This Date in College Football Belt History – September 16

The top-ranked, 1-0 Alabama Crimson Tide of coach Paul “Bear” Bryant traveled to Missouri to battle the 11^th ranked, 1-0 Missouri Tigers coached by Warren Powers in his first year.  Missouri was coming off a 3-0 upset of the 5^th ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  Alabama rallied for three 2^nd half touchdowns to claim a 38-20 victory over the Tigers to retain The Belt.  The 1^st quarter belonged to the Crimson Tide as RB Major Ogilvie scored on a 23-yard touchdown run & QB Jeff Rutledge threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to TE Rick Neal.  When PK Alan McElroy hit a 26-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead with 12:07 to play in the half, it looked like the Crimson Tide would roll to an easy victory.  Missouri got on the board with a 4-yard touchdown run from RB Earl Gant midway through the quarter.  Missouri’s All-Big 8 QB Phil Bradley broke loose for a 69-yard touchdown run with 3:44 left in the half as the Tigers closed to within 4 points at 17-13.  On the next series, Missouri’s All-Big 8 CB Russ Calabrese intercepted Rutledge & returned the pick 30 yards giving the Tigers a 20-17 halftime lead.  The 3^rd quarter belonged to Alabama as Crimson Tide’s All-SEC DE E.J. Junior blocked a punt that LB Rickey Gilliland returned 35 yards for a touchdown that gave the Crimson Tide a lead they would not relinquish.  Late in the quarter, RB Tony Nathan pushed in from 1 yard putting Alabama in front 31-20.  On the first play of the 4^th quarter, Rutledge threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to RB Lou Ikner to finish the scoring.  Rutledge finished with 70 yards passing with 2 touchdowns but 2 interceptions.  Bradley threw for 114 yards with an interception as well as rushing for 60 yards with a touchdown & All-American TE Kellen Winslow had 3 catches for 49 yards in the loss.  Alabama finished the season 11-1; SEC Champions & National Champions while the Tigers finished 8-4, ranked 15^th nationally.  Missouri would play for The Belt again in 1991.

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