The 1985 Bluebonnet Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game that featured the Texas Longhorns and the Air Force Falcons….who had the most victories in their football history in a season with 11….but a loss to rival BYU had cost them a shot at the national title and an outright Western Athletic Conference title. This was their fourth straight bowl appearance under head coach Fisher DeBerry. On the other side of the ball was the Texas Longhorns….who had finished their season with an 8 – 3 record….and tied for 2nd in the Southwest Conference….as they were appearing in their 9th straight bowl appearance and 1st Bluebonnet Bowl since 1980.
This was the first Bluebonnet Bowl since 1967 to be played in Rice Stadium….and carried by Lorimar Sports Network….featuring Tom Hammond and Gifford Nielsen in the broadcast booth….as the game was played on December 31, 1985 at Rice Stadium in Houston, TX….in front of 42,000 fans and a nationwide television audience.
Texas would get on the scoreboard with 11 minutes remaining in the 1st quarter on 34 yard pass from QB Stafford to TE William Harris….as the Falcons would proceed to score on a 1-yard plunge by RB Pshsniak at 3:37 left in the 1st….and then again on a 1-yard run by RB Weiss after a Texas turnover on their next possession….as the two teams entered halftime with a 14 – 7 Air Force lead. In the 2nd half, the Horns would score 3 x PK Jeff Ward field goals….while the Falcons would score on a RB Phil Edwards 19-yard run….which helped him win the game’s MVP award after gaining a total of 129 yards on 18 carries.
This 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl was a very entertaining and hard fought game that was even closer than the score indicated…..as the Horns outgained the Falcons in total offensive yards of 302 to 194….as the one fumble of the game cost them a touchdown that was the difference. Texas did not make a bowl game the following season….and Coach Akers was fired soon after. The Falcons finished 8th ranked in the polls, which remains their highest ranking ever.
