1942 Sugar Bowl
The 1942 edition of the Sugar Bowl featured the Missouri Tigers and the Fordham Rams.[2][3] It was played at Tulane Stadium on New Orleans, Louisiana, on Thursday, January 1, 1942.[4][5]
Those who watched the game were concerned by the attack on Pearl Harbor, which had occurred less than four weeks earlier. Despite the entry of the United States into World War II, the bowl game was played on schedule. New Year's Day 1942 saw a cold, driving rainstorm in New Orleans.
During the first quarter, a blocked Tigers punt, turned back by Fordham tackle Alex Santilli, led to a two-point safety being scored by defensive end Stanley Ritinski. Nearly a touchdown, the referee ruled that the ball was not under control until after Ritinski slid over the end line.[1][4][5]
As the rain continued and no further points were scored, the final tally was Fordham 2, Missouri 0, which is the lowest possible combined point total for an untied American football game and stands as a bowl game record for an untied game (there have been four scoreless ties).[6] Fordham won the game without a single forward pass completion; their total yardage was 137 yards, all gained on the ground.[1]
The radio broadcast of the game was carried by the NBC Blue Network.[3]
Statistics
| Statistics | Fordham | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 10 | 8 |
| Yards Rushing | 137 | 148 |
| Yards Passing | 0 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 137 | 169 |
| Punts-Average | 9-34.0 | 6-36.0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties-Yards | 3-30 | 1-10 |
References
- ^ a b c ""Eighth Annual Sugar Bowl Classic: January 1, 1942"". Allstate Sugar Bowl. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ a b "Ram letdown jinx may help Missouri". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. January 1, 1942. p. 4B.
- ^ a b "Facts on the bowl games". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. January 1, 1942. p. 4B.
- ^ a b Wheeler, Romney (January 2, 1942). "Blocked punt gives Fordham 2-0 verdict over Missouri Tigers". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. B3.
- ^ a b Kirksey, George (January 2, 1942). "Safety nets Fordham 2-0 Sugar Bowl win". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 60.
- ^ Buker, Paul. "The Six lowest-scoring major college bowl games of all time". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2011-11-16.