TheMonsignor
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The Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers renew their storied rivalry this Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. It is the 124 meeting in what is the longest and most-played rivalry game in Division 1 college football. The series stands at Minnesota - 59, Wisconsin - 56, ties – 8.
My annual paean to this great rivalry is posted elsewhere. It has been 52 years since a season-ending game between these rivals has been a winner-take-all for the championship of anything. Let’s take a closer look at that legendary game played on November 24, 1962 – exactly 52 years ago today -- between the then #3 ranked Wisconsin Badgers and the #5 ranked Minnesota Gophers.
The teams were loaded with future stars. Minnesota featured Bobby Bell, winner of the Outland Trophy, a two-time All American, a first team All Big Ten selection, and finished 1962 third in the Heisman Award balloting. As you know, he went on to be an All Pro player in the NFL, was inducted into both the College and NFL Football Hall of Fame, and he won a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV in 1970. The Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7. Hank Stram is quoted as saying of Bell, “He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well.” Bell was a beast – more from him later.
Minnesota guard Julian Hook and end John Campbell were also first team Big Ten selections, and the defense included second team Big Ten tackle Carl Eller.
Wisconsin’s most accomplished player was end Pat Richter, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame and played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. Richter was also an accomplished basketball and baseball player and is the last athlete at Wisconsin to have earned 9 letters. Richter is perhaps better known for his role in resurrecting Wisconsin sports when he became Athletic Director at the UW, and hired Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan.
Complementing Richter was Ron Vander Kelen, winner of the Silver Football Award as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player in 1962. Ken Bowman, who later played many years for Green Bay, was the center.
Minnesota came into the game with a 6-1-1 record, having defeated Navy, Illinois, Michigan (at Michigan by 17-0), MSU, Iowa and Purdue. Their only loss was to Northwestern at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis, and they tied Missouri, 0-0, to open the season. Minnesota had a great defense, giving up an average of 5.9 ppg and having notched 5 shutouts in those 8 games.
Wisconsin came into the game 7-1, and was an offensive machine, averaging 33.9 ppg. The Badgers opened the season beating New Mexico State 69-13, a record for points that would hold up until the 2010 campaign, when a coach ran it up on the likes of Austin Peay (70), Indiana (83) and Northwestern (70). Wisconsin also defeated Indiana, Notre Dame, Iowa, Michigan (at Michigan, 34-12), then #1 ranked Northwestern, and Illinois. Wisconsin’s only blemish was a 14-7 loss in Columbus.
The teams also had giants of coaches for the era. Murray Warmath patrolled the Gopher sideline, and he was in the midst of an 18 year career at Minnesota. He had nearly lost his job after several poor seasons in the late 1950’s, but recovered to eventually win two conference championships and play in two Rose Bowls. Minnesota claims the national title for the 1960 season when the votes took place before the bowl games, where Minnesota lost the Rose Bowl. Warmath had been an assistant coach at Army under Red Blaik, when another young assistant by the name of Vince Lombardi also was employed. Warmath was 87-78-7 at Minnesota, 65-57-4 in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin was coached by Milt Bruhn, a bear of a man, who coached 11 years at Wisconsin. Bruhn also won two conference championships and coached in two Rose Bowls, losing them both. Bruhn was an assistant to Ivy Williamson at Wisconsin, and became head coach when Ivy became Athletic Director. Bruhn’s record dropped off quickly after the 1962 season, and his last year was 1966. He finished 52-45-6 at Wisconsin, 35-37-5 in conference.
November 24, 1962, was a dreary day with some drizzle early in the day, but it stopped before the game started. As we expect this coming Saturday, the high for the day will be in the 30’s. Minnesota scored first on a pass to Cairns, but missed the conversion. When Wisconsin scored on an 11 yard run by Kurek and made the extra point, it was 7-6 for the Badgers. That was the score at the half.
In the third period, Minnesota twice threatened to score, only to have penalties push them back. The second time, the Gophers salvaged a 32 yard field goal by Versich to take a 9-7 lead. It looked for some time that that lead would hold, but late in the fourth quarter, Vander Kelen hit Richter on consecutive passes for 12, 18 and 12 yards. Then, on the next play, Vander Kelen threw an interception. But the Beast Bobby Bell was whistled for roughing the passer, negating the interception and moving Wisconsin closer to the goal.
To make matters worse, an incensed Warmath charged the field, excoriating the referee for what he thought was a non-existent foul. Warmath got another flag, and Wisconsin was now on the 11 yard line.
I’ve seen that alleged penalty on Bell on a grainy video somewhere, and Warmath had a legitimate beef. Bell hit Vandy after the throw, but it was hardly a vicious blow. To this day, the Gopher will tell you, “We was robbed!”
Three plays later, Kurek plowed into the end zone for the touchdown which sealed the 14-9 win for the Badgers and sent them back to the Rose Bowl – for what turned out to be one of the greatest Rose Bowls of all time, the battle between #1 USC and #2 Wisconsin. At one point, USC led 42-14, but when the final gun sounded with Wisconsin just getting the ball back, it was 42-37.
Although the battle of titans was for the Big Ten championship, it is unlikely that Minnesota would have been awarded the Rose Bowl had they won the game. Minnesota went in 1960 and again in 1961, when Ohio State declined to go. The Big Ten had reinstituted the no repeat rule, so it is almost certain that the Gophers would not have appeared for three straight years in the Granddaddy of Them All.
So may we see a titanic battle again this November 24, and may the best Badger team win.
My annual paean to this great rivalry is posted elsewhere. It has been 52 years since a season-ending game between these rivals has been a winner-take-all for the championship of anything. Let’s take a closer look at that legendary game played on November 24, 1962 – exactly 52 years ago today -- between the then #3 ranked Wisconsin Badgers and the #5 ranked Minnesota Gophers.
The teams were loaded with future stars. Minnesota featured Bobby Bell, winner of the Outland Trophy, a two-time All American, a first team All Big Ten selection, and finished 1962 third in the Heisman Award balloting. As you know, he went on to be an All Pro player in the NFL, was inducted into both the College and NFL Football Hall of Fame, and he won a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV in 1970. The Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7. Hank Stram is quoted as saying of Bell, “He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well.” Bell was a beast – more from him later.
Minnesota guard Julian Hook and end John Campbell were also first team Big Ten selections, and the defense included second team Big Ten tackle Carl Eller.
Wisconsin’s most accomplished player was end Pat Richter, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame and played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. Richter was also an accomplished basketball and baseball player and is the last athlete at Wisconsin to have earned 9 letters. Richter is perhaps better known for his role in resurrecting Wisconsin sports when he became Athletic Director at the UW, and hired Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan.
Complementing Richter was Ron Vander Kelen, winner of the Silver Football Award as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player in 1962. Ken Bowman, who later played many years for Green Bay, was the center.
Minnesota came into the game with a 6-1-1 record, having defeated Navy, Illinois, Michigan (at Michigan by 17-0), MSU, Iowa and Purdue. Their only loss was to Northwestern at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis, and they tied Missouri, 0-0, to open the season. Minnesota had a great defense, giving up an average of 5.9 ppg and having notched 5 shutouts in those 8 games.
Wisconsin came into the game 7-1, and was an offensive machine, averaging 33.9 ppg. The Badgers opened the season beating New Mexico State 69-13, a record for points that would hold up until the 2010 campaign, when a coach ran it up on the likes of Austin Peay (70), Indiana (83) and Northwestern (70). Wisconsin also defeated Indiana, Notre Dame, Iowa, Michigan (at Michigan, 34-12), then #1 ranked Northwestern, and Illinois. Wisconsin’s only blemish was a 14-7 loss in Columbus.
The teams also had giants of coaches for the era. Murray Warmath patrolled the Gopher sideline, and he was in the midst of an 18 year career at Minnesota. He had nearly lost his job after several poor seasons in the late 1950’s, but recovered to eventually win two conference championships and play in two Rose Bowls. Minnesota claims the national title for the 1960 season when the votes took place before the bowl games, where Minnesota lost the Rose Bowl. Warmath had been an assistant coach at Army under Red Blaik, when another young assistant by the name of Vince Lombardi also was employed. Warmath was 87-78-7 at Minnesota, 65-57-4 in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin was coached by Milt Bruhn, a bear of a man, who coached 11 years at Wisconsin. Bruhn also won two conference championships and coached in two Rose Bowls, losing them both. Bruhn was an assistant to Ivy Williamson at Wisconsin, and became head coach when Ivy became Athletic Director. Bruhn’s record dropped off quickly after the 1962 season, and his last year was 1966. He finished 52-45-6 at Wisconsin, 35-37-5 in conference.
November 24, 1962, was a dreary day with some drizzle early in the day, but it stopped before the game started. As we expect this coming Saturday, the high for the day will be in the 30’s. Minnesota scored first on a pass to Cairns, but missed the conversion. When Wisconsin scored on an 11 yard run by Kurek and made the extra point, it was 7-6 for the Badgers. That was the score at the half.
In the third period, Minnesota twice threatened to score, only to have penalties push them back. The second time, the Gophers salvaged a 32 yard field goal by Versich to take a 9-7 lead. It looked for some time that that lead would hold, but late in the fourth quarter, Vander Kelen hit Richter on consecutive passes for 12, 18 and 12 yards. Then, on the next play, Vander Kelen threw an interception. But the Beast Bobby Bell was whistled for roughing the passer, negating the interception and moving Wisconsin closer to the goal.
To make matters worse, an incensed Warmath charged the field, excoriating the referee for what he thought was a non-existent foul. Warmath got another flag, and Wisconsin was now on the 11 yard line.
I’ve seen that alleged penalty on Bell on a grainy video somewhere, and Warmath had a legitimate beef. Bell hit Vandy after the throw, but it was hardly a vicious blow. To this day, the Gopher will tell you, “We was robbed!”
Three plays later, Kurek plowed into the end zone for the touchdown which sealed the 14-9 win for the Badgers and sent them back to the Rose Bowl – for what turned out to be one of the greatest Rose Bowls of all time, the battle between #1 USC and #2 Wisconsin. At one point, USC led 42-14, but when the final gun sounded with Wisconsin just getting the ball back, it was 42-37.
Although the battle of titans was for the Big Ten championship, it is unlikely that Minnesota would have been awarded the Rose Bowl had they won the game. Minnesota went in 1960 and again in 1961, when Ohio State declined to go. The Big Ten had reinstituted the no repeat rule, so it is almost certain that the Gophers would not have appeared for three straight years in the Granddaddy of Them All.
So may we see a titanic battle again this November 24, and may the best Badger team win.
