Colorado State University Athletics
This Week in CSU Football History -- CSU upsets Wyoming in 1951
10/11/2017 10:06:00 AM | Football
Rams Upset Cowpokes behind “Dandy” Don Burroughs’ Golden Arm, Keeping Him Among Nation’s Top Passers
October 13, 1951 – Today we know the "Border War" as one of the greatest rivalries in college football, but in 1951 it was in its infancy. Although the Aggies and Cowboys had played 41 games through the 1950 season, Colorado A&M led the series 30-6-5 overall. However, since the great 1948 brawl in Laramie and 1949 riot in Fort Collins, this series was becoming a true rivalry. In '48 A&M knocked Wyoming out of the Skyline Conference championship while in '49 the "Hopalongs" from Wyoming gave the Rams their only loss of the season.
The Aggies marked the 1951 Wyoming game on their calendars following a 34-0 drubbing in Laramie in 1950. With Aggies quarterback Mark McKie out for the season following an injury; Coach Bob Davis had turned to junior college transfer Don Burroughs to lead the Rams for the 1951 season. Burroughs had not disappointed Davis in his first three games of the season with a 70.7% pass completion and ranked 11th in the nation. His favorite target, senior end Jim David ranked second in the nation for receptions.
Wyoming had a top-notched player in halfback Harry Geldien, who was expected to wreak havoc on the Aggies' defense. The game kicked off at Colorado Field, scene of the last nasty incident in 1949 when Wyoming fans tried to tear down the A&M goal posts and Aggie fans fought back to defend them. Larimer County Sheriffs had to unleash teargas on the crowd to break up the melee. By Wednesday of game week, all tickets had sold out in anticipation of the 1951 contest.
The Rams took the ball on the opening kickoff from their 13-yard line and drove the field thanks to Burroughs' passing to score on a 6-yard run by Joe Mohorcich. From that point until the middle of the 3rd quarter, the contest became a defensive battle. Rams linebacker Jerry Zaleski, senior Duane Rice and Alson Binkley held Geldien to consistent losses on the Wyoming ground attack. Geldien and his offense could only get as far as the Aggies' 38-yard line during the first half, keeping the Pokes at bay.
The Rams would get some luck in the third quarter when Geldien punted a ball from his own 18-yard-marker into the gusty Fort Collins wind only to have the pigskin sail backwards from the line of scrimmage 13 yards to the Wyoming five-yard-line. All it took was one rush by senior halfback Don Reichert for a 5-yard touchdown to put A&M up 14-0.
Wyoming and Harry Geldien did not give up in the fourth quarter as Geldien rushed in for a touchdown to cut the Ram lead to 7 points, but the Aggies defense continued to hold tight as they had all day and the game ended 14-7 in favor of Colorado A&M. It would be Wyoming's first conference loss since 1948 and only their third loss since 1949.
The Aggies would go on to a heart-breaking 5-4-1 season (3-3-1 conference) finishing 4th in the Mountain State Conference. The rivalry between the two schools would continue to boil over for the next 60 plus seasons as it remains today.
The Aggies marked the 1951 Wyoming game on their calendars following a 34-0 drubbing in Laramie in 1950. With Aggies quarterback Mark McKie out for the season following an injury; Coach Bob Davis had turned to junior college transfer Don Burroughs to lead the Rams for the 1951 season. Burroughs had not disappointed Davis in his first three games of the season with a 70.7% pass completion and ranked 11th in the nation. His favorite target, senior end Jim David ranked second in the nation for receptions.
Wyoming had a top-notched player in halfback Harry Geldien, who was expected to wreak havoc on the Aggies' defense. The game kicked off at Colorado Field, scene of the last nasty incident in 1949 when Wyoming fans tried to tear down the A&M goal posts and Aggie fans fought back to defend them. Larimer County Sheriffs had to unleash teargas on the crowd to break up the melee. By Wednesday of game week, all tickets had sold out in anticipation of the 1951 contest.
The Rams took the ball on the opening kickoff from their 13-yard line and drove the field thanks to Burroughs' passing to score on a 6-yard run by Joe Mohorcich. From that point until the middle of the 3rd quarter, the contest became a defensive battle. Rams linebacker Jerry Zaleski, senior Duane Rice and Alson Binkley held Geldien to consistent losses on the Wyoming ground attack. Geldien and his offense could only get as far as the Aggies' 38-yard line during the first half, keeping the Pokes at bay.
The Rams would get some luck in the third quarter when Geldien punted a ball from his own 18-yard-marker into the gusty Fort Collins wind only to have the pigskin sail backwards from the line of scrimmage 13 yards to the Wyoming five-yard-line. All it took was one rush by senior halfback Don Reichert for a 5-yard touchdown to put A&M up 14-0.
Wyoming and Harry Geldien did not give up in the fourth quarter as Geldien rushed in for a touchdown to cut the Ram lead to 7 points, but the Aggies defense continued to hold tight as they had all day and the game ended 14-7 in favor of Colorado A&M. It would be Wyoming's first conference loss since 1948 and only their third loss since 1949.
The Aggies would go on to a heart-breaking 5-4-1 season (3-3-1 conference) finishing 4th in the Mountain State Conference. The rivalry between the two schools would continue to boil over for the next 60 plus seasons as it remains today.
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