BOBCAT CALENDAR: MSU's 1966 Win Over Fresno State Stands as a Perfect Window into that Brilliant Season
10/1/2020 2:00:00 PM | Football
Don Hass, Dennis Erickson and Ron Bain led a dominant MSU offense
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
October 1
SPOTLIGHT: Montana State administered a pretty impressive beat-down today in 1966, whipping Fresno State 55-6. That game marked the second-most points the Bobcats scored in 1966, and matched the team's largest margin of victory.
That game was a microcosm of Montana State's brilliant 1966 season. The Bobcats jumped out early, scoring 17 points in the first quarter and then 21 more in the second quarter. Incredibly, Montana State led 38-0 before the Bulldogs had managed a first down.The Bobcats gained only 16 first downs, but averaged 7.0 yards per play. MSU rushed 39 times for 275 yards, 7.9 yards per rush. The Bobcat defense was similarly dominant, limiting Portland State to -5 yards rushing and 158 total yards.
The 1966 Cats featured some of the school's all-time greatest players, and they performed well in that game. The offensive line, anchored by Bobcat Hall of Famer Tony Welzenbach, cleared a path for halfback Don Hass. The Iron Tumbleweed rushed for 1,460 yards in 10 games, a yards-per-game rate remains a school record. His 20 touchdowns stood as the school record until Troy Andersen broke it in 2018. Dennis Erickson operated Jim Sweeney's multiple offense with precision, rushing for 412 yards and rushing for 642. Ron Bain emerged as a receiving threat, catching 20 of the team's 60 completed passes. Wayne Purdom and Earl Hanson led a ferocious, stingy defense, and NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud handled kicking duties, eventually setting an NCAA single-season scoring record.
MSU finished the season 8-3, but that mark doesn't tell half the story. In the wins, the Bobcats scored 361 points while allowing 86 points. That's an average score of 45 to 14. The first regular season loss was a 35-23 setback at North Dakota State, and the team didn't lose again until the regular season finale at Tulsa, a major college football program, 13-10. That Tulsa finished 6-4. The Bobcats advanced to the Camellia Bowl, but ran into a buzz saw in San Diego State. Led by quarterback Don Horn, a first round NFL draft pick who played in the NFL for eight seasons, and four players chosen in the second round of the 1967 NFL Draft, the Aztecs cruised to a 28-7 win over MSU to win the West Region Championship in small college football.
But that Bobcat team remains special in Bobcat annals. The team's 255.8 yards rushing per game remains seventh in school history, and the 4.82 yards per rush is 10th. MSU shut out two of its 10 regular season opponents, and the 12.2 points per game allowed remains the seventh-fewest in Bobcat history.
BONUS: Montana State's 23-20 to Weber State in 1983 was unremarkable in almost every way, standing as one disappointment in the team's 1-10 season. In one way, though, it was historic. Bobcat quarterback Mike Godfrey became the first MSU player on record to pass for at least 300 yards in a game. Weber State's touchdown early in the first quarter gave the Wildcats the lead and things remained uphill for the Bobcats all day. Finally, early in the fourth quarter, Godfrey completed a four yard touchdown pass and then the two-point conversion, both to Joe Bignell, as Montana State tied the score. On the ensuing drive Weber marched 73 yards before kicking what would be the game-winning field goal.
Godfrey threw 42 times that day, likely the most passing attempts in school history to that point, and completed 24. His 336 yards was an enormous number by MSU standards, and his long pass of 84 yards to Bryan Compton was a lightning strike. He moved the team up and down the field, but was undone by four interceptions. One second-quarter pick ended came at the Weber State six-yard line, WSU's final interception sealed the Wildcats' win, coming with just over one minute to play. Four different WSU defenders accounted for the four Bobcat interceptions.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2016 - at Sac State 41, MSU 38
2011 - MSU 31, #25 Sac St 21 HC
2005 - MSU 30, Idaho St 28 HC
1994 - at Sac St 30, MSU 14
1988 - MSU 45, Idaho St 37
1983 - Weber State 23, MSU 20
1977 - at Boise St 26, MSU 0
1966 - MSU 55, Fresno St 6
1960 - Wichita St 14, MSU 3
1955 - Idaho St 28, MSU 14
1938 - at Utah 34, MSU 0
1932 - at Utah State 26, MSU 0
1927 - at Idaho 19, MSU 12
October 1
SPOTLIGHT: Montana State administered a pretty impressive beat-down today in 1966, whipping Fresno State 55-6. That game marked the second-most points the Bobcats scored in 1966, and matched the team's largest margin of victory.
That game was a microcosm of Montana State's brilliant 1966 season. The Bobcats jumped out early, scoring 17 points in the first quarter and then 21 more in the second quarter. Incredibly, Montana State led 38-0 before the Bulldogs had managed a first down.The Bobcats gained only 16 first downs, but averaged 7.0 yards per play. MSU rushed 39 times for 275 yards, 7.9 yards per rush. The Bobcat defense was similarly dominant, limiting Portland State to -5 yards rushing and 158 total yards.
The 1966 Cats featured some of the school's all-time greatest players, and they performed well in that game. The offensive line, anchored by Bobcat Hall of Famer Tony Welzenbach, cleared a path for halfback Don Hass. The Iron Tumbleweed rushed for 1,460 yards in 10 games, a yards-per-game rate remains a school record. His 20 touchdowns stood as the school record until Troy Andersen broke it in 2018. Dennis Erickson operated Jim Sweeney's multiple offense with precision, rushing for 412 yards and rushing for 642. Ron Bain emerged as a receiving threat, catching 20 of the team's 60 completed passes. Wayne Purdom and Earl Hanson led a ferocious, stingy defense, and NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud handled kicking duties, eventually setting an NCAA single-season scoring record.
MSU finished the season 8-3, but that mark doesn't tell half the story. In the wins, the Bobcats scored 361 points while allowing 86 points. That's an average score of 45 to 14. The first regular season loss was a 35-23 setback at North Dakota State, and the team didn't lose again until the regular season finale at Tulsa, a major college football program, 13-10. That Tulsa finished 6-4. The Bobcats advanced to the Camellia Bowl, but ran into a buzz saw in San Diego State. Led by quarterback Don Horn, a first round NFL draft pick who played in the NFL for eight seasons, and four players chosen in the second round of the 1967 NFL Draft, the Aztecs cruised to a 28-7 win over MSU to win the West Region Championship in small college football.
But that Bobcat team remains special in Bobcat annals. The team's 255.8 yards rushing per game remains seventh in school history, and the 4.82 yards per rush is 10th. MSU shut out two of its 10 regular season opponents, and the 12.2 points per game allowed remains the seventh-fewest in Bobcat history.
BONUS: Montana State's 23-20 to Weber State in 1983 was unremarkable in almost every way, standing as one disappointment in the team's 1-10 season. In one way, though, it was historic. Bobcat quarterback Mike Godfrey became the first MSU player on record to pass for at least 300 yards in a game. Weber State's touchdown early in the first quarter gave the Wildcats the lead and things remained uphill for the Bobcats all day. Finally, early in the fourth quarter, Godfrey completed a four yard touchdown pass and then the two-point conversion, both to Joe Bignell, as Montana State tied the score. On the ensuing drive Weber marched 73 yards before kicking what would be the game-winning field goal.
Godfrey threw 42 times that day, likely the most passing attempts in school history to that point, and completed 24. His 336 yards was an enormous number by MSU standards, and his long pass of 84 yards to Bryan Compton was a lightning strike. He moved the team up and down the field, but was undone by four interceptions. One second-quarter pick ended came at the Weber State six-yard line, WSU's final interception sealed the Wildcats' win, coming with just over one minute to play. Four different WSU defenders accounted for the four Bobcat interceptions.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2016 - at Sac State 41, MSU 38
2011 - MSU 31, #25 Sac St 21 HC
2005 - MSU 30, Idaho St 28 HC
1994 - at Sac St 30, MSU 14
1988 - MSU 45, Idaho St 37
1983 - Weber State 23, MSU 20
1977 - at Boise St 26, MSU 0
1966 - MSU 55, Fresno St 6
1960 - Wichita St 14, MSU 3
1955 - Idaho St 28, MSU 14
1938 - at Utah 34, MSU 0
1932 - at Utah State 26, MSU 0
1927 - at Idaho 19, MSU 12
Players Mentioned
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