1973 Sun Bowl
1973 Sun Bowl: Missouri 34, Auburn 17
The 40th Sun Bowl was played December 29, 1973, in El Paso, Texas. Missouri Tigers (7–4) from the Big Eight, coached by Al Onofrio, faced Auburn Tigers (6–5) from the SEC, coached by Ralph Jordan. Missouri won 34–17, with Ray Bybee of Missouri named the MVP after rushing 27 times for 127 yards. Attendance was 30,127, and CBS carried the game with announcers Lindsey Nelson and Tom Brookshier.
scoring summary
- Auburn took a 3–0 lead with a 35-yard field goal.
- Missouri answered with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Chuck Link to John Kelsey, making it 7–3.
- Missouri added a rushing TD by Ray Bybee to go up 14–3.
- Missouri scored again on a Ray Smith pass to Kelsey, making it 21–3.
- Auburn briefly closed the gap, but John Moseley returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a TD, making it 28–10 at halftime.
- In the third quarter, Missouri extended to 34–10 on a Ray Smith TD pass to Jim Sharp.
- Auburn finished with a late TD when Phil Gargis connected with Thomas Gossom for 32 yards, finalizing the score at 34–17.
Key moment: A fumble by Auburn near the end of the second quarter gave Missouri a short field and a TD, helping swing momentum. Ray Bybee’s 127 rushing yards paced Missouri’s win.
Notes
- This was Missouri’s first Sun Bowl; Auburn’s first since 1968.
- Missouri would not return to the Sun Bowl again until 2006.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:50 (CET).