The 1958 Sun Bowl (December) was a

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

postseason

bowl game In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For most of its history, the Division I Bowl Subdivis ...

between the

Wyoming Cowboys The Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls are the sport, athletic teams that represent the University of Wyoming, located in Laramie, Wyoming, Laramie. Wyoming is a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW) and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 17 ...

and the Hardin–Simmons Cowboys. This was the 25th

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. ...

, and the first edition to be held in December; all prior Sun Bowls had been played on January 1 or January 2.

Background

Wyoming was champion of the Mountain States Conference for the third time in the 1950s and Hardin–Simmons was champion 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. ...

for the third time in 16 years.

Game summary

Though both teams were stingy on defense, two turnovers in the second quarter led to Hardin–Simmons' downfall. Pete Hart fumbled the ball and Wyoming’s Pat Smyth recovered on the 19 of Hardin. Two plays later, Bud Snyder ran for 22 yards to the end zone to give Wyoming a 7–0 lead. After the kickoff, Hardin–Simmons was at their own 21 yard line. After a seven-yard loss on the first play, an interception of Harold Stephens' pass by Leonard Kuczewski led to another Snyder touchdown run. Stephens cut the lead on a touchdown pass to Benji, but after the failed conversion attempt, Hardin–Simmons failed to reach the end zone after that. Though Wyoming was limited to 188 total yards compared to Hardin-Simmons' 235 yards of total offense, Wyoming forced four turnovers while Hardin-Simmons failed to utilize their rushing attack for more points.

Aftermath

Wyoming won three more conference titles, but was not invited to any more bowl games during the rest of Devaney's tenure. This was the last bowl game for Hardin–Simmons.

References

Sun Bowl Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football bowl games Wyoming Cowboys football bowl games December 1958 sports events in the United States 1958 in sports in Texas {{Collegefootball-bowl-stub