The 1966 Sun Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game between the Wyoming Cowboys and the Florida State Seminoles, played on December 24 at El Paso, Texas.[1][2][3]

1966 Sun Bowl
1234 Total
Florida State 01406 20
Wyoming 70147 28
DateDecember 24, 1966
Season1966
StadiumSun Bowl
LocationEl Paso, Texas
MVPJim Kiick, HB, Wyoming
RefereeJoe Miller (WAC;
split crew: WAC, SEC)
Attendance24,381
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
Sun Bowl
 < 1965  1967

Background

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The Cowboys were champions of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) for the first time and were in the Sun Bowl for the third time in ten years. Florida State was an independent and in the Sun Bowl for the first time in a dozen years.

Game summary

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Wyoming junior halfback Jim Kiick rushed for 135 yards on 25 carries, caught four passes for 42 yards, and scored twice (first and third quarters). Florida State quarterback Kim Hammond threw two touchdowns, one to Ron Sellers for 49 yards and four minutes later a 59-yard pass to T. K. Wetherell to give the Seminoles a 14–7 lead at halftime.

Cowboy Jerry Marion caught a 39-yard pass from quarterback Rick Egloff to tie the score at fourteen each. Kiick's touchdown of 43 yards reclaimed the lead for Wyoming at 21–14. In the fourth quarter, Egloff added a rushing touchdown to make it 28–14. Hammond and Ron Sellers connected for another touchdown reception to narrow the margin to eight, but the Seminoles failed to score again.[1][4][5]

Aftermath

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The Cowboys have yet to return to the Sun Bowl. While Eaton won three consecutive conference titles (1966, 1967, and 1968), he was fired four years later. The Cowboys struggled in his last sixteen games: they went 3–13 in the final six games of the 1969 and through the 1970 season, after getting rid of 14 players for wanting to wear armbands in protest. The Seminoles have also not returned to the Sun Bowl since this game, but have had better success in the time since.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cowboys ride herd over Seminoles". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 25, 1966. p. 1B.
  2. ^ "Wyoming forgets TV to win, 28-20". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 25, 1966. p. 8, part 2.
  3. ^ "Wyoming wins Duel in Sun". Milwaukee Journal. wire services. December 25, 1966. p. 2, sports.
  4. ^ Wyoming 28, Florida State 20 | Recaps - Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | December 31, 2021 | El Paso, Texas
  5. ^ "History of Wyoming Cowboy Bowl Games".