1922 San Diego East-West Christmas Classic

August 2023 San Diego East-West Christmas Classic December 25 1922 1922 Gonzaga Bulldogs 5–2 Gus Dorais 0 0 0 13 West Virginia Mountaineers 9–0–1 Clarence Spears 7 7 7 0 yes bg Balboa Stadium San Diego, California Walter Eckersall 15,000 West Virginia The 1922 San Diego East-West Christmas Classic was a college football postseason bowl game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and Gonzaga Bulldogs.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lMNXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aPQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5030%2C3912972 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Varnell George Bulldogs have chance to put Gonzaga on the football map Christmas Day December 23, 1922 12https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lsNXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aPQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6764%2C4218014 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Bulldogs stir throng in brilliant finish December 26, 1922 18https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TVYrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R5wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5588%2C5186583 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania East subdues West on grid December 26, 1922 11https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XfxLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ne4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1947%2C3890555 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Blanchette John Where did this ridiculous bowl hype start? Gonzaga? December 24, 1982 13 Background This was the first bowl appearance for both teams and West Virginia was attempting to secure their first ten-win season. From Spokane, the Bulldogs were on a four-game winning streak, all played in the state of Washington. Game summary West Virginia took a lead on Nick Nardacci's twelve-yard touchdown run, the only score in the first quarter. Russ Meredith returned an interception eighty yards to extend the lead to 14–0 at halftime. Jack Simons caught a touchdown pass from Nardacci in the third to make it 21–0. The Bulldogs narrowed the gap on two touchdowns from Matt Bross (one reception and one run), but that ended the scoring at 21–13, as the Mountaineers held on to win their first bowl game and gained a ten-win season. Aftermath It is widely criticized December 2025 that West Virginia was not invited to the Rose Bowl, but the team did receive a share of the national championship; their next bowl appearance was fifteen years later, at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. This was Gonzaga's only bowl game, as its football program was discontinued after the 1941 season. References San Diego East-West Christmas Classic Category:Gonzaga Bulldogs football bowl games Category:West Virginia Mountaineers football bowl games San Diego East-West Category:December 1922 sports events in the United States Category:1920s in San Diego