Football Daily

The gridiron world took notice when the undefeated and untied teams of Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian met on November 30, 1935, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. Under first-year Head Coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs had a stout defense and were tinkering with the forward pass as a weapon on offense. The Horned Frogs countered with legendary Coach Dutch Meyer and his early formations of what we would today call the spread offense. Oh yeah, and it didn't hurt that TCU had a guy under center named Sammy Baugh! This contest was being played for Texas bragging rights, as well as for the Southwest Conference championship and a probable invitation to the Rose Bowl. Dast-forward to the fourth quarter, the score was knotted a 14, and on fourth down from the TCU 39, the Mustangs' Bob Finley was set in an apparent punt formation, but instead, he launched a touchdown pass to Bobby Wilson. The surprised Frogs didn't know what hit them until it was too late. SMU won 20-14. Southern Methodist received $85,000 from the Rose Bowl which in turn paid the mortgage on the Mustangs' campus stadium. ESPN named this the 80th Greatest College Game played in the first 150 years!