17 9 10 0 Season 1961 Date 30 December 1961 | 7 0 Wichita State 0 MVP Billy Joe, FB Stadium Sun Bowl | |
Champion Villanova Wildcats football Location Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas, United States | ||
The 1961 Sun Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game between the Villanova Wildcats and the Wichita Shockers
Contents
Background
Wichita State was the champion of the Missouri Valley Conference for the fourth time in seven years.
Game summary
Billy Joe's 19 yard run gave the Wildcats an early lead as the Shockers were limited to less than 200 yards of offense while committing four turnovers. A 47-yard drive got the Shockers onto the 18-yard line for a chance at narrowing the lead. Bill Seigle kicked a 36-yard field goal tomake the halftime score 7–3. However the Shockers' second half began disastrously. Richie Ross recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half at the 22 yard line of the Shockers. Seven plays later, Louis Rettino ran in for a two-yard score to make it 14–3. Sam Gruneisen kicked a 26-yard field goal to pile onto the lead for the Wildcats, who even knocked out the Shocker quarterback Alex Zyskowski for most of the second half. However he came back with five minutes remaining in the game, and the Shockers benefited. He rushed for a five-yard score with :45 remaining, though it was not enough as the Wildcats won.
Aftermath
Wichita State head coach Hank Foldberg left the Shockers for Texas A&M after the season. The Wildcats returned to a bowl game the following year. Future National Football League head coach Bill Parcells played linebacker and recorded one kickoff return for 13 yards for Wichita State.