Bear Bryant’s top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide came to the Sugar Bowl with an 11-0 record & the UPI National Championship in hand.  Before 1974, the UPI Coaches’ poll was voted prior to the bowl games.  The Crimson Tide's defense featured All-SEC LB Woodrow Lowe & All-SEC DB Mike Washington while the offense had All-American OT Buddy Brown, QB Gary Rutledge, & QB Richard Todd.  In the first meeting between these two storied programs, the 3^rd ranked, 10-0 Notre Dame Fighting Irish of coach Ara Parseghian were happy to defend The Belt to decide the true champion.  The game featured six lead changes with a missed extra point by Alabama's PK Bill Davis the difference in a 24-23 Notre Dame win.  The Fighting Irish got the only points of the 1^st quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Wayne Bullock after QB Tom Clements completed 3 straight passes to WR Pete Demmerle for 59 yards.  The missed extra-point left the score at Notre Dame 6 Alabama 0.  The Crimson Tide took the lead when RB Randy Billingsley scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to put Alabama ahead 7-6.  Fighting Irish's RB Al Hunter returned the ensuing kick-off 93 yards for a touchdown to put Notre Dame back in front 14-7 after the successful 2-point conversion.  Alabama got a 39-yard field goal from Davis to cut the lead to 14-10 at the half.  Alabama's All-SEC RB Wilbur Jackson scored on a 5-yard touchdown run capping an 11-play, 92-yard drive that put the Crimson Tide back ahead by a score of 17-14.  Notre Dame responded with a 12-yard touchdown run by RB Eric Penick for a 21-17 Fighting Irish lead.  Alabama got the lead back on a trick play when RB Mike Stock connected with Todd for a 25-yard touchdown on a halfback throw-back pass to the quarterback but the missed extra-point kept the score Alabama 23 Notre Dame 21.  After Clements carried 3 times for 25 yards & completed a 30-yard pass to All-American TE Dave Casper, Notre Dame's PK Bob Thomas hit a 19-yard field goal with 4:26 left for a 24-23 lead but the game was not yet in hand for the Fighting Irish.  After a 69-yard punt by Alabama's All-SEC P Greg Gantt pinned the Fighting Irish at their own 1-yard line, Coach Bryant declined a roughing the kicker penalty that would have allowed the Tide to retain the ball.  Bryant hoped his defense could hold Notre Dame & get the Tide better field position.  Clements sealed the win with a 36-yard pass to WR Robin Weber on 3^rd down play that got Notre Dame out of danger.  Clements threw for 169 yards while Casper finished with 3 catches for 75 yards for the Fighting Irish.  Rutledge threw for 88 yards with an interception in the loss.  Notre Dame finished 11-0 & claimed the National Championship while the Crimson Tide finished 11-1; SEC Champions & ranked 4^th nationally.  Alabama would play for The Belt again in 1978.