American college football season
The 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks football team was an American football team that represented the University of Arkansas in the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1964 NCAA University Division football season . In their seventh year under head coach Frank Broyles , the Razorbacks compiled an undefeated 11–0 record (7–0 against SWC opponents), won the SWC championship, closed the regular season with five consecutive shutouts, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 231 to 64, and defeated Nebraska 10–7 in the Cotton Bowl .[ 1] [ 2]
The Razorbacks finished the season as the only major team with an undefeated and untied record after No. 1 Alabama lost to Texas (a team Arkansas defeated in Austin) in the Orange Bowl . However, the AP and UPI Coaches Polls became final before the bowl games were played, leaving one-loss Alabama as the AP and UPI national champion. The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) conducted its final polling after the bowl games and selected Arkansas as the national champion . Arkansas was also selected as national champion by six other selectors, including the Billingsley Report and the Helms Athletic Foundation .[ 3]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source 2:00 p.m. Oklahoma State * W 14–1040,000 [ 4]
2:00 p.m. Tulsa * W 31–2225,000–35,000 [ 5] [ 6]
1:00 p.m. at TCU NBC W 29–620,982 [ 7]
2:00 p.m. Baylor No. 9 W 17–641,000 [ 8]
8:00 p.m. at No. 1 Texas No. 8 W 14–1365,700 [ 9]
2:00 p.m. Wichita State * No. 4 W 17–038,000 [ 10]
7:30 p.m. at Texas A&M No. 4 W 17–024,000 [ 11]
2:00 p.m. Rice No. 4 W 21–033,000 [ 12]
2:00 p.m. SMU No. 3 W 44–033,000 [ 13]
1:00 p.m. at Texas Tech No. 3 W 17–045,000 [ 14]
1:00 p.m. vs. No. 6 Nebraska * No. 2 CBS W 10–775,504 [ 15]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
Game One – Oklahoma State Cowboys at Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Cowboys
0
0
7 3 10
Razorbacks
0
7
7 0 14
at War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, Arkansas
Date : September 19, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 40,000
Statistics
OK ST
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Oklahoma State
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Two – Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Golden Hurricane
7
7
0 8 22
Razorbacks
0
10
21 0 31
at Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas
Date : September 26, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 25,000–35,000
Statistics
TULSA
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Tulsa
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Three – Arkansas Razorbacks at TCU Horned Frogs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Razorbacks
0
7
0 22 29
Horned Frogs
0
0
0 6 6
at Amon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, Texas
Date : October 3, 1964Game time : 1:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 20,982
Statistics
ARK
TCU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
TCU
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Four – Baylor Bears at No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Bears
6
0
0 0 6
No. 9 Razorbacks
7
0
3 7 17
at War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, Arkansas
Date : October 10, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 40,000
Statistics
BAY
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Baylor
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Five – No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 1 Texas Longhorns – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 8 Razorbacks
0
7
0 7 14
No. 1 Longhorns
0
0
0 13 13
at Memorial Stadium • Austin, Texas
Date : October 17, 1964Game time : 8:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 65,700
Statistics
ARK
TEX
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Texas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Six – Wichita State Shockers at No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Shockers
0
0
0 0 0
No. 4 Razorbacks
7
7
0 3 17
at War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, Arkansas
Date : October 24, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 40,000
Statistics
WICH ST
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Wichita State
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Seven – No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks at Texas A&M Aggies – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 4 Razorbacks
10
7
0 0 17
Aggies
0
0
0 0 0
at Kyle Field • College Station, Texas
Date : October 31, 1964Game time : 7:30 p.m. CST Game attendance : 24,000
Statistics
ARK
TX A&M
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Texas A&M
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Eight – Rice Owls at No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Owls
0
0
0 0 0
No. 4 Razorbacks
0
7
0 14 21
at Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas
Date : November 7, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CST Game attendance : 33,000
Statistics
RICE
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Rice
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Nine – SMU Mustangs at No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Mustangs
0
0
0 0 0
No. 3 Razorbacks
7
14
17 6 44
at Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas
Date : November 14, 1964Game time : 2:00 p.m. CST Game attendance : 33,000
Statistics
SMU
ARK
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
SMU
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Game Ten – No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks at Texas Tech Red Raiders – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 3 Razorbacks
0
0
14 3 17
Red Raiders
0
0
0 0 0
at Jones Stadium • Lubbock, Texas
Date : November 21, 1964Game time : 1:00 p.m. CST Game attendance : 45,000
Statistics
ARK
TTU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Punts/average
Penalties/yards
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Texas Tech
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
1965 Cotton Bowl Classic – vs. No. 6 Nebraska[ edit ]
Game Eleven – 1965 Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 6 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 6 Cornhuskers
0
7
0 0 7
No. 2 Razorbacks
3
0
0 7 10
at Cotton Bowl • Dallas, Texas
Date : January 1, 1965Game time : 1:00 p.m. CST Game attendance : 75,504TV : CBS
Statistics
NEB
ARK
First downs
11
11
Total yards
168
176
Rushes/yards
44–100
34–45
Passing yards
68
131
Return yards
Fumbles/lost
0–0
2–2
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
8–16–2
11–19–1
Punts/average
6–33.3
6–40.2
Penalties/yards
5–25
6–50
Time of possession
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Nebraska
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arkansas
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
NEB
ARK
1
9:47
8
42
ARK
31-yard field goal by Tom McKnelly
0
3
2
7:45
10
69
NEB
Harry Wilson 1-yard touchdown run, Duncan Drum kick good
7
3
4
4:41
9
80
ARK
Bobby Burnett 3-yard touchdown run, Tom McKnelly kick good
7
10
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
7
10
Source: Razorback Bowl History – 1965 Cotton Bowl
Arkansas was invited to play in the 1965 Cotton Bowl Classic on January 1, 1965, against the Nebraska Cornhuskers . Arkansas' number-one rated defense was giving up only 5.7 points per game, while No. 7 Nebraska's scoring offense was averaging 24.9 points per contest.
Playing before a capacity crowd of 75,504 in Dallas , Arkansas opened the scoring with a field goal by Tom McKnelly in the first quarter. Nebraska took the lead in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Harry Wilson. Neither team scored in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, fifth-year quarterback Fred Marshall, whose fumbles had stalled Arkansas in the first half, led the Razorbacks on a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. The drive featured a scramble by Marshall for a first down after it appeared he would be sacked and two passes from Marshall to Jim Lindsey, the second taking the ball to the Nebraska five-yard line. Two plays later, junior tailback Bobby Burnett ran one yard for the game-winning touchdown with less than five minutes remaining in the game.[ 15]
Passing
Player
G
Cmp
Att
Pct
Yds
Y/A
AY/A
TD
Int
Rate
Gray
11
14
28
50.0
162
5.8
7.2
2
0
122.2
Rushing & Receiving[ edit ]
Rushing & Receiving
Rushing
Receiving
Scrimmage
Player
G
Att
Yds
Avg
TD
Rec
Yds
Avg
TD
Plays
Yds
Avg
TD
Brasuell
11
178
551
3.1
3
11
112
10.2
0
189
663
3.5
3
Burnett
11
96
318
3.3
8
10
76
7.6
1
106
394
3.7
9
Gray
11
21
33
1.6
2
21
33
1.6
2
Hatfield
11
2
3
1.5
0
2
3
15
0
Crockett
11
7
121
17.3
1
7
121
17.3
1
Scoring
Touchdowns
Kicking
Player
G
Rush
Rec
Int
FR
PR
KR
Oth
Tot
XPM
FGM
2PM
Sfty
Pts
Burnett
11
8
1
9
54
Brasuell
11
3
3
18
Gray
11
2
2
12
Crockett
11
1
1
6
Team
Passing
Rushing
Split
G
Cmp
Att
Pct
Yds
TD
Att
Yds
Avg
TD
Offense
11
6.9
13.3
52.1
87.0
0.5
50.1
181.3
3.6
1.5
Defense
11
7.7
16.5
47.0
82.1
0.3
40.4
97.3
2.4
0.5
Difference
–0.8
–3.2
+5.1
+4.9
+0.2
+9.7
+84.0
+1.2
+1.0
1
2
3
4
Total
Arkansas
10
31
28
11
80
Non-conference opponents
7
7
7
10
31
1
2
3
4
Total
Arkansas
24
42
34
59
159
SWC opponents
6
0
0
16
22
1
2
3
4
Total
Arkansas
34
73
59
70
236
All opponents
13
7
7
26
53
Statistical leaders and award winners [ edit ]
The team's statistical leaders included Fred Marshall with 787 passing yards, Jack Brasuell with 551 rushing yards, Jim Lindsey with 385 receiving yards Nate Lawson with 28 touchdowns, and Bobby Burnett with 54 points scored (9 touchdowns).[ 16]
Arkansas linebacker Ronnie Caveness was selected by the Associated Press (AP), Newspaper Enterprise Association , Football Writers Association of America , Time magazine, and the Sporting News as a first-team player on the 1964 College Football All-America Team . Caveness was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame .
Eight Arkansas players were selected by the AP or United Press International (UPI) as first-team players on the 1964 All-Southwest Conference football team : Caveness (AP-1, UPI-1); quarterback Fred Marshall (AP-1, UPI-1); offensive end Jerry Lamb (AP-1, UPI-1), offensive tackle Glen Ray Hines (AP-1, UPI-1), defensive halfback Ken Hatfield (AP-1), defensive guard Jim Johnson (AP-1), and defensive tackles Loyd Phillips (AP-1), wide receiver Nate Lawson (all-time legend) and Jim Williams (AP-1).[ 17] [ 18]
Split national championship and controversy [ edit ]
With its victory in the Cotton Bowl and Alabama 's loss to Texas (a team Arkansas had defeated in Austin) in the Orange Bowl , Arkansas finished the 1964 season as the only major team with an undefeated and untied record. On January 6, 1965, a five-man committee of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected Arkansas as the winner of Look magazine's Grantland Rice Trophy as the top college football team in the country. Arkansas received four of five first-place votes, with Texas receiving the fifth vote. Alabama did not receive a single vote for first, second, or third place. The five members of the FWAA committee were Si Burick , Dayton Daily News ; Fred Russell , Nashville Banner ; Blackie Sherrod , Dallas Times Herald ; Steve Weller, Buffalo Evening News ; and Paul Zimmerman , Los Angeles Times .[ 19] Arkansas is also recognized as the 1964 national champion by Billingsley Report , College Football Researchers Association , Helms Athletic Foundation , National Championship Foundation , Poling System , Sagarin , and Sagarin (ELO-Chess).[ 3] [ 20]
However, the final AP and UPI Coaches polls were released before bowl games were played, and Alabama therefore remained as the national champion in the AP and UPI Coaches' Polls.[ 21] Because of the controversy, the AP Poll experimented with a voting model that took the final vote to select their champion after the bowl games in the 1965 season. In 1966, the AP Poll went back to taking the final vote at the conclusion of the regular season before finally adopting the post-bowl season model in 1968. The UPI Coaches' Poll adopted the post-bowl season model in 1974, a decade after the controversies surrounding the 1964, 1965, 1970, and 1973 national championships, seasons in which the winner of the Coaches' Poll went on to lose their bowl game.
Fred Marshall, QB
Billy Gray, QB
Ronny South, QB
Charles Pisano QB
Jack Brasuell, RB
Jim Lindsey , RB
Bobby Nix, RB
Bobby Burnett , RB
Ronnie Watkins, RB
Eddie Woodlee, RB
Jerry Lamb, WR
Bobby Crockett, WR
Richard Trail, WR
Mike Bender, OL
Glen Ray Hines , OL
Jerry Jones , OL
Randy Stewart, OL
Jerry Welch, OL
Dick Hatfield, OL
Richard Cunningham, OL
Tom McKnelly, K
Jim Finch, DL
Jimmy Johnson , DL
Loyd Phillips , DL
Bobby Roper, DL
Jim Williams, DL
Ronnie Caveness , LB
Ronnie Mac Smith, LB
Ken Hatfield , DB
Charles Daniel, DB
Harry Jones , DB
Martine Bercher , DB
James Pullen
^ "Arkansas Yearly Results (1960-1964)" . College Football Data Warehouse . David DeLassus. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2015 .
^ "1964 Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 3, 2015 .
^ a b 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF) . Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2017. pp. 113–114. Retrieved August 23, 2018 .
^ "Arkansas Hangs On For Win" . Austin American-Statesman . September 20, 1964. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Comeback Nets Arkansas Win" . Austin American-Statesman . September 27, 1964. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulsa Golden Hurricane Football Record & Fact Book 2022" (PDF) . University of Tulsa . p. 183. Retrieved January 18, 2023 .
^ "Hogs Chew TCU Again" . Austin American-Statesman . October 4, 1964. pp. C1, C5 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Jim Montgomery (October 11, 1964). "Porkers Kill Baylor, 17-6". Austin American-Statesman . pp. B1, B2.
^ "Texas Gamble Fails; Arkansas 14-13 Victor" . Austin American-Statesman . October 18, 1964. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Porkers Halt Wichita, 17 to 0" . Austin American-Statesman . October 25, 1964. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Razorbacks Blank Ags, 17-0" . Abilene Reporter-News . November 1, 1946. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Porkers Whitewash Rice For 9th Win" . The Odessa American . November 8, 1964. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Arkansas Punches To Easy 44-0 Win" . Lake Charles American Press . November 15, 1964. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Arkansas Blanks TT, Closes Out Unbeaten" . The Pampa Daily News . November 22, 1964. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com .
^ a b Curt Mosher (January 2, 1965). "Somebody Up There Likes Arkansas, 10-7" . The Lincoln Journal . p. 7 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1964 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1964 AP All SWC" . Del Rio News Herald . November 29, 1964. p. 6.
^ "1964 UPI All SWC" . Valley Morning Star . December 1964. p. 8.
^ "WOOOOO, Pig! Razorbacks Win Grantland Trophy" . The Longview Daily News . January 7, 1965. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Kirlin, Bob. "Helms Athletic Foundation/Bill Schroeder National Champions of College Football 1883–1982" . Retrieved December 31, 2007 .
^ Kirlin, Bob. "Coaches' polls (UPI 1950–1990, CNN/USA Today 1991–present)" . Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2007 .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1936–1949 1950s 1960s
1960 : Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF ) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
1961 : Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
1962 : USC
1963 : Texas
1964 : Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
1965 : Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
1966 : Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
1967 : USC
1968 : Ohio State
1969 : Texas
1970s 1980–1991
National championships in bold