Colorado State University Athletics
Memorable Moments: Davis' Return Stood Nearly a Century
9/19/2020 12:00:00 PM | Football
Do-it-all Ram produced dagger at DU
On October 16, 1926, coach Harry Hughes and his Aggies football team stepped off the train from Fort Collins to take on their arch rivals from the University of Denver. The Aggies had a 12-game conference winning streak dating back to 1924 on the line, while the DU team was riding high on the opening of its new stadium.
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Located on the DU Campus and rivaling stadiums of the eastern leagues, the University of Denver's new 30,000-seat home had just opened a few weeks prior with praise from all teams in and outside the league. DU had not lost in its new stadium yet, and the annual Colorado Aggies game would prove to be one of the hardest fought contests of the entire 1926 season.
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Hughes and his two best Aggie players -- Fay "Tex" Rankin and Glen Davis -- had suffered serious injuries the previous week in Fort Collins against Colorado Mines. Rankin, the team captain and star fullback, suffered a dislocated collarbone, and Davis, the team's quarterback, had two broken ribs. Rankin was listed as unable to start against DU, bringing the morale of the team down. Davis pushed onward to start in the critical matchup.
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As the teams took the field, a packed crowed filled DU Stadium, many of whom were Aggies fans who rode down on the "Aggie Special" train from Fort Collins. DU had not beaten Hughes' Aggies since 1921, and since Hughes had taken the helm in 1911, his record against the Pioneers stood at 11-4.
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Davis proved to be the hardest fighting Aggie on the field, not only guiding the team on offense, but also punting the ball deep enough that he kept DU out of the end zone until late in the second quarter. The Aggie defense shored up against the Pioneers and by halftime the score stood at 6-0 in favor of DU.
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The Aggies needed their star fullback and in the third quarter, so Rankin came off the bench -- wounded and all -- to instill some confidence and boost morale among his teammates. Although Rankin could not play to his normal level, just having him on the field kept DU out of the end zone. Unfortunately, the Aggies themselves could not punch it over the goal line either, and with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the score remained 6-0 in DU's favor.
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After holding the Pioneers on yet another set of downs, DU punted to Davis, who not only was the punter, he was also the punt returner. Davis grabbed the ball at his own 10-yard line and with a stellar block from Earl Tinsman, Davis had a hole to run up the field.
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According to the October 19, 1926 Rocky Mountain Collegian's report of the game, "A barrier of green formed around him in an instant, shutting off the Denver tacklers. Denver's last hope went glimmering as (Rollie) Caldwell neatly rolled under the last Denver man as Davis crossed the goal." Glenn Ament then kicked the extra point and the Aggies took the lead at 7-6.
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On DU's first possession after Davis' 90-yard-punt return, he once again became the star of the show by intercepting a Denver pass. By this time Hughes had seen enough out of his tough, hard-fighting quarterback and took the already injured Davis out of the game. Rankin finished off the Pioneers by breaking up a pass on their last play of the game and the Aggies came out winners 7-6.
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Davis' 90-yard punt return was the longest punt return in the country in 1926, beating out all other schools nationwide.
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Flash forward 90 years, one month and 10 days later to November 26, 2016. After standing the test of time for so long, Davis' record, which was the longest any record has stood in the CSU football record books, was broken by Robert Ruiz at Qualcomm Stadium against San Diego State. Ruiz took a punt at his own 9-yard line for a 91-yard punt return for a touchdown, pushing Davis' record to the second-longest in school history. The Rams won that game 63-31.
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If Ruiz's 91-yard punt return lasts as long as Glen Davis' record did, then it will not be broken until December 2106. Imagine that in 1926, nobody would have dreamt it would take that long for a record to stand, just as today it is difficult to imagine one could last until the 22nd century.
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Located on the DU Campus and rivaling stadiums of the eastern leagues, the University of Denver's new 30,000-seat home had just opened a few weeks prior with praise from all teams in and outside the league. DU had not lost in its new stadium yet, and the annual Colorado Aggies game would prove to be one of the hardest fought contests of the entire 1926 season.
Â
Hughes and his two best Aggie players -- Fay "Tex" Rankin and Glen Davis -- had suffered serious injuries the previous week in Fort Collins against Colorado Mines. Rankin, the team captain and star fullback, suffered a dislocated collarbone, and Davis, the team's quarterback, had two broken ribs. Rankin was listed as unable to start against DU, bringing the morale of the team down. Davis pushed onward to start in the critical matchup.
Â
As the teams took the field, a packed crowed filled DU Stadium, many of whom were Aggies fans who rode down on the "Aggie Special" train from Fort Collins. DU had not beaten Hughes' Aggies since 1921, and since Hughes had taken the helm in 1911, his record against the Pioneers stood at 11-4.
Â
Davis proved to be the hardest fighting Aggie on the field, not only guiding the team on offense, but also punting the ball deep enough that he kept DU out of the end zone until late in the second quarter. The Aggie defense shored up against the Pioneers and by halftime the score stood at 6-0 in favor of DU.
Â
The Aggies needed their star fullback and in the third quarter, so Rankin came off the bench -- wounded and all -- to instill some confidence and boost morale among his teammates. Although Rankin could not play to his normal level, just having him on the field kept DU out of the end zone. Unfortunately, the Aggies themselves could not punch it over the goal line either, and with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the score remained 6-0 in DU's favor.
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After holding the Pioneers on yet another set of downs, DU punted to Davis, who not only was the punter, he was also the punt returner. Davis grabbed the ball at his own 10-yard line and with a stellar block from Earl Tinsman, Davis had a hole to run up the field.
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According to the October 19, 1926 Rocky Mountain Collegian's report of the game, "A barrier of green formed around him in an instant, shutting off the Denver tacklers. Denver's last hope went glimmering as (Rollie) Caldwell neatly rolled under the last Denver man as Davis crossed the goal." Glenn Ament then kicked the extra point and the Aggies took the lead at 7-6.
Â
On DU's first possession after Davis' 90-yard-punt return, he once again became the star of the show by intercepting a Denver pass. By this time Hughes had seen enough out of his tough, hard-fighting quarterback and took the already injured Davis out of the game. Rankin finished off the Pioneers by breaking up a pass on their last play of the game and the Aggies came out winners 7-6.
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Davis' 90-yard punt return was the longest punt return in the country in 1926, beating out all other schools nationwide.
Â
Flash forward 90 years, one month and 10 days later to November 26, 2016. After standing the test of time for so long, Davis' record, which was the longest any record has stood in the CSU football record books, was broken by Robert Ruiz at Qualcomm Stadium against San Diego State. Ruiz took a punt at his own 9-yard line for a 91-yard punt return for a touchdown, pushing Davis' record to the second-longest in school history. The Rams won that game 63-31.
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If Ruiz's 91-yard punt return lasts as long as Glen Davis' record did, then it will not be broken until December 2106. Imagine that in 1926, nobody would have dreamt it would take that long for a record to stand, just as today it is difficult to imagine one could last until the 22nd century.
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