Plot Synopsis

First held on New Year's Day 1935 with the mission of generating tourism for South Florida, the Orange Bowl has been held every year since. In the inaugural game, Bucknell, champion of the smaller Eastern colleges, was the first team invited to the Orange Bowl Classic, which had been called the Palm Festival for the previous two years. The Bison defense held Miami to just four first downs and 28 yards total offense en route to the inaugural 26-0 victory. The Orange Bowl was first televised in 1953, as Alabama dominated Syracuse in the most lopsided Orange Bowl Classic in history. The 1965 game was the the first prime-time night game in Orange Bowl history, as Texas upset top-ranked Alabama (and quarterback Joe Namath) 21-17. The 63rd annual FedEx Orange Bowl, played for the first time in its new home of Pro Player Stadium, saw the Nebraska Cornhuskers defeat the Hokies of Virginia Tech, 41-21, on New Year's Eve (December 31, 1996). The Orange Bowl is currently tied to the college football playoff, making it the home of the CFP Semifinal every three years (2015, 2018, 2021).