With football season on the horizon, let's get some football talk going. I thought a thread focusing on the Earle Bruce years would be fun. Please share your memories of gameday traditions of that time. Especially interesting would be the stories that didn't make the paper. 
I would graduate in 1974 and not return for a Cyclone football game for more than a decade. The team moved into Cyclone Stadium in 1975 so I never got to experience that until I came back for a late season game against Kansas State in the late 80's. I would only miss one home game (the Colorado blizzard game) from that day forward. During that long absence I would listen to all the games on the radio and I did show up in Iowa City when the series with the Hawkeyes was resumed in 1977.
Earle Bruce coached at Iowa State from 1973 to 1978. He followed on the success that Johnny Majors had built, but it didn't start out well, finishing 4-7 each of his first three years and not finishing better than 6th in the Big Eight Conference. Below is a summary of Earle's first two season and my last two as an Iowa State student.
1973
The schedule was tough that first year. The Cyclones faced six ranked teams, all tough Big Eight Conference foes. After a big 48-0 win over Idaho at home, the Cyclones lost a two point game at Arkansas and lost to #18 Colorado by a score of 16-23. A two point win at BYU was followed by four straight conference losses. Two point losses at Kansas State and home against #17 Kansas before losses at #3 Oklahoma and at #11 Nebraska.
The record stood at 2-6 before a pair of wins against ranked teams in Ames. The Cyclones took down #14 Missouri 17-7 and #18 Oklahoma State, before a disappointing drubbing at San Diego State to end the season.
Although the team was competitive against a tough 1973 schedule, it was not good enough on the heels of the Johnny Majors era and two straight bowl games, the first bowls in Iowa State history.
1974
The 1974 schedule was not as tough with only #2 Oklahoma and #9 Nebraska being ranked. And the games were not as competitive. Wins against BYU, New Mexico, Kansas State and @Kansas would result in yet another 4-7 season. Losses on the road to Texas Tech and Washington would open the season. The four season wins would follow in the next five weeks, with a loss at Colorado sandwiched in the middle. Of the seven losses only three point losses at Washington, at Missouri and a two point to Oklahoma State would be close games.
But only two teams could put up over 30 points on the Cyclones that year if you are looking for bright spots. Washington in a 31-28 loss and Colorado in a 34-7 drubbing. Losing 28-10 to #2 Oklahoma and 23-13 to #9 Nebraska we respectable considering the opponents.
I would graduate in 1974 and not return for a Cyclone football game for more than a decade. The team moved into Cyclone Stadium in 1975 so I never got to experience that until I came back for a late season game against Kansas State in the late 80's. I would only miss one home game (the Colorado blizzard game) from that day forward. During that long absence I would listen to all the games on the radio and I did show up in Iowa City when the series with the Hawkeyes was resumed in 1977.
Earle Bruce coached at Iowa State from 1973 to 1978. He followed on the success that Johnny Majors had built, but it didn't start out well, finishing 4-7 each of his first three years and not finishing better than 6th in the Big Eight Conference. Below is a summary of Earle's first two season and my last two as an Iowa State student.
1973
The schedule was tough that first year. The Cyclones faced six ranked teams, all tough Big Eight Conference foes. After a big 48-0 win over Idaho at home, the Cyclones lost a two point game at Arkansas and lost to #18 Colorado by a score of 16-23. A two point win at BYU was followed by four straight conference losses. Two point losses at Kansas State and home against #17 Kansas before losses at #3 Oklahoma and at #11 Nebraska.
The record stood at 2-6 before a pair of wins against ranked teams in Ames. The Cyclones took down #14 Missouri 17-7 and #18 Oklahoma State, before a disappointing drubbing at San Diego State to end the season.
Although the team was competitive against a tough 1973 schedule, it was not good enough on the heels of the Johnny Majors era and two straight bowl games, the first bowls in Iowa State history.
1974
The 1974 schedule was not as tough with only #2 Oklahoma and #9 Nebraska being ranked. And the games were not as competitive. Wins against BYU, New Mexico, Kansas State and @Kansas would result in yet another 4-7 season. Losses on the road to Texas Tech and Washington would open the season. The four season wins would follow in the next five weeks, with a loss at Colorado sandwiched in the middle. Of the seven losses only three point losses at Washington, at Missouri and a two point to Oklahoma State would be close games.
But only two teams could put up over 30 points on the Cyclones that year if you are looking for bright spots. Washington in a 31-28 loss and Colorado in a 34-7 drubbing. Losing 28-10 to #2 Oklahoma and 23-13 to #9 Nebraska we respectable considering the opponents.
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