The 1985 Bluebonnet Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game that featured the Texas Longhorns and the Air Force Falcons. The Falcons had the most victories in a season with eleven….but a loss to rival BYU had cost them a shot at the national title and an outright Western Athletic Conference title….as this was their fourth straight bowl appearance. As for Texas, they had finished tied for 2nd in the Southwest Conference….and were in their 9th straight bowl appearance….and their 1st Bluebonnet Bowl since 1980….which was the first Bluebonnet Bowl since 1967 to be played in Rice Stadium.
Texas began the scoring with a 34 yard touchdown pass from QB Brett Stafford to TE William Harris with 11:14 remaining in the 1st quarter….as Air Force would tie it up a 7 – 7 on a 1 run by RB Greg Pshsniak (Ruby kick) with 3:37 remaining….and the Falcons would take the lead going into half at 14 – 7 on a one yard run by QB Bart Weiss with 1:35 left in the 1st half. Texas began the 3rd quarter scoring with a 24 yard field goal by K Jeff Ward with 6:19 remaining in the 3rd….but Air Force would strike again with 3:35 left in the 3rd on a 19 yard run by Pat Evans….who would go on to win the Bluebonnet Bowl MVP award after gaining 129 yards on 18 carries. Texas would then score two field goals by K Jeff Ward in a row in the 4th quarter….with at 14:14 and 7:34 remaining in the game to bring the score to 21 – 16 in favor of the Falcons….and then Air Force K Ruby would score the final points in the game with 0:43 seconds left in the 4th to clinch a 24 – 16 victory in a very well played and exciting Bluebonnet Bowl….as the Falcons would finish the 1984-85 season being ranked # 8 in the country….which remains their highest ranking ever still today in 2018. When Texas did not make a bowl game the following season….Coach Fred Akers was fired soon after.
