1967 Oregon State Beavers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1967 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University
in the 1967 NCAA college football season
. The Beavers
ended this season with seven wins, two losses, and a tie. The Beavers scored 187 points and allowed 137 points. Led by head coach Dee Andros
, Oregon State finished tied for second in the Athletic Association of Western Universities (then informally known as the Pacific-8, a name it would officially adopt the following year) for a second consecutive year. In a four-week period, the Beavers became the only team to ever go undefeated against three top two teams in one season since the inception of the AP Poll
, earning the nickname "Giant Killers".
finished the season with an 7–2–1 record, 4–1–1 in the Athletic Association of Western Universities. Ranks are based on the time the game was played.
as a sophomore
, and fullback Pete Pifer, the Beavers' all-time leading rusher, graduated in 1966. Dee Andros
gave the starting quarterback job to junior, Steve Preece
, the wunderkind Andros had recruited from Idaho
shortly after he took the head coaching job at Oregon State. Another newcomer on offense was junior fullback, Bill "Earthquake" Enyart
. Enyart spent his first two years backing up Pifer. However, Enyart was too talented to keep off the field, earning All-Coast honors at linebacker. The team only boasted six seniors.
, in 12 years. Oregon State and Stanford met for the first time since the Indians almost derailed the Beavers' 1965 Rose Bowl
trip. Oregon State entered the game a one-point favorite. In the second quarter, the Beavers' Billy Main opened scoring by running in untouched from five yards out. Mike Haggard's extra point gave Oregon State a 7–0 lead. The lead would last all of 15 seconds. Stanford's Nate Kirtman returned the kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. Six minutes later, Mark Waletich's punt only traveled 10 yards, giving the Beavers the ball at the Indians' 39. Oregon State drove 34 yards to set up Mike Haggard's 22-yard field goal with less than three minutes left. On the ensuing kickoff, Stanford’s Gene Washington mistakenly downed the ball at his own one-yard line. The Indians could only manage four yards and Waletich could only manage a second 10-yard punt. The Beavers could only manage four yards themselves, but Haggard’s 28-yard field goal gave Oregon State a 13–7 lead with just over a minute left in the first half. In the second half, Stanford could only muster a 44-yard field goal attempt, which fell short of the crossbar. The Beavers' Skip Vanderbundt
killed off three drives with interceptions. His second was with less than five minutes left. His last was at the Oregon State 16 with 1:25 left, which effectively ended the game. The Beavers would not win another season opener until 1977, under second-year coach Craig Fertig.
caught the first break, recovering an Oregon State fumble at the Beaver 20. Oregon State's Mike Groff
ended the threat by intercepting Ed Roseborough at the Beaver 15. Six plays later, Steve Preece
dove in the end zone for a 7–0 lead. The Sun Devils responded by driving 63 yards for a touchdown of their own but missed the extra point. Late in the second quarter, Oregon State's Don Summers
ran in from one-yard and Mike Haggard’s extra point split the uprights. The Beavers went into the locker room up 14–6.
In the first four minutes of the second half, Oregon State extended the lead on Preece's six-yard touchdown, but Haggard's extra point was blocked. In the third quarter, Arizona State benched Roseborough in favor of Rick Shaw. Shaw led the Sun Devils on a 47-yard drive and hit J.D. Hill for a two-point conversion to pull within six. Midway through the fourth quarter, Preece ran in for his third touchdown of the game. Arizona State countered with a late touchdown to make the score a more-respectable 27–21 but never seriously threatened after that. The Sun Devils went 8–1 the rest of the way, only losing by two to undefeated Wyoming, who finished #6 in the AP Poll, one spot in front of the Beavers.
played 12 times, more times than Oregon State played conference opponents California and UCLA
in the same period. The Hawkeyes won the first five meetings, but the Beavers won the sixth 17–3 in 1966. In the first seven minutes, Oregon State built a 14–0 lead. Steve Preece scored the first, running untouched into the end zone from 35 yards out. Billy Main scored the second by dragging two defenders into the end zone. Main tacked on a second touchdown from 40 yards out later in the quarter. The Beavers had a chance to add another first quarter touchdown but fumbled at the one. Oregon State got the ball back at their own six, and drove 94 yards on 11 plays. Bill Enyart
's two-yard second quarter plunge put the Beavers up 28–0. Mike Haggard tacked on a 27-yard field goal for a 31–0 halftime lead. Iowa managed to outscore Oregon State 18–7 in the second half, although the Hawkeyes' final touchdown came with three seconds left. The nine-game wining streak remains the Beavers longest since 1962–1963.
drove to the six before Charlie Olds came up with an interception in the end zone. The Beavers subsequently drove 80 yards in 14 plays for a touchdown, capped off by Steve Preece’s one-yard plunge. Mike Haggard shanked the extra point, one of only three missed extra points in 1967, to keep the score 6–0. The Huskies responded by driving 72 yards to set up a 21-yard field goal to pull within three. Late in the half, a bad punt was nullified because the Beavers were called for clipping; instead of Oregon State getting the ball at their own 42, Washington took over at the Beaver 36. The Huskies drove 27 yards in five plays to set up a 26 yard field goal, which sent the teams into the locker rooms tied at six. Neither team threatened until the fourth quarter. The Beavers fumbled at their 35. From there, Washington’s Carl Wojchiechowski ran in from 18-yards out with two minutes left to win 13–6.
. Wyoming finished the season #6 in the AP Poll. The Cougars had defeated New Mexico and West Michigan by a combined 55 points. On Oregon State’s second play from scrimmage, Steve Preece was intercepted. Eight plays later, the Cougars were up 7–0. Later in the quarter, Don Whitley intercepted a Brigham Young pass and returned it to the Cougar two. On the next play, Bill Enyart
plowed in for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. The Beavers’ best drives in the second quarter ended on a fumble and a missed 50-yard field goal. Brigham Young scored on a 40-yard field goal with less than three minutes left to take a 10–7 lead. They tacked on a 68-yard touchdown pass to take a 10-point lead into halftime.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars added another touchdown for a 24–7 lead. Oregon State managed to scrape together a 31-yard touchdown pass from Preece to Billy Main to pull within 11. The Beavers’ best drive after that point ended after an interception. After Oregon State’s defense forced a punt, the Beavers’ next drive ended when Preece's pass bounced off a receiver’s helmet and was intercepted by Bobby Smith. Smith returned the interception 27 yards for a touchdown to wrap up the Brigham Young victory. Oregon State committed 11 turnovers in the game, one fewer than the 12 the Beavers committed over the next five games.
: the Trojans, the Boilermakers
, and the Bruins. All three were on the Beavers’ schedule over the next four weeks. The first was #2 Purdue, the defending Rose Bowl
champions on a nine-game winning streak. In 1967, the Boilermakers started the season beating Texas A&M in Texas
and #1 Notre Dame. The week before Oregon State came to West Lafayette, Purdue beat Ohio State 41–6 in Columbus. The win is the largest by any team over the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium
since 1946.
Purdue's stars were Mike Phipps
at quarterback and Marvin Leroy Keyes at cornerback, running back, and punt and kick returner. Keyes would finish third in the Heisman balloting in 1967 and second in 1968. In both years, he was an All-American at both cornerback and running back. He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated
's 1968 college football preview. In 1987, he was voted the all-time greatest Purdue football player. In 2004, College Football News
voted him the 86th best football player of all-time. Phipps would finish second in the Heisman balloting in 1970. The Boilermaker faithful did not give the Beavers much of a chance, erecting tombstones with the Oregon State players’ names on them. The Beaver coaches made sure to drive the Oregon State bus past them the day before the game. Purdue entered the game 20-point favorites.
Oregon State's first drive went 82 yards, ending in a touchdown on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Steve Preece to Roger Cantlon for a 7–0 lead. The Boilermakers took less than two minutes to drive 62-yards for their own touchdown on Keyes’ 15-yard run to tie the game at seven with more than ten minutes left in the first quarter. At that point, the defenses took over, holding both offenses scoreless for more than 24 minutes. Late in the second quarter, Jess Lewis
and Jon Sandstrom combined to recover a fumble at the Purdue 26. The Beavers drove 17 yards to set up Mike Haggard’s 26-yard field goal with 46 seconds left in the half. Oregon State went into the locker room 30 minutes away from pulling off the upset.
In the third quarter, Keyes scored his second touchdown on a seven-yard run to give the Boilermakers the lead for the first time, 14–10. After the touchdown, the Beavers’ defense stiffened, not allowing Purdue past the Oregon State 40 for the rest of the game. Late in the third quarter, the Beavers pulled within one on Haggard’s 32-yard field goal. With 6:35 left, Jess Lewis came up with his second fumble at the Boilermaker 30. Six of the next seven plays, Preece handed off to Bill Enyart, who capped the drive with a four-yard run with 3:54 left. However, the two-point conversion failed, leaving Oregon State in front by five. Haggard was instructed to kick the ball away from Keyes. He lofted the ball high in the air, and Purdue was unable to field the kick, which was recovered by the Beavers' Mel Easley on the Boilermaker 28. Oregon State only managed seven yards, but Haggard converted his third field goal, a 38-yarder with 1:06 left to put the Beavers on top 22–14. Purdue's last hope evaporated when Mike Groff intercepted the Boilermakers' first pass on their next drive to seal the victory. 2000 people turned out at the Corvallis Airport to welcome the team home. The Beavers' win remains Oregon State's only visit to West Lafayette. The Beavers have not returned to Indiana
.
punt, personal fouls on back-to-back plays gave Oregon State the ball at the Cougar 12. Five Bill Enyart carries later, the Beavers were up 7–0. Washington State's best drives of the first half ended in a missed 40-yard field goal and a fumble that Skip Vanderbundt
recovered at the Oregon State 31. On the ensuing drive, a 28-yard Billy Main carry gave the Beavers the ball at the Cougar nine. Enyart carried three consecutive times for his second touchdown and a 14–0 Oregon State lead with 1:38 left. The Beavers held Washington State to three-and-out and got the ball back at their own 27. After a 15-yard screen pass from Steve Preece
to Billy Main, Preece hit Main again for a 58-yard touchdown and a 21–0 Oregon State lead.
On the Cougars' opening drive of the second half, they pulled within two touchdowns. Two minutes later, Washington State recovered a blocked Gary Houser punt at the Beaver four. However, the Cougars could get no closer on four plays to end the threat. Oregon State would tack on two fourth quarter touchdowns to take a 35–7 lead. Washington State would threaten one more time. The Beavers' Larry Rich made a touchdown-saving tackle at the Oregon State three, and the Beavers kept the Cougars out of the end zone to preserve the 28-point victory.
met for the first time since 1958, the final year of the Pacific Coast Conference
. The game pitted the Beavers against their former coach, Tommy Prothro
, for the first time. The game was the third between Dee Andros
and Prothro. Prothro had won the first two. The Bruins began the season by beating #3 Tennessee. They followed the win by beating Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania
by 32. Later in the season, they returned to Pennsylvania and beat Penn State
by two. The Nittany Lions wound up #10 in the AP Poll; the loss to UCLA was their biggest loss of the year.
The star for UCLA was quarterback Gary Beban
, who would go on to win the 1967 Heisman
and Maxwell Trophies. He and their three All-Conference linemen were the biggest reasons the Bruins were averaging 31 points an outing, averaging victories over their opponents by more than 15 points a game. There was no All-Conference selection for kicker in 1967, but UCLA's Zenon Andrusyshyn
almost certainly would have been the All-Conference selection. The Bruins’ bye week was the previous week, so UCLA had two weeks to prepare for the Beavers. Oddsmakers initially made the Bruins a 13-point favorite but gamblers loaded up on upset-minded Oregon State. At kickoff, the spread was a mere seven points.
In the first quarter, the Beavers got the first break, when Oregon State’s Jim Belcher came up with a fumbled punt at the UCLA 38. Two plays after Steve Preece scrambled for 35 yards, Bill Enyart bowled in from one yard out for a 7–0 lead. At the beginning of the second quarter, the Bruins stopped Enyart six inches from the end zone (although both Preece and Enyart continue to believe that Enyart crossed the goal line). The stop revitalized UCLA, which drove 99 yards for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. The Bruins followed the touchdown with a 52-yard Andrusyshyn field goal. With less than two minutes left, UCLA recovered a blocked Gary Houser punt at the Beaver 16. Oregon State’s defense did not allow the Bruins a yard, but Andrushyn kicked a 33-yard field goal to give UCLA a 13–7 halftime lead.
Both teams' defenses dominated most of the third quarter, but the Beavers' Billy Main managed to scamper into the end zone from nine yards out. Mike Haggard’s all-important extra point hit the left upright, which preserved a 13-all tie. In the fourth quarter, the Bruins put together a 71 yard drive aided by an inadvertent whistle, which nullified a UCLA fumble. The Bruins had to settle for a 26-yard field goal. UCLA threatened again later in the quarter, but Mark Waletich intercepted a Beban pass in the Oregon State end zone with less than two minutes left. The Beavers drove 69 yards in less than a minute but faced fourth-and-five at the Bruin 11. Andros opted to try a field goal. Haggard’s 28-yard field goal split the uprights with 1:15 left. The Bruins, trying to avoid the first blemish on their record drove to the Oregon State 23. Andrushyn came on for a 40-yard field goal attempt, but Ron Boley batted down the kick with less than 10 seconds left to preserve the tie. The 16 points were the fewest that UCLA would score in 1967. Preece was voted Athletic Association of Western Universities Back of the Day. Defensive end Harry Gunner was voted Athletic Association of Western Universities Lineman of the Day. 1000 people turned out at the Corvallis Airport to welcome the team home. The game had barely ended when Dee Andros began being assailed by questions about Oregon State's chances against the #1 Trojans. He finally grew sick of it and said, "I'm tired of playing these number two ranked teams. Bring on number one."
in Notre Dame
; #3 Michigan State
in East Lansing
; and #4 Texas
in the Coliseum
. Southern California started off the non-conference slate with a 17–13 win over Texas. Then, they defeated Michigan State 21–17. In the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh
, the Trojans defeated the Irish 24–7 at Notre Dame. The 17-point loss served as the largest margin of defeat the Irish would endure at Notre Dame between 1963 and 1976. When the Trojans rolled into Corvallis, they were averaging winning every game by more than 20 points against a very difficult schedule. The game marked the Trojans' first-ever trip to Corvallis. All previous Oregon State "home" games between the two teams had been held in Portland
and Tacoma
.
USC's two biggest stars were right tackle Ron Yary
and halfback O. J. Simpson
. Yary was the best lineman in the country and would win the Outland and Rockne Trophies at the end of the year. Simpson led the country with 1050 rushing yards. He would go on to finish second on Heisman ballots in 1967 and would win the trophy in 1968. Both players would wind up as the first overall pick of the NFL draft
after their respective senior seasons, and each would enter both the College Football
and Pro Football Halls of Fame
. On defense, the Trojans had three First Team All-Americans: Tim Rossovich
at end, Adrian Young
at linebacker, and Mike Battle
in the secondary. The game was highly anticipated. California governor (and future President
) Ronald Reagan
and Oregon governor Tom McCall
made the trip. Reagan had famously said he would handpick a box of oranges if Oregon State won. Tom McCall turned the boast into a bet when he offered to put up a freshly caught silver salmon against Ronald Reagan's handpicked box of oranges. The game was held on Veterans Day
, so, along with the two governors, ten generals and admirals, including Lt. General Jimmy Doolittle
; three Congressional Medal of Honor
recipients; and the Air Force Academy Drum and Bugle Corps were on hand. 41,494 fans filled the 40,750-seat stadium. It was the most-attended single sporting event in the history of Oregon to that date. The weather, which became a topic of contention after the fact, was typical for a November in Oregon. From the eighth to the eleventh only .83" of rain fell. At kickoff, the #1 Trojans were 11-point favorites over the #13 Beavers.
On the Trojans' first play from scrimmage, Simpson quickly showed he was worthy of Heisman consideration, rushing for 40 yards around left end. However, the Trojans were forced to settle for a 36-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide right. The Trojans did not get any closer to the Beaver end zone for the rest of the game. By the end of the first quarter, Simpson had already rushed for 87 yards. Early in the second quarter, the Juice finally broke loose. He shook off a tackler at the Trojan 37 and steamed upfield with three blockers to lead him. He only had one man to beat, Mark Waletich. Simpson slowed down to allow his blockers dispatch the overmatched defender. However, out of nowhere, Jess Lewis closed on Simpson, eventually dragging O.J. down from behind at the Beaver 32. USC would get eight yards on the next three plays. Rather than attempt a 41-yard field goal, the Trojans went for it, but Ron Boley tackled the Trojans' quarterback, Steve Sogge, for no gain. Later in the second quarter, Oregon State's Skip Vanderbundt
came up with a Southern California fumble at the Trojan 47. Over the next eight plays, the Beavers rushed for 34 yards all on running plays by Bill Enyart, Steve Preece, and Billy Main. On fourth-and-three at the Trojan 13, Mike Haggard's 30 yarder split the uprights for a 3–0 lead. After holding USC to a three-and-out, Oregon State’s Bob Mayes ran 25-yards on a reverse. However, Haggard's second attempt from 28 yards sailed wide right, and the half ended with a 3–0 Oregon State lead.
In the third quarter, Oregon State's Enyart took off from the Beaver 24, and was not caught until he reached the Trojans' 19. When he was tackled, Enyart fumbled. The fumble was recovered by USC's team captain, Adrian Young. As the game wore on, both defenses only seemed to get stronger. Early in the fourth quarter, USC faced a third-and-two at its own 23. Ron Boley dropped Steve Sogge for a loss. Later in the quarter, the Trojans had their best scoring opportunity of the second half, when they faced third-and-one at Oregon State's 42. Boley again tackled Sogge in the backfield for a two-yard loss. Oregon State's returner, Charlie Olds, received the ensuing punt at the Beaver nine and raced downfield. He was hit at the Trojan 35-yard line and fumbled. The ball bounced near Olds but not near enough to recover the fumble. Instead, Olds knocked the ball out of bounds. The referees called a penalty for illegal batting, which was a personal foul, penalized by an automatic change of possession. USC was unable to generate a first down on the drive. In the last 44 minutes of the game, the Trojans managed just three first downs and only crossed midfield twice. Perhaps the best boost for the defense was the punting of Gary Houser. USC did not start a drive beyond their own 35 after a Houser punt all game long. With three minutes left, Skip Vanderbundt
forced a Simpson fumble. It proved to be Simpson's final carry. He ended with 188 yards rushing but, more importantly, no touchdowns. Fittingly, Jess Lewis came up with the fumble at the Trojan 35. Oregon State's offense was so enthused that they managed their only first downs of the second half, which enabled the Beavers to run out the clock.
The 3–0 loss was the last time the Trojans would be shut out until they went on probation in 1983. The 1967 Oregon State team remains the only college football team to go undefeated against three top two teams in the same season. It is unclear whether Tom McCall
ever received the box of oranges Ronald Reagan had promised to hand-pick. UCLA's 48–0 win over Washington the same day eliminated Oregon State from the Rose Bowl race. Conference rules did not permit more than one team to go to a bowl game at the time, so the Civil War would be Oregon State's last game of the year. On November 18, #1 UCLA
and #2 USC battled for the Victory Bell
in the Coliseum. UCLA was 7–0–1 and USC was 8–1. It has been dubbed the "Game of the Century" and the "signature game" in the rivalry. The 21–20 win
on Simpson's 64-yard fourth quarter scamper helped propel the Trojans to a national championship. The Beavers' 1967 win over USC would be their last over the Trojans until 2000.
. The Ducks were not another giant, but they were improving. Their two victories had both come in the previous four weeks. Oregon's strength was their defense behind defensive coordinator John Robinson, All-Conference nose guard George Dames, and All-Conference defensive back Jim Smith
. The 1967 Civil War was the first at newly-built Autzen Stadium
.
Gary Houser's first punt was partially blocked and recovered by the Ducks at the Beaver 31. On their first play from scrimmage, Oregon's Eric Olsen
threw a 20-yard pass. The Ducks would only gain one yard on three plays and had to settle for a 27-yard field goal. Before halftime, Oregon State's Bill Enyart
fumbled twice inside Oregon's 10-yard line. Charlie Olds ended the Ducks' best drive of the second quarter by picking off an Eric Olsen pass in the Beaver red zone.
Oregon State's first drive of the second half ended on a Beaver fumble at Oregon's 43. The Ducks capitalized, quickly finding themselves with first-and-goal at the Beaver three. Oregon State's defense did not fold, stopping Oregon a foot short of the end zone on third-and-goal. However, the Ducks dove in on their fourth attempt, increasing their lead to 10–0 with five minutes left in the third quarter. Oregon State was in dire straits after fumbling again at their own 45-yard line. Oregon drove 15 yards but missed a 47-yard field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, Oregon State finally hit their stride. Starting at their own 20, the running game began finding holes over and through the Duck defense. On one third-and-eight, Steve Preece
found Don Summers
for a 35-yard gain. On the next play, Roger Cantlon hauled in a pass at Oregon's one-yard line. From there, Enyart plowed over the Duck defenders and into the end zone, cutting Oregon's lead to 10–7 with nine minutes left. Oregon State's defense responded by forcing Oregon to go three-and-out. The punt only carried to the Beavers’ 45. Nine plays later, Oregon State had the ball first-and-goal on the four yard line. The Ducks loaded up the middle to try to stop Enyart; however, Steve Preece threw them a curve, running around left end for a touchdown with two-and-a-half minutes left, taking the lead 14–10. After getting the ball back, Oregon's final four plays only netted seven yards, turning the ball over to Oregon State. The Ducks did not get the ball back.
, which was their best ever final ranking. It would take another 33 years for Oregon State to be ranked any higher. Oregon State's 7–2–1 record was its best between 1962 and 2000. It is all the more impressive because the Beavers were only favored to win three of the ten games they played.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in the 1967 NCAA college football season
1967 college football season
The 1967 college football season was the last one in which college football's champion was crowned before the bowl games. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as Division I-A and now as Division I FBS...
. The Beavers
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
ended this season with seven wins, two losses, and a tie. The Beavers scored 187 points and allowed 137 points. Led by head coach Dee Andros
Dee Andros
Demosthenes Konstandies "Dee" Andrecopoulos was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 1962 to 1964 and at Oregon State University from 1965 to 1975, compiling career...
, Oregon State finished tied for second in the Athletic Association of Western Universities (then informally known as the Pacific-8, a name it would officially adopt the following year) for a second consecutive year. In a four-week period, the Beavers became the only team to ever go undefeated against three top two teams in one season since the inception of the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, earning the nickname "Giant Killers".
Schedule
The BeaversOregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
finished the season with an 7–2–1 record, 4–1–1 in the Athletic Association of Western Universities. Ranks are based on the time the game was played.
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Beaver points | Opponents | Attendance | Record |
| September 16 | vs. Stanford Stanford Cardinal football The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The... |
Portland Civic Stadium • Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
13 | 7 | 25,089 | 1–0–0 | |
| September 23 | @ Arizona State | Sun Devil Stadium Sun Devil Stadium Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass... • Tempe, Arizona Tempe, Arizona Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale... |
27 | 21 | 37,051 | 2–0–0 | |
| September 30 | @ Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes football The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
Iowa Stadium Kinnick Stadium Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football... • Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa... |
38 | 18 | 48,313 | 3–0–0 | |
| October 7 | @ Washington Washington Huskies football College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by... |
Husky Stadium Husky Stadium Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies... • Seattle, Washington |
6 | 13 | 55,000 | 3–1–0 | |
| October 14 | Brigham Young | Parker Stadium Reser Stadium Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. on the campus of Oregon State University. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference. Originally opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, the stadium was renamed in 1999, and its current... • Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462.... |
13 | 31 | 22,322 | 3–2–0 | |
| October 21 | @ #2 Purdue | Ross-Ade Stadium Ross-Ade Stadium Ross–Ade Stadium is a stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States. It is the home of the Purdue University Boilermakers football team.-History:... • West Lafayette, Indiana West Lafayette, Indiana As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific... |
22 | 14 | 60,147 | 4–2–0 | |
| October 28 | Washington State Washington State Cougars football The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference... |
Parker Stadium Reser Stadium Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. on the campus of Oregon State University. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference. Originally opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, the stadium was renamed in 1999, and its current... • Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462.... |
35 | 7 | 18,115 | 5–2–0 | |
| November 4 | @ #2 UCLA 1967 UCLA Bruins football team The 1967 UCLA Bruins football team represented UCLA in the 1967 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Bruins offense scored 284 points while the defense allowed 161 points.-Schedule:-Team players drafted into in the NFL:... |
#15 | Los Angeles Coliseum • Los Angeles, California Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
16 | 16 | 50,172 | 5–2–1 |
| November 11 | #1 Southern California | #13 | Parker Stadium Reser Stadium Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. on the campus of Oregon State University. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference. Originally opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, the stadium was renamed in 1999, and its current... • Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462.... |
3 | 0 | 41,194 | 6–2–1 |
| November 18 | @ Oregon Oregon Ducks football The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the... |
#8 | Autzen Stadium Autzen Stadium Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions... • Eugene, Oregon Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... |
14 | 10 | 40,100 | 7–2–1 |
Before the season
Oregon State ended the 1966 season on a six-game winning streak. Nobody expected much out of the Beavers in 1967; even the Oregon State media guide said that the Beavers would be "rebuilding" in 1967. Quarterback Paul Brothers, who led Oregon State to the 1965 Rose Bowl1965 Rose Bowl
The 1965 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1965 was the 51st Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Oregon State Beavers by a score of 34–7...
as a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
, and fullback Pete Pifer, the Beavers' all-time leading rusher, graduated in 1966. Dee Andros
Dee Andros
Demosthenes Konstandies "Dee" Andrecopoulos was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 1962 to 1964 and at Oregon State University from 1965 to 1975, compiling career...
gave the starting quarterback job to junior, Steve Preece
Steve Preece
Steven "Steve" Packer Preece is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977.-Early life:...
, the wunderkind Andros had recruited from Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
shortly after he took the head coaching job at Oregon State. Another newcomer on offense was junior fullback, Bill "Earthquake" Enyart
Bill Enyart
William "Bill" "Earthquake" Donald Enyart is a former American football player who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969–1970 and for the Oakland Raiders in 1971.-Early life:...
. Enyart spent his first two years backing up Pifer. However, Enyart was too talented to keep off the field, earning All-Coast honors at linebacker. The team only boasted six seniors.
Stanford
Stanford made their first trip to Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, in 12 years. Oregon State and Stanford met for the first time since the Indians almost derailed the Beavers' 1965 Rose Bowl
1965 Rose Bowl
The 1965 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1965 was the 51st Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Oregon State Beavers by a score of 34–7...
trip. Oregon State entered the game a one-point favorite. In the second quarter, the Beavers' Billy Main opened scoring by running in untouched from five yards out. Mike Haggard's extra point gave Oregon State a 7–0 lead. The lead would last all of 15 seconds. Stanford's Nate Kirtman returned the kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. Six minutes later, Mark Waletich's punt only traveled 10 yards, giving the Beavers the ball at the Indians' 39. Oregon State drove 34 yards to set up Mike Haggard's 22-yard field goal with less than three minutes left. On the ensuing kickoff, Stanford’s Gene Washington mistakenly downed the ball at his own one-yard line. The Indians could only manage four yards and Waletich could only manage a second 10-yard punt. The Beavers could only manage four yards themselves, but Haggard’s 28-yard field goal gave Oregon State a 13–7 lead with just over a minute left in the first half. In the second half, Stanford could only muster a 44-yard field goal attempt, which fell short of the crossbar. The Beavers' Skip Vanderbundt
Skip Vanderbundt
William Gerard Vanderbundt was an American football linebacker in the NFL from 1969-1978. He played college football at Oregon State University and was selected in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft...
killed off three drives with interceptions. His second was with less than five minutes left. His last was at the Oregon State 16 with 1:25 left, which effectively ended the game. The Beavers would not win another season opener until 1977, under second-year coach Craig Fertig.
Arizona State
The game was played in 102 degree heat. Dee Andros summed up the playing conditions by saying, "It's hot as hell." Arizona StateArizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
caught the first break, recovering an Oregon State fumble at the Beaver 20. Oregon State's Mike Groff
Mike Groff
Mike Groff is a former race car driver in CART and the Indy Racing League and the 1989 Indy Lights champion. He made 54 starts in CART beginning in 1990 with a best finish of 6th, occurring at Phoenix International Raceway in 1994...
ended the threat by intercepting Ed Roseborough at the Beaver 15. Six plays later, Steve Preece
Steve Preece
Steven "Steve" Packer Preece is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977.-Early life:...
dove in the end zone for a 7–0 lead. The Sun Devils responded by driving 63 yards for a touchdown of their own but missed the extra point. Late in the second quarter, Oregon State's Don Summers
Don Summers
-Career:Summers played two seasons with the Denver Broncos before playing with the Green Bay Packers during the 1987 NFL season. He played at the collegiate level at Boise State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology.-References:...
ran in from one-yard and Mike Haggard’s extra point split the uprights. The Beavers went into the locker room up 14–6.
In the first four minutes of the second half, Oregon State extended the lead on Preece's six-yard touchdown, but Haggard's extra point was blocked. In the third quarter, Arizona State benched Roseborough in favor of Rick Shaw. Shaw led the Sun Devils on a 47-yard drive and hit J.D. Hill for a two-point conversion to pull within six. Midway through the fourth quarter, Preece ran in for his third touchdown of the game. Arizona State countered with a late touchdown to make the score a more-respectable 27–21 but never seriously threatened after that. The Sun Devils went 8–1 the rest of the way, only losing by two to undefeated Wyoming, who finished #6 in the AP Poll, one spot in front of the Beavers.
Iowa
In the seventeen seasons from 1956–1972, Oregon State and IowaIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
played 12 times, more times than Oregon State played conference opponents California and UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
in the same period. The Hawkeyes won the first five meetings, but the Beavers won the sixth 17–3 in 1966. In the first seven minutes, Oregon State built a 14–0 lead. Steve Preece scored the first, running untouched into the end zone from 35 yards out. Billy Main scored the second by dragging two defenders into the end zone. Main tacked on a second touchdown from 40 yards out later in the quarter. The Beavers had a chance to add another first quarter touchdown but fumbled at the one. Oregon State got the ball back at their own six, and drove 94 yards on 11 plays. Bill Enyart
Bill Enyart
William "Bill" "Earthquake" Donald Enyart is a former American football player who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969–1970 and for the Oakland Raiders in 1971.-Early life:...
's two-yard second quarter plunge put the Beavers up 28–0. Mike Haggard tacked on a 27-yard field goal for a 31–0 halftime lead. Iowa managed to outscore Oregon State 18–7 in the second half, although the Hawkeyes' final touchdown came with three seconds left. The nine-game wining streak remains the Beavers longest since 1962–1963.
Washington
By the time Oregon State arrived in Seattle, the season was already beginning to take its toll on the Beavers. Starters, Harry Gunner and Mike Waletich, were sidelined. Gary Houser was unable to play tight end but still managed to perform his punting duties. Oregon State fumbled on its second play from scrimmage. WashingtonWashington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
drove to the six before Charlie Olds came up with an interception in the end zone. The Beavers subsequently drove 80 yards in 14 plays for a touchdown, capped off by Steve Preece’s one-yard plunge. Mike Haggard shanked the extra point, one of only three missed extra points in 1967, to keep the score 6–0. The Huskies responded by driving 72 yards to set up a 21-yard field goal to pull within three. Late in the half, a bad punt was nullified because the Beavers were called for clipping; instead of Oregon State getting the ball at their own 42, Washington took over at the Beaver 36. The Huskies drove 27 yards in five plays to set up a 26 yard field goal, which sent the teams into the locker rooms tied at six. Neither team threatened until the fourth quarter. The Beavers fumbled at their 35. From there, Washington’s Carl Wojchiechowski ran in from 18-yards out with two minutes left to win 13–6.
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was 2–1. Their only loss was to undefeated Wyoming in WyomingWyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. Wyoming finished the season #6 in the AP Poll. The Cougars had defeated New Mexico and West Michigan by a combined 55 points. On Oregon State’s second play from scrimmage, Steve Preece was intercepted. Eight plays later, the Cougars were up 7–0. Later in the quarter, Don Whitley intercepted a Brigham Young pass and returned it to the Cougar two. On the next play, Bill Enyart
Bill Enyart
William "Bill" "Earthquake" Donald Enyart is a former American football player who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969–1970 and for the Oakland Raiders in 1971.-Early life:...
plowed in for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. The Beavers’ best drives in the second quarter ended on a fumble and a missed 50-yard field goal. Brigham Young scored on a 40-yard field goal with less than three minutes left to take a 10–7 lead. They tacked on a 68-yard touchdown pass to take a 10-point lead into halftime.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars added another touchdown for a 24–7 lead. Oregon State managed to scrape together a 31-yard touchdown pass from Preece to Billy Main to pull within 11. The Beavers’ best drive after that point ended after an interception. After Oregon State’s defense forced a punt, the Beavers’ next drive ended when Preece's pass bounced off a receiver’s helmet and was intercepted by Bobby Smith. Smith returned the interception 27 yards for a touchdown to wrap up the Brigham Young victory. Oregon State committed 11 turnovers in the game, one fewer than the 12 the Beavers committed over the next five games.
Purdue
Entering the game, three undefeated teams topped the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
: the Trojans, the Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
, and the Bruins. All three were on the Beavers’ schedule over the next four weeks. The first was #2 Purdue, the defending Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
champions on a nine-game winning streak. In 1967, the Boilermakers started the season beating Texas A&M in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and #1 Notre Dame. The week before Oregon State came to West Lafayette, Purdue beat Ohio State 41–6 in Columbus. The win is the largest by any team over the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on March 22, 1974...
since 1946.
Purdue's stars were Mike Phipps
Mike Phipps
Michael Elston Phipps is a former professional American football quarterback who played collegiately for the Purdue University Boilermakers , and professionally for both the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears .-College career:After playing high school for Columbus High School in Columbus,...
at quarterback and Marvin Leroy Keyes at cornerback, running back, and punt and kick returner. Keyes would finish third in the Heisman balloting in 1967 and second in 1968. In both years, he was an All-American at both cornerback and running back. He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
's 1968 college football preview. In 1987, he was voted the all-time greatest Purdue football player. In 2004, College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
voted him the 86th best football player of all-time. Phipps would finish second in the Heisman balloting in 1970. The Boilermaker faithful did not give the Beavers much of a chance, erecting tombstones with the Oregon State players’ names on them. The Beaver coaches made sure to drive the Oregon State bus past them the day before the game. Purdue entered the game 20-point favorites.
Oregon State's first drive went 82 yards, ending in a touchdown on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Steve Preece to Roger Cantlon for a 7–0 lead. The Boilermakers took less than two minutes to drive 62-yards for their own touchdown on Keyes’ 15-yard run to tie the game at seven with more than ten minutes left in the first quarter. At that point, the defenses took over, holding both offenses scoreless for more than 24 minutes. Late in the second quarter, Jess Lewis
Jess Lewis
Jess Lewis is a retired amateur wrestler and American football player who played in the National Football League for the Houston Oilers in 1970. Jess was at one time addicted to speed and crystal methanphetamines...
and Jon Sandstrom combined to recover a fumble at the Purdue 26. The Beavers drove 17 yards to set up Mike Haggard’s 26-yard field goal with 46 seconds left in the half. Oregon State went into the locker room 30 minutes away from pulling off the upset.
In the third quarter, Keyes scored his second touchdown on a seven-yard run to give the Boilermakers the lead for the first time, 14–10. After the touchdown, the Beavers’ defense stiffened, not allowing Purdue past the Oregon State 40 for the rest of the game. Late in the third quarter, the Beavers pulled within one on Haggard’s 32-yard field goal. With 6:35 left, Jess Lewis came up with his second fumble at the Boilermaker 30. Six of the next seven plays, Preece handed off to Bill Enyart, who capped the drive with a four-yard run with 3:54 left. However, the two-point conversion failed, leaving Oregon State in front by five. Haggard was instructed to kick the ball away from Keyes. He lofted the ball high in the air, and Purdue was unable to field the kick, which was recovered by the Beavers' Mel Easley on the Boilermaker 28. Oregon State only managed seven yards, but Haggard converted his third field goal, a 38-yarder with 1:06 left to put the Beavers on top 22–14. Purdue's last hope evaporated when Mike Groff intercepted the Boilermakers' first pass on their next drive to seal the victory. 2000 people turned out at the Corvallis Airport to welcome the team home. The Beavers' win remains Oregon State's only visit to West Lafayette. The Beavers have not returned to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Washington State
After a first quarter Washington StateWashington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
punt, personal fouls on back-to-back plays gave Oregon State the ball at the Cougar 12. Five Bill Enyart carries later, the Beavers were up 7–0. Washington State's best drives of the first half ended in a missed 40-yard field goal and a fumble that Skip Vanderbundt
Skip Vanderbundt
William Gerard Vanderbundt was an American football linebacker in the NFL from 1969-1978. He played college football at Oregon State University and was selected in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft...
recovered at the Oregon State 31. On the ensuing drive, a 28-yard Billy Main carry gave the Beavers the ball at the Cougar nine. Enyart carried three consecutive times for his second touchdown and a 14–0 Oregon State lead with 1:38 left. The Beavers held Washington State to three-and-out and got the ball back at their own 27. After a 15-yard screen pass from Steve Preece
Steve Preece
Steven "Steve" Packer Preece is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977.-Early life:...
to Billy Main, Preece hit Main again for a 58-yard touchdown and a 21–0 Oregon State lead.
On the Cougars' opening drive of the second half, they pulled within two touchdowns. Two minutes later, Washington State recovered a blocked Gary Houser punt at the Beaver four. However, the Cougars could get no closer on four plays to end the threat. Oregon State would tack on two fourth quarter touchdowns to take a 35–7 lead. Washington State would threaten one more time. The Beavers' Larry Rich made a touchdown-saving tackle at the Oregon State three, and the Beavers kept the Cougars out of the end zone to preserve the 28-point victory.
UCLA
Oregon State and UCLAUCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
met for the first time since 1958, the final year of the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
. The game pitted the Beavers against their former coach, Tommy Prothro
Tommy Prothro
James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1955 to 1964 and at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1965 to 1970, compiling a career college football record of 104–55–5...
, for the first time. The game was the third between Dee Andros
Dee Andros
Demosthenes Konstandies "Dee" Andrecopoulos was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 1962 to 1964 and at Oregon State University from 1965 to 1975, compiling career...
and Prothro. Prothro had won the first two. The Bruins began the season by beating #3 Tennessee. They followed the win by beating Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
by 32. Later in the season, they returned to Pennsylvania and beat Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
by two. The Nittany Lions wound up #10 in the AP Poll; the loss to UCLA was their biggest loss of the year.
The star for UCLA was quarterback Gary Beban
Gary Beban
Gary Joseph Beban is a former American football player. Son of an Italian-born mother and a first generation Croatian-American father, Beban won the 1967 Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football, and the Maxwell Award, while playing quarterback for the University of...
, who would go on to win the 1967 Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
and Maxwell Trophies. He and their three All-Conference linemen were the biggest reasons the Bruins were averaging 31 points an outing, averaging victories over their opponents by more than 15 points a game. There was no All-Conference selection for kicker in 1967, but UCLA's Zenon Andrusyshyn
Zenon Andrusyshyn
Zenon Andrusyshyn of Ukrainian parents is a former Canadian Football League punter and kicker from for the Toronto Argonauts. He played in 1978 for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He later played with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League from 1983–1985...
almost certainly would have been the All-Conference selection. The Bruins’ bye week was the previous week, so UCLA had two weeks to prepare for the Beavers. Oddsmakers initially made the Bruins a 13-point favorite but gamblers loaded up on upset-minded Oregon State. At kickoff, the spread was a mere seven points.
In the first quarter, the Beavers got the first break, when Oregon State’s Jim Belcher came up with a fumbled punt at the UCLA 38. Two plays after Steve Preece scrambled for 35 yards, Bill Enyart bowled in from one yard out for a 7–0 lead. At the beginning of the second quarter, the Bruins stopped Enyart six inches from the end zone (although both Preece and Enyart continue to believe that Enyart crossed the goal line). The stop revitalized UCLA, which drove 99 yards for a touchdown, knotting the score at seven. The Bruins followed the touchdown with a 52-yard Andrusyshyn field goal. With less than two minutes left, UCLA recovered a blocked Gary Houser punt at the Beaver 16. Oregon State’s defense did not allow the Bruins a yard, but Andrushyn kicked a 33-yard field goal to give UCLA a 13–7 halftime lead.
Both teams' defenses dominated most of the third quarter, but the Beavers' Billy Main managed to scamper into the end zone from nine yards out. Mike Haggard’s all-important extra point hit the left upright, which preserved a 13-all tie. In the fourth quarter, the Bruins put together a 71 yard drive aided by an inadvertent whistle, which nullified a UCLA fumble. The Bruins had to settle for a 26-yard field goal. UCLA threatened again later in the quarter, but Mark Waletich intercepted a Beban pass in the Oregon State end zone with less than two minutes left. The Beavers drove 69 yards in less than a minute but faced fourth-and-five at the Bruin 11. Andros opted to try a field goal. Haggard’s 28-yard field goal split the uprights with 1:15 left. The Bruins, trying to avoid the first blemish on their record drove to the Oregon State 23. Andrushyn came on for a 40-yard field goal attempt, but Ron Boley batted down the kick with less than 10 seconds left to preserve the tie. The 16 points were the fewest that UCLA would score in 1967. Preece was voted Athletic Association of Western Universities Back of the Day. Defensive end Harry Gunner was voted Athletic Association of Western Universities Lineman of the Day. 1000 people turned out at the Corvallis Airport to welcome the team home. The game had barely ended when Dee Andros began being assailed by questions about Oregon State's chances against the #1 Trojans. He finally grew sick of it and said, "I'm tired of playing these number two ranked teams. Bring on number one."
Southern California
The #1 Trojans were a juggernaut. In the 1960s, USC would finish no worse than second in their conference, winning six conference championships, playing in five Rose Bowls and winning two national championships. The 1967 Trojans may have been the best Trojan team in the decade. The Sporting News ranked that USC team as the #9 team of the 20th century. Their non-conference schedule included #1 Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football (1960–1969)
-1960:-1961:-1962:-1963:-1964:John Huarte was the sixth Notre Dame player to win the Heisman Trophy.-1965:-1966:-Rivalries:*Notre Dame beat USC to claim the Jeweled Shillelagh....
in Notre Dame
Notre Dame Stadium
Notre Dame Stadium is the home football stadium for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. The stadium is located on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States, just north of the city of South Bend....
; #3 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in East Lansing
Spartan Stadium (East Lansing)
Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Michigan State University Spartans...
; and #4 Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
in the Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
. Southern California started off the non-conference slate with a 17–13 win over Texas. Then, they defeated Michigan State 21–17. In the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh
Jeweled Shillelagh
The Jeweled Shillelagh is passed between the annual winner of the college football game between the University of Southern California Trojans and the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The shillelagh, an Irish war club, is made of oak or blackthorn saplings from Ireland...
, the Trojans defeated the Irish 24–7 at Notre Dame. The 17-point loss served as the largest margin of defeat the Irish would endure at Notre Dame between 1963 and 1976. When the Trojans rolled into Corvallis, they were averaging winning every game by more than 20 points against a very difficult schedule. The game marked the Trojans' first-ever trip to Corvallis. All previous Oregon State "home" games between the two teams had been held in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
.
USC's two biggest stars were right tackle Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
and halfback O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
. Yary was the best lineman in the country and would win the Outland and Rockne Trophies at the end of the year. Simpson led the country with 1050 rushing yards. He would go on to finish second on Heisman ballots in 1967 and would win the trophy in 1968. Both players would wind up as the first overall pick of the NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
after their respective senior seasons, and each would enter both the College Football
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and Pro Football Halls of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. On defense, the Trojans had three First Team All-Americans: Tim Rossovich
Tim Rossovich
Timothy John "Tim" Rossovich is a retired American football linebacker and is currently an actor. He is the brother of actor Rick Rossovich....
at end, Adrian Young
Adrian Young
Adrian Samuel Young is the drummer for the rock band No Doubt.-Biography:Young's parents were hippies. He has four brothers: Alex, Damian, Jeff and Aaron. His father is a teacher in Cypress CA and his stepmother, Jeanne, is currently suffering from ALS...
at linebacker, and Mike Battle
Mike Battle
Michael Leonard Battle is a former American football player in the American Football League . and the National Football League...
in the secondary. The game was highly anticipated. California governor (and future President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
) Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Oregon governor Tom McCall
Tom McCall
Thomas Lawson McCall was an American politician and journalist in the state of Oregon. A Republican, he was the 30th Governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975. A native of Massachusetts, he grew up there and in Central Oregon before attending the University of Oregon...
made the trip. Reagan had famously said he would handpick a box of oranges if Oregon State won. Tom McCall turned the boast into a bet when he offered to put up a freshly caught silver salmon against Ronald Reagan's handpicked box of oranges. The game was held on Veterans Day
Veterans Day
Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...
, so, along with the two governors, ten generals and admirals, including Lt. General Jimmy Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
; three Congressional Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients; and the Air Force Academy Drum and Bugle Corps were on hand. 41,494 fans filled the 40,750-seat stadium. It was the most-attended single sporting event in the history of Oregon to that date. The weather, which became a topic of contention after the fact, was typical for a November in Oregon. From the eighth to the eleventh only .83" of rain fell. At kickoff, the #1 Trojans were 11-point favorites over the #13 Beavers.
On the Trojans' first play from scrimmage, Simpson quickly showed he was worthy of Heisman consideration, rushing for 40 yards around left end. However, the Trojans were forced to settle for a 36-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide right. The Trojans did not get any closer to the Beaver end zone for the rest of the game. By the end of the first quarter, Simpson had already rushed for 87 yards. Early in the second quarter, the Juice finally broke loose. He shook off a tackler at the Trojan 37 and steamed upfield with three blockers to lead him. He only had one man to beat, Mark Waletich. Simpson slowed down to allow his blockers dispatch the overmatched defender. However, out of nowhere, Jess Lewis closed on Simpson, eventually dragging O.J. down from behind at the Beaver 32. USC would get eight yards on the next three plays. Rather than attempt a 41-yard field goal, the Trojans went for it, but Ron Boley tackled the Trojans' quarterback, Steve Sogge, for no gain. Later in the second quarter, Oregon State's Skip Vanderbundt
Skip Vanderbundt
William Gerard Vanderbundt was an American football linebacker in the NFL from 1969-1978. He played college football at Oregon State University and was selected in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft...
came up with a Southern California fumble at the Trojan 47. Over the next eight plays, the Beavers rushed for 34 yards all on running plays by Bill Enyart, Steve Preece, and Billy Main. On fourth-and-three at the Trojan 13, Mike Haggard's 30 yarder split the uprights for a 3–0 lead. After holding USC to a three-and-out, Oregon State’s Bob Mayes ran 25-yards on a reverse. However, Haggard's second attempt from 28 yards sailed wide right, and the half ended with a 3–0 Oregon State lead.
In the third quarter, Oregon State's Enyart took off from the Beaver 24, and was not caught until he reached the Trojans' 19. When he was tackled, Enyart fumbled. The fumble was recovered by USC's team captain, Adrian Young. As the game wore on, both defenses only seemed to get stronger. Early in the fourth quarter, USC faced a third-and-two at its own 23. Ron Boley dropped Steve Sogge for a loss. Later in the quarter, the Trojans had their best scoring opportunity of the second half, when they faced third-and-one at Oregon State's 42. Boley again tackled Sogge in the backfield for a two-yard loss. Oregon State's returner, Charlie Olds, received the ensuing punt at the Beaver nine and raced downfield. He was hit at the Trojan 35-yard line and fumbled. The ball bounced near Olds but not near enough to recover the fumble. Instead, Olds knocked the ball out of bounds. The referees called a penalty for illegal batting, which was a personal foul, penalized by an automatic change of possession. USC was unable to generate a first down on the drive. In the last 44 minutes of the game, the Trojans managed just three first downs and only crossed midfield twice. Perhaps the best boost for the defense was the punting of Gary Houser. USC did not start a drive beyond their own 35 after a Houser punt all game long. With three minutes left, Skip Vanderbundt
Skip Vanderbundt
William Gerard Vanderbundt was an American football linebacker in the NFL from 1969-1978. He played college football at Oregon State University and was selected in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft...
forced a Simpson fumble. It proved to be Simpson's final carry. He ended with 188 yards rushing but, more importantly, no touchdowns. Fittingly, Jess Lewis came up with the fumble at the Trojan 35. Oregon State's offense was so enthused that they managed their only first downs of the second half, which enabled the Beavers to run out the clock.
The 3–0 loss was the last time the Trojans would be shut out until they went on probation in 1983. The 1967 Oregon State team remains the only college football team to go undefeated against three top two teams in the same season. It is unclear whether Tom McCall
Tom McCall
Thomas Lawson McCall was an American politician and journalist in the state of Oregon. A Republican, he was the 30th Governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975. A native of Massachusetts, he grew up there and in Central Oregon before attending the University of Oregon...
ever received the box of oranges Ronald Reagan had promised to hand-pick. UCLA's 48–0 win over Washington the same day eliminated Oregon State from the Rose Bowl race. Conference rules did not permit more than one team to go to a bowl game at the time, so the Civil War would be Oregon State's last game of the year. On November 18, #1 UCLA
1967 UCLA Bruins football team
The 1967 UCLA Bruins football team represented UCLA in the 1967 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Bruins offense scored 284 points while the defense allowed 161 points.-Schedule:-Team players drafted into in the NFL:...
and #2 USC battled for the Victory Bell
Victory Bell (USC-UCLA)
The Victory Bell is an annual trophy given to either the University of Southern California or the University of California, Los Angeles. The winner of the annual USC-UCLA rivalry football contest keeps the bell for the next year, and paints it the school's color: "True Blue" for UCLA, or cardinal...
in the Coliseum. UCLA was 7–0–1 and USC was 8–1. It has been dubbed the "Game of the Century" and the "signature game" in the rivalry. The 21–20 win
1967 USC vs. UCLA football game
The 1967 USC vs. UCLA football game was an American College Football game played in the 1967 College Football Season on November 18, 1967. The University of California at Los Angeles, 7–0–1 and ranked Number 1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban as a Heisman Trophy candidate, played the University...
on Simpson's 64-yard fourth quarter scamper helped propel the Trojans to a national championship. The Beavers' 1967 win over USC would be their last over the Trojans until 2000.
Oregon
The final opponent on #8 Oregon State's schedule was 2–7 OregonOregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
. The Ducks were not another giant, but they were improving. Their two victories had both come in the previous four weeks. Oregon's strength was their defense behind defensive coordinator John Robinson, All-Conference nose guard George Dames, and All-Conference defensive back Jim Smith
Jim Smith (defensive back)
James McCoy Smith is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played high school football at Kearny High School , college football at the University of Oregon and was drafted in the first round of the 1968 NFL Draft...
. The 1967 Civil War was the first at newly-built Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions...
.
Gary Houser's first punt was partially blocked and recovered by the Ducks at the Beaver 31. On their first play from scrimmage, Oregon's Eric Olsen
Eric Olsen
Eric Olsen was the founder, editor-in-chief, and publisher of broad-based online critical magazine Blogcritics and author of local Cleveland blog Cleve-blog. He is also a widely read and influential blogger...
threw a 20-yard pass. The Ducks would only gain one yard on three plays and had to settle for a 27-yard field goal. Before halftime, Oregon State's Bill Enyart
Bill Enyart
William "Bill" "Earthquake" Donald Enyart is a former American football player who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969–1970 and for the Oakland Raiders in 1971.-Early life:...
fumbled twice inside Oregon's 10-yard line. Charlie Olds ended the Ducks' best drive of the second quarter by picking off an Eric Olsen pass in the Beaver red zone.
Oregon State's first drive of the second half ended on a Beaver fumble at Oregon's 43. The Ducks capitalized, quickly finding themselves with first-and-goal at the Beaver three. Oregon State's defense did not fold, stopping Oregon a foot short of the end zone on third-and-goal. However, the Ducks dove in on their fourth attempt, increasing their lead to 10–0 with five minutes left in the third quarter. Oregon State was in dire straits after fumbling again at their own 45-yard line. Oregon drove 15 yards but missed a 47-yard field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, Oregon State finally hit their stride. Starting at their own 20, the running game began finding holes over and through the Duck defense. On one third-and-eight, Steve Preece
Steve Preece
Steven "Steve" Packer Preece is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977.-Early life:...
found Don Summers
Don Summers
-Career:Summers played two seasons with the Denver Broncos before playing with the Green Bay Packers during the 1987 NFL season. He played at the collegiate level at Boise State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology.-References:...
for a 35-yard gain. On the next play, Roger Cantlon hauled in a pass at Oregon's one-yard line. From there, Enyart plowed over the Duck defenders and into the end zone, cutting Oregon's lead to 10–7 with nine minutes left. Oregon State's defense responded by forcing Oregon to go three-and-out. The punt only carried to the Beavers’ 45. Nine plays later, Oregon State had the ball first-and-goal on the four yard line. The Ducks loaded up the middle to try to stop Enyart; however, Steve Preece threw them a curve, running around left end for a touchdown with two-and-a-half minutes left, taking the lead 14–10. After getting the ball back, Oregon's final four plays only netted seven yards, turning the ball over to Oregon State. The Ducks did not get the ball back.
Final standing
The Civil War victory propelled the Beavers to #7 in the final AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, which was their best ever final ranking. It would take another 33 years for Oregon State to be ranked any higher. Oregon State's 7–2–1 record was its best between 1962 and 2000. It is all the more impressive because the Beavers were only favored to win three of the ten games they played.
Team players drafted into in the NFL
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
| Skip Vanderbundt Skip Vanderbundt William Gerard Vanderbundt was an American football linebacker in the NFL from 1969-1978. He played college football at Oregon State University and was selected in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft... |
Linebacker | 3 | 69 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
| Harry Gunner | Defensive end | 8 | 193 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
| Gary Houser | Punter/Tight end | 9 | 236 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |