1976 NBC Sports Orange Bowl Intro w/ Opening Commentary

[radiodj1520]

In This Clip, From 5:10 To 6:02, It Was NBC Sports' The 1976 Orange Bowl: Michigan Vs. Oklahoma Video Open From Thursday Night, January 1, 1976.

[Brettsburg20]

The tacking in those highlight plays was next to awful. But like the older uniforms alot better back then!

[altfactor]

Although the Orange Bowl was in prime-time, Jim Simpson was NBC's "numebr-two" football play-by-play man during this period.

"Lead" football play-by-play man Curt Gowdy called the Rose Bowl, which was the most traditional of the bowl games and (even in years when it played no part in determing a national champion) often drew far more viewers than any other bowl game.

[GoongalaGoongala]

Love the all white away jerseys. I wish Michigan would bring em back.

[paulsonj72]

Michigan had lost to Ohio St and thus lost the Big 10 title. The Big 10 made a package deal with the Orange Bowl taking the Big 10 runner up.

[northernsteel1]

How was a Michigan team ( Big 10 ) playing in the Orange Bowl . Wouldnt they be at the Rose Bowl . Obviously not ,, but why ?

[blacksamcooke]

I love Michigan!

[altfactor]

This was the very first day NBC used the "N" logo.

I believe they first used it on-air shortly after 12 Midnight EST leading into a station break on a special New Year's edition of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show".

[Baltimorehop]

NCAA Football most likely need the Play Off style or Tornament system since around the time of this game. It has to be down. God willing, they'll junk this BCS BS and get real and get this done by perhaps next year.

[Baltimorehop]

I am happy for Switzer & the Boys from OU but UCLA did get the shaft. Fast forward 7 yrs later to the 1983 Orange Bowl with #4 Miami beating #1 Nebraska and winning the Nat'l Championship, #2 Texas that year lost to Georgia and #3 Auburn won in the Sugar Bowl that night but didn't end up on top... I said it then, I'll say it now, NCAA football needs a PLAY OFF similar to NCAA basketball! Get it?!!!

[ellivenr]

I believe UCLA had three losses during the season (I know they had at least two), which is why they couldn't win the title. Alabama had only one loss, but they weren't impressive against Penn St. in the Sugar Bowl. Arizona St. won the WAC, upset Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl and finished 12-0, but hey---they were in the WAC! Familiar story huh? The best team, Oklahoma, won it in the end.

[ThunderSooner2835]

I have this game on DVD! OU won #5 that night!

BOOMER!

[Gutierrez7802]

UCLA beats #1 Ohio State 23-10 and a Buckeye loss.

Oklahoma beats Michigan 14-6 and Oklahoma became Number 1 football team in America after winning the Orange Bowl Night Classic because the Ohio State loss in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day coverage in 1976.

[scifiradioguy]

Ahh, great parking lot, the Orange Bowl.

[DNSKansas]

This was the only Oklahoma game to be televised in 1975. The Sooners were on probation from 1973 through 1975. They were banned from the postseason in 1973 and 1974, and TV in 1974 and 1975. The ban was lifted for the bowl game.

This game also marked the first time a Big 10 team played in a bowl game other than the Rose Bowl. The Big 10 lifted its "Rose Bowl or bust" policy for 1975 after Michigan posted seasons of 10-1, 10-0-1 and 10-1 and stayed home each time.

[mjennings77095]

Actually, I believe the reason the bowl game was televised was because it was Jan., 1976. I think the TV ban was through 1975.

BTW - I was in OU's band and at the game in 1976. I even got a little close up airtime during halftime :)

Thx for posting

[raiders1967]

It's a great theme song.

[Chisox74]

Wasn't that the day when NBC pulled out the Abstract "N" logo for the 1st time?

[joebradio]

you are correct.. they made a huge deal about it all day long on New Year's Day 1976 as I remember .. and you also notice the theme in this piece was edited to remove the "teletype" section where the former NBC News and Sports Serif Italic type would appear on screen.

[oc61579]

Just to give you and everyone else else a heads up,i posted Jim Simpson making a few comments about the new logo as a video response,check it out!

[schmoop14]

It's just not the same without that "teletype" section. Also without the sounds I always associated with a hockey player coming to a stop, even when it was used on the NFL or bowl game telecasts.

[soxpacker]

Teletype at 5:33!

[raiders1967]

Great stuff. Thanks for posting. I was living in Palm Beach County and was eleven years old when this game was played.

[StFidjnr]

this is a virtually #1 vs #2.

[ericcollins81]

jim simpson very underrated longtime number 2 man at nbc behind curt gowdy

[chrisuncleahmad]

The Orange Bowl had TURF?!

[canesfan29]

Yes from 1970 to 1976 or 1977 they had turf. Candlestick park in San Francisco also did during a similar time period.

[SFFOOL76]

yeah i believe candlestick had turf from 1970 to 1978. They got rid of it becasause of OJ SIMPSON bad knees. When he got traded or signed with S.F. at the tail end of his career.

[GrantFuhr]

Wow, they used that theme for everything. I still dig it.