Bobcat History Lesson
10/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State and Weber State are each charter members of the Big Sky Conference, and as such have played each other continually since 1963. That was the year the league was formed, and also the year Weber State became a four-year school after years as a junior college.
In the six decades that Montana State has played Homecoming football games, Weber State is the Bobcats most common Homecoming opponent. This blue and purple cat fight has become a tradition, with MSU owning an 8-4-1 record in those contests. Few of the Homecoming tilts between these old rivals, though, have been as memorable as the 1977 game in Reno H. Sales Stadium.
The Bobcats had won their first three games, but were coming home -- literally and figuratively -- after a 26-0 pounding at Boise State. In Sonny Holland's last Homecoming game as MSU's head coach, the Bobcats fell behind 14-0 early in the second quarter. Weber State moved the ball from its own nine-yard line into Bobcat territory and converted a 32-yard field goal as the first half expired to take a commanding lead into the locker room.
When the Wildcats missed a field goal on the first drive of the second half, the Bobcats caught fire. Quarterback Paul Dennehy threw for 35 yards and rushed for 11 more on the team's initial possession of the second half, leading the team to a touchdown. On Weber State's ensuing possession, safety Jim Mickelson returned an interception 5 yards to draw the 'Cats to within 17-14. Weber State scored on its next drive, but it would be the last time the Wildcats would light the scoreboard on the afternoon. Dennehy marched the team 78 yards to a touchdown to again draw the 'Cats to within three.
After exchanging punts twice, Dennehy took over at the games key juncture, with just 5:26 to play. Connecting with tight end Ron McCullough, whose son Matt is a senior on the Bobcat team this year, three times, Dennehy marched the Bobcats toward paydirt. Fullback Tommy Gray scored his only touchdown as a Bobcat to push MSU into the lead, and the tenacious Bobcat defense sacked Weber's quarterback three times to end the game. MSU finished the year 6-4, but left its most legendary coach and its returning alumni with a Homecoming win for the ages.
(For full effect, catch the Bobcat History Lesson every Saturday around an hour before kickoff on Bobcat Radio Network Stations across Montana, with Kris Atteberry)
In the six decades that Montana State has played Homecoming football games, Weber State is the Bobcats most common Homecoming opponent. This blue and purple cat fight has become a tradition, with MSU owning an 8-4-1 record in those contests. Few of the Homecoming tilts between these old rivals, though, have been as memorable as the 1977 game in Reno H. Sales Stadium.
The Bobcats had won their first three games, but were coming home -- literally and figuratively -- after a 26-0 pounding at Boise State. In Sonny Holland's last Homecoming game as MSU's head coach, the Bobcats fell behind 14-0 early in the second quarter. Weber State moved the ball from its own nine-yard line into Bobcat territory and converted a 32-yard field goal as the first half expired to take a commanding lead into the locker room.
When the Wildcats missed a field goal on the first drive of the second half, the Bobcats caught fire. Quarterback Paul Dennehy threw for 35 yards and rushed for 11 more on the team's initial possession of the second half, leading the team to a touchdown. On Weber State's ensuing possession, safety Jim Mickelson returned an interception 5 yards to draw the 'Cats to within 17-14. Weber State scored on its next drive, but it would be the last time the Wildcats would light the scoreboard on the afternoon. Dennehy marched the team 78 yards to a touchdown to again draw the 'Cats to within three.
After exchanging punts twice, Dennehy took over at the games key juncture, with just 5:26 to play. Connecting with tight end Ron McCullough, whose son Matt is a senior on the Bobcat team this year, three times, Dennehy marched the Bobcats toward paydirt. Fullback Tommy Gray scored his only touchdown as a Bobcat to push MSU into the lead, and the tenacious Bobcat defense sacked Weber's quarterback three times to end the game. MSU finished the year 6-4, but left its most legendary coach and its returning alumni with a Homecoming win for the ages.
(For full effect, catch the Bobcat History Lesson every Saturday around an hour before kickoff on Bobcat Radio Network Stations across Montana, with Kris Atteberry)
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