This was the 27th Sun Bowl (26th held between college teams), and was played at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas.
New Mexico State had a 14-game winning streak and were ranked in the AP Poll for the first time ever while also being champions of the BIAA once again.
But Bob Gaiters had a touchdown run and Johnson threw his second touchdown pass as Utah State's Doug Mayberry was stopped short on fourth down late in the game, sealing the win for New Mexico State for their first (and so far only) perfect season.
Gaiters and Johnson were named to the Sun Bowl Association 75th Anniversary Team in 2008.
[6] On February 14, 2009 (Valentine's Day), the 1960 football team was inducted into the First Community Bank/NMSU Athletics Hall of Fame.