In the 15th edition of the Liberty Bowl, the NC State Wolfpack defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 31–18.
The Wolfpack went a perfect 6–0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, winning their first ACC title since 1968.
Kansas tied for second in the Big Eight Conference but was badly thinned by injuries to key personnel.
This was North Carolina State's third Liberty Bowl in 10 years (1963 and 1967 being the other two times).
With the game a 10–10 tie early in the third quarter, Kansas' Bruce Adams called for a fair catch on a punt, but in the midst of heavy traffic he fell down on the field, with the ball bouncing off him.