Beaver fans can argue for days about the greatest football team in school history but the 1962 Oregon State squad had it all. Civil war winner, bowl game champion and the Heisman Trophy presented to the great Terry Baker.
OSU was a football independent in the early 60’s, left out of a league after the demise of the Pacific Coast Conference. Tommy Prothro put together a tough schedule including ranked teams Iowa, West Virginia and Washington. There were other factors that would make this a memorable season.
Terry Baker knew he would carry a heavy load returning as a two year starter and 2 sport athlete. He was surrounded by a cast of typical Prothro-tough recruits like Vern Burke, Dick Ruhl and Rich Brooks. OSU started 2-2, including a narrow loss to Washington at Multnomah Stadium one day after the Columbus Day storm wreaked havoc throughout the Northwest.
When the Beavs finally –played their first on-campus home game against Pacific the momentum changed. The 40-6 Beaver blowout ignited a season-ending seven game winning streak. Not 19th ranked West Virginia nor the Cuban missile crisis nor a very good Oregon team could stop Oregon State.
Three days after the first ever Civil War win at Parker Stadium, the Beavers accepted an invitation to play Villanova in the Liberty Bowl and Terry Baker learned he had won the Heisman Trophy.
Baker received additional national honors before the Beavs and Wildcats met on a frozen field in Philadelphia. Baker’s iconic 99 yard first quarter touchdown run yielded the only points of the game and completed and amazing and improbably season for the 1962 Oregon State Beavers.
1962 Oregon State roster included: Head Coach Tommy Prothro, Coordinators/Assistant Coaches: Bob Zelinka, Bob Gambold, Bobb McKittrick, Ron Siegrist, Jerry Long, Bob Watson
OSU Players: Tim Ankersen, Terry Baker, Joe Bonilla, Rich Brooks, Vern Burke, Ross Cariaga, Steve Clark, Warren Cole, Dick DeBisschop, Don Doman, Dan Espalin, Len Frketich, Al Funston, Jim Funston, George Gnoss, Dick Jones, Fred Jones, Hoyt Keeny, Rich Koeper, Doug McDougal, Scott Miller, Olvin Moreland, Jerry Neil, Art O’Grady, Kevin O’Grady, Gordon Queen, Dick Ruhl, Dan Sieg, Doug Suckling, Dave Thomas, Booker Washington, Leroy Whittle, Bruce Williams
