The 1956 Sun Bowl featured the Wyoming Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This was the first Sun Bowl played on January 2 since 1950.

Background

Texas Tech were champions of the

Border Conference The Border Conference, officially known as the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, was an National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA-affiliated college athletic conference founded in 1931 that disbanded following the 1961–62 season. ...

while Wyoming finished fourth in the Skyline Conference.

Game summary

Larry Zowada threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to John Watts to break the scoreless tie for Wyoming. But Tech responded with a Ronnie Herr touchdown run to tie the game going into the fourth quarter. Tech scored in the fourth on Fewin's touchdown run. But that is when Wyoming took over, as Zowada threw another touchdown pass to tie the game up. After Tech received the ball on the kickoff, Don Schmidt fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Pete Kutches. Three plays later, Ova Stapleton scored on a touchdown run, and from that point on the game was sealed for the Cowboys. Jim Crawford rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries and was named MVP.

Statistics

Aftermath

Weaver remained coach and athletic director until 1960. They did not reach the Sun Bowl again until

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

and not win a bowl game until

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

. Tech has not won a Sun Bowl since 1951. Wyoming went 10–0 the following season and Crawford led the nation in rushing yards. But believing that they would get a better bowl appearance, they declined the Sun Bowl invitation. No other invitations came. They reached the Sun Bowl again in

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

and

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

, winning both times.

References

Sun Bowl The Sun Bowl is a college football bowl game that has been played since 1935 in the southwestern United States at El Paso, Texas. Along with the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl, it is the second-oldest bowl game in the country, behind the Rose Bowl. ...

Sun Bowl Texas Tech Red Raiders football bowl games Wyoming Cowboys football bowl games 1956 in sports in Texas January 1956 sports events in the United States {{Collegefootball-bowl-stub