1971 Syracuse vs Wisconsin and Rufus "Road Runner" Ferguson

[Orangeyes]

Trying to find the stats for that game.

I just remember it was a sun drenched day in Archbold, a gorgeous September afternoon.

Wisconsin had a 5'7" scintillating scat-back with the catchy nickname Road Runner.

It was the season opener for Syracuse.

The student section was full, they held up cards and the crowd chanted things such as GO-SU

The SU faithful were eager to get the season started, unfortunately the game ended up in a 20-20 tie.

SU ended up going 5-5 & 1 that season with three close losses and a blowout loss to Penn State 31-0.

Bob Woodruf was our QB, Roger Praetorius & Marty Januszkiewicz our leading rushers.

Wisconsin went 4-6 & 1

Rufus Ferguson was the original dancing Badger running back

Son of Rufus upset with UW

I'm trying to find out how many yards Ferguson had that day.

 

['72 Orange]

Trying to find the stats for that game.

I just remember it was a sun drenched day in Archbold, a gorgeous September afternoon.

Wisconsin had a 5'7" scintillating scat-back with the catchy nickname Road Runner.

It was the season opener for Syracuse.

The student section was full, they held up cards and the crowd chanted things such as GO-SU

The SU faithful were eager to get the season started, unfortunately the game ended up in a 20-20 tie.

SU ended up going 5-5 & 1 that season with three close losses and a blowout loss to Penn State 31-0.

Bob Woodruf was our QB, Roger Praetorius & Marty Januszkiewicz our leading rushers.

Wisconsin went 4-6 & 1

Rufus Ferguson was the original dancing Badger running back

Son of Rufus upset with UW

I'm trying to find out how many yards Ferguson had that day.

One of the more frustrating losses I saw as a student. While I don't recall much of the game, the part that was the killer and stays with me to this day - we were trailing 20-14 and we scored a late TD. Everyone was celebrating the expected victory then we proceed to blow the extra point! Can't remember if it was a block or a miss but at the time I felt it lead directly to the poor result that year.

I don't have any recollection of Rufus or much elese in the game. Must be "old timers" catching up with me.

 

[upperdeck]

26 for 149..

its in my database in the links above..

 

[billorange44]

Trying to find the stats for that game.

I just remember it was a sun drenched day in Archbold, a gorgeous September afternoon.

Wisconsin had a 5'7" scintillating scat-back with the catchy nickname Road Runner.

It was the season opener for Syracuse.

The student section was full, they held up cards and the crowd chanted things such as GO-SU

The SU faithful were eager to get the season started, unfortunately the game ended up in a 20-20 tie.

SU ended up going 5-5 & 1 that season with three close losses and a blowout loss to Penn State 31-0.

Bob Woodruf was our QB, Roger Praetorius & Marty Januszkiewicz our leading rushers.

Wisconsin went 4-6 & 1

Rufus Ferguson was the original dancing Badger running back

Son of Rufus upset with UW

I'm trying to find out how many yards Ferguson had that day.

I was at that game. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Sunny to say the least. SU was ranked coming into that game. They had some quality players too. They would have been a top ten team had the black players not gone on strike the year before and ultimately quit on the team. That same season, against Holy Cross, Ron Paige had a nifty 55 yard TD run from scrimmage.

Also, was it the night of the Wisconsin game if memory serves that I saw Led Zeppelin at the War Memorial or maybe the night before?

 

[OrangePA]

One of the more frustrating losses I saw as a student. While I don't recall much of the game, the part that was the killer and stays with me to this day - we were trailing 20-14 and we scored a late TD. Everyone was celebrating the expected victory then we proceed to blow the extra point! Can't remember if it was a block or a miss but at the time I felt it lead directly to the poor result that year.

I don't have any recollection of Rufus or much elese in the game. Must be "old timers" catching up with me.

It wasn't a loss. It was a tie - 21-21.

Bob Woodruff led the Orange on a last drive to get the tying TD.

Our new kicker Earle Baugher missed the PAT - UGH!

And that was the end of the game.

The 1971 Orange was expected to be a top ten team that year - one publication even had SU No. 1!

We had a great defense but we had no speed on offense and Bob Woodruff never truly developed.

The Badgers had a pretty decent QB named Neil Graff.

 

[billorange44]

It wasn't a loss. It was a tie - 21-21.

Bob Woodruff led the Orange on a last drive to get the tying TD.

Our new kicker Earle Baugher missed the PAT - UGH!

And that was the end of the game.

The 1971 Orange was expected to be a top ten team that year - one publication even had SU No. 1!

We had a great defense but we had no speed on offense and Bob Woodruff never truly developed.

The Badgers had a pretty decent QB named Neil Graff.

Wasn't it a 20-20 tie?

 

[KaiserUEO]

I was at that game. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Sunny to say the least. SU was ranked coming into that game. They had some quality players too. They would have been a top ten team had the black players not gone on strike the year before and ultimately quit on the team. That same season, against Holy Cross, Ron Paige had a nifty 55 yard TD run from scrimmage.

Also, was it the night of the Wisconsin game if memory serves that I saw Led Zeppelin at the War Memorial or maybe the night before?

Led Zeppelin was the previous friday. great memory though.

jealous...

 

[Noexcuse]

I was at that game. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Sunny to say the least. SU was ranked coming into that game. They had some quality players too. They would have been a top ten team had the black players not gone on strike the year before and ultimately quit on the team. That same season, against Holy Cross, Ron Paige had a nifty 55 yard TD run from scrimmage.

Also, was it the night of the Wisconsin game if memory serves that I saw Led Zeppelin at the War Memorial or maybe the night before?

I grew up in Schenectady and saw Ron play in high school for Mt. Pleasant. He was a top national recruit and touted as the next great 44 at Syracuse. If I remember correctly that run against Holy Cross was the first time he ever touched the ball. He ended up blowing out his knee and never really recovered.

 

[OrangePA]

Wasn't it a 20-20 tie?

Yeah, I think that's right.

We missed the PAT.

That single miss totally deflated the team and the season.

 

[OrangePA]

[post: 799057, member: 18"]I grew up in Schenectady and saw Ron play in high school for Mt. Pleasant. He was a top national recruit and touted as the next great 44 at Syracuse. If I remember correctly that run against Holy Cross was the first time he ever touched the ball. He ended up blowing out his knee and never really recovered.[/quot




You are correct.

The first time Ron Page touched the ball at SU he went 50 yards for a TD.

 

[stlorange]

Freshman year for me, I remember the game and the concert!

 

['72 Orange]

It wasn't a loss. It was a tie - 21-21.

Bob Woodruff led the Orange on a last drive to get the tying TD.

Our new kicker Earle Baugher missed the PAT - UGH!

And that was the end of the game.

The 1971 Orange was expected to be a top ten team that year - one publication even had SU No. 1!

We had a great defense but we had no speed on offense and Bob Woodruff never truly developed.

The Badgers had a pretty decent QB named Neil Graff.

While the score ended up as a tie it might have just as well been a loss. Scored TD to tie with the extra point being necessary to pull out he win. I remember the preseason expectations being very high but we had very few playmakers other than Greg Allen on offense. My first taste of deflated SU season expecations on the gridiron.

 

[OrangePA]

While the score ended up as a tie it might have just as well been a loss. Scored TD to tie with the extra point being necessary to pull out he win. I remember the preseason expectations being very high but we had very few playmakers other than Greg Allen on offense. My first taste of deflated SU season expecations on the gridiron.

Can't argue.

It felt like a loss.