1965 Grantland Rice Bowl

1965 Grantland Rice Bowl
1965 Grantland Rice Bowl
Ball State Cardinals	Tennessee A&I Tigers
(9–0)	(9–0)
Indiana Collegiate Conference	Midwestern Conference
14	14
Head coach: ; Ray Louthen	Head coach: ; John Merritt
Date	December 11, 1965
Season	1965
Stadium	Horace Jones Field
Location	Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Attendance	12,000
Grantland Rice Bowl
< 1964	1966 >

The 1965 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1965 season, between the Ball State Cardinals and the Tennessee A&I Tigers.^[2] Ball State quarterback Frank Houk was named the game's most outstanding player.^[3]

Notable participants edit

Multiple players from Tennessee A&I were selected in the 1966 NFL Draft – wide receiver Willie Walker, defensive tackle Franklin McRae, wide receiver Johnnie Robinson, and guard Jim Carer. Ball State running back Jim Todd was also selected. Tennessee A&I players selected in later drafts include running back Bill Tucker and return specialist Noland Smith in the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft, also defensive end Claude Humphrey and quarterback Eldridge Dickey in the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft. Humphrey was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Ball State quarterback Frank Houk was a 1985–86 inductee to his university's hall of fame.^[4]

Tennessee A&I head coach John Merritt was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	Ball St.	Tenn. St.
1	3:05				Tenn A&I	Eldridge Dickey 1-yard touchdown run, Fletcher Smith kick failed	0	6
2	8:43				Ball St.	Steve Demuth 25-yard touchdown reception from Frank Houk, Bill Hajec kick good	7	6
2	0:14				Ball St.	Jim Todd 18-yard touchdown reception from Frank Houk, Bill Hajec kick good	14	6
4	2:01				Tenn A&I	Noland Smith 74-yard punt return, 2-point pass good (Eldridge Dickey to Johnnie Robinson)	14	14
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							14	14

^ ^a ^b "Grantland Rice Bowl". Chicago Tribune. UPI. December 12, 1965. Retrieved February 11, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ LeMasters, Ron (November 27, 1965). "Ball State Will Play Rice Bowl Game With Tenn. State". The Star Press. Muncie, Indiana. Retrieved February 11, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Cards In 14-14 Bowl Tie". The Call-Leader. Elwood, Indiana. UPI. December 13, 1965. Retrieved January 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame". ballstatesports.com. Retrieved February 11, 2017.