Sugar Bowl
1957
Baylor 13
Tennessee 7
New
Orleans, Jan. 1 (Chicago Tribune Press Service) A bruising band of
Baylor Bears came out of Texas today to tear to shreds the reputation of
All-American Johnny Majors and his hapless gang of Tennessee Volunteers.
The Vols, unbeaten and untied in 10 games in the 1956 football season and 7 1/2 point favorites to extend their victory string, ran into an upset defeat rather than their 11th victory. The score: Baylor, 13, Tennessee, 7.
It was the 23rd annual Sugar bowl game, played before a capacity crowd of 82,000 under scudding clouds and occasional showers after a bright New Orleans sky had welcomed the holiday minded visitors earlier in the afternoon.
Instead of Majors, whose advance notices far surpassed anything the Bears could offer, including their mighty 210 pound forward wall. It was lanky Delbert Shofner, Bear halfback, who walked off with the laurels, not only on the field but in the press box where a poll of writers found him the day's outstanding player by a wide margin.
The Tennesseans, champions of the Southeastern conference and second only to Oklahoma in national ratings, were outclassed in every department as attested not only by the score and by the plaudits of the roaring crowd, but in the statistics. The figures show the Bears netted 275 yards by rushing to 146 for the Vols and 24 yards by passing to 16 for Tennessee. The Bears also came up with four interceptions to none for Tennessee.
Of this tremendous total gain, Shofner, first choice of the Los Angeles Rams in the recent National Football league draft, rolled up 88 yards in 14 carries. He was ably supported, however, by Bobby Peters, right halfback whose slashing drives netted him 60 yards in eight attempts.
On the other side, the far side for Tennessee, was a net gain of only 51 yards in 15 carries for Majors, whose ball carrying record was easily surpassed by Fullback Tommy Bronson with 56 yards in eight attempts. Majors, called one of football's finest triple threat backs, tried seven passes and completed only one for 16 yards. Two of his tosses were intercepted.
Majors, despite his ever present threat from the Vols' single wing attack, must be charged with the defeat if it be laid at any one player's feet. In the final quarter, with Tennessee leading, 7 to 6, Johnny failed to hold the ball on a prodigious Shofner punt and his fumble, recovered by Baylor's Reuben Saage on the Tennessee 15, set the stage for the winning touchdown, scored by Buddy Humphrey, sophomore quarterback, on a short plunge. Humphrey was one of four quarterbacks sent into action by Coach Sam Boyd during the game.
Saage, 190 fullback, rivaled Shofner and Bill Glass, All-American guard, on defense. Time after time the shifty fullback threw back the charges of the Volunteers and his offense total of 39 yards in seven tries came just when first downs were needed.
It was Shofner, however, on whom the Bears depended for their line backing. The 6 foot 3 inch senior, who runs the 100 in 9.7 seconds, was all over the field- most of the time mixed up with the Volunteer backs, and it was he who on two occasions stopped Tennessee drives with pass interceptions, his specialty.
Tennessee had its moments, too, though the men coached by Bowden Wyatt, voted the coach of the year, apparently were overconfident from the start when, after winning the toss of the coin, they elected to kick off and Baylor moved with a suddenness that took the wind out of the Vols' sails.
The Bears, on the first march, went all the way to the Tennessee 4 yard line. Peters took the kickoff on his 4 yard line and ran 52 yards to the Tennessee 44. With Baylor on the Tennessee 4, a penalty for delaying the game sent the Bears back five yards and Donnel Berry tried a field goal from the 15. The angle was bad and the kick went far off course.
Tennessee took the ball on its 20 but tried only one play before Majors quick kicked. Baylor picked up three first downs again before being forced to punt, Shofner kicking into the endzone.
Tennessee could do nothing against the Baylor line and then, midway in the second period, the Bears moved out in front.
They drove 80 yards for the first score after a Vol punt into their endzone. Shofner spearheaded the drive with 54 yards around right end before being hauled down by Bobby Gordon, Tennessee's best man on defense.
A five yard penalty against the Vols put the ball on the Tennessee 31. Bobby Jones passed to End Jerry Marcontell for seven yards and Larry Hickman, 210 pound fullback, picked up eight for a first down on the 14. He drove for two more, after which Jones passed to Marcontell for the touchdown. Berry's try for the extra point was wide.
Tennessee went one point ahead in the
third period when Majors, aided by Bronson, showed to advantage for the
first time.
The Vols’ scoring drive started on the Tennessee 45, but a 15 yard personal foul call against Baylor put the ball on the Bear 39. Majors gained nine yards on a cutback, and added three more before Bronson picked up six, then seven more for a first down on the Bear 13. A penalty set the Vols back to the 26, but Majors came right back with a first down smash to the Baylor 3. Bronson took the ball to the 1 from where Majors forced his way over for a touchdown. Sammy Burklow place kicked the extra point to give Tennessee the lead, 7 to 6.
On the next series of plays, Bruce Burnham, Tennessee guard, was removed from the field on a stretcher and Hickman, who had kicked him in the face, was escorted from the field.
Into the fourth quarter went the teams, both now fighting with all they had. The Bears were forced to punt midway in the final quarter and Shofner placed a long one into Majors' hands on the Tennessee 4 yard line. Johnny started back and reached the 15 before he was hit by Clyde Letbetter, a 218 pound tackle.
The ball bounced out of Majors' arms and Saage recovered. The rejuvenated Bears, with Shofner showing the way, pushed right up to the Tennessee goal line from where Humphrey sneaked over. Berry kicked the extra point.
The Vols made a couple of half hearted attempts to get going after that, but the Bear line wouldn't budge.
Game Notes: The 1957 Sugar Bowl is remembered for Baylor’s upset of mighty Tennessee. But, it may best be remembered for an altercation between the two team’s animal mascots. On the sideline, Smokey II, Tennessee’s hound dog mascot mixed it up with the Baylor Bear. Acording to one source, “There have been eight Smokeys since 1953, and all have lived happy, productive Houn' Dog lives (except for Smokey II, who was mauled by the Baylor Bear at the Sugar Bowl in 1957. Smokey II wasn't himself afterwards, and the Baylor Bear was always a little bit more frisky).
Baylor is a Baptist school founded in 1845. The fans were not exactly what could be described as “partiers” when they descended on New Orleans at New Years, 1957. According to a local hotel manager, “They came with the Ten Commandments & a $10 bill….. They didn’t break either one of them”
Bobby Peters hurdles the Tennessee line in the 1st quarter as Stockton Adkins defends.
Johnny Majors carries against Baylor.
Attendance: 78,084
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter
BU- Marcontell, 12 yard pass from Jones (Kick failed)
Third Quarter
UT- Majors 1 run (Burklow kick)
Fourth Quarter
BU- Humphrey 1 run (Berry kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing
BU- Shofner 14-88, Peters 8-60
UT- Bronson 8-56, Majors 15-51
Passing
BU- Jones 2-4-9
UT- Majors 1-7-16
