1958 Tangerine Bowl (December)
The 1958 Tangerine Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 27, 1958 at the Tangerine Bowl stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game pitted the Missouri Valley Vikings and the East Texas State Lions. This was the first time the bowl was played before New Year's Day, as organizers wanted to "attract television coverage in the future". The December game date made this the second of two Tangerine Bowls played in calendar year 1958.
Background
The University at Buffalo's first bowl bid was to this game. The Tangerine Bowl Commission hoped that the Orlando High School Athletic Association, which operated the stadium, would waive its rule that prohibited integrated sporting events. When it refused, the team unanimously voted to skip the bowl because its two black players would not have been allowed on the field.Missouri Valley entered the game with an 8–0 record, and had previously played to a tie in the 1956 Tangerine Bowl. East Texas State entered the game with a 9–1 record, and had recorded two wins and a tie in three prior Tangerine Bowl appearances.