The third edition of the Liberty Bowl, the game featured the Syracuse Orangemen and the Miami Hurricanes, both independent programs.
Syracuse running back Ernie Davis became the first African-American football player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Jim Vollenweider scored on a 12-yard touchdown run to give Miami a 6–0 lead (though the extra point failed) in the first quarter.
Syracuse culminated a 42-yard drive with an Ernie Davis touchdown plunge to make it 14–8 (with a Dave Sarette pass to Dick Easterly to get the two-point conversion).
Nine plays and 51 yards later, Sarette threw a touchdown pass to Easterly to make it 14–14, with the extra point proving to be important.