Colorado State University Athletics
Memorable Moments: Jackrabbits Helped Rams Launch Impressive Season
9/1/2021 2:00:00 PM | Football
1966 squad helped lead a turnaround for program
The 1966 football season can easily be recognized as the finest year of CSU football during the decade. Before the opening kickoff of the season, athletic director Jim Williams announced that, "Christmas in September" came when the Commission on Higher Education approved CSU to build a new 30,000-seat stadium on its west campus. The long, long, long overdue new stadium energized coach Mike Lude's Rams, and the season would turn out to be one for the ages.
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The Rams had their outstanding running back, Oscar Reed, return, and after his breakout season in 1965, he proved to be a formidable offensive weapon. Other starters such as quarterback Bob Wolfe, Jon Henderson and Bill Kishman also came back, along with numerous other veteran players. The Rams had high hopes 1966 would be the turning point in Lude's tenure to rebuild the team.
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On September 24th, the Rams traveled by bus to Brookings, S.D. to take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a return game from their first meeting in 1965 in Fort Collins. The Rams outplayed the Jackrabbits in the 1965 matchup, winning by a commanding score of 52-20.
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The 1966 contest would prove to be a repeat of the 1965 game, with Oscar Reed scoring two quick touchdowns to open the first quarter. Reed pummeled his way through the Jackrabbit line, time and time again, in the early stages of the game to rack up 137 yards to compliment his two first quarter TD's. Since it was early in the season, Lude pulled Reed from the game to ensure no fluke injuries occurred.
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The Rams then continued to score regularly on South Dakota State with halfback Jon Henderson scoring on a 39-yard play. Henderson would end the day with 99 total yards before the second string took over for the Rams. By the second half, few, if any, starters remained in the game.
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The Rams racked up 385 rushing yards and needed only 119 passing yards in the 45-14 rout over the Jackrabbits. South Dakota State's two touchdowns came early in the first quarter and in the final minutes of the game. Kishman's fumble recovery in the opening seconds of the game helped the Rams take control before all the fans in Brookings had taken their seats.
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The 1966 season opened on a high note with an easy win over the Jackrabbits, but two back-to-back losses to BYU and Tulsa in the next two weeks put them behind on the season. The Rams would then go on a terror and win the next five games of the season, including their amazing upset over No. 10 Wyoming at Colorado Field. The famous "Bounce Pass" game became the signature of a season in which CSU beat Air Force and Wyoming the only time during the decade.
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An upset loss to Wichita State took CSU out of the possibility of being invited to the Blue Bonnet Bowl, but they would end the 1966 season with a 7-3 record and high hopes for 1967 which never materialized.
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Reed was named Sports Illustrated Back of the Week following an amazing performance against West Texas State in which he ran for a then-school record 194 yards and set the school's all-time rushing mark. Colorado Field saw the last of the largest crowds that season before its swan song of 1967 and ultimate replacement when Hughes Stadium opened in 1968.
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Launching the 1966 season against South Dakota State was what that veteran Ram team needed, and 55 years later they will open the 2021 season against the Jackrabbits with high hopes for the 129th edition of CSU football.
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The Rams had their outstanding running back, Oscar Reed, return, and after his breakout season in 1965, he proved to be a formidable offensive weapon. Other starters such as quarterback Bob Wolfe, Jon Henderson and Bill Kishman also came back, along with numerous other veteran players. The Rams had high hopes 1966 would be the turning point in Lude's tenure to rebuild the team.
Â
On September 24th, the Rams traveled by bus to Brookings, S.D. to take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a return game from their first meeting in 1965 in Fort Collins. The Rams outplayed the Jackrabbits in the 1965 matchup, winning by a commanding score of 52-20.
Â
The 1966 contest would prove to be a repeat of the 1965 game, with Oscar Reed scoring two quick touchdowns to open the first quarter. Reed pummeled his way through the Jackrabbit line, time and time again, in the early stages of the game to rack up 137 yards to compliment his two first quarter TD's. Since it was early in the season, Lude pulled Reed from the game to ensure no fluke injuries occurred.
Â
The Rams then continued to score regularly on South Dakota State with halfback Jon Henderson scoring on a 39-yard play. Henderson would end the day with 99 total yards before the second string took over for the Rams. By the second half, few, if any, starters remained in the game.
Â
The Rams racked up 385 rushing yards and needed only 119 passing yards in the 45-14 rout over the Jackrabbits. South Dakota State's two touchdowns came early in the first quarter and in the final minutes of the game. Kishman's fumble recovery in the opening seconds of the game helped the Rams take control before all the fans in Brookings had taken their seats.
Â
The 1966 season opened on a high note with an easy win over the Jackrabbits, but two back-to-back losses to BYU and Tulsa in the next two weeks put them behind on the season. The Rams would then go on a terror and win the next five games of the season, including their amazing upset over No. 10 Wyoming at Colorado Field. The famous "Bounce Pass" game became the signature of a season in which CSU beat Air Force and Wyoming the only time during the decade.
Â
An upset loss to Wichita State took CSU out of the possibility of being invited to the Blue Bonnet Bowl, but they would end the 1966 season with a 7-3 record and high hopes for 1967 which never materialized.
Â
Reed was named Sports Illustrated Back of the Week following an amazing performance against West Texas State in which he ran for a then-school record 194 yards and set the school's all-time rushing mark. Colorado Field saw the last of the largest crowds that season before its swan song of 1967 and ultimate replacement when Hughes Stadium opened in 1968.
Â
Launching the 1966 season against South Dakota State was what that veteran Ram team needed, and 55 years later they will open the 2021 season against the Jackrabbits with high hopes for the 129th edition of CSU football.
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