THROWBACK THURSDAY: JACKS UPSET HIGHLY FAVORED
LINFIELD COLLEGE IN 1965
By Heather Shelton, Times-Standard newspaper,
Eureka, Calif. Nov. 14, 2019
A
year ago this week, the Humboldt State University Lumberjacks traveled to
British Columbia, Canada, to play against Simon Fraser University’s football
team, marking the Jacks’ last game of the season and the final game of the
university’s football program. (HSU won 23-16.)
While it’s
been a year since football fans have been able to watch HSU play on the
gridiron, plenty of memories of the popular team live on in people’s minds and
through a bevy of images and write-ups about the squad.
For
instance, how many remember this game? Fifty-five years ago, Humboldt State
College (as it was called then) pulled off an upset over highly favored and
nationally ranked Linfield College. Humboldt State fullback Mel Oliver scored
all three touchdowns to lead the Jacks to a 20-14 victory over the Wildcats of
McMinnville, Oregon.
According
to the Oct. 17, 1965, edition of the Humboldt Times newspaper, a crowd of some
5,000 packed the Redwood Bowl (in Arcata, Calif.) on Oct. 16, 1965, as HSC
unveiled its effective “Fullback I” offense which, in addition to Oliver,
included blocking by guard Anthony Kehl and fullback Bill Hook, a senior with
All-Far Western Conference honors to his name. Other key players in the game
were Humboldt State College’s safety Dave Minor, end Carl Del Grande,
quarterback Joe Sarboe and punter Gary Gans.
After the
win, Humboldt State coach Phil Sarboe (Joe Sarboe’s father) told the Humboldt
Times, “We feel we beat a fine football team and were very fortunate in doing
so. It’s always a pleasure to play a Paul Durham-coached club — they’re alert
and they play the game smartly.”
Following
the win over Linfield, the Jacks — with a 4-1 record — headed to San Francisco
State University on Oct. 23 to open the Far Western Conference campaign in Cox
Stadium. (HSC lost that game.)
...
--PHOTO
CUTLINE: Carl Del Grande, right, Humboldt State’s leading catcher, caught a
pass from Jacks quarterback Joe Sarboe in an October 1965 game against Oregon’s
Linfield College. (Times-Standard file photo)
--PHOTO
CUTLINE: Humboldt State College Lumberjacks quarterback Joe Sarboe (No. 11)
helped lead his team to a victory on Oct. 16, 1965 against the highly favored
Linfield College. (Times-Standard file photo)
#
FOR YOUR
INFO, HERE's LINFIELD 1965 SEASON FOOTALL GAME SCORES
17-0 over
PLU
10-7 over
Cal Poly SLO
38-20 over
L&C*
20-14 loss
to Humboldt State
61-12 over
Whitman*
40-6 over
Pacific*
40-6 over
C of I*
26-6 over
Willamette*
(*
Northwest Conference game. Linfield won 1965 NWC Championship.)
30-27 over
Sul Ross State of Texas, played in Midland, Texas (NAIA playoffs)
33-0 loss
to St. John's of Minnesota, played in Augusta, Georgia (NAIA championship game)
....
This
game featured starting QBs who were sons of head coaches: Linfield QB Terry
Durham/coach Paul Durham and Humboldt State QB Joe Sarboe/coach Phil Sarboe.
