1993 Gator Bowl

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.

1993 Outback Gator Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide North Carolina Tar Heels (8–3–1) (10–2) SEC ACC 24 10 Head coach:  Gene Stallings Head coach:  Mack Brown AP Coaches 18 18 AP Coaches 12 11
1 2 3 4 Total Alabama 0 10 7 7 24 North Carolina 0 10 0 0 10
Date	December 31, 1993
Season	1993
Stadium	Gator Bowl Stadium
Location	Jacksonville, Florida
MVP	Alabama QB - Brian Burgdorf North Carolina WR - Corey Holliday
Referee	Doyle Jackson (SWC)
United States TV coverage
Network	TBS
Announcers	Gary Bender, Pat Haden and Craig Sager

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.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Alabama North Carolina 2 11:01 10 plays, 64 yards Alabama 22-yard field goal by Michael Proctor 3 0 2 9:25 7 plays, 80 yards North Carolina William Henderson 1-yard touchdown run, Tripp Pignetti kick good 3 7 2 6:49 7 plays, 75 yards Alabama Brian Burgdorf 33-yard touchdown run, Michael Proctor kick good 10 7 2 00:02 7 plays, 44 yards North Carolina 23-yard field goal by Tripp Pignetti 10 10 3 9:05 12 plays, 65 yards Alabama Tarrant Lynch 8-yard touchdown reception from Brian Burgdorf, Michael Proctor kick good 17 10 4 6:34 12 plays, 66 yards Alabama Chad Key 10-yard touchdown reception from Brian Burgdorf, Michael Proctor kick good 24 10 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 24 10

References

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