The 1961 Texas-TCU Game

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The 1961 Texas-TCU football game was one of the most shocking upsets in college football history. The #1 ranked Texas Longhorns, led by legendary coach Darrell Royal and featuring future Heisman Trophy winner Jimmy Saxton, were heavily favored against the unranked TCU Horned Frogs. However, TCU pulled off a stunning 6-0 victory that sent shockwaves through the college football world.

Pre-game Hype and Expectations:

The 1961 Longhorns were a dominant team, boasting an 8-1 record and a high-powered offense led by Saxton.
They were heavily favored to defeat TCU, who were 2-4-1 at the time.

The game attracted a sell-out crowd of 60,000 fans at Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, eager to witness the Longhorns' anticipated victory.

Unforeseen Turn of Events:

The game started according to script, with the Longhorns driving down the field on their opening possession.
However, disaster struck when Saxton was hit by a vicious knee to the head by TCU's Bobby Plummer.
Saxton left the game with a concussion, and the Longhorns' offense sputtered without their star player.

TCU capitalized on the momentum shift, scoring the game's only touchdown on a 50-yard pass from Ron Gibbs to Tommy Iles in the second quarter.

The Longhorns, despite having numerous opportunities to score, failed to convert, missing two crucial field goals.

A Shocking Upset and Lasting Legacy:

The final score of 6-0 stunned the college football world.
It marked the first time that a #1 ranked team had lost to an unranked opponent since 1950.

The upset also spoiled the Longhorns' hopes of winning their first national championship.