Memory Lane - 43 years ago today

[SmooBoy]

Mustangs sink Navy, 32-28


Oct. 11, 1963

By ROY EDWARDS / The Dallas Morning News

Editors' note: The following appeared in the final Oct. 12, 1963 edition of The Dallas Morning News.


• • •

Roger Staubach was great!

John Roderick was incredible!

Mac White, Tommy Caughran, Bob Oyler, John Hughes, Jim Sitton, Billy Gannon, Danny Thomas and a whole thundering herd of wild Mustangs were fantastic and fanatic.

And a crowd of 37,000 was one great, trembling, nerve-maddened mass as SMU upset Navy, the nation's No. 4 college football team, 32-28 in a game that forever will be remembered as one of the most thrilling ever played at the storied Cotton Bowl.

The incredible Mustangs spotted Staubach and his belligerent and undefeated cohorts 10 points. They stormed back. They sent Staubach to the sidelines twice.

They pulled out victory, lost it on a disheartening fumble and personal foul, pulled it out again and ultimately sank Jolly Roger's flag on the SMU 8-yard line at the final gun.

It was the greatest performance the red-helmeted Mustangs have presented their eager young coach Hayden Fry.


Hayden Fry Staubach sailed into the Cotton Bowl as college football's greatest tactical weapon. He was harassed as perhaps he has never been before by the relentless rushing of Bob Oyler, Martin Cude, Bill Harlan, Harold Magers, Doug January and the fire-breathing Mustang line.

Nonetheless, Staubach delivered like a champion as he ran and passed as befits the nation's total offense leader.

But the mightiest tactical weapon on the field, and the one they talked about at the finish, was a rail-thin trackman, a 9.4 sprinter who is playing his first football since he was a high school junior in 1960.

The Middies had no antidote for the blazing strides, the slashing cuts and the toe-dancing moves of John Roderick, who reported for a trial as a split end in September and wound up as a high-rolling tailback.

Roderick ripped the previously impregnable Navy line for 146 yards, only 14 less than the combined team totals of Navy's previous three opponents. The Middies came into the game third nationally in rushing defense and fourth-ranking by the Associated Press poll

Roderick saved his greatest run for the third play of the second half, after the thundering crowd had sat in fearful quiet momentarily as Roderick lay motionless at his own 25 after fumbling, then recovering the kickoff. It was but a momentary loss of wind, and on first down he ran 15 yards around left end, fumbled and White picked it up and carried seven more for a first down at the 47.

White, the bright sophomore quarterback who had ripped 22 yards on his first carry of the night for the Mustangs' initial touchdown, now slid through the right side to the Navy 45.

Then White headed left with Roderick trailing. At the last possible instant, as he was hit, White pitched back to Roderick.

Old No. 23 zig-zagged through the clutching, grapsing Midshipmen like an enemy destroyer taking evasive action.

Roderick turned up the left sideline, swung back to his right through heavy traffic, cut all the way to the right sideline, shrugged off the last would-be tackler at the 15 and poured into the end zone with the touchdown that cut SMU's 12-point halftime deficit in half.

Then in the sixth minute of the fourth quarter, when it appeared that a great effort had been just that and the Mustangs could consle themselves that they had fought the good fight, they called on Roderick again.

The Mustangs faced fourth and 12 at the Navy 42 and a punt appeared to be in order. Instead, they lined Roderick up at tailback in the "I" formation, and Thomas pitched him the ball. Roderick swept around right end, turned down the sideline and wheeled 18 yards to the Navy 24. And on the play Navy was assessed a penalty half-the-distance to the goal line for a late-hitting personal foul.

With third and seven at the nine, Roderick missed a first down around left end by mere inches. White got the necessary yardage on a climb at right guard, and Roderick slammed two yards through right tackle for the tying touchdown. John Richey's kick put the Mustangs on top, 26-25, with 9:19 to play.

The fight, it turned out, had just commenced.

With Cude, Oyler and Fred Stier applying the big rush, Staubach could produce only one first down and the Middies had to punt with 6:30 to play.

And here adversity slapped SMU the first of two devastating blows.

Caught with only three backs in the game, they stalled for a delay penalty to stop the clock, but no further wild-card was permitted. So linebacker John Hughes, national Lineman of the Week last week, and a great one again this night, lined up in the backfield and led Don Campbell around right end.

Navy tackle Jim Freeman, a one-time SMU student, knocked Campbell loose from the ball, and guard Alex Krekich recovered for the Middies at the SMU 21 with 5:12 to go.

Ultimately, Navy had to settle for Fred Marlin's field goal from the Mustang 2, but the 28-26 edge that provided was dreadfully imposing as the scoreboard clock indicated 3:03 to play.

It was merely a taunt to the Mustangs, though. They slammed 70 yards in just 39 seconds after Ron Reel's 15-yard kickoff return.

And again the Navy contributed to its own demise by its belligerence.

Thomas fired to Gannon for 24 down the left side. Roderick swept around the right end 24 yards to the Navy 22 with 2:23 to go. The Mustangs hurriedly lined up, and Thomas threw past Hillary near the goal line at the sideline, but Orr was tagged with pass interference at the one.

Gannon then thrust his 165 pounds through right tackle into the end zone for the clinching points with 2:05 remaining.

It mattered not that Richey's extra point was blocked.

[jtstang]

Gannon then thrust his 165 pounds through right tackle into the end zone for the clinching points with 2:05 remaining.

You just don't see enough descriptions of thrusting in the sports page anymore.

[Terry Webster]

I was surprised to see only 37,000 for the game. I would have thought it would have been much bigger.

[SMUstang]

I was there and as I recall it was cold and wet and uncomfortable in the Cotton Bowl that night. But as uncomfortable as it was, it was pure joy for an SMU fan. 37,000 wasn't a bad crowd for an SMU game in those days.

[SMU_is_bowling]

What did the Cotton Bowl seat back then? 45k??

and that is great article . . thanks for the post!

[AusTxPony]

Yes, I was on the sidelines for that game. What a great game and we sweated it out while Staubach took several shots at a final touchdown from around our 20 as I recall. Wonder who blocked that last pass? The crowd went wild and the scoreboard flashed wildly for one of the few times in the history of the Cotton Bowl. Glory!!!!!! Notre Dame went on to play Texas in the Cotton Bowl for the National Championship I think.

[50's PONY]

I was also there and it was a perfect fall night. Still warm and certainly not raining.

[50's PONY]

In answer to who knocked down the last pass it was Tommy Caughran from Terrell. The last play began with one second showing on the clock. Danny Thomas and Mac White alternated at QB. This was Mac's first game and ran for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball.

[Treadway21]

I find it hard to believe SMU ran a sweep on a 4th and 12. That wouldn't happen now-a-days.

[mrydel]

I find it hard to believe SMU ran a sweep on a 4th and 12. That wouldn't happen now-a-days.

Sad to say it might. Only thing is, it would only gain 1 yard.

[docabel]

I find it hard to believe SMU ran a sweep on a 4th and 12. That wouldn't happen now-a-days.

Sad to say it might. Only thing is, it would only gain 1 yard.

No. It would be either a draw, or a WR screen ... of course from the PISTOL formation...

[mrydel]

I find it hard to believe SMU ran a sweep on a 4th and 12. That wouldn't happen now-a-days.

Sad to say it might. Only thing is, it would only gain 1 yard.

No. It would be either a draw, or a WR screen ... of course from the PISTOL formation...

Of course they would never run the swinging gate fake punt on 4th down.

[PlanoStang]

I ( SMU 76) listened to it with my Dad ( SMU 50) in Longview. KRLD
1080 kind of faded in and out with the tube radios of those days from
120 miles away. I would like to say Kern Tipps was the radio
announcer, but I'm not sure.

This game made me a lifer SMU fan. I later that 63 season saw SMU
beat Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl 14 - 7 during my first attendance at
an SMU game as an elementary school kid.

[J.T.supporta]

Wish I was alive 43 years ago.

[LonghornFan68]

I remember it just like it was yesterday. Wait.