The goal of the Soccer Bowl was to take the highest ranked NSCAA and ISFA teams to have them play a one off match at a neutral venue.
[1] At the end of the 1949 season, the ISFA declared Penn State and San Francisco dual national champions, and both programs agreed to play each other in St. Louis for the inaugural Soccer Bowl.
The match ended in a 2-2 draw thanks to a late, and controversial, tying penalty kick in stoppage time.
The match was played between Penn State and Purdue, but much confusion around the legitimacy of the game surrounded and marred the bowl.
Furthermore, West Chester stake a claim as national champion which further added to the confusion, raising serious questions about the bowl's viability.