1956 Gator Bowl
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game
|game_name=Gator Bowl
|subheader =
|title_sponsor=
|date_game_played=December 29
|year_game_played=1956
|football_season=1956
|visitor_name_short=Georgia Tech
|visitor_nickname=Yellow Jackets
|visitor_record= 9–1
|visitor_coach= Bobby Dodd
|visitor_conference=SEC
|visitor_rank_AP=4
|visitor_rank_coaches=4
|visitor_1q =7
|visitor_2q =7
|visitor_3q =7
|visitor_4q =0
|MVP= QB Wade Mitchell (Georgia Tech)
QB Corny Salvaterra (Pittsburgh)
|home_name_short=Pittsburgh
|home_nickname=Panthers
|home_record= 7–2–1
|home_coach= John Michelosen
|home_conference=Independent
|home_rank_AP=13
|home_rank_coaches=12
|home_1q =0
|home_2q =7
|home_3q =7
|home_4q =0
|us_network=
|type=bg
|stadium=Gator Bowl Stadium
|city=Jacksonville, Florida
|referee= John Coles (EAIFO;
split crew: EAIFO, SEC)
|attendance=37,683
}}
The 1956 Gator Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 29, 1956, at Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The game pitted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Background
Georgia Tech began the season ranked #4, and they started the season with six straight victories, rising to #2 heading into a faceoff with #3 Tennessee, but they lost 6-0. Victoires over Alabama, #13 Florida and Georgia gave them nine victories and an invite to a bowl game for the sixth straight year.
The Panthers began the season ranked #10, along with victories over West Virginia and #7 Syracuse. However, they fell to California 14-0. After victories over Duke and Oregon that made them ranked at #11, they lost to #8 Minnesota, which made them fall to #20. They went 3-0-1 in their final four games, beating Notre Dame, Army, and #6 Miami, while tying Penn State. This was their second straight bowl game.
Game summary
Corny Salvaterra went 3-of-10 for 67 yards, with 16 rushes for 36 yards for Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh had more rushing yards (246 to 162), more passing yards (67 to 45), first downs (16 to 10), but also more turnovers (4 to 1) than Georgia Tech.{{Cite web |url=http://www.taxslayerbowl.com/wp-content/uploads/boxscores/12thBoxScores.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905201220/http://www.taxslayerbowl.com/wp-content/uploads/boxscores/12thBoxScores.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-05 |url-status=dead }}
The attendance for the game was 37,683.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-huntsville-times-georgia-tech-outlas/133057281/|work=The Huntsville Times|title=Georgia Tech outlasts Pitt, 21 to 14, in Gator Bowl|date=December 30, 1956|accessdate=October 7, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
=Scoring summary=
- Georgia Tech - Ken Owen, 3 yard touchdown run (Wade Mitchell kick)
- Georgia Tech - Jerry Nabors, 6 yard touchdown pass from George Volkert (Mitchell kick)
- Pittsburgh - Dick Bowan, 42 yard touchdown pass from Corny Salvaterra (Joe Walton pass from Salvaterra)
- Georgia Tech - Paul Rotenberry, 5 yard touchdown run (Mitchell kick)
- Pittsburgh - Salvaterra, 1 yard touchdown run (kick good)
Aftermath
References
{{reflist}}
{{1956 bowl game navbox}}
{{Gator Bowl navbox}}
{{Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets bowl game navbox}}
{{Pittsburgh Panthers bowl game navbox}}
Category:Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football bowl games
Category:Pittsburgh Panthers football bowl games