| Game Name: | Sun Bowl |
| Subheader: | 2nd Sun Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | January 1 |
| Year Game Played: | 1936 |
| Football Season: | 1935 |
| Home School: | Hardin–Simmons University |
| Home Name Short: | Hardin–Simmons |
| Home Nickname: | Cowboys |
| Home Record: | 6–3 |
| Home Conference: | Independent |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 7 |
| Home 3Q: | 7 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Visitor School: | New Mexico State University |
| Visitor Name Short: | New Mexico A&M |
| Visitor Nickname: | Aggies |
| Visitor Record: | 6–1–2 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Type: | bg |
| Stadium: | Jones Stadium |
| Referee: | Harry Phillips |
| Attendance: | 11,000 |
The 1936 Sun Bowl was the second edition of the game, and the first Sun Bowl held between college teams, the idea devised by Dr. Charles M. Hendricks. The festivities included a parade and a Sun Court.
The Cowboys finished second in the Border Conference to Arizona, who gave the Aggies (then known as New Mexico A&M) their only loss of the season.
Despite four touchdowns combined in the game, play was marred by 15 turnovers that had 10 fumbles and five interceptions. An NCAA record was set for most punts combined, with 29. It was a physical game that was only 7–7 at halftime. After Ed Cherry gave the Cowboys the lead again on a touchdown run, the Aggies went to work again. Despite four interceptions on the day, Lem Pratt managed to throw a pass to Hooky Apodaca that he lateraled to Lauro Apodaca, who ran 35 yards to score the tying touchdown. The game had no more points from that point on despite desperate efforts on both sides, clinching the first tie game in Sun Bowl history.[1] [2] [3]
The Cowboys would make four more appearances, the last in 1958. The Aggies would make two more appearances, the last in 1960. There would not be a tie Sun Bowl game again until the 1940 Sun Bowl.
| Statistics | New Mexico A&M | Hardin-Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 8 | 15 |
| Yards Rushing | 83 | 210 |
| Yards Passing | 121 | 92 |
| Total Yards | 204 | 302 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-1 | 7-5 |
| Interceptions | 4 | 1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 8-75 | 10-86 |