1958 Bluegrass Bowl
Oklahoma State entered the game ranked #19 in the AP poll and #19 in the UPI poll; Florida State was unranked. Florida State was an independent with a 7-3 regular season record; Oklahoma State was also 7-3 as an independent, having left the Missouri Valley Conference after the 1956 season and not joining the Big Eight Conference until 1960.
Florida State was playing in their third ever bowl game, under head coach Tom Nugent who was in his final season as Florida State's coach. Oklahoma State, coached by Cliff Speegle, was appearing in its fourth ever bowl game.
The game was played at Cardinal Stadium on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, just behind Freedom Hall where that year's NCAA basketball championship had been played. Kickoff was at 1:30 p.m. and at that time the temperature for the game was 20 degrees below freezing, and falling. The playing field was icy and slippery. Field conditions caused the players to wear tennis shoes. Attendance was low due to the cold weather; crowd estimates were in the 5,000 to 10,000 range and many accounts state that just over 7,000 attended the game.
In the first quarter Florida State took two drives into Oklahoma State territory but missed 16 and 23 yard field goal attempts.
Early in the second quarter Oklahoma State halfback Duane Wood had a 17 yard touchdown run putting the Cowboys up 7-0. Late in the second quarter Oklahoma State again drove deep into Florida State territory but on fourth and 5 Florida State defender Ron Hinson stripped the ball from Oklahoma State's Forrest Campbell just a foot from the goalline.
Florida State fumbled twice in the third quarter. Oklahoma State took the second fumble for a 10 play, 39 yard touchdrown drive capped by another Duane Wood touchdown run. Wood then caught a pass for a two-point conversion to give Oklahoma State a 15-0 lead.
Florida State scored a fourth quarter touchdown without a successful conversion, leaving Oklahoma State as the only Bluegrass Bowl champions with a final score of Oklahoma State 15, Florida State 6.
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