BOBCAT CALENDAR: Montana State Beat Idaho State for Homecoming in 1968 on their Way to Another Big Sky Title
10/12/2020 8:41:00 AM | Football
The win boosted MSU to a share of its third straight crown under a first-year head coach
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
October 12
SPOTLIGHT: It's been a long time since October 12 favored the Bobcats' fortunes. You have to go all the way back to 1968 to find a Montana State win on this date.
Then, on their way to a third straight Big Sky title, Montana State exerted dominance over its long-time league rival Idaho State with a 31-14 Homecoming win. The Bobcats rushed for 365 yards, and limited ISU to 97 yards on the ground. Paul Schafer ran for 132 yards and three touchdowns, while Hans Pidino added 94 and Jay Groepper 80.
In his first season as the head coach at his alma mater Tom Parac won for the third time in five starts, with the defeats coming at the hands of San Diego State and West Texas State teams loaded with future NFL talent. The Bobcats shared the 1968 league title.
MSU followed the Idaho State win with a loss at Weber State the next week, who would eventually share the league title with MSU and Idaho. The Cats bounced back with three straight league wins, including the legendary win in Missoula.
Most indicators seemed to point up for the Bobcats after the 1969 season. Rookie head coach Tom Parac earned Big Sky Coach of the Year honors, and while he was new to the hot seat he had deep roots at MSU, having played for Tony Storti and cut his coaching teeth under Storti, Herb Agocs and Jim Sweeney. But losing eight offensive starters - including quarterback Dennis Erickson, tailback Paul Schafer and receiver Ron Bain - and six on defense proved too much for the Bobcats to overcome. The 1969 Cats finished 1-8 and in 1970 MSU was 2-8. Parac assumed full-time Athletic Director duties in 1970, and brought back his former staff-mate Sonny Holland, certainly one of the outstanding decisions in the history of Bobcat Athletics.
HOMECOMING BONUS: Without Homecoming on the Montana State University campus this fall, it's worth taking a quick look at that event in history.
The first Homecoming game on record at Montana State came in 1923, and that event was often called Bobcat Day in the years before World War II. There isn't a record of such an event at Montana State in 1924 or 1927-31, but the 1926 Homecoming game was the first Bobcat victory in front of the alumni.
All-time, Montana State's record is 55-28-3 on Homecoming. From 1972-82 the Bobcats won 11 straight Homecoming games, the team's longest streak.Sonny Holland was 7-0-1 on Homecoming, appropriate for a Montana State alum, while Herb Agocs was 4-0-1. Tony Storti was 4-1.
The 1968 game capped a long string of Homecoming success. The Bobcats were 14-1-1 in a 16-year stretch ending with 1968.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2019 - Sac St 34, #6 MSU 21
2002 - at Idaho St 18, MSU 14
1996 - NAU 48, MSU 19
1991 - at NAU 27, MSU 16
1985 - at NAU 27, MSU 24
1974 - at Weber St 28, MSU 10
1968 - MSU 31, Idaho St 14 Homecoming
1963 - at Weber St 26, MSU 8
1957 - MSU 27, NDSU 6
1956 - MSU 13, at Northern Colorado 0
1946 - at Utah State 28, MSU 14
1935 - at Utah 47, MSU 0
1929 - MSU 13, at BYU 12
October 12
SPOTLIGHT: It's been a long time since October 12 favored the Bobcats' fortunes. You have to go all the way back to 1968 to find a Montana State win on this date.
Then, on their way to a third straight Big Sky title, Montana State exerted dominance over its long-time league rival Idaho State with a 31-14 Homecoming win. The Bobcats rushed for 365 yards, and limited ISU to 97 yards on the ground. Paul Schafer ran for 132 yards and three touchdowns, while Hans Pidino added 94 and Jay Groepper 80.
In his first season as the head coach at his alma mater Tom Parac won for the third time in five starts, with the defeats coming at the hands of San Diego State and West Texas State teams loaded with future NFL talent. The Bobcats shared the 1968 league title.
MSU followed the Idaho State win with a loss at Weber State the next week, who would eventually share the league title with MSU and Idaho. The Cats bounced back with three straight league wins, including the legendary win in Missoula.
Most indicators seemed to point up for the Bobcats after the 1969 season. Rookie head coach Tom Parac earned Big Sky Coach of the Year honors, and while he was new to the hot seat he had deep roots at MSU, having played for Tony Storti and cut his coaching teeth under Storti, Herb Agocs and Jim Sweeney. But losing eight offensive starters - including quarterback Dennis Erickson, tailback Paul Schafer and receiver Ron Bain - and six on defense proved too much for the Bobcats to overcome. The 1969 Cats finished 1-8 and in 1970 MSU was 2-8. Parac assumed full-time Athletic Director duties in 1970, and brought back his former staff-mate Sonny Holland, certainly one of the outstanding decisions in the history of Bobcat Athletics.
HOMECOMING BONUS: Without Homecoming on the Montana State University campus this fall, it's worth taking a quick look at that event in history.
The first Homecoming game on record at Montana State came in 1923, and that event was often called Bobcat Day in the years before World War II. There isn't a record of such an event at Montana State in 1924 or 1927-31, but the 1926 Homecoming game was the first Bobcat victory in front of the alumni.
All-time, Montana State's record is 55-28-3 on Homecoming. From 1972-82 the Bobcats won 11 straight Homecoming games, the team's longest streak.Sonny Holland was 7-0-1 on Homecoming, appropriate for a Montana State alum, while Herb Agocs was 4-0-1. Tony Storti was 4-1.
The 1968 game capped a long string of Homecoming success. The Bobcats were 14-1-1 in a 16-year stretch ending with 1968.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2019 - Sac St 34, #6 MSU 21
2002 - at Idaho St 18, MSU 14
1996 - NAU 48, MSU 19
1991 - at NAU 27, MSU 16
1985 - at NAU 27, MSU 24
1974 - at Weber St 28, MSU 10
1968 - MSU 31, Idaho St 14 Homecoming
1963 - at Weber St 26, MSU 8
1957 - MSU 27, NDSU 6
1956 - MSU 13, at Northern Colorado 0
1946 - at Utah State 28, MSU 14
1935 - at Utah 47, MSU 0
1929 - MSU 13, at BYU 12
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
