Santa Clara 21, Kentucky 13

Jan. 2, 1950
– Kentucky committed three turnovers and let a seven-point halftime lead slip away in dropping its first major bowl game, 21-13, to Santa Clara in the 1950 Orange Bowl before a crowd of 64,816.

The Wildcats, 9-3, scored their first touchdown early in the second quarter as a result of a Santa Clara turnover. UK’s John Netoskie recovered at fumble at the Wildcat 49 to set up Kentucky’s first score. The Wildcats drove 51 yards in 14 plays as Wilbur Jamerson hammered over from two yards. Bobby Brooks added the PAT to make it 7-0.

Kentucky wasted a golden scoring opportunity late in the second quarter when Babe Parilli found Bill Leskovar for a 45-yard completion to the SC 3 with time running out. Leskovar and runningmate Don Phelps each were stopped short on their respective rush attempts and the clock ran out before UK could score. The Wildcats led 7-0 at halftime.

UK coach Paul “Bear” Bryant said afterward he should have sent in a pass play just before the half. “If it failed,” he said, “the clock was killed then we could have tried a field goal.”

A short, 9-yard punt by Phelps set up Santa Clara’s first score in the third quarter. After taking over on the SC 46, Bronco quarterback John Pasco hit Larry Williams on a 25-yard pass. Santa Clara eventually scored on a one-yard sneak by Pasco to tie the game, 7-7.

Santa Clara scored again later in the third period, thanks in part to a pass interference call against Kentucky. Hall Haynes went over from 4 yards to make it 14-7 after three quarters.Parilli led Kentucky right back, hitting Emery Clark on a 52-yard touchdown strike. Brooks, however, missed the tying PAT, breaking a personal streak of 18 straight, as Santa Clara led 14-13 with 12 minutes left in the contest.

Santa Clara managed to hold off the Cats and added an insurance score with less than a minute left, a 16-yard TD run by Buster Wraith.

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