The 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl 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 in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...

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 Rice Owls and the

Kansas Jayhawks The Kansas Jayhawks, commonly referred to as simply KU or Kansas, are the athletic teams that represent the University of Kansas. KU is one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a mem ...

Background

This was the Owls' sixth bowl game in 14 years, and second in the year of 1961, having appeared in the Sugar Bowl in January, though they had lost the last two. This was the Jayhawks' first bowl game since 1948.

Game summary

Rice was playing the game on its home turf, in the second annual Bluebonnet Bowl. Ken Coleman of Wichita ran for a 1 yard touchdown for Kansas, but the extra point fell short. Johnny Burrell caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from

Randy Kerbow Randall Morris Kerbow (born December 19, 1940) is a former football player in the National Football League and Canadian Football League. A quarterback for the Rice Owls football team from 1960 to 1962, Kerbow made the Houston Oilers as a wide r ...

to give Rice a 7-6 lead. When Kansas was forced to punt later in the quarter, John Hadl mishandled the snap and ran 41 yards to give the Jayhawks crucial position. Coleman would score his second touchdown of the day to give Kansas a 12-7 lead at halftime. Rodger McFarland and

Curtis McClinton Curtis Realious McClinton Jr. (born June 25, 1939) is a former collegiate and professional American football player. His father, Curtis McClinton Sr., served in the Kansas Senate. McClinton attended Wichita North High School in Wichita, Kansas ...

both scored on rushing touchdowns on reverse plays to give Kansas a 25-7 lead by the fourth quarter, and McFarland scored his second touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the final score 33-7, giving Kansas their first ever bowl win.

Aftermath

This would be the last bowl game for the Owls until 2006. The Jayhawks would return to a bowl game in 1969.

Statistics

References

{{Rice Owls bowl game navbox

Bluebonnet Bowl The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 19 ...

Bluebonnet Bowl Kansas Jayhawks football bowl games Rice Owls football bowl games