1968 Grantland Rice Bowl

The 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1968 season, between the Akron Zips and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.^[2] This was the last time that the Grantland Rice Bowl was played in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

1968 Grantland Rice Bowl
1968 Program cover
Akron Zips Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7–2–1) (8–2) Independent Gulf States Conference 13 33 Head coach:  Gordon K. Larson Head coach:  Maxie Lambright
1 2 3 4 Total Akron 0 7 6 0 13 Louisiana Tech 21 0 0 12 33
Date	December 14, 1968
Season	1968
Stadium	Horace Jones Field
Location	Murfreesboro, Tennessee
MVP	Terry Bradshaw (QB, La. Tech)
Attendance	2,500[1]
Grantland Rice Bowl  ← 1967  1969 →

Notable participants

Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw was selected first in the 1970 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. His teammates Larry Brewer and Tommy Spinks were also drafted. Bradshaw and Spinks are inductees of their university's athletic hall of fame, as is head coach Maxie Lambright.^[3] Bradshaw is an inductee of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Akron squad has been designated a Team of Distinction by their university's sports hall of fame; head coach Gordon K. Larson was inducted to the hall in 1975, running back John "Jack" Beidleman was inducted in 1980, and quarterback Don Zwisler was inducted in 1981.^[4]

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Akron La. Tech 1 8:00 4 41 La. Tech Terry Bradshaw 16-yard touchdown run, Richie Golmon kick good 0 7 1 3:23 6 67 La. Tech Tommy Spinks 36-yard touchdown reception from Terry Bradshaw, Richie Golmon kick good 0 14 1 1:17 10 La. Tech Buster Herren 2-yard touchdown run, Richie Golmon kick good 0 21 2 1:50 4 8 Akron John Vargo 1-yard touchdown run, John Harrison kick good 7 21 3 5:38 19 80 9:30 Akron John Beidleman 13-yard touchdown run, John Harrison kick no good (blocked) 13 21 4 10 62 La. Tech Larry Brewer 6-yard touchdown reception from Terry Bradshaw, Richie Golmon kick no good 13 27 4 9:45 5 46 La. Tech Terry Bradshaw 8-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed 13 33 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 13 33

^[1]

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	0	7	6	0	13
Bulldogs	21	0	0	12	33

Statistics	Akron	La. Tech
First Downs	14	21
Total offense, yards	196	347
Rushes-yards (net)	54–118	36–86
Passing yards (net)	78	261
Passes, Comp-Att-Int	6–21–3	19–33–2
Time of Possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Akron	Passing	Don Zwisler
	Rushing	Ron Lemon	18 car, 75 yds
	Receiving	Dan Ruff	4 rec, 56 yds
La. Tech	Passing	Terry Bradshaw	19/33, 261 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Terry Bradshaw	12 car, 35 yds, 2 TD
	Receiving	Tommy Spinks	12 rec, 167 yds, 1 TD