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Bluebonnet Bowl 1969
Houston 36 |
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Staff Writer Amarillo Globe-Times
Not considering the three negative records that the Tigers had the misfortune of breaking, the two teams together shattered 18 bowl records with three of the offensive marks surpassed by the Cougar offense telling the story of the game in a nutshell.
UH's awesome offense was paced by its All-American halfback, Jim Strong, who stepped for 184 yards, besting Chris Gilbert's 156 yards registered for Texas in the 1966 Bluebonnet Bowl against Mississippi. Strong picked the right side of Auburn's defense to pieces with plunges and breakaway streaks and gathered 134 yards in the first half alone.
The Cougars as a unit ran up 376 yards of rushing to break a bowl mark and ended the indoor contest with 516 net yards, another bowl record.
Strong gave a true indication of things to come on the first series of downs of the game after Nick Holm grabbed a fumble following the Houston kickoff and pitched the Cougar tent promptly on the opposition's 29-yard line. Houston drove 29 yards in seven plays and Strong claimed 27 of those yards on the ground.
Sophomore quarterback Gary Mullins ended the scoring drive by plunging over the middle to paydirt from one yard out behind the blocking of Pampa's Jim Arthur at center. Carlos Lopez added his first of three extra point conversions with only 3:30 gone in the battle.
Strong, who was honored as the game's most valuable back, carried on seven of Houston's next 14 plays to lead the hometowners to within field goal range. Lopez responded with a 27-yard boot that was true to its mark and the partial crowd was cheering a ten-point lead with only two plays gone in the second quarter.
The 6-1, 200-pound Strong got into the scoring act as the Cougars scored their third tally in as many possessions. His pitchout from Mullins around left end was good for one yard and a touchdown, but Lopez's PAT attempt was off.
The Auburn Tigers, fighting to keep their 4-0 ledger against Houston intact, rebounded and drove 67 yards in the second quarter for their first and only score of the night. Quarterback Pat Sullivan, working with only a sophomore's experience like UH's Mullins, passed twice for 18 yards and kept once for nine yards before Vickey Zofko surprised the Cougar secondary with a halfback pass to Connie Frederick in the end zone and intermission came with Houston holding a 16-7 advantage.
Houston coach Bill Yoeman switched the offensive load to Ted Heiskell to open the second half after the Pampa runner proved in the first half that his shoulder separation was to be of little consequence. Heiskell grabbed a Mullins quick pitch at his own 48-yard stripe and marched down the right sideline for 48 yards to set up another UH touchdown.
Heiskell again was called upon four plays later on a crucial fourth down play. With the ball resting on the one-yard line, Heiskell swept right end, met two Tigers head-on at the one and pushed them into the endzone for the game's killing blow. Mullins appeared to be Lopez's holder on the conversion, but kept the ball and threw an incomplete pass to tight end Riley Odoms.
The circus was not over though, as Strong added another score on a 12-yard burst over left tackle and two substitutes combined for a last-minute score. After last year's sensational quarterback, Ken Bailey, took one turn at the position, Rusty Clark entered for his turn and quickly threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Robert Newhouse (actually, the pass was to Tommy Mozisek) who was filling in for Heiskell and was standing in the end zone with only 35 seconds left.
Yeoman was quick to point out after the game that the defense was due more credit than the offense. ''Our defense was completely outstanding. It gave us the ball and the opportunity to score. When Frank Ditta and Allen Sumerford made the tackle on the opening kickoff that caused the fumble and gave us the chance to score, it set the tone for the night," Yoeman explained.
Our line was terrific." Strong said. "Auburn was as good a team as we faced all year. They hit harder and never gave up. We really did a job on defense and that fired up our offense."
Strong gave a measurable of credit to some ardent fans in the end zone. "I got a great boost when I looked up in the end zone and saw signs that my family had hung up there. Next to being elected captain of the team, the most valuable player award is my biggest thrill. You can't help but play well when you see those guys up front doing such a fantastic job.
All American defensive end Jerry Drones drew the award for the game's most valuable lineman and aptly gave thanks to his teammates and coaches. "It was great to get the MVP award, but I think everybody on our defense should get part of it and the main object of my playing as captain is to try to give leadership. An athlete playing under our coaching should do a great job. That provides the motivation."
The Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl triumph brought the Cougars' indoor record to 25-5 since moving into the Astrodome in 1965. |
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Houston's Gary Mullins plunges into endzone for game's first score. |
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Auburn's Pat Sullivan rolls out under pursuit. |
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Sullivan is sacked by Houston's Charlie Hall.. |
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Bill Yoeman is carried from field by jubilant Cougars. |
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Attendance- 55,203
Scoring Summary
First Quarter UH- Mullins 1 run (Lopez kick)
Second Quarter UH- FG Lopez 27 UH- Strong 1 run (kick failed AU- Frederick 36 yard pass from Zofko (Riley kick)
Third Quarter UH- Heiskell 1 run (pass failed)
Fourth Quarter UH- Strong 12 run (Lopez kick) UH- Mozisek 20 yard pass from Clark (Lopez kick), 0:35
Individual Statistics
Rushing UH- Strong 32-184, Heiskell 10-70, Mullins 13-54 AU- Zofko 12-31
Passing UH- Mullins 9-17-120 AU- Sullivan 10-30-132
Receiving UH- Wright 4-62, Thomas 2-35 AU- Beasley 6-76, Frederick 3-59
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Houston-
Bluebonnet Bowl records feel by the wayside like flies in a DDT factory
as the University of Houston relied on its famed offense to win its
first appearance in this 11-year classic, 36-7 over Auburn before 55,203
fans in the Astrodome here Wednesday night.
