BOBCAT CALENDAR: The Bobcats Beat the Griz Today in 1967 and 1972 to Win Big Sky Titles
11/4/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
Don Hass led the Cats to a win in Jim Sweeney's final rivalry game as MSU's head coach
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
November 4
SPOTLIGHT: As losing streaks go, Montana State's three-game Cat-Griz skein from 1969-71 was a blip. But in real time, it had to be massively frustrating to Bobcat fans, who has ruled the rivalry for a decade-and-a-half.
There was more on the line when the Bobcats visited temporary Dornblaser Stadium that bragging rights, though. The Bobcats faced its Big Sky finale today in 1972 with a 4-1 league record, while UM was 3-1 (with a game at Idaho a week later that it would lose 31-17). Idaho State had beaten both Treasure State teams earlier in the season, but couldn't convert that success into a league title. The Bengals beat Weber State a week later but lost its final league game at Boise State, and because it played one fewer Big Sky game than MSU finished a half-game out of the title chase.
On an overcast autumn day in Missoula, though, this was mostly irrelevant. Sonny Holland's game-week comment spoke volumes.
"We'll be ready," Montana State's second-year coach said.
And the Bobcats were, but it took time for the team to really get going. MSU marched the opening kickoff 42 yards, but were stopped on downs. After forcing a punt, Zoonie McLean fumbled at MSU's 37 giving UM a good scoring opportunity, but a Mike Davis interception in the end zone turned the bruins away.
Montana State's next play from scrimmage, a McLean pass, resulted in an interception. Again, UM had advantageous field position. Again, the Bobcat defense stiffened. The first play from the Bobcat 30 resulted in a two-yard loss, an incomplete pass preceded a one-yard rush, and on fourth down another pass fell incomplete.
That was apparently the spark the Bobcats needed. On the third play of the ensuing series, McLean found Sam McCullum behind the Grizzly secondary for a 50-yard pass late in the first quarter, and Montana State had all the points it would need. For good measure the same two connected on a 47-yard scoring strike in the third quarter, and Wayne Edwards salted the game away with a one-yard run in the final period. The Bobcats won easily, 21-3.
Montana State survived a turnover margin of -3 (six turnovers to the Grizzlies' three) by out-gaining UM 323 yards to 205, rushing for 187 yards and gaining 136 through the air on only five completions. McLean ran for 63 yards an accounted for all of the team's passing yards, while Wayne Edwards rushed for 70 yards. Eventually, that win handed Montana State its fifth Big Sky title in the league's first decade of existence, the most to that point in time, and gave the Cats 12 wins in the 17 previous outings against the Griz.
BONUS: Montana State's 1967 win over the Grizzlies at Gatton Field brought to a close Jim Sweeney's brilliant time in the Cat-Griz series. The son of Butte who played college ball at Portland but rose through the prep and assistant coaching ranks in his native state never lost as a head coach to UM. Until today in 1967, it was never even close.
Riding an average victory margin of 23.5 points in his four-game streak against UM, Sweeney led his Bobcats into the game today in 1967 with one of the nation's strongest, most accomplished small college programs.
A standing-room only crowd of more than 10,000 welcome first-year UM coach Jack Swarthout, a former Grizzly star who had his team sitting 6-1 overall, 2-1 in the league, and that fast start introduced something into the series that had never existed outside of the state's borders - the championship of a fully-chartered league.
Montana State came out as it usually did, riding superstar tailback Don Hass. The Iron Tumbleweed rushed seven times for 47 yards on the game's opening drive, but quarterback Dennis Erickson fumbled on a first-and-goal from the UM eight and the drive ended without points.
The teams traded punts until Jon McElroy picked off a pass near midfield to give the Cats possession. Hass plowed in from four yards out on the second play of the second quarter, and MSU led 7-0. The Grizzlies responded with a long drive, but Wayne Pitzer picked off a pass in Bobcat territory to turn the visitors away. After an exchange of punts Gary Popiel recovered a Grizzly fumble at the UM 39. Seven plays later, with 45 seconds remaining until halftime, Erickson scored from one yard out and the Bobcats took a 14-0 lead into the intermission.
A Ray Becky fumble started UM's third drive of the third quarter, and sparked the Grizzlies. Driving to the MSU 35, a Bobcat sack forced the Griz into a punt. The Bobcats punted on their possession, though, setting UM up near midfield. Ed Steiner hooked up with halfback Rick Strauss on a swing pass that resulted in a 39 yard gain to the Bobcat seven. The same duo connected on a touchdown pass on the next play, then hit the trifecta on the two-point conversion and all of a sudden MSU's lead was 14-8.
On third-and-eight after the kickoff Hass fumbled at the 31-yard line, and UM was all of a sudden riding the hot hand. The Grizzlies stayed on the ground and moved the ball to the Bobcat one, facing a fourth and goal as the teams switched ends to open the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Bobcat linebackers Earl Hanson and Pitzer stopped Steiner short of paydirt, and the Bobcats had a goal-line stand.
The resulting field position hindered MSU's offense, though, and a three-and-out gave the Griz possession at their own 49. Steiner converted a fourth-and-one at the MSU 47, but on fourth-and-three from the 38 the Grizzlies elected to play field position football and punt to the Cats.
When Montana State needed him the most, The Iron Tumbleweed rose to the occasion. Hass carried from the MSU nine to the 18, then to the 25, then gained one yard, then five, then five more. MSU had escaped the shadow of its goal post, and when Erickson was intercepted a couple of plays later Montana took over, but was back at midfield.
The Bobcat defense forced a three-and-out, and took possession on the 29 after a punt. Again, the Bobcats turned to Hass. Carrying on 11 of the team's 12 plays on the drive, Hass gained 52 yards in powering the Bobcats to the Grizzly 29. Frank Kalfoss missed a field goal, thought, and leaving UM with life.
It was short-lived. After a first down catch by Baines from Peter Mullins, Mullins threw a pair of incompletions before fumbling on a sack that was recovered by Ray Biggs. The game, in practicality, was over.
Montana State's defense was lauded by Sweeney after the game, and held the Grizzlies to just 279 total yards. Only 85 of those came through the air. MSU gained only 256 yards, but the day's dominant force was unquestionably Hass. The Glendive product finished his career with 480 yards in three games against the Grizzlies, and he finished his career with a remarkable 2,954 rushing yards. The Bobcat Hall of Famer remains one of the great figures in Montana State University history.
The game was Jim Sweeney's last at Gatton Field, and his penultimate contest as MSU's head coach before taking over a struggling Washington State program. Beginning with a three-year stint as Montana State's line coach (1960-62), when he mentored Bobcat legends such as Joe Tiller, Bob Biastoch, Bobo Cegelski and Bill Cords. His five years as the program's head coach produced four winning seasons, five victories over the Grizzlies, and was tied with Tony Storti for the most wins in program history (31). Sweeney is the only man to lead MSU to two bowl games and was the first to lead it to three league titles.
DOUBLE BONUS: Five Cat-Griz games have been played on November 4 throughout history, tied for the second-most on a single date in the rivalry series.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2017 - #25 Kennesaw St 16, MSU 14
2006 - MSU 13, Northern Colorado 10
2000 - Portland State 31, MSU 24
1989 - UM 17, MSU 2
1978 - at UM 24, MSU 8
1972 - MSU 21, at UM 3
1967 - MSU 14, UM 8
1950 - North Dakota State 27, MSU 0 at Glendive
1922 - Gonzaga 12, MSU 0
1916 - MSU 6, UM 6
FINIS: The Grizzlies' only points on the day in 1972 came off the toe of Bob Turnquist, a 42-yard field goal in the first half. Thirty years and 19 days later, Bob sat a few blocks away from Dornblaser Field and watched his son Scott catch two passes for the Bobcats in MSU's stunning 10-7 championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies.
November 4
SPOTLIGHT: As losing streaks go, Montana State's three-game Cat-Griz skein from 1969-71 was a blip. But in real time, it had to be massively frustrating to Bobcat fans, who has ruled the rivalry for a decade-and-a-half.
There was more on the line when the Bobcats visited temporary Dornblaser Stadium that bragging rights, though. The Bobcats faced its Big Sky finale today in 1972 with a 4-1 league record, while UM was 3-1 (with a game at Idaho a week later that it would lose 31-17). Idaho State had beaten both Treasure State teams earlier in the season, but couldn't convert that success into a league title. The Bengals beat Weber State a week later but lost its final league game at Boise State, and because it played one fewer Big Sky game than MSU finished a half-game out of the title chase.
On an overcast autumn day in Missoula, though, this was mostly irrelevant. Sonny Holland's game-week comment spoke volumes.
"We'll be ready," Montana State's second-year coach said.
And the Bobcats were, but it took time for the team to really get going. MSU marched the opening kickoff 42 yards, but were stopped on downs. After forcing a punt, Zoonie McLean fumbled at MSU's 37 giving UM a good scoring opportunity, but a Mike Davis interception in the end zone turned the bruins away.
Montana State's next play from scrimmage, a McLean pass, resulted in an interception. Again, UM had advantageous field position. Again, the Bobcat defense stiffened. The first play from the Bobcat 30 resulted in a two-yard loss, an incomplete pass preceded a one-yard rush, and on fourth down another pass fell incomplete.
That was apparently the spark the Bobcats needed. On the third play of the ensuing series, McLean found Sam McCullum behind the Grizzly secondary for a 50-yard pass late in the first quarter, and Montana State had all the points it would need. For good measure the same two connected on a 47-yard scoring strike in the third quarter, and Wayne Edwards salted the game away with a one-yard run in the final period. The Bobcats won easily, 21-3.
Montana State survived a turnover margin of -3 (six turnovers to the Grizzlies' three) by out-gaining UM 323 yards to 205, rushing for 187 yards and gaining 136 through the air on only five completions. McLean ran for 63 yards an accounted for all of the team's passing yards, while Wayne Edwards rushed for 70 yards. Eventually, that win handed Montana State its fifth Big Sky title in the league's first decade of existence, the most to that point in time, and gave the Cats 12 wins in the 17 previous outings against the Griz.
BONUS: Montana State's 1967 win over the Grizzlies at Gatton Field brought to a close Jim Sweeney's brilliant time in the Cat-Griz series. The son of Butte who played college ball at Portland but rose through the prep and assistant coaching ranks in his native state never lost as a head coach to UM. Until today in 1967, it was never even close.
Riding an average victory margin of 23.5 points in his four-game streak against UM, Sweeney led his Bobcats into the game today in 1967 with one of the nation's strongest, most accomplished small college programs.
A standing-room only crowd of more than 10,000 welcome first-year UM coach Jack Swarthout, a former Grizzly star who had his team sitting 6-1 overall, 2-1 in the league, and that fast start introduced something into the series that had never existed outside of the state's borders - the championship of a fully-chartered league.
Montana State came out as it usually did, riding superstar tailback Don Hass. The Iron Tumbleweed rushed seven times for 47 yards on the game's opening drive, but quarterback Dennis Erickson fumbled on a first-and-goal from the UM eight and the drive ended without points.
The teams traded punts until Jon McElroy picked off a pass near midfield to give the Cats possession. Hass plowed in from four yards out on the second play of the second quarter, and MSU led 7-0. The Grizzlies responded with a long drive, but Wayne Pitzer picked off a pass in Bobcat territory to turn the visitors away. After an exchange of punts Gary Popiel recovered a Grizzly fumble at the UM 39. Seven plays later, with 45 seconds remaining until halftime, Erickson scored from one yard out and the Bobcats took a 14-0 lead into the intermission.
A Ray Becky fumble started UM's third drive of the third quarter, and sparked the Grizzlies. Driving to the MSU 35, a Bobcat sack forced the Griz into a punt. The Bobcats punted on their possession, though, setting UM up near midfield. Ed Steiner hooked up with halfback Rick Strauss on a swing pass that resulted in a 39 yard gain to the Bobcat seven. The same duo connected on a touchdown pass on the next play, then hit the trifecta on the two-point conversion and all of a sudden MSU's lead was 14-8.
On third-and-eight after the kickoff Hass fumbled at the 31-yard line, and UM was all of a sudden riding the hot hand. The Grizzlies stayed on the ground and moved the ball to the Bobcat one, facing a fourth and goal as the teams switched ends to open the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Bobcat linebackers Earl Hanson and Pitzer stopped Steiner short of paydirt, and the Bobcats had a goal-line stand.
The resulting field position hindered MSU's offense, though, and a three-and-out gave the Griz possession at their own 49. Steiner converted a fourth-and-one at the MSU 47, but on fourth-and-three from the 38 the Grizzlies elected to play field position football and punt to the Cats.
When Montana State needed him the most, The Iron Tumbleweed rose to the occasion. Hass carried from the MSU nine to the 18, then to the 25, then gained one yard, then five, then five more. MSU had escaped the shadow of its goal post, and when Erickson was intercepted a couple of plays later Montana took over, but was back at midfield.
The Bobcat defense forced a three-and-out, and took possession on the 29 after a punt. Again, the Bobcats turned to Hass. Carrying on 11 of the team's 12 plays on the drive, Hass gained 52 yards in powering the Bobcats to the Grizzly 29. Frank Kalfoss missed a field goal, thought, and leaving UM with life.
It was short-lived. After a first down catch by Baines from Peter Mullins, Mullins threw a pair of incompletions before fumbling on a sack that was recovered by Ray Biggs. The game, in practicality, was over.
Montana State's defense was lauded by Sweeney after the game, and held the Grizzlies to just 279 total yards. Only 85 of those came through the air. MSU gained only 256 yards, but the day's dominant force was unquestionably Hass. The Glendive product finished his career with 480 yards in three games against the Grizzlies, and he finished his career with a remarkable 2,954 rushing yards. The Bobcat Hall of Famer remains one of the great figures in Montana State University history.
The game was Jim Sweeney's last at Gatton Field, and his penultimate contest as MSU's head coach before taking over a struggling Washington State program. Beginning with a three-year stint as Montana State's line coach (1960-62), when he mentored Bobcat legends such as Joe Tiller, Bob Biastoch, Bobo Cegelski and Bill Cords. His five years as the program's head coach produced four winning seasons, five victories over the Grizzlies, and was tied with Tony Storti for the most wins in program history (31). Sweeney is the only man to lead MSU to two bowl games and was the first to lead it to three league titles.
DOUBLE BONUS: Five Cat-Griz games have been played on November 4 throughout history, tied for the second-most on a single date in the rivalry series.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2017 - #25 Kennesaw St 16, MSU 14
2006 - MSU 13, Northern Colorado 10
2000 - Portland State 31, MSU 24
1989 - UM 17, MSU 2
1978 - at UM 24, MSU 8
1972 - MSU 21, at UM 3
1967 - MSU 14, UM 8
1950 - North Dakota State 27, MSU 0 at Glendive
1922 - Gonzaga 12, MSU 0
1916 - MSU 6, UM 6
FINIS: The Grizzlies' only points on the day in 1972 came off the toe of Bob Turnquist, a 42-yard field goal in the first half. Thirty years and 19 days later, Bob sat a few blocks away from Dornblaser Field and watched his son Scott catch two passes for the Bobcats in MSU's stunning 10-7 championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies.
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