 The school's short-lived Matadors moniker was replaced officially in 1937 with "Red Raiders", a nickname bestowed upon them by a sportswriter impressed by their bright scarlet uniforms that remains to this day.That same year, the team won its first conference championship and was invited to the Sun Bowl.The game was played on January 1, 1938, and resulted in a 7–6 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers.