Midwestern College Undefeated 1st Year Football Team.
In 1965 the college began as a four year coeducational school with an emphasis in the Liberal Arts. Built on a hilltop in Denison Iowa Midwestern College offered degree programs in more than 20 fields of study. The campus featured newly constructed buildings and modern science labs. Athletics were an afterthought.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”#0000FF” class=”” size=””]“The only untied, undefeated 1st year college football team in the world.” – Ron O’Herron [/pullquote]
No one anywhere expected the new school to have an athletic department capable of cobbling together anything other than club teams. What a surprise it must have been when newly arrived students some of which had service time under their belt surprised the sports world with a Packer Football Team becoming the only undefeated 1st year college football team in the world. It has been 50 years since that miracle season and our Packers remain the only team to have earned that honor.
Magic doesn’t catch lightening in a bottle so how many repetitions lifting heavy weights, sprints, tackling drills, X’s and O’s are needed for a team to go undefeated? Don’t bother thinking about it without considering disciplined and dedication to a plan of hard work… oh yeah, add in good coaching and leadership on the field willing to accept the challenge. Oh were that the simple formula for a team to go undefeated than why doesn’t it occur more often?
Earlier this year Iowa State showcased the Undefeated Team during halftime. The 1965 Packers were called to the field as their names were announced and the historic season recalled in a stadium filled with cheers. We’d like to see the pics you guys took and add to this site them and the printed material from the event. Kindly scan them to the best quality and contact us for email instructions.
The MWC Packers played to sold out crowds quickly becoming the top team on the schedule of all teams in the conference. The Packers were the team to watch.
This article was first published in the August 25, 1969 edition of the Harlan Tribune & News Advertiser, (harlanonline.com) and is posted with their permission. The original article may be found at: http://hrn.stparchive.com/Archive/HRN/HRN08251969P08.php