0 0 10 9 0 0 | 6 8 Air Force 0 0 0 | |
The 1959 Cotton Bowl Classic featured the TCU Horned Frogs and the Air Force Falcons, played on January 1, 1959, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. This was the first tie in the game in eleven years, also scoreless, and the first Cotton Bowl game broadcast on CBS, which carried 38 of the next 41.
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Background
Undefeated Air Force had a tie during the 1958 regular season, 13–13 to Iowa; the Hawkeyes went on to win the Big Ten Conference and the Rose Bowl. The Falcons were ranked in the polls for the seventh straight week, #8 for the second straight week, and were making their first-ever bowl appearance. TCU was unbeaten in Southwest Conference until a 20–13 loss to SMU in the last game of the season. The Horned Frogs had also spent seven weeks in the polls, though they were unranked going into this game. Coincidentally, they also had played Iowa, but lost 17–0. This was TCU's fourth bowl game in seven years and were favored by eight points.
Although it had snowed two days earlier, the field was clear and the weather was sunny and 44 °F (7 °C) for the 2:30 p.m. CST kickoff.
Game summary
In the end, it was six lost fumbles (out of 13 in total) and five missed field goals that decided the scoreless outcome. The Falcons at one point had the ball at TCU's 6-yard line before being stuffed, but when they tried to kick a field goal from the 12, George Pupich's kick sailed wide left. Pupich missed two more (one from 34 and the other from 52) while TCU missed two of their own.
TCU went 3 for 11 on passing for a woeful 37 yards but had 190 yards rushing on 48 attempts. Air Force barely did better with 12 for 23 passing for 91 yards and two interceptions. Both teams finished with over 227 yards yet had more punts (16) then points. Dave Phillips of Air Force and Jack Spikes of TCU were named Outstanding Players.