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Tangerine Bowl 1957
West Texas State 20 Mississippi Southern 10 |
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By Dick Kranz Amarillo Globe-Times Sport Editor
That summed up the game well because it was Mills who converted the Bulls from an impotent eleven into a surging dynamic. Trailing 13-0. Mills intercepted a Southern pass and scampered 75 yards for the touchdown which set up the big victory explosion.
For his heroic deeds. Mills was justly named the outstanding player of the post season charity classic. He scored two touchdowns, gained 70 of the Bulls 184 yards rushing and played dazzling defense to boot. But there were many heroes for West Texas- quarterback Bubba Hillman, guard Jerry Epps, ends Ken Ballard and Bob Covington and tackle Harold Lamb to mention, just a few.
The Buffs thus kept their bowl record clean with two wins in two post season games, and they also maintained the good record of Texas teams in this bowl. Texas' elevens have won two and tied two in four appearances here.
As West Texas winged home today scheduled to arrive at Amarillo about 3:00 pm today, the talk was of their shy, 175 lb. fullback, “Scamp” Mills of White Deer. Mills, with that interception, got the Buffs on the trail with vengeance and quarterback, Hillman, calling the plays with skillful perfection, kept the West Texas team on the move. Hillman, in ending a wonderful four year career, perhaps played his best game in the finale.
West Texas, sadly behind for three quarters, had an amazing last 15 minutes and 11 seconds to earn a zestful comeback triumph, one of the finest in the school’s football annals. The 13,000 fans who watched were highly delighted and seemed to be rooting for the surprising Texans.
Mississippi Southern scored two quick touchdowns in the space of five minutes and 19 seconds in the second quarter. The Southerners held a 13-0 halftime lead and were driving for what apparently was to be their third touchdown. And then, tall quarterback Bobby Hughes, with the ball on the West Texas 25, dropped back to pass. Buffalo end Ballard rushed him, got his hands on him but fortunately not on his throwing arm. Rather than be tackled, Hughes passed in desperation.
He threw into the flat and Mills was there to grab it on the 25. He saw the way clear and dashed 75 yards to score. Archie Souter missed the conversion try, but West Texas was back in the game, 6-13, with seven seconds left in the third quarter.
The Buffalo defense, doing a masterful job, solved the Southerners' mysteries in the final half. Early in the fourth quarter, Doug Barfield taking over at quarterback, tried a pass. This time Hillman intercepted on the Buffs' 39 and ran it back to the 45.
Hillman hit a very vital pass and Mills ripped off gains of 14 and 12 yards. The Buffs got to the five and Southern drew a penalty for offsides which put the ba1l on the one. From there Mills jumped over and Tommy Coffey booted the tying point with 10:26 left to play.
Southern couldn't move the ball and was forced to punt. For the third time, the Buffs got the ball and scored, going 77 yards in nine plays. Hillman was the spark in the final TD drive. He hit two passes, then on a keeper, rean 20 yards for the winning touchdown. Coffey, despite a five yard penalty, booted his second conversion. Only 4:26 separated West Texas from victory and it wasn’t long enough for Southern to stage a comeback.
The Buffs almost had another touchdown
when recovering a Southern fumble on the Southern nine but could not get
the ball farther than the four. With 1:28 left Southern tried to pass
its way to victory but couldn't quite do it.
Statistic wise it was a Dr. Jekyll- Mr. Hyde game. The Buffaloes' potent ground attack made only 38 yards in the first half while Southern gained 123. However, in the second half the Buffs defense checked Southern for 33 yards on the ground and West Texas made 132. In all, MSC led in first downs, 14-12, and in yards gained passing, 156 to 42. West Texas outrushed the loser, 164-158.
After a scoreless first period, Mississippi Southern, noted for its scoring in the second quarter, went to town. J.C. Arban set up the first touchdown of the game on a 50 yard statue of liberty play and would have scored but was hauled down by Mills on the five. After three plays netted four yards, Barfield, executing a perfect fake, ran unmolested around end for the one-yard touchdown. Dallas Whitfield converted and it was 7-0 with 11:24 left in the half.
Not much later Southern got its second touchdown. Hughes threw a long, high pass which end Jerry Taylor caught as he took a stretching stride to complete a 58-yard scoring play. Larry Meeks missed the extra point.
West Texas' only threat came late in the second period when Billy Clark recovered a. fumble on the Southern 31. However, the Buffs fumbled two plays later to snuff out any hopes.
West Texas took over from there on in with amazing Mr. Mills giving Southern upset chills.
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| USM's Bo Dickinson carries the ball. | |
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| West Texas defense stops Miss Southern runner. | |
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| West Texas' Dave Corley picks up yardage. | |
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Mills' interception turned the game around. |
WTSU's Bob Ratliff catches vital pass in game-winning drive. |
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Ron Mills |
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Campus newspaper at West Texas State. |
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Attendance: 8350
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter ECC - FG Kriz 24 ECC - Abernathy 35 pass from Richardson (Kriz kick)
Third Quarter ECC - Alexander 1 run (Kriz kick) ECC - Grimes 5 pass from Alexander (Kriz kick)
Fourth Quarter ECC - Alexander 55 run (Kriz kick)
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ORLANDO, Fla. Jan 1,. Mississippi
Southern was good but not as good as Ron Mills," said jolly West Texas
tackle Phil Wright after the Buffaloes' tremendous comeback 20-13
