[4][3] The top-ranked and undefeated Texas Longhorns, champions of the Southwest Conference, defeated the #2 Navy Midshipmen, 28–6.

[5][6][7][8] In this era, the final major polls (AP, UPI) were published prior to the bowl games, so Texas would retain those national championships, regardless of the outcome.

The game was played less than six weeks after the assassination of President Kennedy, a U.S. Navy veteran and avid football fan, in the same city.

Texas had won all ten games in the regular season, took the Southwest Conference title, and was first in the polls.

Independent Navy was second in the polls, and featured junior quarterback Roger Staubach, the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner.