The 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic was the 28th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, January 1. Part of the 1963–64 bowl game season, the game was a de facto national championship game, as both teams would be playing for the FWAA’s Grantland Rice Trophy.[4][3] The top-ranked and undefeated Texas Longhorns, champions of the Southwest Conference, defeated the #2 Navy Midshipmen, 28–6.[5][6][7][8]
| 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 28th Cotton Bowl Classic National Championship Game[1][2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 1, 1964 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 1963 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Cotton Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Dallas, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Scott Appleton (DL Texas) Duke Carlisle (QB Texas) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Texas (slight)[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | David Buchanan (EAIFO; split crew: EAIFO, SWC) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 75,504 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | CBS | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall | ||||||||||||||||||||
In this era, the final major polls (AP, UPI) were published prior to the bowl games, so Texas would retain those national championships, regardless of the outcome.
Teams
editThe game was played less than six weeks after the assassination of President Kennedy, a U.S. Navy veteran and avid football fan, in the same city.[8] It was the second #1 versus #2 bowl game, after the previous season's Rose Bowl.
Texas
editTexas had won all ten games in the regular season, took the Southwest Conference title, and was first in the polls. This was their third consecutive Cotton Bowl.
Navy
editIndependent Navy was second in the polls, and featured junior quarterback Roger Staubach, the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner. Their only setback was a four-point loss at SMU (in the Cotton Bowl) in mid-October.[9][10] Texas won at SMU, 17-12, three weeks later.[1]
Game summary
editThe Cotton Bowl kicked off at 1 pm CST, as did the Sugar and Orange Bowls.[11][12] The temperature was 45 °F (7 °C) and skies were sunny.[5]
Two touchdown catches by Phil Harris from Duke Carlisle and a Carlisle touchdown run gave the Longhorns a 21–0 lead at halftime. Another touchdown run by fullback Harold Philipp increased the lead to 28–0 after three quarters. The Midshipmen finally scored on a two-yard touchdown run by Staubach (who went 22 for 34 for 228 yards), which ended the scoring at 28–6.
While the two teams had near even passing yards and near even first downs (18-16), Navy had 29 rushes go for -14 yards while Texas' 43 rushes for 168 yards led to two touchdowns as the Longhorns clinched an undisputed national championship, their first ever.[5][13] Several Cotton Bowl records were set.[14]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| No. 1 Texas | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX
- Date: Wednesday, January 1, 1964
- Game time: 1:00 PM CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 45 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 75,300
- TV announcers (CBS): Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall
- Box Score Game Recap
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | NAVY | TEX |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 16 | 18 |
| Total yards | 213 | 402 |
| Rushes/yards | 29/-14 | 43/168 |
| Passing yards | 227 | 234 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–34–1 | 8–21–1 |
| Time of possession |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy | Passing | Roger Staubach | 21–31, 288 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Donnelly | 8 car, 12 yards | |
| Receiving | Orr | 9 rec, 112 yards | |
| Texas | Passing | Duke Carlisle | 7–19, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Duke Carlisle | 11 car, 54 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Phil Harris | 3 rec, 157 yards, 2 TDs |
Statistics
editStatistics Navy Texas First Downs 16 18 Yards Rushing -14 168 Yards Passing 227 234 Passing (C-A-I) 22–34–1 8–21–1 Punts-Average 6–36.5 3–43.3 Fumbles lost 2 1 Penalized yards 35 72
Aftermath
editThe next major bowl for Texas was the following year in the Orange Bowl, the first played at night, and another win. The next Cotton Bowl for the Longhorns was five years later in January 1969, the first of six consecutive appearances.
Navy had previously played in each of the four major bowls once; this remains their most recent major bowl and their next bowl appearance was in 1978.
References
edit- ^ Chass, Murray (December 30, 1963). "Mythical Crown at Stake in Cotton Bowl". The Post-Crescent. Associated Press. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
With Texas and Navy ready to battle for college football's unofficial championship... Unbeaten Texas will have to fend off the East's best to remain first in the minds of the nation's fans.
- ^ Ratliff, Harold V. (December 31, 1963). Written at Dallas, Texas. "'Dream Game' In Dallas Heads Bowl Parade: National Title Is At Stake". The Herald-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. Associated Press. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
Darrel Royal's eyes flashed when he said it: 'We aren't a bit afraid to put it on the line.' He was discussing the question of whether the national championship would be decided when his Texas football team plays Navy in the Cotton Bowl Wednesday.
- ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967). "THIS YEAR THE FIGHT WILL BE IN THE OPEN". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
Because of their discontent with all polls, especially those of the wire services, the Football Writers Association of America set about naming the national champion in 1954, also after the bowl games.
- ^ a b "Slightly favored Longhorns ready for Naval battle". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 1, 1964. p. 7.
- ^ a b c d e "Carlisle passes Texas over Middies, 28 to 6". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1964. p. 9A.
- ^ a b c "Texas 1-2 punch rips Navy". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 2, 1964. p. 36.
- ^ a b c Becker, Jim (January 2, 1964). "Riled Longhorns slap Middies, 28-6". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. p. 13.
- ^ a b Underwood, John (January 13, 1964). "Big day for 'D'". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
- ^ "Giant-killer SMU stuns 4th ranked Middies 32-28". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. October 12, 1963. p. 8.
- ^ "A jinx for Navy". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1964. p. 9A.
- ^ "Nation's top teams face each other in bowl tilts". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 1, 1964. p. 7.
- ^ "Bowl timetable". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. January 1, 1964. p. 10.
- ^ "38-49.pmd (PDF)" (PDF). Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "Records tumble in Cotton Bowl". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1964. p. 9A.