20 Year Look Back
2015 marked 20 years since the last official Southwest Conference games had been played. While the SWC ended in 1996, the last year for football was 1995. Throughout the 2015 football season I looked back at those last official games. Leaving them here this year since 1996 was the official end of the SWC and I still need to load some of the games.

Arkansas @ SMU
9/2/95
SMU won 17-14 in a thriller that went down to the final minute. Arkansas had one more chance and drove the ball down to the one yard line on a six minute drive. With 56 seconds left, Arkansas fumbled the snap trying to get it in the endzone and SMU recovered. That was the only win the ponies got in 1995 and Arkansas went on to win its SEC division title and its first winning season of the 90s. Check the 5:10 mark of this video for game highlights. Here is the original NCAA Official Scoring Summary (an amazing handwritten 13 sheets of paper - old school, baby)! Note: Arkansas had already fled to the SEC (because of basketball - SEC was about basketball back then) - technically I probably should not include this game.

Texas @ SMU
9/30/95
Apparently a yawner per some of the reviews. One of those articles from the UT paper says SMU didn't belong in the game - this the week afer they beat Arkansas and Texas got whipped by Notre Dame. Although Arkansas sucked back then (why the fled to the SEC for basketball). Texas ran up a season high 558 yards (341 on the ground mostly on the back of Shon Mitchell (his first game over 100 yards - 185 to be exact) with a hobbled Ricky Williams only carrying 9 times for 48). Game video with Celebrating SWC intro here. Complete stats here.

Houston @ TCU
10/7/95
TCU beat an undefeated Houston (4-0) 31-21 in Fort Worth. The defense was able to shut out the Coogs in the first half. Andre Davis set a school record with the 14th 100-yd rushing game of his career while Knake established a TCU record of 45, topping the legendary Sammy Baugh's 44. It was the largest crowd to watch a TCU/Houston game at Amon Carter at the time (34,684). Game summary here.

Rice @ Texas
10/7/95
Horns scored on their first three posessions but stalled in the 2nd quarter. Rice racked up 253 yards and were tied 13-13 at the half. The Horns had a strong second half capped off by two 4th quarter touchdowns by the still injured Ricky Williams - making it 24 unanswered points. Texas wins in Austin 37-13. Daily Texan article - game summary in the second article on that page.

A&M @ Texas Tech
10/7/95
Simply one of the biggest games of the year! Tied up 7-7 at the half, the remaining two quarters of the game was a defensive struggle... until the last Aggie possession. This was the infamous Zach Thomas INT game winning touchdown with 30 seconds left! An unranked Tech beat #8 Texas A&M 14-7. Spike Dykes' first win over a top 10 team and first win over a top ranked team in 17 years. The phrase "Wreck 'em Tech" may not have stemmed from this game - but it was surely born here! Game stats here.


Baylor @ Houston
10/14/95
A whipping... 49-7. Baylor gained 591 yards against the Coogs in the Astrodome! It was the first 500 plus yard game for Baylor since SMU in 1984. Baylor held Houston to 178 yards (compared to 401 in the previous game against TCU) and chased Chuck Clements out of the pocket all night. Baylor Lariat article.

SMU @ Texas A&M
10/14/95
SMU led most of the game and was leading 17-13 with 56 seconds left to play. The Aggies, without Leeland McElroy, drove it 70 yards in five plays and scored with only eight seconds left to avoid the upset and secure a 20-17 victory at Kyle Field.

TCU @ Rice
10/14/95
Rice led 14-10 at half time. But TCU rallied - catching up in the 3rd quarter and taking over in the 4th to win 33-28. Game summary here.

Rice @ Texas Tech
10/21/95
Owls fell behind early but launched a furious 18 unanswered points rally sparked by Chad Nelson replacing an injured Josh LaRocca in the waning minutes of 3rd quarter. At 24-18, the Owls defense could not stop Zebbie Letheridge and Byron Hanspard. Rice had a couple more chances: one due to a dropped snap on a Tech punt resulting in the offense set up in Red Raider territory which produced no points and a drive ending in an interception. Rice was able to score again and get a safety but came up short in the 31-26 loss at Jones Stadium. Scoring Summary here and Rice Thresher article.

SMU @ Houston
10/21/95
The week after nearly knocking off Texas A&M, SMU loses 38-15 to Houston who hadn't won a game since last year when they played SMU. But that game was closer than it looked with Houston scoring three touchdowns in three minutes. A 78 yard pick-6 by James Reddish cut he rally short.

Texas A&M @ Baylor
10/21/95
In an effort to "Color the Town" when the Aggies arrive, students encouraged anyone with a collie to dress their dog in Baylor colors! No idea how that worked out... On to the game! Baylor was hopeful, especially since the Aggies barely got by SMU AND had lost to Tech which Baylor had already beat. After a strong start by Baylor in hopes of getting their first win in 10 years against the Ags, the Aggies blocked a punt and quickly scored. Baylor tried to play catch up for the rest of the game and fell 24-9 at Floyd Casey. Baylor Lariat articles: post-game and pre-game. Another article about the history here.

Houston @ Texas A&M
10/28/95
Despite numerous turnovers by the Coogs, they were able to stay in the game until the end of the 3rd quarter. With 4:23 left in the 3rd quarter, Aggie Keith Mitchell chased Clements into his own endzone resulting in a hurried throw and a pick-6 for Andre Williams. TBD - more to come. Aggies won 31-7maintaining the lo ngest home winning streak in the nation. LA Times SWC Roundup for the week.

Rice @ SMU
10/28/95
Rice broke a six game winless streak by beating SMU 34-24. But it was not without drama. Rice allowed SMU to score two touchdowns to get back in the game and then a turnover allowed SMU to take the lead midway through the 4th quarter. With 8:47 to play, Rice scored and the defense was able to hold on to seal their 7th staight victory over SMU. Rice Thresher articles: pre-game and post game.

TCU @ Baylor
10/28/95
Baylor won 27-24 in Waco. TCU CB Godrey White got his hands on two field goals and a PAT. The TCU defense did a good job of holding Baylor after turnovers. But two big misses for TCU prevented them from a comeback win - touchdown pass in endzone was intercepted by Robinson and an outstanding pass/catch/run was called back for illegal motion. Despite some good efforts by TCU, Baylor controlled the game. Baylor Lariat artcile here.Game summary here.

SMU @ TCU
11/4/95
A cold rainy homecoming in Fort Worth did not dissappoint! SMU jumped out to a 10-0 start , but were dominated in the 2nd quarter after that. But SMU pulled back to 17-16 on a one yard touchdown run. SMU attempted a two point conversion for the win late in the 4th quarter - but Rick LaFavers intercepts and returns it 100 yards adding the two points to TCU's score instead for a 19-16 TCU win. TCU will have two consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1959. Instead of a win, SMU clinches the longest consecutive loss streak (for major colleges) at eight - and winless in their last 18 SWC games. TCU Game Summary here. LA Times Southwest Roundup.

Texas Tech @ Texas
11/4/95
A promising Top 25 matchup ended up in a 48-7 rout by No.13 Texas over No.23 Texas Tech in Austin. I was at this game - I remember telling dad and begging the powers that be to "make it stop..." It was supposed to be such a good game with promise and a chance for Tech! Despite struggling against Tech's defensive pressure the previous two years, Texas scored on four of its first seven posessions and led 28-0 at halftime with 304 yards. Three of those scores took less than two minutes. And it only got worse for the Tech fans. 48-0 at the end of the 3rd quarter. We had great seats, first row in the upper deck on the 50 yard line. I was mis-er-a-ble! The 41 point margin was the largest over a Top 25 team in Texas football history. Zebbie Lethridge saw his SWC record string of passes without an interception end at 211 when he was picked off in the 1st quarter. Texas went on to score a touchdown shortly thereafter, pushing Tech behind 14-0. This was also the game that I thought Tony Brackens had killed my kicker on the fake field goal early in the 2nd quarter when we were down 14-0 and trying to make something happen. Tech had more chances in the 2nd quarter to get back in the game but came up empty. Texas ended up scoring 28 points off four Tech turnovers. Daily Texan articles and game summary. Tech game summary.




Texas A&M @ Rice
11/9/95
TBD

Baylor @ SMU
11/11/95
TBD

Texas @ Houston
11/11/95
TBD

TCU @ Texas Tech
11/11/95
TBD

Rice @ Baylor
11/18/95
TBD

TCU @ Texas
11/18/95
TBD

Texas Tech @ SMU
11/18/95
TBD

1995 Links
Texas Tech - 1995 in Review

1995 Texas Football Highlights - The Final Chapter

1995 Arkansas Football Season Review - A Season of Firsts

Football alive, Well in Arkansas - Danny Ford turns things around

Baylor Lariat Newspaper Archives

Rice Thresher Newspaper Archives