1939 Sun Bowl

1939 Sun Bowl
1234 Total
Utah 14606 26
New Mexico 0000 0
Date January 2, 1939
Season 1938
Stadium Kidd Field
Location El Paso, Texas
Attendance 13,000

This fifth annual Sun Bowl featured the Utah Utes and the New Mexico Lobos in a postseason bowl game for both teams and the final game of the 1938 college football season.

Background

New Mexico was champion of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association while Utah was champion of the Mountain States Conference. The game was touted as the most evenly matched of the five major bowl games of the 1938 season. This was also the first meeting between the two schools and the first bowl game for either school.

Game summary

Nevertheless, the Utes dominated from the start, scoring three first-half touchdowns, with a Tom Pace touchdown run and two Ray Peterson touchdowns, including a 1-yard run on fourth-down. In the second half, New Mexico had numerous opportunities to close the gap following Utah turnovers but their aerial attack couldn't capitalize, being held to 59 yards passing and four interceptions, not even reaching Utah's 40 the whole game. Utah, on the other hand, racked up 366 yards rushing, and outgained the Lobos 384–212, adding in a Clarance Gehrke touchdown late to make the final score 26–0, the first ever shutout in Sun Bowl history.[1][2]

Scoring summary

First quarter

Second quarter

Fourth quarter

Statistics

Statistics New Mexico Utah
First Downs 12 16
Rushing Yards 179 379
Passing Yards 59 18
Passing 4-11-4 1-4-1
Total Offense 212 384
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 1-1
Penalties-Yards 5-35 9-55
Punts-Average 9-40.8 8-30.5

Aftermath

New Mexico returned to the Sun Bowl twice in the next decade (1944 and 1946). Utah did not return to the Sun Bowl until 2011. A rivalry came out of this game between the two schools, which has been running continuously since the early 1960s.

References

  1. "2006 Utah Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Utah Athletic Department. p. 177. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
  2. "2006 Lobo Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of New Mexico Athletic Department. p. 172. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
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