a 46-yard run, taking a pitchout on the left corner and cutting across the field, outrunning all Tulane defenders. Ordonez made it 28-0 at 4:27 of the second quarter.
Tulane drove to the Arkansas 28, but Rodney Holman fumbled after catching a pass at the 25. Arkansas quickly drove to the Green Wave 24, thanks to a Jones to Danny Walters pass that covered 36 yards. Tulane, however, dropped Jones for a 10-yard loss. Ordonez then attempted his second 51-yard field goal of the half, but it too was short with six seconds remaining in the half.
Tulane threatened in the third quarter when it moved to the Arkansas 17 yard line, but Hall fumbled and Smith recovered.
After the teams swapped punts, Arkansas took possession at its 19. Jones passed 28 yards to Derek Holloway and Anderson gained 21 to the Tulane 37. The drive stalled at the 25, however, and Ordonez connected on a 40-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter. By this time, much of the crowd had left the stadium,
Tulane struck quickly with 11:42 remaining in the game when Hall connected with Marcus Anderson down the left sideline for a 62-yard pass play. Vince Manalla cut the margin to 31-7 with the PAT.
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Mark Douglas eludes Tulane defenders. |
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Gary Anderson was amazing. |
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Tulane's Jeff Jones turns upfield. |
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Tulane's Sylvester McGrew (90) and Wilfred Simon (77) bring down Hog quarterback Tom Jones. |
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Tulane fan, Al Hirt, was there, but he wasn't too happy. |
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Attendance: 41,000
Scoring Summary
First Quarter UA- Tolbert 1 run (Ordonez kick) UA- Anderson 80 punt return (Ordonez kick)
Second Quarter UA- Clyde 3 yard pass from Jones (Ordonez kick) UA- Anderson 46 run (Ordonez kick)
Third Quarter UA- FG Ordonez 40
Fourth Quarter TU- Anderson 62 pass from Hall (Manalla kick) UA- FG Ordonez 27 TU- Robinson 1 run (Hall run)
Individual
Statistics UA- Anderson 11-156, Tolbert 17-73, Douglas 10-83, Walters 3-21
TU- Lewis 5-45,
Robinson 6-44, Jones 5-38, McCray 2-18 UA- Jones 5-13-83
UT- Hall
16-37-241 UA- Anderson 2-88, Reginelli 3-31, Lewis 3-22, Mason 2-15, Walters 1-36; Holloway 1-23 TU- Griffin 2-59, Holman 4-19, Franz 1-14.
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BIRMINGHAM
- There was not much of a traffic jam outside Legion Field following
Saturday night’s Hall of Fame Classic.
The
key play of Arkansas’ seven-play, 68-yard drive was a pitch to Anderson,
who gained 44 yards to the Tulane 4. Freshman Bill Pierce, a quarterback
converted to halfback, dove across from the 1 with 6:49 remaining in the
first quarter. Ordonez kicked the point after touchdown.
