Pecan Bowl

The Pecan Bowl was the name of some December college football bowl games played in two different eras. In 1946 and 1947, the game was contested between historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). From 1964 through 1970, the game was a regional final within the NCAA's College Division.

Pecan Bowl (defunct)
StadiumMemorial Stadium (1968–1970)
Shotwell Stadium (1964–1967)
LocationArlington, Texas (1968–1970)
Abilene, Texas (1964–1967)
Orangeburg, South Carolina (1946–1947)
Operated1964–1970
1946–1947

History

HBCUs

The first games known as the Pecan Bowl were played in 1946 and 1947, with both games hosted (and won) by the South Carolina State Bulldogs.[1]

College Division

The second set of games known as the Pecan Bowl were played in Texas from 1964 through 1970.[2] The bowl was one of four regional finals in the College Division (which became Division II and Division III in 1973); it was not classified as a major bowl.[3] The Pecan Bowl was the regional final for the Midwest region, bounded on the east by the Mississippi River and on the west by the states of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.[4] The other three regional finals were the Tangerine (later Boardwalk), Grantland Rice, and Camellia bowls.

These Pecan Bowl games were originally played at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, and after four years moved to Arlington's Memorial Stadium for the last three editions.[5] The bowl name had been selected through a public contest in 1964, and was considered appropriate as Abilene is in the Texas pecan belt.[4]

The first Midwest regional final was played in 1964 between the State College of Iowa (now the University of Northern Iowa) and Lamar Tech (now Lamar University), won by State College.[6][7] Two schools made three appearances, North Dakota State and Arkansas State, with both winning twice and losing once. They played each other in 1968, won by top-ranked NDSU.[8]

The Midwest regional final shifted to the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls in 1971.

Game results
Program cover for 1969 game

HBCUs
DateWinnerLoserLocationAttendanceRef.
December 7, 1946South Carolina State13Johnson C. Smith6Orangeburg,
South Carolina		4,000[1][9]
December 13, 1947South Carolina State7Allen03,000[1]

College Division
DateWinning teamLosing teamLocationAttendanceNotesRef.
December 12, 1964State College of Iowa19Lamar Tech17Abilene, Texas7,500[6][7]
December 11, 1965North Dakota State20Grambling7Abilene, Texas8,500[10]
December 10, 1966North Dakota42Parsons24Abilene, Texas8,000[11]
December 16, 1967Texas–Arlington13North Dakota State0Abilene, Texas1,200[12][13]
December 14, 1968North Dakota State23Arkansas State14Arlington, Texas7,200[8]
December 13, 1969Arkansas State29Drake21Arlington, Texas7,500notes[14][15]
December 12, 1970Arkansas State38Central Missouri State21Arlington, Texas9,500[16][17]

See also

References
  1. "BOWL/ALL STAR GAME RECORDS" (PDF). NCAA. 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  2. "Games". www.cfbdatawarehouse.com.
  3. George Breazeale. "Pecan Bowl". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  4. "Pecan Is NCAA Bowl Name". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. October 5, 1964. Retrieved April 12, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Pecan Bowl set". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. April 17, 1968. p. 12.
  6. "Iowa Team tops Lamar Tech, 19-17". New York Times. UPI. December 13, 1964. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  7. "Schultz sparks Pecan Bowl win". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 13, 1964. p. 1, sports.
  8. "North Dakota State beats Arkansas State in 'Pecan'". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 15, 1968. p. 3, sports.
  9. "S. C. State Is 'Pecan' Winner". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. Associated Press. December 8, 1946. Retrieved April 11, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  10. "Pecan Bowl to N. Dakota State 20 to 7,". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 12, 1965. p. 4, section 2.
  11. "Pecan Bowl passes rout Parsons (Ia.)". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 11, 1966. p. 2, section 2.
  12. "Arlington stops N.D. State 13-0". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 17, 1967. p. 1, sports.
  13. "Arlington captures Pecan Bowl". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. December 17, 1967. p. 17A.
  14. "Arkansas State defeats Drake". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 14, 1969. p. 3, sports.
  15. "Arkansas State turns back Drake". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 14, 1969. p. 6, section 2.
  16. "Arkansas State Pecan winner". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 13, 1970. p. 6, section 2.
  17. "Top-rated grid team wins bowl". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 13, 1970. p. 3, sports.
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