The best and most competitive game in college football history. These had the big memorable plays by the stars of college football or some other element that make them some of the most entertaining the collegiate gridiron has ever witnessed.
A Shocking Upset in College Football History
Greatest College Games | The 1961 Texas-TCU Game, A Shocking Upset in College Football HistoryThe 1922 Rose Bowl
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A Shocking Upset in College Football History
This film captures a football game between the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs and the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns. (TCU players are wearing white jerseys.) The Southwest Conference match-up was played on November 18, 1961, at Texas Memorial Stadium (now known as Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium) in Austin. Although the top-ranked Longhorns make several trips to the red zone, they fail to score, ultimately losing to 24-point underdog TCU in a 0-6 upset. The shocking def — texashistory.unt.edu
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.
Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer
We invite you to take a ride through 1920's sports history in the audio drama that takes the listener through the sounds and legendary events of the era through the eyes of a young newspaper journalist. You will feel like you were there!
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