1939 Sun Bowl

1939 Sun Bowl
5th Sun Bowl
Utah Utes New Mexico Lobos (6–1–2) (8–2) Mountain States Border Conference 26 0 Head coach:  Ike Armstrong Head coach:  Ted Shipkey
1 2 3 4 Total Utah 14 6 0 6 26 New Mexico 0 0 0 0 0
Date	January 2, 1939
Season	1938
Stadium	Kidd Field
Location	El Paso, Texas
Referee	Cooper Kinney
Attendance	13,000

This fifth annual Sun Bowl featured the Utah Utes and the New Mexico Lobos in a postseason bowl game for both teams and the final game of the 1938 college football season.

Background

New Mexico was champion of the Border Conference while Utah was champion of the Mountain States Conference. The game was touted as the most evenly matched of the five major bowl games of the 1938 season. This was also the first meeting between the two schools and the first bowl game for either school.

Game summary

Nevertheless, the Utes dominated from the start, scoring three first-half touchdowns, with a Tom Pace touchdown run and two Ray Peterson touchdowns, including a 1-yard run on fourth-down. In the second half, New Mexico had numerous opportunities to close the gap following Utah turnovers but their aerial attack couldn't capitalize, being held to 59 yards passing and four interceptions, not even reaching Utah's 40 the whole game. Utah, on the other hand, racked up 366 yards rushing, and outgained the Lobos 384–212, adding in a Clarance Gehrke touchdown late to make the final score 26–0, the first ever shutout in Sun Bowl history.[1][2]

Scoring summary

First quarter

• Utah: Tom Pace 15-yard run (Bernard McGarry kick)
• Utah: Ray Peterson 60-yard interception return (Bernard McGarry kick)

Second quarter

• Utah: Ray Peterson 1-yard run (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

• Utah: Clarence Gehrke 10-yard run (kick failed)

Statistics

Statistics	New Mexico	Utah
First downs	12	16
Rushing yards	179	379
Passing yards	59	18
Passing	4–11–4	1–4–1
Total offense	212	384
Fumbles–lost	3–1	1–1
Penalties–yards	5–35	9–55
Punts–average	9–40.8	8–30.5

Aftermath

New Mexico returned to the Sun Bowl twice in the next decade (1944 and 1946). Utah did not return to the Sun Bowl until 2011.

References

1. "2006 Utah Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Utah Athletic Department. p. 177. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
2. "2006 Lobo Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of New Mexico Athletic Department. p. 172. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2007.