Jan. 1, 1951 - Sun Bowl - El Paso, Texas
The Buffaloes took a 7-0 lead three minutes into the second quarter. Bill Cross capped off a 57-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Cincinnati used the passing game to come back. On a 68-yard scoring drive, quarterback Gene Rossi completed a 36-yard pass to Joe Benzinger and short passes to Dick Jarvis and Dan McKeever. When Dan McKeever was injured on a running play, he was replaced by his brother, Tom, who carried three straight plays, the last a three-yard touchdown. Jim Kelly's extra-point attempt went wide right and proved to be important as the game progressed. Cincinnati claimed its first lead, 13-7, when Rossi threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Bob Stratton and Bill Shalonsky added the extra point. A crucial play in the 69-yard drive came on third down at the UC 43 when Rossi completed a 22-yard pass to Kelly and a West Texas A&M penalty moved the ball to the Buffalo 20. West Texas A&M used a trick play on a fake punt to score the game-winning touchdown. Faced with a fourth and long, punter Frank Wise moved under center, took the snap and lateraled to the right to quarterback Gene Mayfield. Mayfield completed a pass to Cross at the UC 40 and Cross broke several tackles to finish the 62-yard touchdown pass. Roy Lee Dunn added the extra point to give West Texas A&M a 14-13 lead. Cincinnati could not take advantage of its best scoring chance in the fourth when Shalonsky's 35-yard field goal attempt went wide right. West Texas A&M drove 79-yards to the UC one but the Bearcat defense held on a fourth down play. With time running out, the Bearcats moved to the Buffaloes' 27 on a long pass to Kelly, but the game ended when Rossi was sacked on successive plays.
Second Quarter
Third Quarter Attendance: 16,000
Rushing-- Cincinnati: Stratton 8-59; T. McKeever 9-40, 1;
D. McKeever 4-20; Anthony 4-14; Delaney 3-10; Rossi 9-(-37).
West Texas A&M: Wright 23-135; Cross 15-53; Mayfield 10-40;
Wise 2-(-10).
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