OTHER GREAT BOWL GAMES

As you ease into that TV chair for today’s bowlathon, expect some ordinary college football games.

That way, you won’t be disappointed if you see a string of turkeys that you won’t be able to recall six months from now.

Also, should an extraordinary game unfold, it will be a football fan’s gift, your New Year’s bonus.

Here are three great bowl games from the past three decades:

1965 ORANGE BOWL: Texas 21, Alabama 17

In the first New Year’s Day bowl game played at night, No. 1-ranked Alabama was a big favorite over No. 5 Texas . . . until Alabama quarterback Joe Namath injured a knee in practice.

Steve Sloan started at quarterback for Alabama, and Bear Bryant summoned Namath after the Crimson Tide had fallen behind, 14-0, in the second quarter.

As he took the field, Namath limped badly from the pain and the heavy wrapping. But he promptly took Alabama 87 yards for a touchdown, his passes covering all but four yards of the drive.

Texas scored again before halftime, but Namath’s leadership and passing spurred Alabama to a 63-yard scoring drive in the third quarter. The Longhorns still led, 21-14. A third-quarter field goal made it 21-17.

Then came one of the most dramatic scenes of all bowl games. In the closing minutes, Namath passed Alabama to the Texas six, where Bryant inexplicably abandoned his passing game.

Three line plunges by Steve Bowman put the Crimson Tide at the one. On fourth down, Namath tried a sneak, seemed to be stopped, then drove again, into the end zone. One official called it a touchdown, but he was overruled by the referee.

1979 COTTON BOWL: Notre Dame 35, Houston 34

The coldest Cotton Bowl was actually the hottest.

In the middle of the worst ice storm to hit Dallas in 30 years and with his own body temperature having dropped to 96 degrees, Joe Montana carved out what is probably the greatest comeback of modern bowl games.

On a day of 17-degree temperatures, wind gusts to 30 m.p.h. and only 32,500 in the 72,000-seat Cotton Bowl, Montana, in his final college game, beat Houston at game’s end.

With Notre Dame trailing at halftime, 20-12, Montana had gone into uncontrollable shivering in the locker room and was wrapped in blankets. He didn’t start the second half but argued his way onto the field midway through the third quarter, insisting to Irish Coach Dan Devine that he could play.

Notre Dame’s defense started the rally. Steve Cichy picked up a blocked punt and ran it back 33 yards, narrowing the gap to 34-20.

Then Montana took the Fighting Irish 61 yards in four plays, scoring himself. With 4:15 left, it was 34-28.

With 2:05 remaining, Montana had Notre Dame at Houston’s 20, but he fumbled the ball away. Then on fourth and one at the Houston 29, with 35 seconds left, Cougar Coach Bill Yeoman elected to go for the first down. Houston didn’t make it.

From the Houston 29, Montana ran for 11 yards, then passed to Kris Haines for 10. Montana missed Haines in the end zone, but his quick release had given Notre Dame one more chance--with two seconds left.

He called the same play and hit Haines in the corner of the end zone for 34-34. With no time remaining on the extra-point attempt, Notre Dame committed a motion infraction and was penalized. But No. 2 kicker Joe Unis converted, making it 35-34.

1984 ORANGE BOWL: Miami 31, Nebraska 30

Nebraska (12-0), as it prepared to play Miami (10-1) in the Orange Bowl, was thought by Nebraskans to be perhaps college football’s greatest team.

Nebraska had scored 624 points in the regular season, seven times scoring 50 or more.

Miami’s freshman quarterback, Bernie Kosar, seemed too young, too green. It all added up to Nebraska being a 10 1/2-point favorite.

Miami led, 17-0, shortly after the outset of a masterpiece that would produce 889 yards of total offense and two whirlwind rallies by a gallant Nebraska team.

The Cornhuskers wiped away 17-0 and 31-17 Hurricane leads--only to fall short with 48 seconds left. Miami safety Ken Calhoun batted Turner Gill’s pass for a two-point conversion out of Jeff Smith’s hands.

With that play, Nebraska’s 22-game winning streak disappeared, to say nothing of its hoped-for national championship, which went to Miami.