1963 Sun Bowl
| 1963 Sun Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | December 31, 1963 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 1963 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Sun Bowl Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | El Paso, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Bob Berry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 26,500 | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1963 Sun Bowl was played between the SMU Mustangs and the Oregon Webfoots.
SMU was invited to the Sun Bowl on the basis of their win over fourth-ranked Navy and Air Force earlier in the season. The Webfoots were a 7–3 team led by Len Casanova, who were going to their third bowl game in five years under. This was the Sun Bowl's first game under its stadium of the same name.
The Ducks headed into the ’63 Sun Bowl without injured all-American halfback and defensive back Mel Renfro. They needed H.D. Murphy, who played those same positions, to step up against SMU. Murphy did not disappoint in Renfro’s absence. The former junior college transfer made two clutch interceptions, coupled with Dennis Keller's touchdown run in the first quarter and Bob Berry throwing two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give Oregon a 21–0 lead at halftime. One of those interceptions came at Oregon’s own three-yard line to thwart a potential scoring drive for the Mustangs, and the other Murphy returned 49 yards to set up the Ducks’ first touchdown. Murphy’s outstanding defensive play greatly contributed to the team’s lead in the first half. It was up to Danny Thomas and Mac White to try to bring SMU back, and they narrowed the lead to 21–14 as each threw a touchdown pass to John Roderick in the fourth quarter. SMU's onside kick with less than a minute remaining went out of bounds, giving the Webfoots the ball and ultimately the win. Oregon won their first bowl game since the 1917 Rose Bowl. It would be their last bowl win until the 1989 Independence Bowl. Bob Berry went 11-of-26, but threw for 146 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and was named MVP. Conversely, Danny Thomas threw 15-of-26 for 188 yards for one touchdown and two interceptions for the Mustangs. Oregons Defense (Due to H.D. Murphy's interceptions) held off SMU in the second half to win 21-14. H.D. Murphy also added 49 yards rushing on only three carriers on the offensive side of the ball.
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