Saturday, September 7, 2013

UTA Game One

Today is the first installment of my This Day in UTA Football Series.

On this day in 1974, UTA traveled to Waldo Stadium on the campus of Western Michigan. It was the first game of the Harold "Bud " Elliot coaching tenure, which would last ten years, the longest of any coach at UTA as a four-year U.

Mavs Stumble

Western Wins Opener, 33-6


Kalamazoo, Mich.- Western Michigan jumped on a jittery University of Texas at Arlington club for 21 first-quarter points and rolled to a 33-6 victory Saturday in the college football opener.

Spoiling the debut of new coach Bud Elliott, the Mavericks gave the Broncos an easy touchdown on the first series of plays. Punter Gary Briscoe fumbled the snap and Western recovered on the UTA 4-yard line. Fullback Jim White bucked over from the one for the score.

Western drove 62 yards on eight plays on its next possesion, with tailback Wesley Cates scoring from the one. Moments later, Bronco Duncan McKerracher hit UTA quarterback Vic Morriss, forced a fumble and recovered it on the Mavs' 28. Cates swept end from the 24 to make it 21-0.

Eugene Ayers returned the next kickoff 40 yards to the UTA 48, and on the first play Morriss passed 52 yards to Ron Barnett for the Mavericks' only touchdown.

In the second quarter, UTA gambled on fourth and four at the Western 9, and Morriss was stopped one yard short of a first down on a keeper. UTA was still pressing in the third quarter, when Elmo Simmons carried the ball on fourth and two from the Western 44, he was stopped a yard short.

From there, Western pushed 57 yards in 10 plays, with quarterback Pepper Powers scoring on a 20-yard keeper.

The Broncos' Tom Baetens blocked a Briscoe out of the UTA end zone for a safety, also in the third quarter, and after aCates returned the ensuing free kick 51 yards,  Bruce Bendix booted a 31-yard field goal.

Western ground out 222 yards rushing and recovered two Maverick fumbles to control the game-and the Broncos did not commit a turnover.

Taken from the Dallas Morning News, 9-8-74.

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