One season removed from their own national championship, the Texas Longhorns found themselves matched up against the nation's best team and one of the all-time great quarterbacks when they took the field in Miami to face Alabama on the first day of 1965.

However, not even an amazing effort from a young Joe Namath was enough for Paul "Bear" Bryant to pick up the one thing that he never was able to accomplish during his coaching career - a win over a Darrell Royal-led Longhorn team.

The Longhorns shocked the Crimson Tide with two long scoring plays in the first half and then held off Namath with a classic goal line to stand, as the Longhorns pulled off a 21-17 upset over the national champions.

With almost everyone expecting a defensive struggle from the get-go, the Longhorns jumped on top of the Tide in the first quarter when senior running back Ernie Coy took a simple sweep play 79 yards for a touchdown to give the Longhorns a 7-0 lead with just 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Moments later, the Longhorns appeared to be on their way to a blowout win as they took a two-touchdown lead on the strength of a 69-yard pass from Jim Hudson to George Sauer.

It appeared a rout was coming, but Namath then entered the game and it took every bit of fight that the Longhorns had in them to hold off the young gunslinger.

Heading into the game, Namath wasn't even expected to play because of a knee injury, but he was pressed into action after his back-up (Steve Sloan) was hurt in the first half.

The rest of the afternoon became the Joe Namath Show.

The senior quarterback completed an Orange Bowl record 18 of 37 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while earning the game's MVP award.

"I've never been so scared," Texas middle linebacker Tommy Nobis replied when asked about Namath's performance after the game. "Namath was great. I was scared the whole second half."

Despite his amazing performance, it was the one extra yard that Namath couldn't pick up that eventually proved to be the difference in the game.

After an Alabama defensive lineman intercepted Texas quarterback Marvin Kristynik at the Texas 34-yard line, Namath threw completions of 18 and 13 yards to Ray Ogden and Steve Bowman to give the Tide a first-and-goal from the Longhorn's six-yard line.

After three straight run plays moved the ball to the Texas one-yard line, Namath tried to sneak across the goal line on a fourth-and goal play that would have given the Tide the lead late in the fourth quarter.

However, Nobis would have none of that.

The junior All-American teamed up with defensive tackle Diron Talbert to stop Namath less than a foot shy of the goal line. After that play, the Tide never got back inside the Longhorn's 40-yard line.

"You just can't say enough about Texas," Bryant said after the game. "They are a great ball club and that goal line stand was superb. I called every play on the goal line drive, but Texas just whipped us on the line. It's just that plain and simple."

While Namath's performance took all the headlnes, the importance of Koy's day on the ground in what would be his last game as a Longhorn, as one of the biggest reasons for the Longhorn's success. Koy finished the afternoon with 133 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

"That Koy is a great back," Bryant said. "he has good speed, size and power and that 79-yard run was the longest I can remember coming against us in a long time."

"Wasn't Namath's performance a real show of courage. I didn't even plan to play the kid when we came to the stadium, but the trainer said to try him out and you saw what he did. Guess it was fortunate too, since Sloan was hurt slightly in the first half.." - Alabama head coach Bear Bryant on his star quarterback Joe Namath.

"He must not have cause the referee didn't signal touchdown After all, those guys were in a better position to see than I was. I had the worst seat in the house." - Bryant when asked if he thought Namath had scored on the sneak attempt from the one-yard line on fourth-and-goal.

"They were voted No.1 by the polls. I'll go along with it."" - Nobis when asked after the game if the Longhorns should be ranked No.1.

"He's the best I've ever seen. I'd hate to see him on two good legs." - Texas defensive back's coach Willie Zapalac on Namath.

"Jim layed it right up there and all I had to do was run under it. Let me tell you one thing. I don't think anybody playing anywhere could have thrown a better pass." - Texas wide receiver George Sauer his 69-yard touchdown reception from Texas quarterback Jim Hudson.

"I'm just glad it's over with." - Texas defensive back Joe Dixon after battling Namath and his receivers.

* Namath signed a three-year, $400,000 contract with the New York Jets the day after the game. The amount was the largest pro football contract ever given at that time.

* UT quarterback Jim Hudson actually missed most of the 1964 season with a knee injury before coming on to star in the Orange Bowl. ""I'd hate to know what that boy could have done this season if he hadn't been hurt," Royal said after the game."

* A large portion of the country, including much of the South and the entire state of Alabama, missed most of the fourth quarter because of the network carrying the game switched over to other programming.

* Although Alabama was awarded the national title before the game by the coaches poll, Arkansas was named the national champion following the bowl games, based in art on their 14-13 win over the Longhorns earlier in the year.