The 1959 Sun Bowl featured the

New Mexico State Aggies The New Mexico State University teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. The mascot is known as " Pistol Pete". NMSU's colors are crimson and white. Since 2005 the Aggies have competed in the ...

and the North Texas State Eagles.

Background

New Mexico State represented the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association (BAAA) and finished tied for third in

Warren B. Woodson Warren Brooks Woodson (February 24, 1903 – February 22, 1998) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Arkansas State Teachers College, now the Universi ...

's second season as head coach for the Aggies. North Texas State was co-champion of the Missouri Valley Conference with Houston in

Odus Mitchell James Odus Mitchell (June 26, 1899 – July 5, 1989) was an American football player and coach. As a coach, he was successful both at the high school and collegiate levels. In 42 years of coaching, at all levels, he compiled a 289–129–17 rec ...

's 14th year. This was the Eagles first bowl game since the

1948 Salad Bowl The 1948 Salad Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the North Texas State Eagles at Montgomery Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 1, 1948. The game marked the first bowl game for Nevada a ...

Game summary

*New Mexico State - Atkins 57 yard touchdown pass from Johnson (Gaiters run), 14:20 remaining *New Mexico State - Locklin fumble recovery (run failed), :01 remaining *New Mexico State - B. Kelly 15 yard touchdown pass from Johnson (Villanueva kick), 4:05 remaining *North Texas State - Christie 51 yard punt return (Perkins pass from Duty), :01 remaining *New Mexico State - Gaiters 44 yard touchdown run (Villanueva kick), 13:50 remaining Charley Johnson was named Sun Bowl MVP, going 7–of-15 with 124 yards passing and two touchdowns along with 31 yards rushing.

Billy Ray Locklin Billy Ray Locklin (September 13, 1936 – November 8, 2019) was an American football defensive lineman who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League for two different teams. He was a CFL All Star three times. Locklin started his pro car ...

had a defensive touchdown for the Aggies when he recovered a fumble as they led 21–0 at halftime. The Eagles could only muster a second half touchdown by

Billy Christle Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

and even though Abner Haynes had 174 all purpose yards, Bob Gaiters put the game out of reach with his 44 yard touchdown.

Aftermath

New Mexico State returned to the Sun Bowl the following season after winning the BIAA once again. Mitchell coached the Eagles for seven more years and won the conference title twice. The program did not reach another bowl game until the

2001 New Orleans Bowl The 2001 New Orleans Bowl featured the North Texas Mean Green and the Colorado State Rams. It was the inaugural playing of the bowl game. North Texas became the first team in NCAA college football history to play in a bowl after starting their sea ...

, 42 years later.

References

{{North Texas Mean Green bowl game navbox

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 New Mexico State Aggies football bowl games North Texas Mean Green football bowl games

December 1959 sports events in the United States