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The 63rd Orange Bowl, also known as the 1996 Orange Bowl, was a 1996–1997 Bowl Alliance game played on December 31, 1996 between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Virginia Tech, champions of the Big East Conference, came into the game with a 10–1 record and #10 AP ranking, whereas Nebraska, members of the Big 12 Conference, came into the game with a 10–2 and No. 6 ranking. In a high-scoring affair, Nebraska defeated Virginia Tech, 41–21. Due to Bowl Alliance (predecessor to the Bowl Championship Series) rules, the Orange Bowl following the 1996 season was played on December 31, instead of January 1 or later. This marked the first time that an Orange Bowl was played prior to the start of the new year and created the unique circumstance of having two Orange Bowls in the same year—one in January, following the 1995 season, and the other in December, following the 1996 season. The Orange Bowl Committee, which had the fourth and sixth selections of eligible Bowl Alliance teams, selected Big East champions Virginia Tech and Nebraska, an at-large selection that appeared to be a national championship game contender before its loss to Texas in the inaugural Big 12 Championship Game. The weeks before the game were filled with controversy, as both teams had multiple players arrested or charged with crimes. Despite having lost their last game before the Orange Bowl, Nebraska was heavily favored over Virginia Tech, as spread bettors favored the Cornhuskers by 16 or 17 points, depending on the source used. The Cornhuskers had won the 1994 and 1995 national championships, and presented an imposing history when compared with that of Virginia Tech, which had posted its most important win in school history at the end of the previous season, defeating Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl. On December 31, the weather was clear and warm at the start of the game, though a light rain began to fall in the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech scored first, taking a 7–0 lead at the end of the first quarter—its only advantage in the game. In the second quarter, Nebraska scored three times for 17 points, taking a 17–7 lead before Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller threw a touchdown pass with 19 seconds remaining in the first half, cutting Nebraska's lead to 17–14. In the third quarter, the two teams alternated scores, with Nebraska maintaining a three or 10-point lead throughout. At the end of the third quarter, Nebraska had a 31–21 lead. In the final quarter of the game, Nebraska scored 10 unanswered points as the Cornhuskers used their large number of backup players to advantage. The final score was 41–21, Nebraska. == Team selection == During the 1996 season, the Orange Bowl was a member of the Bowl Alliance, a precursor to the modern Bowl Championship Series. The Bowl Alliance was formed prior to the 1995 college football season in an effort to match the No. 1 and No. 2 teams at the conclusion of the regular season while also ensuring other high-ranking teams were allowed to participate in high-profile bowl games. The Alliance included the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, and Big East Conference. As agreed, the champions of each conference would play in one of three Bowl Alliance games: the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. The Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences, which had a separate agreement with the Rose Bowl, were not included in the Bowl Alliance until 1998, when the Alliance became the Bowl Championship Series.〔St. Louis Post-Dispatch staff. "The Bowl Picture", St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 1, 1996. Page 7H.〕〔The Associated Press. "Osborne still can't win, despite national titles", The Roanoke Times. August 31, 1996. Page Football 10.〕 In 1996, the Orange Bowl had the fourth and sixth selections from eligible Bowl Alliance teams. The Sugar Bowl had the top two picks, while the Fiesta Bowl, which had the top picks in 1995, received the third and fifth picks. Due to Bowl Alliance restrictions, the Orange Bowl at the end of the 1996 season had to be played on December 31, marking the only time in the history of the Orange Bowl that the game was not played in January and that there were two Orange Bowls in the same year—one at the end of the 1995 season, and the other at the conclusion of the 1996 season.〔Barnes, Craig. "Color the Orange Bowl neutral with JRs move", South Florida Sun Sentinel. August 29, 1996. Page 23FB.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1996 Orange Bowl (December)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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