On this day in sports history

BY COLIN “BIG C” MACGUIRE

The Greenville Standard

 

Today I will cover the bowl games of Dec. 29 and 31, 1978 and also Jan. 1, 1979.

On Friday, Dec. 29 in the Gator Bowl Clemson played against Ohio State. I watched game at Jon Mark Glenn’s house, during a party. Clemson Coach Charlie Pell took the Florida job.

Danny Ford was elevated to head coach at the ripe old age of 30. It was Ford vs Woody Hayes. The game went back and forth.

Late in the game, with Ohio State trailing 17-15, Clemson nose guard Charlie Bauman intercepted a pass in front of the Ohio State bench. All ‘hell’ happened. Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes hit Bauman and that started a fight.

The party came to a standstill, everybody was watching the TV. After the fight was cleared up, Clemson took several snaps to end the game. The next day Woody Hayes was fired. It was a sad ending to a great career.

On Sunday Jan. 31, 1978, I was in a restaurant in New Orleans eating meal with family watching the Bluebonnet Bowl, Georgia vs Stanford, whose head coach was Bill Walsh.

Yes, that Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls’ with the San Francisco 49ers. Georgia jumped out to 22-0 lead. Stanford made a furious comeback to win 24-22. I almost did not get in the hotel room because of security. I was able to talk my way into the room.

On Jan. 1, 1979 in the Cotton Bowl, Houston blew a 34-12 lead to lose to Notre Dame 35-34. Notre Dame scored a touchdown as time expired. They kicked the extra point with no time on the clock.

I will cover the Sugar Bowl next week which was Alabama vs Penn State.

In the Rose Bowl, USC vs Michigan, USC won a on a controversial call. Charles White scored a touchdown which it appeared no score. If there was replay back then, it would have been reversed. USC won 17-10.

Next week I will explain and cover the Orange Bowl November rematch Oklahoma vs Nebraska. Oklahoma won the rematch 31-24.