The 1966 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame football game ("the game of the century") remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, games in college football history^[1]. The game was played in Michigan State's Spartan Stadium on November 19th, 1966. Michigan State entered the contest 9-0 and ranked #2, while Notre Dame entered the contest 8-0 but ranked #1. Notre Dame elected not to try for the endzone on the final series, thus the game ended in a 10-10 tie with both schools recording national championships.^[2][3] Duffy Daugherty on the cover of Time from October 8, 1956 Hugh Duffy Daugherty (born September 8, 1915 in Emeigh, Pennsylvania; died September 25, 1987 in Santa Barbara, California) was the head coach of the Michigan State University Spartans football team from 1954 to 1972, where he compiled a career... The Associated Press (AP) Poll, along with the USA Today Coaches Poll, ranks the top 25 NCAA Division I college football and basketball teams, weekly. ... The USA Today Coaches Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I-A college football and Division I college basketball teams. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan. ... Head Coach Mark Dantonio 1st Year, 0-0 Home Stadium Spartan Stadium (East Lansing) Capacity 75,005 - Grass Conference Big Ten First Year 1896 Athletic Director Ron Mason Website MSUSpartans. ... Head Coach Charlie Weis 2nd Year, 19-6 Home Stadium Notre Dame Stadium Capacity 80,795 - Grass Conference Independent First Year 1887 Athletic Director Dr. Kevin White Website UND.com Team Records All-time Record 821-269-42 (.744) Postseason Bowl Record 13-15 Awards Wire National Titles 8 (11... The phrase Game of the Century refers to several contests in the history of college football in the United States. ... Michigan State University is a university in East Lansing, Michigan near the state capital of Lansing. ... Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan. ...

Introduction

Interestingly enough, the game was not shown live on national TV. It was the first time in 20 years that a football game had been given the title of "game of the century" by the media. Each team was alloted one national television appearance and two regional television appearances each season. Notre Dame had used their national TV slot in the season opening game against Purdue. ABC executives did not even want to show the game anywhere but the regional area, but pressure from the West Coast and the South (to the tune of 50,000 letters) made ABC air the game on tape delay. The official attendance was announced at 80,011 (111% capacity) and remains as the most attended game in Michigan State football history (with MSU averaging over 70,000 each of the last 20 seasons).

Scoring

Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty was knocked out after getting sacked in the first quarter by Spartan defensive lineman Bubba Smith. Starting Notre Dame running back Nick Eddy was out entirely after hurting his shoulder getting off the train in East Lansing. Michigan State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead behind a 5-yard touchdown run by Regis Cavender. Later in the half, MSU added a field goal (by barefooted Hawaiian Dick Kenney). But the Irish came back, quickly scoring a touchdown on a pass thrown by Coley O'Brien over the outstretched hand of MSU safety Jess Phillips. MSU took a 10-7 lead into the locker room. Charles Aaron Bubba Smith (born February 28, 1945 in Orange, Texas) is an American actor and former athlete. ... Born August 23, 1944, Nick Eddy was raised in Tracy, California. ... Jess Phillips (born February 28, 1947 in Beaumont, Texas) is a former professional American football player who played running back for ten seasons in the NFL. Categories: | | | | | | | | | | ...

Notre Dame then tied the game at the start of the fourth quarter. Perhaps the best second-half scoring opportunity for MSU occurred during a pass thrown from Jimmy Raye to Gene Washington. The speedy wide receiver had seriously outrun Raye's deep pass and Notre Dame's defensive backfield. Washington was forced to double back, and in so doing was caught by the defense. Later in the game, Notre Dame had the ball on its own 30-yard line with 1:10 to go. They needed about 40 yards for a game-winning field goal. But coach Ara Parseghian chose to run the clock out, preserving the tie and Notre Dame's Number 1 ranking. The game ended in a 10-10 tie. Gene Washington (born January 25, 1944 in La Porte, Texas) was a NFL player who played for the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos as a wide receiver. ... Ara Raoul Parseghian (born May 21, 1923 in Akron, Ohio) is a former collegiate football coach who served as head coach for three teams, most notably the University of Notre Dame team from 1964-1974. ...

Controversy

For nearly 40 years, Parseghian has defended his end-of-the-game strategy, which left many fans feeling disappointed at the game not having some sort of resolution, Michigan State fans and other Notre Dame detractors calling him a coward, and college football expert Dan Jenkins leading off his article for Sports Illustrated by saying Parseghian chose to "Tie one for the Gipper." In addition to holding the Number 2 team in the country, the defending National Champions, to a standstill on their own field, without his own starting quarterback and one of his starting running backs, Parseghian's backup quarterback, Coley O'Brien, was a diabetic, and exhausted to the point where he couldn't throw. At that point, a tie fit Notre Dame's hopes just as well as a win would have.

Fallout

Notre Dame beat USC 51-0 the next week, completing an undefeated (but not untied) regular season and solidifying their Number 1 claim. The Irish did not accept bowl bids until 1969 (see below), and Michigan State was the victim of two Big Ten rules that would be rescinded a few years later: The same school could not represent the league in the Rose Bowl in back-to-back seasons, and no Big Ten school could play in a bowl game other than the Rose Bowl. So despite being Big Ten Champions and undefeated in the regular season, the Spartans could not play in the Rose Bowl, or indeed any bowl game. Head Coach Pete Carroll 6th Year, 65-12 Home Stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Capacity 92,500 - Grass Conference Pac-10 First Year 1888 Athletic Director Mike Garrett Website USCTrojans. ... The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 (New Years Day) at the stadium of the same name in Pasadena, California. ...

Players for both schools earned tremendous accolades for the season including All American honor. In the 1967 NFL draft, Michigan State had 4 players drafted with the first 8 picks of the first round^[4] The term All-American has two uses: It can be used as a reference to an athlete selected as a member of an All_America team, as in Eddie George was named an All-American football player by both wire services in 1995. ...

Particularly significant was Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian's decision to run the clock out with over a minute left and possession of the ball on his own 30. Instead of going for the win, he played for the tie confident that if they beat USC the following week that a 9-0-1 record would bring the Irish the national title. ND shellacked USC 51-0 and had the trophy in their hands shortly thereafter.

40th Anniversary

On September 23, 2006 Michigan State and Notre Dame played each other once again to commorate the 40th anniversary of the game. Michigan State wore "throwback" jerseys and helmets from the 1960's era. Notre Dame declined to wear throwback jerseys or helmets. 45 members from the original '66 squad returned. In addition, 1965 and 1966 All American Bubba Smith had his number 95 jersey retired at halftime^[5], becoming only the 3rd person in Michigan State history with such honor. Notre Dame won the game 40-37, after coming back from a 19 point deficit and scoring 22 straight points to win. The term All-American has two uses: It can be used as a reference to an athlete selected as a member of an All_America team, as in Eddie George was named an All-American football player by both wire services in 1995. ... Charles Aaron Bubba Smith (born February 28, 1945 in Orange, Texas) is an American actor and former athlete. ...

References

1. ^ Mike Celzic. The Biggest Game of Them All: Notre Dame, Michigan State and the Fall of 1966. ISBN 0-671-75817-9. 
2. ^ Notre Dame's Championship Record
3. ^ Michigan State's Championship Record
4. ^ 1967 NFL draft
5. ^ Bubba plans to see his MSU jersey retired

External links

• MSU/ND Celebrate 40th Anniversary of the Game
• MSU vs ND "The Game of the Century"