A two-time All-SWC selection, Bruce Alford Sr. was the Horned Frogs leading receiver and MVP of the 1942 Orange Bowl
83 | Bruce Alford, Sr. (1940-1942)
Bruce Alford Sr. earned MVP of the 1942 Orange Bowl vs. the Georgia Bulldogs, despite his Horned Frogs taking the lopsided loss, delivering an impact performance in all three phases of the game with two receiving touchdowns, a blocked kick, and a constant defensive presence in the game. Also a letterman in baseball, Alford was named as an All-Southwest Conference End in both 1941 & 1942. The Horned Frogs would win 14 games across those two seasons, including victories over rivals SMU Mustangs and top-10 ranked Texas Longhorns both years.
A true Horned Frog hero, shortly after his collegiate career completed, Alford became an officer in the Army Air Corps, serving flight missions in Europe in World War II. Following the war, Alford began an All-Pro professional football career, playing six seasons, four with the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference and two with the New York Yanks of the NFL. Per stats from databaseFootball.com, Alford totaled 81 receptions for 1,341 yards and nine touchdowns, adding two return TDs and an interception during his pro career. He’d go on to become a top NFL referee, officiating three Super Bowls; his son Bruce Alford Jr. was a kicker for the Horned Frogs in the 1960s and played three seasons in the NFL. Alford Sr. passed away in 2010.