Wade Rademacher earned Big Sky Player of the Week for his effort against the Vandals
THREE WEEKS IN 1993: Number One No More
10/12/2018 3:42:00 PM | Football
Montana State's biggest upset ever came when the No. 1 Vandals visited Bozeman 25 years ago
For three weeks in October, 1993, Cliff Hysell and the Bobcats played football that rang familiar to long-time Bobcat fans. It also mapped a path into the future that would take a while, but which once again found Montana State Football on top of the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats won a miraculous game in Idaho State's Holt Arena, followed that with an improbable home win over No. 1 Idaho, then finished the trifecta with the least probable of all - MSU's only win ever in Boise State's Bronco Stadium. Over the next few days we'll look back on that crazy stretch of three games that don't really seem like they were a quarter century ago...
It had been a long time since Montana State faced a late-season home game as important as this one. Idaho came to Bozeman on October 23, 1993, as the nation's top-ranked team, facing a rejuvenated Bobcat team that had already clinched its best record since 1984.
The Vandals possessed star power that hasn't dimmed with time. Quarterback Doug Nussmeier was a couple months from winning the Walter Payton Award, and a five-year NFL career was ahead of him. Running back Sherriden May remains Idaho's second-leading career rusher, a three-time First Team All-Big Sky choice who also played in the NFL. Ryan Phillips, Mat Groshong… these players kept Idaho at the elite level it had been since former Bobcat Dennis Erickson revived it a decade earlier, and this team was one of the most talented the school had yet fielded.
The upstart Bobcats and their rejuvenated offense faced a tall task. Idaho averaged 200 yards and 20 points a game more than the Cats, and even the jolt provided by Brock Spencer's first MSU start wasn't enough to instill much confidence. The teams traded punts early, but after a Bobcat interception Jeff Stevens kicked a field goal with a minute left in the first quarter to give the Cats an early lead. On his way to an All-America season, Sean Hill grabbed Nussmeier's errant pass.
The buzz in Reno H. Sales Stadium didn't last long. On Idaho's next possession, facing a third-and-nine, Nussmeier burst from the pocket and raced 79 yards for a touchdown. The play showed the speed, athleticism and savvy that would lead him to the NFL. Defensive tackle Wade Rademacher remembers a confluence of circumstances leading to Nussmeier's dash. "We were in a zero free man coverage and there was just a hole that opened up," he recalled. "He took off and I remember turning around (after the play passed him) and watching him go. That was pretty disappointing."
Phillips, a freshman defensive end on that team that was also bound for stardom, enjoyed his season as an eye-witness to Nussmeier's greatness. "He could take off," Phillips remembered of Nussmeier's athleticism. "He really wanted to throw the ball, but he could take off and run it. And he was fast."
But as quickly as Idaho struck, the Cats answered. Bobcat Spencer found Eric Hopkins on a 42-yard pass, Moore rambled 15 yards, and then dashed up the middle for 21 more and a touchdown.
With the Cats leading 13-7, the Montana State defense stiffened. A third-down sack forced the Vandals to punt, and Hill returned it from near mid-field to the UI 33. Set up with great field position, Moore found paydirt on the end of four straight carries. The Vandals responded in kind, riding their pounding ground attack. Nussmeier completed a pass to Alan Allen – whose son Trevon now plays hoops for UI – but otherwise that possession belonged to May and Thomas, who scored on a five-yard run to close the first half scoring.
Idaho began its second possession of the third quarter with a first-and-10 at its own 41-yard line, and Nussmeier marched his team 59 yards for a touchdown. He found freshman tight end Andy Gilroy for a 32-yard gaIN to get Idaho to the MSU one-yard line, then May plowed over the goal line to give the Vandals a 21-20 lead.
Cliff Hysell liked to say that his dream game was one in which his team never had to throw a pass. That wasn't the reality of football in 1993 – or at any time after the '70s – and the Cats had found a quarterback able to match up with nearly anyone in the pass-happy Big Sky. "He wanted to throw the ball," MSU receiver Raymond Braggs told The Exponent. "He wanted to score."
Infused with that attitude, Montana State's offense did that on its next possession. Spencer completed all six of his pass attempts, and on third-and-16 from the Vandals 19 he found Bragg in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Spencer found Hopkins for the two-point conversion, and MSU led 28-21. That crowd "erputed from its eerie silence," The Exponent's John Tillotson wrote of that moment. Hysell later said, "I thought the fans were into it more than they had been all year."
Then came the play of the game. On third-and-three from the Idaho 27 with a minute remaining in the third quarter, MSU safety Mark Grimmer stepped in front of a Nussmeier pass. The lanky sophomore dashed to the Vandals six, and even after a 15-yard penalty drawn when the Bobcat sideline spilled onto the field in celebration the Cats were on the hunt. Spencer again hooked up with Braggs, again in the end zone, and Montana State led 34-21.
The onslaught wasn't over. After an Idaho three-and-out, Spencer marched the Cats 62 yards in five plays. Halfback Clint Morton did most of the heavy lifting on the drive, catching passes of 13 and 33 yards and carrying for five yards then nine more. Facing a first-and-goal from the one, Moore was called on to finish the job, and he found the end zone. MSU led 40-21 with 12:35 to play.
The Bobcats forced another three-and-out on Idaho's next drive, then MSU melted three-and-a-half minutes from the clock before turning the ball back over to Idaho. In desperation mode, Nussmeier completed five passes, the last to Allen from 47 yards out as Idaho cut MSU's lead to 40-28.
With less than five minutes left, MSU ran three times then punted. Again, Nussmeier rose to the occasion. The Vandals marched 68 yards for a touchdown, but took 14 plays against MSU's shell defense and used 2:36 of the clock. Phillips remembers Nussmeier's competitive fire burning that day. "He was an ornery guy," Phillips said.
With 30 seconds to play, the Bobcats covered the on-side kick attempt – appropriately, Grimmer did the dirty work – and Montana State had one of its most exhilarating and impressive home wins ever. Nevada in 1988 was the only other top-ranked team ever to visit Reno H. Sales Stadium in the Division I era, and Montana State's win over the No. 1 Vandals remains the school's only win over a Division I team carrying that ranking.
Everyone involved remembers a physical game, even if the teams combined for 75 points. "It was definitely physical," Phillips said. "We were in those white jerseys with gold pants and I remember coming out of both those games (he played in Reno H. Sales Stadium, 1993 and 1995) with dirt and grass stains all over, and they were both sunny days. One of my friends, Cole Wilson, was a safety for us, and he got probably the worst concussion I've seen. He was on the sideline, (conscious), but he just kept repeating the same thing over and over."
Murray remembers that MSU coach Cliff Hysell "called me out that week because the kid I was going against was a big defensive tackle, something like 300 lbs. So not only are you going against the No. 1 team but the head coach was calling me out."
The tactic worked. Fred Moore rambled for 136 yards and scored three touchdowns. Spencer threw for 248 yards and two more TDs. Raymond Braggs caught a couple of touchdown passes. MSU's 40 points was the high-water mark of Cliff Hysell's still-young tenure (although it would last for only one week).
On the other side of the ball, senior defensive lineman Wade Rademacher said Montana State's plan was simple. "From our standpoint, we had to hold them just enough and hope our offense could keep up. They were the number one team, but we still had a lot of confidence."
There was plenty of praise to go around after that game. Rademacher earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors for logging seven tackles, two behind the line, with one sack, while hurrying Nussmeier once and breaking up a pass. The win was – and remains – Montana State's first over the nation's top-ranked team in the Division I era. And this Bobcat team became the first to enter the national rankings since the early days of the 1985 season. Hysell even cracked a smile. "It's a great feeling," he said.
And as big wins often do, it set up an even bigger game one week down the road.
UP NEXT: Montana State makes a Halloween weekend visit to its own house of horrors, Bronco Stadium in Boise.
It had been a long time since Montana State faced a late-season home game as important as this one. Idaho came to Bozeman on October 23, 1993, as the nation's top-ranked team, facing a rejuvenated Bobcat team that had already clinched its best record since 1984.
The Vandals possessed star power that hasn't dimmed with time. Quarterback Doug Nussmeier was a couple months from winning the Walter Payton Award, and a five-year NFL career was ahead of him. Running back Sherriden May remains Idaho's second-leading career rusher, a three-time First Team All-Big Sky choice who also played in the NFL. Ryan Phillips, Mat Groshong… these players kept Idaho at the elite level it had been since former Bobcat Dennis Erickson revived it a decade earlier, and this team was one of the most talented the school had yet fielded.
The upstart Bobcats and their rejuvenated offense faced a tall task. Idaho averaged 200 yards and 20 points a game more than the Cats, and even the jolt provided by Brock Spencer's first MSU start wasn't enough to instill much confidence. The teams traded punts early, but after a Bobcat interception Jeff Stevens kicked a field goal with a minute left in the first quarter to give the Cats an early lead. On his way to an All-America season, Sean Hill grabbed Nussmeier's errant pass.
The buzz in Reno H. Sales Stadium didn't last long. On Idaho's next possession, facing a third-and-nine, Nussmeier burst from the pocket and raced 79 yards for a touchdown. The play showed the speed, athleticism and savvy that would lead him to the NFL. Defensive tackle Wade Rademacher remembers a confluence of circumstances leading to Nussmeier's dash. "We were in a zero free man coverage and there was just a hole that opened up," he recalled. "He took off and I remember turning around (after the play passed him) and watching him go. That was pretty disappointing."
Phillips, a freshman defensive end on that team that was also bound for stardom, enjoyed his season as an eye-witness to Nussmeier's greatness. "He could take off," Phillips remembered of Nussmeier's athleticism. "He really wanted to throw the ball, but he could take off and run it. And he was fast."
But as quickly as Idaho struck, the Cats answered. Bobcat Spencer found Eric Hopkins on a 42-yard pass, Moore rambled 15 yards, and then dashed up the middle for 21 more and a touchdown.
With the Cats leading 13-7, the Montana State defense stiffened. A third-down sack forced the Vandals to punt, and Hill returned it from near mid-field to the UI 33. Set up with great field position, Moore found paydirt on the end of four straight carries. The Vandals responded in kind, riding their pounding ground attack. Nussmeier completed a pass to Alan Allen – whose son Trevon now plays hoops for UI – but otherwise that possession belonged to May and Thomas, who scored on a five-yard run to close the first half scoring.
Idaho began its second possession of the third quarter with a first-and-10 at its own 41-yard line, and Nussmeier marched his team 59 yards for a touchdown. He found freshman tight end Andy Gilroy for a 32-yard gaIN to get Idaho to the MSU one-yard line, then May plowed over the goal line to give the Vandals a 21-20 lead.
Cliff Hysell liked to say that his dream game was one in which his team never had to throw a pass. That wasn't the reality of football in 1993 – or at any time after the '70s – and the Cats had found a quarterback able to match up with nearly anyone in the pass-happy Big Sky. "He wanted to throw the ball," MSU receiver Raymond Braggs told The Exponent. "He wanted to score."
Infused with that attitude, Montana State's offense did that on its next possession. Spencer completed all six of his pass attempts, and on third-and-16 from the Vandals 19 he found Bragg in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Spencer found Hopkins for the two-point conversion, and MSU led 28-21. That crowd "erputed from its eerie silence," The Exponent's John Tillotson wrote of that moment. Hysell later said, "I thought the fans were into it more than they had been all year."
Then came the play of the game. On third-and-three from the Idaho 27 with a minute remaining in the third quarter, MSU safety Mark Grimmer stepped in front of a Nussmeier pass. The lanky sophomore dashed to the Vandals six, and even after a 15-yard penalty drawn when the Bobcat sideline spilled onto the field in celebration the Cats were on the hunt. Spencer again hooked up with Braggs, again in the end zone, and Montana State led 34-21.
The onslaught wasn't over. After an Idaho three-and-out, Spencer marched the Cats 62 yards in five plays. Halfback Clint Morton did most of the heavy lifting on the drive, catching passes of 13 and 33 yards and carrying for five yards then nine more. Facing a first-and-goal from the one, Moore was called on to finish the job, and he found the end zone. MSU led 40-21 with 12:35 to play.
The Bobcats forced another three-and-out on Idaho's next drive, then MSU melted three-and-a-half minutes from the clock before turning the ball back over to Idaho. In desperation mode, Nussmeier completed five passes, the last to Allen from 47 yards out as Idaho cut MSU's lead to 40-28.
With less than five minutes left, MSU ran three times then punted. Again, Nussmeier rose to the occasion. The Vandals marched 68 yards for a touchdown, but took 14 plays against MSU's shell defense and used 2:36 of the clock. Phillips remembers Nussmeier's competitive fire burning that day. "He was an ornery guy," Phillips said.
With 30 seconds to play, the Bobcats covered the on-side kick attempt – appropriately, Grimmer did the dirty work – and Montana State had one of its most exhilarating and impressive home wins ever. Nevada in 1988 was the only other top-ranked team ever to visit Reno H. Sales Stadium in the Division I era, and Montana State's win over the No. 1 Vandals remains the school's only win over a Division I team carrying that ranking.
Everyone involved remembers a physical game, even if the teams combined for 75 points. "It was definitely physical," Phillips said. "We were in those white jerseys with gold pants and I remember coming out of both those games (he played in Reno H. Sales Stadium, 1993 and 1995) with dirt and grass stains all over, and they were both sunny days. One of my friends, Cole Wilson, was a safety for us, and he got probably the worst concussion I've seen. He was on the sideline, (conscious), but he just kept repeating the same thing over and over."
Murray remembers that MSU coach Cliff Hysell "called me out that week because the kid I was going against was a big defensive tackle, something like 300 lbs. So not only are you going against the No. 1 team but the head coach was calling me out."
The tactic worked. Fred Moore rambled for 136 yards and scored three touchdowns. Spencer threw for 248 yards and two more TDs. Raymond Braggs caught a couple of touchdown passes. MSU's 40 points was the high-water mark of Cliff Hysell's still-young tenure (although it would last for only one week).
On the other side of the ball, senior defensive lineman Wade Rademacher said Montana State's plan was simple. "From our standpoint, we had to hold them just enough and hope our offense could keep up. They were the number one team, but we still had a lot of confidence."
There was plenty of praise to go around after that game. Rademacher earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors for logging seven tackles, two behind the line, with one sack, while hurrying Nussmeier once and breaking up a pass. The win was – and remains – Montana State's first over the nation's top-ranked team in the Division I era. And this Bobcat team became the first to enter the national rankings since the early days of the 1985 season. Hysell even cracked a smile. "It's a great feeling," he said.
And as big wins often do, it set up an even bigger game one week down the road.
UP NEXT: Montana State makes a Halloween weekend visit to its own house of horrors, Bronco Stadium in Boise.
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