The 1968 Sun Bowl featured the

Arizona Wildcats The Arizona Wildcats are the sport, athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I (NCAA Divis ...

and the

Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year coeducational university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...

Background

The Wildcats had finished tied for 2nd in the

Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington (state), Washington, and Texa ...

in their second year under Coach Mudra, improving from 3–6–1 the previous year to earn their first bowl appearance since 1949. The Tigers had finished tied for third in the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...

in their first bowl game since 1965. This was the first Sun Bowl for either team. This was the first Sun Bowl broadcast by CBS. The partnership of CBS and the Sun Bowl is the longest continuous relationship between a bowl game and one TV network.

Game summary

A John Riley 52-yard field goal and a 65-yard touchdown pass from Loran Carter to Mickey Zofko gave the Tigers a 10-0 lead after one quarter. The Wildcats responded with a Steve Hurley 32 yard field goal and a Hal Arnason 12 yard touchdown catch from Bruce Lee (with 54 seconds remaining in the half) to make it tied at 10 after one half of play. In the second half, Auburn took control in the span of 24 seconds. Tommy Taylor scored from 9 yards out to make it 17–10. On the ensuing possession for Arizona, Buddy McClinton intercepted a Lee pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown score to make it 24–10. When Auburn got the ball back, Carter threw a 42 yard touchdown pass to Tim Christian to make it 31–10. A Riley field goal made the final score 34–10. Auburn's

Buddy McClinton Buddy McClinton was a defensive back for the Auburn University Tigers who was selected to the 1969 College Football All-America Team. As a safety that year, he set a school record for most interceptions in a season with nine. He also holds the ...

caught three interceptions, had six tackles and scored a touchdown off an interception return en route to being named MVP, the first defensive back to be awarded the honor in the Sun Bowl. Lee set a record for most interceptions in the Sun Bowl with 6, on a miserable 6-of-24 for 89 yard performance. While Carter went 7-of-28 passing on three interceptions, he threw for 158 yards with two touchdowns.

Aftermath

The Wildcats did not return to the Sun Bowl again until 1985. The Tigers did not return again until 1973.

Statistics

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 Arizona Wildcats football bowl games Auburn Tigers football bowl games 1968 in sports in Texas December 1968 sports events in the United States {{Collegefootball-bowl-stub