The Wildcats, who had received poor treatment from the Louisville crowd during a 51–0 win over Hawaii at Cardinal Stadium in their season opener,[citation needed] turned down the bid,[2] with the team's lettermen voting 18–12 against.
Bowl organizers successfully negotiated a national television contract with American Broadcasting Company (ABC), with a 100-mile (160 km) blackout.
Florida State, in their final season under head coach Tom Nugent, made in their third bowl game.
The game was played at Cardinal Stadium on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, just behind Freedom Hall, where the 1958 NCAA University Division basketball tournament had been held in March.
The cold weather on top of the general indifference to the contest kept the attendance low; crowd estimates were in the 5,000–10,000 range, and many accounts[who?]
Early in the second quarter, Oklahoma State halfback Duane Wood ran 17 yards for a score, putting the Cowboys up 7–0.
ABC's coverage of the otherwise forgettable Bluegrass Bowl was notable for two reasons: it was the last broadcast of Harry Wismer and the first national telecast to feature Howard Cosell.