1970 - 1979 Into the Swing of It
Finding A Groove
After the Peach Bowl burst onto the scene in the 60’s, the 70’s were all about building momentum. A full decade of hard-fought football proved the game was no flash-in-the-pan. It was an annual tradition that soon outgrew Grant Field.
Peach Bowl Record 36 Rush Attempts 12/30/1970
3rd Annual
December 30,1970 #8 Arizona State 48North Carolina 26
The Sun Devils battled through blizzard conditions on their way to a perfect season, torching UNC with a 27 – 0 second half.
Fiesta Time
Arizona State flew across the country just to be welcomed with frigid temperatures, sleet, and snow. This was their first and (maybe not coincidentally) only Peach Bowl appearance. The Fiesta Bowl was founded that very offseason—to be played until 2006 at the Sun Devil’s snow-free home stadium.
First Peach Bowl At
Fulton County Stadium
December 30,1971
#17 Mississippi State 41 - Georgia Tech 18
5th Annual
December 29,1972
NC State 49
#18 West Virginia 13
The first clear-skied Peach Bowl saw the Lou Holtz-led Wolfpack blow out the 1969 Champion Mountaineers.
6th Annual
December 28, 1973
Georgia 17
#18 Maryland 16
Vince Dooley’s Bulldogs gave the state of Georgia its first Peach Bowl win behind a tenacious defense.
Both Vanderbilt and Texas Tech converted only two field goals each—the Red Raiders had a third attempt blocked by Vandy’s Dennis Harrison, defensive MVP of the game.
Following the game, Vanderbilt coach Steve Sloan shockingly jumped ship to coach Texas Tech.
8th Annual
December 31, 1975
West Virginia 13
NC State 10
West Virginia made their third Peach Bowl appearance, avenging a 1972 loss to NC State with a 50-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
West Virginia coach Bobby Bowden left for Florida State following the 1975 Peach Bowl.
The Wildcats dismantled UNC in
front of a sellout crowd of 54,123—marking
the first and only shutout in Peach Bowl history.
10th Annual
December 31, 1977
NC State 24
Iowa State 14
NC State rushed to a 21 – 0 halftime lead behind the second 100-yard Peach Bowl performance by tailback Ted Brown.
11th Annual
December 25th, 1978
Purdue 41
Georgia Tech 21
It was the most wonderful time of the year for Purdue fans, as the first and only Christmas Day Peach Bowl turned into a Boilermaker blowout.
12th Annual
December 31, 1979
#19 Baylor 24
#18 Clemson 18
Tigers and Bears, oh my. A lively crowd of 57,321 fans turned out to see freshman QB Mike Brannon and two blocked punts lead Baylor to victory.
