Grantland Rice Bowl

Grantland Rice Bowl Football, 1967.

EKU sports are important to our school’s history. One of the most significant moments was the  1967 Grantland Rice Bowl. Prior to 1967, EKU had only two winning football seasons. Finally, in 1966, the team began to improve, ending their season with a 7-3 record. Coach Roy Kidd claims, “this team got the championship tradition started at Eastern."  After finishing the 1967 season with a with a 7-1-2 record, the EKU football team was sent to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to play in the Grantland Rice Bowl on December 9 against Indiana’s Ball State University. The outcome of this game would determine who would be the NCAA Mideast Regional Champions. Eastern won the championship game 27-13!   The score, and the signatures of the players, can be seen on the football from that championship game.