1962 Bluebonnet Bowl


The 1962 Bluebonnet Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 22, 1962, at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game pitted the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Background

After a 1–1 start, the Tigers won six straight games, rising to #6 in the rankings before a matchup with Oklahoma, the eventual Big Eight Conference champion. A 13–0 loss dropped them out permanently, with a tie to rival Kansas ending their season, though it was their sixth straight winning season. Missouri was invited to their third bowl game in four seasons. Georgia Tech won their first two games to rise to #5 in the polls, before a 10–7 loss to LSU at home dropped them out. The Yellow Jackets went 5–1–1, with a 7–6 win over #1 ranked Alabama being a highlight win. The Yellow Jackets were invited to their third bowl game in four seasons.

Game summary

  • Missouri - Johnson 21-yard touchdown run
  • Georgia Tech - Auer 6-yard touchdown run
  • Missouri - Tobin 77-yard touchdown run
  • Georgia Tech - Lothridge 26-yard field goal
In a game where Missouri did not complete a single pass, it was halfback Bill Tobin who led the Tigers on the rushing attack with 117 yards, with Tobin scoring the go-ahead touchdown from 77 yards out with 5:54 to go in the third quarter. Georgia Tech had 13 first downs to Missouri's 10 and 68 passing yard to Missouri's 0, though they were outrushed 258 to 169. Both teams had four turnovers.

Aftermath

Neither team reached the Bluebonnet Bowl ever again. Both teams reached bowl games twice in the remainder of the decade.