1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl


The 1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl was the 18th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, on December 31. Part of the 1976–77 bowl game season, It matched the thirteenth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the #9 Texas Tech Red Raiders of the Southwest Conference. Down by ten points in the second half, Nebraska rallied to win 27–24.

Teams

Both teams were making their only appearances in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl; this edition was played on New Year's Eve at 7 p.m. CST. The Sugar Bowl had been played in this time slot the previous four years, but moved back to New Year's Day this season.

Nebraska

The Cornhusers started the season ranked first, but a tie to LSU dropped them to #8. Five straight victories made them rise back to third before a matchup with The home loss dropped them to ninth, with victories over Kansas and #13 Oklahoma State doing nothing to make them rise nor fall. Losses to Iowa State and dropped them to thirteenth, with a lopsided win at Hawaii ending the regular season on a high note. The Huskers tied for fourth in the Big Eight Conference at 4–3 in a year where Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado all won a share of the conference title at 5–2. This was Nebraska's sixth bowl game of the decade along with their seventh straight bowl appearance.

Texas Tech

The Red Raiders won their first eight games, rising from unranked to fifth in the nation with wins over and being highlight wins. However, a loss to #9 Houston at home cost them a chance at an undefeated season, though wins at Arkansas and meant that the Red Raiders won a share of the SWC, their first conference title since 1955. This was Texas Tech's fifth bowl appearance of the decade.

Scoring

;First quarter:
;Second quarter:
;Third quarter:
;Fourth quarter:
Reg Gast recovered a Red Raider fumble with 1:34 left in the game to seal the game for Nebraska, who rallied twice from ten-point

Statistics

Aftermath

The teams switched places in the final AP poll, Nebraska climbed to ninth and Texas Tech fell to thirteenth.
The bowl win was Nebraska's seventh in the last eight seasons, and the Huskers had regular bowl appearances for the rest of Osborne's tenure. only reached three bowl games combined in rest of the decade and the next one. Neither returned to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl after this game.