# 1959 Texas A&I Javelinas football team

The 1959 Texas A&I Javelinas football team was an American football team that represented the Texas College of Arts and Industries (now known as Texas A&M University–Kingsville) as a member of the Lone Star Conference during the 1959 NAIA football season. The team compiled a 12–1 record, defeated Lenoir Rhyne in the Holiday Bowl, and won the NAIA Football National Championship. It was the first of seven NAIA Football National Championships won by the school (1959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1979).

## Season overview

In its sixth year under head coach Gil Steinke, the team compiled a 12–1 record (6–1 against conference opponents), tied for the Lone Star Conference championship, and defeated Lenoir Rhyne in the Holiday Bowl to win the NAIA national championship.
The team's only official setback was a loss to Stephen F. Austin. The Javelinas also lost on the field to Howard Payne by a 20–0 score and were outgained by 227 yards to minus 54 yards. However, Howard Payne forfeited the game two weeks later due to its use of an academically ineligible sophomore guard.
In the NAIA's Western playoff, the Javelinas defeated the Hillsdale by a 20–0 score. The shutout snapped Hillsdale's streak of 56 games (dating to November 7, 1953) without being held scoreless. The game was watched by an estimated 15 million viewers on CBS Television. Texas A&I faced undefeated Lenoir Rhyne and prevailed by a 20–6 score as sophomore quarterback Jerrell Hayes threw touchdown passes covering 32, 74 and 57 yards. Two of the touchdown passes were caught by halfback Butch Pressley and the other by track star Dick Watson. Pressley totaled 101 rushing yards and 89 receiving yards in the game.
The team played its home games at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas.

## Honors and awards

Six Texas A&I players received first- or second-team honors on the All-Lone Star Conference team selected the conference coaches: guard Gerald Lambert (first); center James Franz (first); halfbacks Barry Copenhaver (second) and Harold Hees (second); fullback Butch Pressley (second); and end Lupe Jaimes (second).

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 12 | Corpus Christi* | McAllen High School StadiumMcAllen, TX | W 14–3 | 3,000 |
| September 19 | Trinity (TX)* | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 30–12 | 4,000 |
| September 26 | Texas Lutheran* | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 33–6 | |
| October 3 | at Howard Payne | Brownwood, TX | W 6–0 (forfeit) | |
| October 10 | East Texas State | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 7–0 | |
| October 17 | Arlington State* | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 29–18 | |
| October 24 | at Sam Houston State | Huntsville, TX | W 23–10 | |
| October 31 | at Stephen F. Austin | Nacogdoches, TX | L 7–24 | |
| November 7 | Lamar Tech | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 14–6 | |
| November 14 | at Sul Ross | Alpine, TX | W 14–8 | |
| November 21 | Southwest Texas State | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX | W 20–0 | |
| December 5 | Hillsdale* | Javelina StadiumKingsville, TX (NAIA Western playoff) | W 20–0 | 7,000 |
| December 12 | vs. Lenoir Rhyne* | Al Lang FieldSt. Petersburg, FL (Holiday Bowl) | W 20–6 | 9,500 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||