UW-Oshkosh To Recognize 1968 Football Team
The UW-Oshkosh football program will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1968 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship during the school's Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 19-20.
Coaches, players and support staff from head coach Russ Young's team will be honored prior to UW-Oshkosh's football game against UW-La Crosse on Oct. 20 at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
The 1968 Titans captured the program's first WIAC championship in 33 years with a squad that compiled a 7-1 league record. UW-Oshkosh, which shared the conference title with UW-Platteville, posted an overall season record of 8-2.
UW-Oshkosh won its first five games of the 1968 season, including a 23-21 come-from-behind victory over the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the opener. The Tommies jumped to an early 14-0 lead before the visiting Titans rallied and won the contest on Dennis Richards' 22-yard field goal with 53 seconds remaining.
Conference play opened at home for UW-Oshkosh the following Saturday against UW-La Crosse. The Titans overcame an early 7-3 deficit with 19 unanswered points to pull away for a 22-7 win. UW-Oshkosh's defense was stingy throughout the contest as it held the Eagles (formerly Indians) to just nine rushing yards.
UW-Oshkosh took to the road for its next two games and came out on top by scores of 29-7 over UW-Eau Claire and 38-27 over UW-Stout. The Titans entered the fourth quarter with a 14-7 lead over UW-Eau Claire and secured their win by scoring 15 straight points during the final 51 seconds of play, including Ron Cardo's 72-yard touchdown off the return of a free kick. UW-Oshkosh controlled UW-Stout from the start as it scored 24 consecutive points to build a 31-7 lead over the Blue Devils.
UW-Oshkosh returned home after its two-game road trip to host UW-River Falls. The Titans had their hands full with the Falcons but pulled out a 26-14 victory thanks to an impressive goal-line stand and Frank Orzel's 55-yard interception return for a touchdown during the fourth quarter.
Trailing 19-14 to UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls had a first-and-goal situation at the Titan 5-yard line. After three running plays failed to gain a yard, UW-Oshkosh was called for a pass interference penalty on fourth down and the result gave the Falcons a first-and-goal setting from the Titan 2-yard line. UW-Oshkosh then capped off one of its biggest goal-line stands in years by stopping the Falcons from scoring on four straight running plays.
UW-Oshkosh encountered a very unusual incident the following Saturday (Oct. 12) evening against UW-Platteville. The Titans trailed the Pioneers, 12-0, at the end of the third quarter when a power failure due to a nearby automobile accident turned UW-Oshkosh's home field of Jackson Drive Stadium (presently Schumerth Field) into darkness. The fourth quarter was postponed and later resumed Nov. 16 in Oshkosh. Both teams scored touchdowns when play resumed as UW-Platteville earned a share of the WIAC title with its 19-6 victory over the Titans.
Cardo ran wild the next two Saturdays as the Titans lost a 21-20 decision at St. Norbert College before rallying for a 25-20 road win over UW-Stevens Point.
Cardo rushed 31 times for a then-school record 234 yards and two touchdowns against St. Norbert College. UW-Oshkosh drove to the Green Knight 10-yard line in the closing seconds, but an interception ended the Titans' quest for a victory.
Against UW-Stevens Point, Cardo scored four touchdowns. The Pointers scored the first 18 points of the game and led the Titans, 20-18, before Cardo ran for his game-winning 73-yard touchdown with 6:29 remaining. UW-Oshkosh sealed the victory with a Jim Schultz interception with just under a minute to play.
UW-Oshkosh got a scare at winless UW-Superior the following Saturday as it trailed the Yellowjackets, 21-6. Despite eight turnovers, the Titans regrouped and stormed back with 20 straight second-half points to register a 33-21 victory.
With resumption of the UW-Platteville game on the horizon, UW-Oshkosh hosted archrival UW-Whitewater in the regular season finale. Before a Homecoming crowd of nearly 10,000 fans, the Titans broke a 7-7 tie with a pair of second-half touchdown runs, including a 73-yard sprint by Carl Alberti. The UW-Oshkosh defense withstood a couple of UW-Whitewater drives late in the fourth quarter and the final result was a 21-14 victory and a WIAC championship for the Titans.
Five UW-Oshkosh players received All-WIAC first team honors – Cardo and Brian Burbey at running back, Pete Gabrielson at center, Clair Rasmussen at defensive tackle and John Saletri at offensive tackle.
Receiving All-WIAC honorable mention awards were Orzel at linebacker, Schultz at defensive end, Dwight Anderson at wide receiver, Dan Buhr at defensive back, Jim Goeckerman at quarterback and Pete Ziebell at defensive tackle.
Cardo led all Titans with 1,041 rushing yards while Burbey followed with 549 and Alberti 440.
Goeckerman completed 88 of 188 passes for 1,298 yards and seven touchdowns, including 32 connections for 527 yards to Anderson and 21 for 378 yards to Carey Venne.
Cardo scored 102 of UW-Oshkosh's 243 points on the season while Burbey and Goeckerman tallied 24 and Richards 22.
1968 UW-Oshkosh Football Team Reunion • Schedule Of Events
Friday, October 19
3:30 p.m. • UW-Oshkosh football practice at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium (450 Josslyn Street)
4:30 p.m. • Tour of Russ Young Football Complex
5 p.m. • Dinner at Primo Restaurant (2605 Jackson Street)
Saturday, October 20
11 a.m. • Tent City Tailgate at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium
1:30 p.m. • UW-Oshkosh football game vs. UW-La Crosse at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium (Pregame Recognition)
4:30 p.m. • Fifth Quarter at Fox River Brewing Company (1501 Arboretum Drive)
6:30 p.m. • Dinner at The Roxy Supper Club (571 N. Main Street)
The hope is to have as many members of the 1968 team return for this memorable event. If you have any questions regarding the reunion, please contact Tim Wenzel as soon as possible at (920) 420-6845 or timothypwenzel@yahoo.com.