BOBCAT CALENDAR 1927: Cats Shine in Ott Romney's Final Season
6/4/2020 4:00:00 PM | Football
Armistice Day win over Wyoming in Sheridan and home victory against Colorado highlight campaign
93 Years Ago – 1927
June 4: Each day leading to Montana State's 2020 season opener, scheduled for September 5, we will look at the season as many years ago as it is days until kickoff of the Gold Rush game.
93 YEARS AGO – For the second straight season the Bobcats opened 1927 with a shutout, blanking the North Dakota Aggies (North Dakota State) 22-0 in "a decisive display of strength," per the Montanan. Gardner's 65-yard punt return sparked the win, and the visitors never threatened Montana State's "alert and well organized defensive strength" that amounted to a "stone wall." The Bobcats fell for the second straight year at Idaho, in spite of Archie Eikrem's 65-yard touchdown run, but bounced back a week later to beat Colorado for the second straight season. The 12-6 win at (original) Gatton Field (located approximately where Rendezvous Dining Hall is presently located) featured final play by a front line that the Montanan again called a "stone wall." Veterans Jim Ario, Rip Wison, and Brick Breeden set the center of the line, with noted help from newcomer Jason Preston. Ott Gardner scored his second touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and Wilson's interception on the ensuing drive ended the game.
After beating Utah State (coached by Ott Romney's brother Dick) in Ogden, Utah, the Bobcats jumped into the heart of the schedule. Montana State rode the train to Colorado Springs and dropped a game to regional power Colorado College 28-7. From Colorado Springs the Cats traveled to Indiana, stopping in Chicago to scrimmage Northwestern, and fell to Purdue. Rip Wilson was singled out as the star for Montana State, and Gardner found Dewey Cashmore for a first quarter touchdown, the only Bobcat score in a 39-7 loss. After returning from the two-week odyssey, the team braced for the team's biggest games of the season.
On Armistice Day, November 11, the Bobcats met Wyoming halfway, waging gridiron battle in Sheridan. Calling Wyoming a team "looked upon as a menace by all other elevens" in the Rocky Mountain Conference, the teams had fashioned a strong rivalry since the Cats joined the RMC. More than 3,000 fans traveled to northern Wyoming to watch the Bobcats blank Wyoming 6-0 "in a sea of mud," according to the Exponent. On Wyoming's first drive of the game, which began at its own 20, the Cats held to force a punt. The kick was blocked by Earl Semingsen, and Arthur Olson recovered it in the end zone to begin and end the day's scoring. A blizzard that produced three inches of snow the day before hampered the playing conditions.
Montana State finished an otherwise successful season by playing the Grizzlies in Butte, falling 6-0. It was the second of three straight games that UM held the Cats scoreless, although the 1928 game was a scoreless tie. That Cat-Griz game was the finale for beloved coach Ott Romney, who following the academic year would return to his home state of Utah to take the helm of BYU Athletics.
MOST COMMON STARTING LINEUP: Left End-Harold Renn, Left Tackle- Arthur Olson, Left Guard- Jim Ario, Center-Rip Wilson, Right Guard- Brick Breeden, Right Tackle- Joe Dobeus, Right End- Herschel Hurd, Quarterback-Ott Gardner, Left Halfback- Tenney Babcock, Right Halfback- Archie Eikrem, Fullback- Fred Chez.
POST-SEASON HONORS: All-America – none. All-Rocky Mountain – (2nd) Rip Wilson, Center. (Honorable Mention) Jim Ario, Guard; Ott Gardner, Quarterback; Herschel Hurd, End; Arthur Olsen, Tackle. (Team chosen by Associated Press) All-State – (1st) Hannon, Guard; Floyd Romney, Halfback (captain). (2nd) Rube Romney, End; D. Brittain, Center.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: none
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STANDINGS: 3-1 in RMC, 3rd place but not eligible for conference title because too few games were played. The Cats won three of their four league games, including a stirring home win against Colorado. Montana State won two league games on neutral fields – beating Utah State in Ogden and Wyoming in Sheridan – but lost at Colorado College. Colorado State and Denver finished atop the league and Utah finished 3-1-1, and Montana State played none of those outfits.
NOTES: Montana State finished 1927 4-4 to close Ott Romeny's successful stint as the school's head football coach. Romney's teamks finished 28-20-2, with his .560 winning percentage sixth in Bobcat history. Romney's brothers Floyd and Rube both played for him during this time.
June 4: Each day leading to Montana State's 2020 season opener, scheduled for September 5, we will look at the season as many years ago as it is days until kickoff of the Gold Rush game.
93 YEARS AGO – For the second straight season the Bobcats opened 1927 with a shutout, blanking the North Dakota Aggies (North Dakota State) 22-0 in "a decisive display of strength," per the Montanan. Gardner's 65-yard punt return sparked the win, and the visitors never threatened Montana State's "alert and well organized defensive strength" that amounted to a "stone wall." The Bobcats fell for the second straight year at Idaho, in spite of Archie Eikrem's 65-yard touchdown run, but bounced back a week later to beat Colorado for the second straight season. The 12-6 win at (original) Gatton Field (located approximately where Rendezvous Dining Hall is presently located) featured final play by a front line that the Montanan again called a "stone wall." Veterans Jim Ario, Rip Wison, and Brick Breeden set the center of the line, with noted help from newcomer Jason Preston. Ott Gardner scored his second touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and Wilson's interception on the ensuing drive ended the game.
After beating Utah State (coached by Ott Romney's brother Dick) in Ogden, Utah, the Bobcats jumped into the heart of the schedule. Montana State rode the train to Colorado Springs and dropped a game to regional power Colorado College 28-7. From Colorado Springs the Cats traveled to Indiana, stopping in Chicago to scrimmage Northwestern, and fell to Purdue. Rip Wilson was singled out as the star for Montana State, and Gardner found Dewey Cashmore for a first quarter touchdown, the only Bobcat score in a 39-7 loss. After returning from the two-week odyssey, the team braced for the team's biggest games of the season.
On Armistice Day, November 11, the Bobcats met Wyoming halfway, waging gridiron battle in Sheridan. Calling Wyoming a team "looked upon as a menace by all other elevens" in the Rocky Mountain Conference, the teams had fashioned a strong rivalry since the Cats joined the RMC. More than 3,000 fans traveled to northern Wyoming to watch the Bobcats blank Wyoming 6-0 "in a sea of mud," according to the Exponent. On Wyoming's first drive of the game, which began at its own 20, the Cats held to force a punt. The kick was blocked by Earl Semingsen, and Arthur Olson recovered it in the end zone to begin and end the day's scoring. A blizzard that produced three inches of snow the day before hampered the playing conditions.
Montana State finished an otherwise successful season by playing the Grizzlies in Butte, falling 6-0. It was the second of three straight games that UM held the Cats scoreless, although the 1928 game was a scoreless tie. That Cat-Griz game was the finale for beloved coach Ott Romney, who following the academic year would return to his home state of Utah to take the helm of BYU Athletics.
MOST COMMON STARTING LINEUP: Left End-Harold Renn, Left Tackle- Arthur Olson, Left Guard- Jim Ario, Center-Rip Wilson, Right Guard- Brick Breeden, Right Tackle- Joe Dobeus, Right End- Herschel Hurd, Quarterback-Ott Gardner, Left Halfback- Tenney Babcock, Right Halfback- Archie Eikrem, Fullback- Fred Chez.
POST-SEASON HONORS: All-America – none. All-Rocky Mountain – (2nd) Rip Wilson, Center. (Honorable Mention) Jim Ario, Guard; Ott Gardner, Quarterback; Herschel Hurd, End; Arthur Olsen, Tackle. (Team chosen by Associated Press) All-State – (1st) Hannon, Guard; Floyd Romney, Halfback (captain). (2nd) Rube Romney, End; D. Brittain, Center.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: none
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STANDINGS: 3-1 in RMC, 3rd place but not eligible for conference title because too few games were played. The Cats won three of their four league games, including a stirring home win against Colorado. Montana State won two league games on neutral fields – beating Utah State in Ogden and Wyoming in Sheridan – but lost at Colorado College. Colorado State and Denver finished atop the league and Utah finished 3-1-1, and Montana State played none of those outfits.
NOTES: Montana State finished 1927 4-4 to close Ott Romeny's successful stint as the school's head football coach. Romney's teamks finished 28-20-2, with his .560 winning percentage sixth in Bobcat history. Romney's brothers Floyd and Rube both played for him during this time.
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