Four years after the program's revival from World War II and 23 years before its ultimate demise, Xavier University football won its only Bowl game in program history. The Musketeers defeated Arizona State, 33-21, in the 1950 Salad Bowl 74 years ago today on Jan. 2, 1950.

Seventy-four years ago today, on Jan. 2, 1950, Xavier University football had its finest hour in program history, defeating Arizona State in the Salad Bowl at Montgomery Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.

The 1949 Musketeers were the first Xavier squad to win 10 games (Xavier went 9-1 in 1926 and 1941) and capped the historic season with the program's only Bowl win.

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"It was a fitting climax to the finest football squad in Musketeer history," Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Bill Ford wrote.

Xavier Musketeers football went 10-1 in 1949

Xavier was coming off a 4-6 record in 1948 but got off to a hot start in 1949 with double-digit wins over West Virginia Wesleyan, Dayton and Quantico Marines.

The Musketeers beat Miami University, coached by Woody Hayes, and their only loss came to the Bear Bryant-led UK Wildcats, 21-7. Xavier finished the regular season with a 20-14 win over Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium in front of 28,000 people, then a 13-7 road Thanksgiving win at Marshall before earning a postseason bid.

"The best football team I ever coached," Xavier head coach Ed Kluska told The Enquirer after beating Marshall.

Xavier was built on strong rushing attack, defense

Kluska, who was 8-10-1 in his first two seasons at Xavier, was known as a T-formation specialist. Despite missing ex-Marine Jimmy Liber for the entire regular season with a broken wrist, Xavier's ground game was dominant behind leading rusher and Elder grad Charlie Squeri and Cliff Wilke, who had a team-high 14 touchdowns.

Defensively, Xavier held seven of its 10 regular-season opponents to 7 points or less behind a stellar defensive line. Sophomore captain Jack Hoffman (Purcell High School) later had a seven-year NFL career and was an All-Pro with the Bears in 1956. Defensive end John Martinkovic, a junior, played seven NFL seasons, as well. Both are in the Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame.

Musketeers nearly declined Salad Bowl invitation

Many members of the Xavier football team already had plans for the Christmas break and were considering declining the invitation to the Salad Bowl.

"The decision to play Arizona State . . . came after considerable wrangling among players, some of whom are against competing in a postseason game because a holiday job had been obtained and they did not want to lose them," Ford wrote in The Enquirer on Nov. 29, 1949.

The players failed to reach a two-thirds majority on their first vote (27-15) to accept the Salad Bowl bid. Xavier was considered to play in the Sun Bowl vs. Georgetown, but El Paso natives wanted a team from Texas in the game. Xavier's second vote came back 32-8 and they were Arizona bound.

Xavier runs past Arizona State

Xavier's style of rushing power and defense paid off like it had all season when it faced Arizona State. Xavier racked up 247 rushing yards and forced multiple turnovers in a game that wasn't as close as the score would indicate. The Musketeers scored 33 of the game's final 47 points after an early 7-0 hole.

Wilke's 2-yard TD run tied it 7-7. Tight end Hugh O'Brien hauled in a 23-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Bob McQuade, whose 1-yard sneak gave Xavier the lead for good at 21-14. Bob Finnell and Francis Crowe added touchdown runs on possessions set up by a pair of Jack Hahn interceptions.

Xavier hoisted the Larry Grill Memorial Trophy, and each player received a wristwatch.

Welcome Home parade after eventful flight home

The Musketeer Club organized a welcoming committee for the Xavier football team at Greater Cincinnati Airport for Tuesday, Jan. 3, 1950.

Xavier's team was slightly tardy, though. Outside of El Paso, Texas, the plane clipped an air pocket, which suddenly dropped it about 800 feet. The only damage came to Enquirer photographer Herb Heise's camera. The plane made a stop in Nashville, then got home just behind schedule.

The team was greeted by 500 Xavier fans and Cincinnati Mayor Albert Cash congratulated the team.

"It's the finest team that has been my privilege to coach," Kluska said to the crowd.

Xavier built on success of 1949 squad

Xavier football was at the height of its power in the three-year run between 1949-51. The Musketeers won three Ohio Intercollegiate titles and had the program's first undefeated season in 1951, going 9-0-1.

Xavier declined in invitation to the Salad Bowl in 1952.

Ed Kluska led local juggernauts at high school, college level

Kluska, a 1940 Xavier grad who lettered in three sports with the Musketeers, was a prominent prep coach before taking over at Xavier. He led Purcell High School to multiple city championships and a 35-1-3 record from 1943-46.

Kluska was named the Xavier head coach in Dec. 1946 and went 42-33-4 over his seven seasons at the helm. He became an insurance agent in Colorado after leaving Xavier in 1955. Kluska was inducted into the Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. He passed away in Cincinnati in 1996 at the age of 79.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 1950 Salad Bowl: Xavier football's finest moment was 74 years ago