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By Joe Gulick
Avalanche-Journal
Texas Tech was 9-1 and Gator Bowl-bound when this cartoon ran on Nov. 19, 1973. The Red Raiders finished the regular season five days later with a 24-17 win against Arkansas.
The 1973 season, which was the fourth of Jim Carlen’s five seasons as football coach, was a great one for Tech. The Gator Bowl on Dec. 29 was a 28-19 Tech victory over Tennessee, and the Raiders finished 11-1 and ranked No. 11 in the nation.
The 1973 Gator Bowl was Tech’s only bowl victory of the 1970s and the first since the 35-13 win in the 1954 Gator Bowl against Auburn.
Regarding the Red Raider’s comment, Tech had played in 11 bowl games prior to 1973, and eight of them were Sun Bowls.
We doubt Texas coach Darrell Royal took the Aggies lightly, but the Longhorns easily won 42-13 on Nov. 22 in College Station.
Note that one of the Razorback’s flies is carrying a sign saying, “Moss.” It was part of a running joke where Dirk repeatedly mentioned in random places the name of Moss, who had not yet appeared but soon would become a regular character in his cartoons.
Previous Dirk West Cartoons
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