Coach Devine started only Afro-Americans at all positions as a statement to the South. It was Bama's worst ass-whooping.
the Tiger runners ran straight up the gut all afternoon – and with great success.
Fullbacks McBride and Harrison were neither fast, but both were big and strong and did not like to hit the ground: McBride rushed 18 times for 68 yards, and Harrison carried the ball 11 times for 58 yards. Staggers, who usually picked up his yards on sweeps or pitchouts saw the ball only seven times for 19 yards; when he was used it was usually as a decoy. McMillan was not a punishing runner, but was adept at starting and stopping, picking his way through the debris of fallen Tidesmen as he followed his interference for 76 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.
Tailback Greg Cook, a hard-hitting, standup runner who absolutely refused to be tacked by anything less than a crowd, followed his blockers straight up the middle fighting and shedding blockers 27 times for 179 yards and a back-breaking 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
McMillan started the scoring with a four-yard touchdown in the first quarter to cap an 11-play, 71-yard drive. In the second quarter, Bama's Donnie Sutton ran an interception back 38 yards to tie the game. Then, with three minutes left in the half, McMillan again scored, this time from five yards to cap a 57-yard drive and give the Tigers a 14-7 halftime lead.
The third quarter was scoreless, and the Tide pulled closer with a 25-yard field goal early in the fourth. On their next defensive series, Tiger cornerback Roger Wehrli ran back an interception to the 21-yard line. Four plays later, McMillan scored his third touchdown of the game with a two-yard run for a 21-10 Mizzou lead. Then came Cook's heroic blast up the middle from 35 yards out followed by safety Dennis Poppe's 47-yard interception return to bury the Tide 35-10.
It was Bear Bryants greatest bowl-game loss and, until the 2007 Cotton Bowl, was Missouri's greatest bowl victory.
While much has been said about the Tiger offense (the Tigers finished with 402 yards rushing), not enough can be said about their defense. The Tide finished with -45 yards rushing (figuring in the 12 sacks of Alabama quarterback Scott Hunter) and only 77 yards passing (7 of 27 with two interceptions) for a total offensive output of 32 yards.
Defensive linemen Jay (Rocky) Wallace, Carl Garber, Elmer Bernhardt, Mark Kuhlmar, Roger Boyd and Bill Schmitt spent the day in the Alabama backfield. Linebackers Steve Lundholm and Jerry Boyd cleaned up the debris if someone got near the line of scrimmage, and cornerbacks Roger Wehrli and Butch Davis, and safety George Fountain (backed up by Poppe) patroled the outfield, picking off two passes and allowing only seven receptions.
Alabama, which had lost only two games all year by a total of three points, were sent home that December day down 25 points – as Mizzou fans cheered and enbibed on into the weekend and well into the second semester.
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