Paul Schafer near the Grizzly goal line in 1968
BOBCAT CALENDAR: Trailing 24-9 in the Fourth Quarter, MSU Won the Paul Schafer Game Today in 1968
11/2/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State's greatest 20th century comeback against the Grizzlies occurred 52 years ago today
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
November 2
SPOTLIGHT: More than a half-century later, Montana State's thrilling 29-24 win in Dornblaser Stadium today in 1968 still carries a simple, familiar moniker.
It's the Paul Schafer Game. And it always will be.
The sophomore from Great Falls plowed his way to 234 rushing yards on 58 carries, both of which remain series records a half-century later. The Cats were chasing their third straight Big Sky crown in 1968, and with first-year head coach Tom Parac at the helm MSU was a heavy favorite.
Even when the Cats trailed 24-9 in the second half, there was little concern. "I'd go in the huddle and there was no panic," senior quarterback Dennis Erickson, playing in his last Cat-Griz game, said. "We all felt like we were going to come back and win."
Some Divide War history occurred in the third quarter when Doug Bain caught a touchdown pass to give UM a 17-9 lead. Montana State's first half touchdown had been a pass from Erickson to Ron Bain, Doug's brother, marking the first time a set of brothers had caught passes on opposing sides in the same game.
Facing a huge deficit and giddiness throughout the stadium at ending MSU's Cat-Griz win streak, Erickson drove the Bobcats to the Grizzly five-yard line. It took four plays, but Schafer carried each time and finally punched it across the goal line for a score to cut the lead to 24-15.
According to Pat Kearney's brilliant book The Divide War, Schafer played the second half with cotton in his mouth to stop the bleeding from cuts, a recently repaired separated shoulder, and what proved to be a blown out knee. With five minutes left, Erickson connected with Ron Bain again, and Montana State now trailed 24-22. The Cats got the stop they needed, then Erickson drove his team deep into Grizzly territory, and with 12 seconds remaining Schafer – who else – steamrolled into the end zone from one yard out. Montana State had scored 20 points in less than nine minutes to take the lead in the waning moments.
But things weren't quite decided. After a roughing penalty against the Cats, UM possessed the ball near midfield with one second to play. Ron Baines broke up the middle and into the open field and was on his way to the end zone when – as Erickson recalls – defensive back Terry Brown got just enough of Baines to knock him down short of the Bobcat 10-yard line.
Time expired. The Bobcats had their sixth straight win against Montana, and their third straight Big Sky title. Multiple reports and recollections had his teammates literally carrying Schafer from the field. Erickson's 238 passing yards was a career best, and the most in the Cat-Griz series to that point. After throwing a career high 39 passes and absorbing numerous hits, "My arm was sore" after the game, Erickson recalls.
The late Paul Schafer was never really the same tailback after that game - he missed the 1969 season - but his place in Cat-Griz series history is cemented. His brilliant, immortal effort 52 years ago today will remain the gold standard by which all other Bobcat performances in this ancient and cherished rivalry are measured.
BONUS: Desperation isn't exactly the emotion the Bobcats and their fans felt a year ago today, when Southern Utah arrived in Bobcat Stadium to face a Montana State team looking to snap a two-game losing streak.
Anxiety was present. A sense of urgency punctuated everything the Bobcats did that week. Puropsefulness. But definitely not desperation.
And after one half of one quarter, there was no suspense, either. Lane Sumner scored from two yards out six minutes into the game, and from 25 yards away less than two minutes later, to give MSU all the point it would need in a 42-7 win. Every one of those points were scored before halftime, and MSU led 42-0 at the intermission. The Cats forced four turnovers without giving the ball away, and out-gained by Thunderbirds by 133 yards. The victory kick-started a six-game win streak that boosted the Bobcats to the FCS Playoffs semifinals, and the team's 11-win season was was the second-highest total in school history.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2019 - #14 MSU 42, Southern Utah 7
2013 - MSU 35, Northern Colorado 28
2002 - MSU 31, at Sac St 30
1996 - at Weber State 17, MSU 7
1992 - UM 16, MSU 9
1985 - at Nevada 61, MSU 14
1974 - MSU 43, at UM 29
1968 - MSU 29, at UM 24
1963 - MSU 19, North Dakota 0
1957 - MSU 18, North Dakota 7
1946 - at Nevada 38, MSU 13
1940 - at Colorado Mines 20, MSU 7
1935 - Wyoming 6, MSU 2
1930 - at BYU 19, MSU 6
1929 - MSU 6, North Dakota State 0
November 2
SPOTLIGHT: More than a half-century later, Montana State's thrilling 29-24 win in Dornblaser Stadium today in 1968 still carries a simple, familiar moniker.
It's the Paul Schafer Game. And it always will be.
The sophomore from Great Falls plowed his way to 234 rushing yards on 58 carries, both of which remain series records a half-century later. The Cats were chasing their third straight Big Sky crown in 1968, and with first-year head coach Tom Parac at the helm MSU was a heavy favorite.
Even when the Cats trailed 24-9 in the second half, there was little concern. "I'd go in the huddle and there was no panic," senior quarterback Dennis Erickson, playing in his last Cat-Griz game, said. "We all felt like we were going to come back and win."
Some Divide War history occurred in the third quarter when Doug Bain caught a touchdown pass to give UM a 17-9 lead. Montana State's first half touchdown had been a pass from Erickson to Ron Bain, Doug's brother, marking the first time a set of brothers had caught passes on opposing sides in the same game.
Facing a huge deficit and giddiness throughout the stadium at ending MSU's Cat-Griz win streak, Erickson drove the Bobcats to the Grizzly five-yard line. It took four plays, but Schafer carried each time and finally punched it across the goal line for a score to cut the lead to 24-15.
According to Pat Kearney's brilliant book The Divide War, Schafer played the second half with cotton in his mouth to stop the bleeding from cuts, a recently repaired separated shoulder, and what proved to be a blown out knee. With five minutes left, Erickson connected with Ron Bain again, and Montana State now trailed 24-22. The Cats got the stop they needed, then Erickson drove his team deep into Grizzly territory, and with 12 seconds remaining Schafer – who else – steamrolled into the end zone from one yard out. Montana State had scored 20 points in less than nine minutes to take the lead in the waning moments.
But things weren't quite decided. After a roughing penalty against the Cats, UM possessed the ball near midfield with one second to play. Ron Baines broke up the middle and into the open field and was on his way to the end zone when – as Erickson recalls – defensive back Terry Brown got just enough of Baines to knock him down short of the Bobcat 10-yard line.
Time expired. The Bobcats had their sixth straight win against Montana, and their third straight Big Sky title. Multiple reports and recollections had his teammates literally carrying Schafer from the field. Erickson's 238 passing yards was a career best, and the most in the Cat-Griz series to that point. After throwing a career high 39 passes and absorbing numerous hits, "My arm was sore" after the game, Erickson recalls.
The late Paul Schafer was never really the same tailback after that game - he missed the 1969 season - but his place in Cat-Griz series history is cemented. His brilliant, immortal effort 52 years ago today will remain the gold standard by which all other Bobcat performances in this ancient and cherished rivalry are measured.
BONUS: Desperation isn't exactly the emotion the Bobcats and their fans felt a year ago today, when Southern Utah arrived in Bobcat Stadium to face a Montana State team looking to snap a two-game losing streak.
Anxiety was present. A sense of urgency punctuated everything the Bobcats did that week. Puropsefulness. But definitely not desperation.
And after one half of one quarter, there was no suspense, either. Lane Sumner scored from two yards out six minutes into the game, and from 25 yards away less than two minutes later, to give MSU all the point it would need in a 42-7 win. Every one of those points were scored before halftime, and MSU led 42-0 at the intermission. The Cats forced four turnovers without giving the ball away, and out-gained by Thunderbirds by 133 yards. The victory kick-started a six-game win streak that boosted the Bobcats to the FCS Playoffs semifinals, and the team's 11-win season was was the second-highest total in school history.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2019 - #14 MSU 42, Southern Utah 7
2013 - MSU 35, Northern Colorado 28
2002 - MSU 31, at Sac St 30
1996 - at Weber State 17, MSU 7
1992 - UM 16, MSU 9
1985 - at Nevada 61, MSU 14
1974 - MSU 43, at UM 29
1968 - MSU 29, at UM 24
1963 - MSU 19, North Dakota 0
1957 - MSU 18, North Dakota 7
1946 - at Nevada 38, MSU 13
1940 - at Colorado Mines 20, MSU 7
1935 - Wyoming 6, MSU 2
1930 - at BYU 19, MSU 6
1929 - MSU 6, North Dakota State 0
Players Mentioned
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