Bobby Wilson dazzled fans with his elusive running style and cemented his legacy as a legendary halfback for the SMU Mustangs.
Football Bio
August 16, 1913 – Bobby Wilson, the former halfback at Southern Methodist University, was born.
Bobby is in the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 1973 class, according to the National Football Foundation.
The Mustang Rusher earned All-American honors for his play after the 1935 season.
As a senior, he was drafted 40th overall in the 1936 NFL draft by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bobby Wilson leaves behind a storied legacy in college football, starring on SMU’s 1935 National Championship team. He thrilled crowds with unforgettable plays, including the famous “$85,000 touchdown,” and rightly claims his spot among the all-time greats in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The Stakes: A Texas-Sized Showdown
In 1935, the college football world was focused squarely on a major matchup in Texas. Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Texas Christian University (TCU) were locked in a battle for the Southwest Conference Championship, with the winner securing a coveted invitation to the Rose Bowl.
At the center of SMU’s high-flying offense was Bobby Wilson. At just 5-foot-10 and 147 pounds, Wilson was considered one of the greatest “little men” in college football history. He was a dynamic halfback, a two-time All-American, and an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses in the open field.
The Play: 4th and 4
Late in the fourth quarter, the game was deadlocked at 14-14. SMU was facing a critical 4th down with 4 yards to go on the TCU 37-yard line.
SMU head coach Matty Bell sent his team out in a deep punt formation. Quarterback and punter Bob Finley dropped back to receive the snap, originally looking as though he would try to pin TCU deep. But as Finley caught the snap, he didn’t kick. Instead, he suddenly began to backpedal, faked the punt, and reared back his right arm.
Meanwhile, Bobby Wilson had taken off sprinting down the sideline. Despite being closely covered by a TCU defender, Finley unleashed a massive heave toward the end zone.
The Catch
The ball sailed over 45 yards through the air. As Wilson reached the 3-yard line, he looked back, leaped high, and managed to tip the falling football to control it. He juggled the ball for a split second before securing it against his body, tumbling into the end zone for the score.
That miraculous catch gave SMU a 20-14 victory, capping off their Southwest Conference Championship run and punching their ticket to Pasadena.
Why $85,000?
While SMU ultimately lost the Rose Bowl to Stanford by a score of 7-0, the trip to California paid off in a massive, very literal way. The revenue generated from appearing in the Rose Bowl that year was exactly $85,000.
Back in Dallas, SMU was carrying a heavy debt: the mortgage on their newly built stadium. The remaining balance on that mortgage? Exactly $85,000.
With one stroke, the Rose Bowl revenue wiped out the university’s stadium debt completely. From that day on, Bobby Wilsonβs acrobatic, game-winning catch was forever immortalized in college football history as the “$85,000 Touchdown”.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1973.
- National Champion: Member of the SMU Mustangs 1935 National Championship team.
- Consensus All-American: Earned First-Team All-America honors in 1934 and Consensus All-America honors in 1935.
- Southwest Conference MVP: Won the award in 1935.
- SWC Scoring Leader: Led the Southwest Conference in scoring in 1934 with 48 points and repeated the feat in 1935 with 72 points.
- All-Conference Selection: Named to the All-Conference team in 1933 and 1935.
- Texas Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1969.
- NFL Draft: Selected in the fifth round (40th overall) of the 1936 NFL Draft by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
