Colorado State University Athletics
This Week in CSU Football History -- Rams dominate Tulsa Following Blizzard of 1997
10/25/2017 11:17:00 AM | Football
Game delayed to Sunday following 22 inches of snow on Saturday
by John Hirn
ColoradoAggies.com
October 26, 1997 – The wind and snow blew into Colorado on the evening of Friday October 24th during the annual CSU Hall of Fame banquet. While new hall of fame inductees Keli McGregor, Tom Proulx, Libbie Johnson, Joe Peters and Gil Sanchez were being honored that night, nobody could imagine that an intense blizzard was about to paralyze the Front Range with up to 22 inches of snow the next day.
It was decided on Saturday morning during the height of the storm that the Rams and Tulsa Golden Hurricanes could not play at Hughes Stadium that day. Although many old faithful Ram fans had remembered the infamous San Diego State blizzard game in 1986, this storm was far worse and remains to this day the second worst October blizzard in Colorado history. Since the Tulsa team was in Fort Collins already, the game was rescheduled to the next day.
Sunday October 26th was a bright sunny day for the only college football game in America and the only time CSU ever played a home game on a Sunday. The Denver Broncos had narrowly escaped the storm and were playing in Buffalo at the same time as the Rams were in Fort Collins. In an unusual twist of events, the PA announcer at Hughes Stadium gave score updates for the Broncos and other NFL games rather than college football scores.
A reported crowd of 10,128 made their way into the stadium and claimed whatever seat they could claim. Some brought shovels to dig out their spot, whether it was their assigned seats or not, fans settled in for an afternoon of football.
The Rams were motivated to win after Air Force had lost a close game to San Jose State the previous day. The Falcons' loss meant the Rams could gain control of the WAC race, even after being shut out at Hughes Stadium by Air Force four weeks prior.
The game action itself was simply a blowout as the Rams offense racked up 626 total yards on the day, 243 on the ground by running backs Kevin McDougal, Damon Washington and Jamie Blake. Quarterback Moses Moreno threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Paul Turner who had six catches for 140 yards.
The Rams defense contributed to the massive defeat by forcing six turnovers on Tulsa's first six possessions, four by fumble and two by interception. With the win, CSU moved into first place in the WAC where they remained the rest of the 1997 season. They would go on to win the Pacific Division of the WAC and beat New Mexico in the WAC championship game.
The 1997 Rams still hold the school record for most wins in a season after finishing the year with an 11-2 record, Coach Sonny Lubick's third WAC title in five seasons and beating Missouri in the Holiday Bowl. Exactly 20 years and one day after the 1997 Hall of Fame blizzard game, this legendary football team will themselves make CSU athletic history again when they become the first team to be inducted into the CSU Sports Hall of Fame on October 27, 2017.
ColoradoAggies.com
October 26, 1997 – The wind and snow blew into Colorado on the evening of Friday October 24th during the annual CSU Hall of Fame banquet. While new hall of fame inductees Keli McGregor, Tom Proulx, Libbie Johnson, Joe Peters and Gil Sanchez were being honored that night, nobody could imagine that an intense blizzard was about to paralyze the Front Range with up to 22 inches of snow the next day.
It was decided on Saturday morning during the height of the storm that the Rams and Tulsa Golden Hurricanes could not play at Hughes Stadium that day. Although many old faithful Ram fans had remembered the infamous San Diego State blizzard game in 1986, this storm was far worse and remains to this day the second worst October blizzard in Colorado history. Since the Tulsa team was in Fort Collins already, the game was rescheduled to the next day.
Sunday October 26th was a bright sunny day for the only college football game in America and the only time CSU ever played a home game on a Sunday. The Denver Broncos had narrowly escaped the storm and were playing in Buffalo at the same time as the Rams were in Fort Collins. In an unusual twist of events, the PA announcer at Hughes Stadium gave score updates for the Broncos and other NFL games rather than college football scores.
A reported crowd of 10,128 made their way into the stadium and claimed whatever seat they could claim. Some brought shovels to dig out their spot, whether it was their assigned seats or not, fans settled in for an afternoon of football.
The Rams were motivated to win after Air Force had lost a close game to San Jose State the previous day. The Falcons' loss meant the Rams could gain control of the WAC race, even after being shut out at Hughes Stadium by Air Force four weeks prior.
The game action itself was simply a blowout as the Rams offense racked up 626 total yards on the day, 243 on the ground by running backs Kevin McDougal, Damon Washington and Jamie Blake. Quarterback Moses Moreno threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Paul Turner who had six catches for 140 yards.
The Rams defense contributed to the massive defeat by forcing six turnovers on Tulsa's first six possessions, four by fumble and two by interception. With the win, CSU moved into first place in the WAC where they remained the rest of the 1997 season. They would go on to win the Pacific Division of the WAC and beat New Mexico in the WAC championship game.
The 1997 Rams still hold the school record for most wins in a season after finishing the year with an 11-2 record, Coach Sonny Lubick's third WAC title in five seasons and beating Missouri in the Holiday Bowl. Exactly 20 years and one day after the 1997 Hall of Fame blizzard game, this legendary football team will themselves make CSU athletic history again when they become the first team to be inducted into the CSU Sports Hall of Fame on October 27, 2017.
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