| Year Game Played: | 2003 |
| Title Sponsor: | Pacific Life |
| Game Name: | Holiday Bowl |
| Football Season: | 2003 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Washington State |
| Visitor Nickname: | Cougars |
| Visitor School: | Washington State University |
| Home Name Short: | Texas |
| Home Nickname: | Longhorns |
| Home School: | University of Texas |
| Visitor Record: | 9–3 |
| Visitor Conference: | Pac-10 |
| Home Record: | 10–2 |
| Home Conference: | Big 12 |
| Visitor Coach: | Bill Doba |
| Home Coach: | Mack Brown |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 15 |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | 14 |
| Visitor Rank Bcs: | 16 |
| Home Rank Ap: | 5 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 5 |
| Home Rank Bcs: | 6 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 19 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 2 |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 10 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 10 |
| Date Game Played: | December 30 |
| Stadium: | Qualcomm Stadium |
| City: | San Diego, California |
| Mvp: | Offense: Sammy Moore, WSU Defense: Kyle Basler, WSU |
| Odds: | Texas by 9 points[1] |
| Referee: | Randy Smith (Big East) |
| Halftime: | Marching bands |
| Attendance: | 61,102[2] |
| Payout: | 2,013,616 per team |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | ESPN |
The 2003 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 30 in San Diego, California, part of the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the Washington State Cougars, and the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns. Washington State pulled off a 28–20 upset,[3] [4] [5] and moved up to ninth in the final rankings.
Scoreless after the first quarter, Texas running back Cedric Benson scored in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run. Washington State tied the game following a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Kegel to wide receiver Sammy Moore. Following a 39-yard field goal, Texas held a 10–7 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Washington State outscored Texas by nineteen points. They took their first lead at 13–10 on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Kegel to Moore. Jonathan Smith rushed 12 yards for a touchdown increasing the lead to 20–10, and the Cougars extended their lead to 26–10 lead after Jason David returned a fumble 18 yards for a touchdown.
Early in the fourth quarter, Texas was held to a field goal; WSU led by thirteen, and the Cougars added a safety as Texas was flagged for holding in their own end zone. Chance Mock threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Roy Williams to pull Texas to within 28–20 with over four minutes remaining, but that was the end of the scoring.[4] [5]