As the college football season begins we felt it apt to ask: Who’s this fella holding the hardware?
Tony Dorsett entered the college ranks just in time for freshmen eligibility. The NCAA began allowing freshmen to compete in 1972. Dorsett arrived on campus at the University of Pittsburgh in the Fall of 1973 and immediately rushed for 1,586 yards and 11 touchdowns, becoming the first freshman to earn All-America status since Army’s Doc Blanchard in 1944.
It was the first of four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons and four straight All-American selections for the Beaver County, PA, native. During his senior season he eclipsed Ohio State Archie Griffin‘s all-time college rushing mark (5,217 yards) and finished his career with 6,082 yards, still good for fifth best all-time.
It all culminated his senior season when he rushed for 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns, all while leading the Panthers to their first National Championship in 40 seasons when they beat the University of Georgia, 27-3, in the Sugar Bowl to complete a 12-0 season.
For his efforts, Dorsett was named the Walter Camp Award and Maxwell Award recipient in addition to winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Dorsett is still the only Panthers’ winner of the Heisman.
The Dallas Cowboys traded four draft picks to acquire the No. 2 pick in the 1977 NFL Draft from the Seattle Seahawks to select Dorsett. His $1.1 million contract made him the first million dollar Cowboy. The Cowboys went on to defeat the Denver Broncos, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII that season, making Dorsett the first player in football history to win a National Championship and Super Bowl in consecutive years.
Dorsett retired following the 1988 season with the second most rushing yards (12,306) in NFL history (Walter Payton with 12,739). He’s a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett poses with his 1976 Heisman Trophy. Dorsett is still the only Pitt Panther to win the award. (Photo from the Associated Press)
Some highlights from Dorsett’s final regular-season game as a Panther against rival Penn State.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
From left, Wayne, Todd, and I; our view during pregame warmups; the captains gather for the coin flip.
To the moment, I’ve attended 38 events on this wild journey Around the World in 80 Sporting Events. (And, really, as I write this post I’ve been to 59 … I’m a bit behind in my reflections;-)
I’m able to say, without question, none – of the 38 or the 59 – has proven to be as exciting as the NCAA FCS National Championship Game in Nashville, TN, between Illinois State and Montana State. Montana State won in walk-off fashion, 35-34, in overtime.
It was an electric atmosphere and an incredible game that featured the type of finish a fan with no dog in the fight loves. That is, one that ends on the final play.
I know it’s been a minute since the Bobcats and Redbirds took to FirstBank Stadium‘s field that first Monday in January so let’s recap how they got there:
Montana State was the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament, though I’m sure the majority of their fans weren’t thinking about that when the season began with a 59-13 shellacking at the hands of the B1G’s Oregon Ducks and then followed it up with a 30-24 double-overtime loss to then-second-ranked South Dakota State. Yes, the Bobcats began their season 0-2 before winning 12 straight – including a pair of victories over their in-state rivals the University of Montana Grizzlies – to reach Nashville.
In stark contrast, Illinois State rather limped into the playoffs. It lost its regular-season finale to Southern Illinois, 37-7 (at home!), to finish in a 3-way tie for third place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Red Birds received one of the final at-large bids to the tournament before turning into road warriors, knocking off Southeastern Louisiana, top-seeded North Dakota State, California-Davis, and Villanova to arrive on Vanderbilt’s campus.
I got there via Chattanooga, as my friend Wayne and I spent a couple of nights with his buddy, Todd, who was set to join us in Nashville for the game as well.
Room with a View
The view of FirstBank Stadium from our room in our hotel.
I was only at the FCS National Championship Game because its FBS brethren completely priced me out of the event the previous January.
If you recall, I was actually in Atlanta when The Ohio State University and Notre Dame University were set to play in the first 12-team playoff back in early 2025. Rather than coming down in the days prior to the game prices actually went up to levels only a Super Bowl could understand.
Because of this, I opted to pivot and make plans for the FCS Game which, as it turned out, would be in Nashville, a day’s drive from my home in Michigan.
That said, there was some surplus funds in the budget so I splurged on a room in the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University. Though not on a high enough floor to have a view of the field, we could see the scoreboard and, obviously, was within walking distance to the stadium.
Last One Out of Montana Turn the Lights Out
There was no shortage of fans – mainly Montana State fans! – trying to get into our section at FirstBank Stadium; I didn’t pack my overalls, but perhaps I should have!?! I also didn’t bring my guns with me either like the fella on the right;-)
I had no expectations when I decided to make the journey to Nashville.
Actually, that’s not necessarily true, I had a reasonable expectation to see the North Dakota State Bison – and Bison Bob, whom I met in Fargo at Event No. 31 in November – at the FCS Championship Game because, well, NDSU had played in 11 of the previous 15 FCS finales.
What I did experience was crazy. The announced attendance was 24,105 and I’m not exaggerating when I suggest that easily two-thirds of them were rooting for Montana State. Never mind that Illinois State’s campus in Normal, IL, was only about a six-and-a-half hour drive from Nashville. And, I might add, it seemed like the Bobcat fans all arrived at the same time and the same time as Todd and I who walked over ahead of Wayne. We were caught in the throng of fans on the concourse that rivaled the crush of people I’d experienced at venues multiple times larger.
Credit to the NCAA
Clockwise from upper left, this fan was pleased with the outcome of the game; hanging on the field after the game; a look at the stage where the trophy was presented; the ISU and MSU marching bands pregame; unironically, me holding the godforsaken media timeout placquard the red-vested fella stands on the field with that I’ve railed against for years.
I cannot believe I typed that heading, but I have to give credit where credit is due.
In addition to an ideal venue that’s relatively centrally located in the U.S. (Vanderbilt’s campus will serve as host for at least one more title tilt thanks to ongoing renovations at Frisco, TX, Toyota Stadium which hosted the previous 15), the NCAA made this as fan-friendly an event as possible.
There were fan zones prior to the game, a stadium that was small enough to provide excellent sight lines no matter where you were seated, a pregame performance featuring both marching bands, a halftime drone show, and, perhaps the coolest moment of the day, is that fans were invited onto the field 10 minutes following the game’s conclusion to celebrate with each other and be on the field for the trophy presentation. That, I can guarantee, does not occur following the FBS Championship Game.
A Fantastic Finish
From left, the overtime coin flip at midfield; Montana State celebrates postgame; a fireworks display ensued.
As alluded to at the top, I’m going to be hard-pressed to experience a more exciting event than this one.
It seemed for all the world like Montana State was going to cruise to victory. The Bobcats controlled the game from the outset, jumped out to a 14-0 lead 20 minutes in and Illinois State seemed adrift.
The Red Birds seemed to receive a spark with, just under a minute left in the first half, scored a touchdown to make it 14-7, only to allow MSU to score a touchdown with 18 seconds left before the break.
Illinois State cut it to 21-14 before MSU stretched it to 14 points again before the the start of the fourth quarter when the Red Birds scored on their next two possessions to tie it and then, with just under a minute remaining, had a 38-yard field goal attempt to take the lead.
Bobcat Jhase McMillan blocked the kick.
MSU failed to move the ball, Illinois State chose not to even try after receiving it back via punt, and it headed to overtime.
After losing the coin flip, the Red Birds scored on their second play from scrimmage and then had their point after attempt blocked.
Then, facing a fourth-and-10 from the ISU 14-yard-line, Bobcats’ quarterback Justin Lamson hit receiver Taco Dowler on a crossing pattern for a touchdown.
The Bobcats’ point after was good and pandemonium from the Montana State faithful ensued.
Pregame Eats
A few shots of Gabby’s, clockwise from upper left, my burger and sweet potato fries; the explanation why the accolades are displayed in the restroom; the quirky nature continues to the Take a Thought/Leave a Though area; the interior features a counter as well as a modest dining area; the exterior is not much to look at but the food is delicious; the aforementioned restroom with all the accolades.
We arrived pretty early in Nashville after commuting from Chattanooga. So early, in fact, that our hotel wasn’t ready to receive us yet and, serendipitously, it was around lunch time.
As fate would have it, I was traveling with Wayne who knows where to find some off-the-beaten-path grub that’s good, (usually) cheap, and in a memorable location.
Every so often a chance encounter leads to something more.
That was the case for me as I was exiting a local boys’ basketball state tournament game at my children’s alma mater back in March. As a full house began heading for the exits at Eisenhower High School, I recognized the fella walking next to me.
It was Eddie Hillery, who I’d first known close to 30 years ago when I was a sportswriter in the community where he was a 3-sport star (football, basketball, and track and field) for one of the high school teams (Rochester High School) I covered.
Much later in life, our paths crossed again when he was one of my teacher union’s recommended candidates for a local school board seat. During the arduous campaign we’d reconnected on several occasions and reminisced about his high school days and what had followed.
He had shared then that his post-high school life had included college football at Central Michigan University as well as a few seasons of professional football overseas in Germany, Finland, and Italy.
At that time, I found it to be an interesting story, but any thoughts of a podcast like Conversations with Sports Fans was still a way off for me.
But memories of those discussions from years before came flooding back as we chatted briefly on our way to the exits following Rochester High’s loss to rival Rochester Adams in the Division I District Championship Game.
A few texts and emails later and before you knew it Eddie and I were discussing how he went from diehard Detroit Pistons fan (during the Grant Hill era) to getting encouraged to try football by a middle school custodian to setting his high school’s all-time rushing record (over 2,300 yards). We discuss all that, plus what it was like going to Central Michigan University to play linebacker (having played only a handful of games at the position in high school) to the opportunity to play in Europe.
It was a lot of fun catching up with Eddie, learning about the trials and tribulations of a high school athlete (then and now as Eddie currently coaches at RHS) not to mention what it’s like being a girl dad and learning to be a fan of a new(ish) sport to him, volleyball.
My friend Rob and I in front of Michigan Stadium aka The Big House.
When I earmarked the annual Michigan-Ohio State football rivarly – known simply as, “The Game” – for attendance in Michigan Stadium on November 29, 2026, I knew I might be living dangerously in terms of seeing the host Wolverines win a fifth consecutive in the series.
A year earlier, my friend Wayne and I had watched on a phone the improbable conclusion of unranked Michigan’s 13-10 upset victory over the sixth-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus, from the upper deck of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in advance of that afternoon’s Iron Bowl (Event No. 10 on the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.).
Anyhow about that living dangerously thing.
Michigan had not won more than four in a row in this rivarly (which dates to 1897) since it won six in row from 1922-27.
Ohio State was also rolling, having won all 11 games this season and 15 straight in total dating back to the 2024 FBS Playoffs. Only one of those wins was decided by a touchdown or less (the 14-7 season-opening victory against Texas).
So, when I say that winter was coming to Ann Arbor that day, I’m not merely referencing the lurking snow storm that would ultimately cover the playing surface and put down a few inches of fresh powder by Sunday morning.
All the Shows
Coach Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreidt break down some film on the set of ESPN’s College GameDay.
Prior to embarking on the Around the World project, my recent attendance at college football games had been next to non-existent. So it should come as no surprise that I’d not experienced either ESPN’s famed “College GameDay” nor FOX Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff.”
Both happened to be in Ann Arbor for The Game.
After visiting both, my friend Rob commented that one seemed more akin to a fraternity tailgate while the other hosted by your grandparents.
I’ll let you guess which was which;-)
In fairness, we weren’t there for the start of either show and didn’t spend an appreciable amount of time hanging around.
ESPN’s is, of course, the established brand, debuting its on-location show in 1993. FOX entered the fray in 2019 and, certainly, seems to skew toward a younger audience.
Both were enjoyable to witness in person. The ubiquitous GameDay bus was, of course, present but, alas, no Lee Corso image on the side as the 90-year-old retired earlier this season. Meanwhile, across the way, the FOX Sports football robot was on display and Rob Gronkowskiwas making a cameo on the Saturday show (perhaps because his main man, Tom Brady, was in attendance for the game?)
Clockwise from upper left, the throng of people surrounding the Big Noon Kickoff set at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School; one of the FOXBots; the Washington State Cougars’ flag (aka Ol’ Crimson) flying at its 313th consecutive GameDay; who let the fella in between Reece and Coach?; the fella in the beanie is Rob Gronkowski; I’m partial to GameDay so I had no trouble hoisting a sign for the show.
Tailgating with an Old Buddy
Rob, me, and my friend, Paul, at his tailgate prior to The Game. (Photo by James Dodd)
Before Rob and I made our way to the television sets, we stopped by and saw a buddy from my days working at The Ann Arbor News.
Prior to his youngest son’s wedding on the west coast the weekend of Michigan’s 2025 home-opener against New Mexico, Paul Dodd’s streak of attending UM home games rivaled that of Ol’ Crimson flying over GameDay. He’d not missed a Wolverines’ home game since 1991!
His usual tailgate spot got displaced this season due to construction so he found an alternative spot sharing a backyard in a neighborhood not too far from Michigan Stadium.
While I covered the University of Michigan hockey beat for the News, Paul was doing the same for UM’s in-house magazine, The Wolverine. We enjoyed plenty of good hockey, overly nitrated hot dogs, and lots of laughs in the pressbox at Yost Ice Arena through the years, so I made it a point to – finally – accept his weekly Facebook invitation to swing by his tailgate.
A bottle of water and a famous Washtenaw Dairy doughnut hit the spot as did catching up with Paul and meeting his eldest son James.
Mmmm, doughnuts:-)
The Outcome
There were a lot of OSU fans in attendance.
It went about the way I expected.
Michigan was scrappy for much of the first half, but then the top-ranked Buckeyes’ exerted their will and ended the No. 15 Wolverines’ winning streak in this series at four games. The final score, 27-9, was probably an accurate reflection of how the game went for both teams.
What was unexpected – to me at least – was the volume of OSU fans in Michigan Stadium.
I realize this is one of those regional rivalries and a game that’s traditionally played over Thanksgiving weekend, so there will always be visiting fans making their way into enemy territory. That said, there was a lot of scarlet and grey visible throughout Michigan Stadium’s announced crowd of 111,373.
Other Observations
Clockwise from top left, a recent star at UM, Aidan Hutchinson is featured prominently along the concourse; unfortunately our seats were on the opposite sideline of the camera to be able to fully recongize the intricate images the Michigan Marching Band created during its halftime performance; the captains meet at midfield for the coin flip; the two most-recent football national championships are afforded prime location in the concourse; though never elected President, UM remains loyal to its former offensive lineman and POTUS; if it’s a big game then there must be a flyover; the UM team buses outside the Bo Schembechler Football Building wait to take the team across campus; note the police officers’ helmets; our seat view as the snow continued fall during the second half.
A major college game day Saturday experience is much, much more, than simply rolling up and watching a football game.
As noted above, Rob and I were hanging with over 110,000 others which, technically, made Michigan Stadium the seventh largest city in the state for a few hours.
With that, there is a sea of activity all over not only the stadium and surroundings, but also the entire community.
For a noon game like this, traffic builds from as early as 8:30-9 a.m. as it did for us commuting in. We missed out on the recommended street parking several Ann Arbor lifers had suggested, so we settled for a paid spot about a half mile from the Stadium for the not offensive price of $30.
From there, Rob and I visited Paul’s tailgate and then roamed around much of the U-M athletic complex people watching. We saw the Wolverines’ team busses getting ready to load in and shuttle the team across campus to the stadium. Fun observation there, the motorcycle police officers’ helmets looked like Michigan’s unique football helmet design.
As we made our way toward historic Ferry Field (Jessie Owens once had a day there, setting or equalling four World Records in under 2 hours back in 1935!) where ESPN’s College GameDay was set up we checked out Yost Ice Arena and Ray Fisher Stadium. From there it was through a sea of paid on-campus tailgates, past the UM drum lines, up and around Michigan Stadium before we made our way to Pioneer High School where FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff was situated.
And when I say there were throngs of people every step of the way, I do not exaggerate.
Once inside the Stadium, we took a lap on the concourse which is, to say, under the vast majority of the structure. (Michigan Stadium is a bowl where the lion’s share of the seating is, actually, below ground.) Prior to massive expansions and renovations through the years, folks who were unfamiliar with where they were could drive by the Stadium and never realize the largest (by capacity) football stadium in the United States was outside their car window.)
As this was my first time back in the Stadium for a game since 1995, I enjoyed seeing some of the additions that had been made; mainly signage for National Championships and All-Americans and/or players earning UM honors.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note the marching bands.
In many ways, the marching bands are what distinguish college football from its professional brethren.
It was no surprise, really, that the OSU band traveled for a rivalry game such as this (I saw the bands from Mississippi State and Auburn travel to their rival stadiums a year ago) and I’m happy it did. Although I saw the OSU band up close at the 2025 Rose Bowl, watching it form script O-h-i-o and then having a sousaphone player dot the “I” is one of the this game’s – and college football’s more widely – traditions that I hope everyone reading this can experience one day.
Dotting the “I’s.”
For “The Game,” The Ohio State University Marching Band (aka The Best Damn Band in the Land) split into two regiments to create a pair of script Ohios facing both the east and west sidelines. Following the OSU festivities, the Michigan Marching Band performed a salute to the holidays with a variety of holiday-themed songs and plenty of inflatibles on the field … not to mention some unique creations with the MMB members.
There were a lot of inflatibles on the field during the MMB’s halftime performance.
Postscript
Of the 111,000 of us in Michigan Stadium that Saturday, I’m uncertain what percentage of us knew what was going to occur 11 days and a few miles down the road in Saline, MI.
Of course, that was December 10 and Michigan’s head football coach Sherrone Moore was, first, fired for allegedly having an improper relationship with a staff member and, second, was arrested following an altercation at said staff member’s home in the nearby community of Saline.
Moore was later charged with felonious third-degree home invasion and two misdemeanors: stalking in a domestic relationship, and breaking and entering. He was in court again just this week for an evidentiary hearing that was suddenly canceled following a plea deal reached by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office and Moore. He pled no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges: “malicious use of a telecommunication device in a domestic relationship” and “trespassing” in exchange for the three other charges being dropped. Sentencing is scheduled for April 14.
Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham, formerly head coach at the University of Utah, on December 26 to replace Moore.
This was my first full year on the road in pursuit of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events goal of reaching 80 iconic venues and/or events by the time my biological clock hits 60 in June 2027.
As such, I saw a lot in 2025.
In total, I traveled 53,982 miles, set foot on two new continents (Asia and South America), witnessed 26 events, and spent many nights not in my own bed.
Here are my highlights from the year that’s about to have been.
Number 5 – A December Sunday at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field
Packers’ fans celebrate a score during their 28-21 victory over the rival Chicago Bears.
My final event of 2025 was just about everything I could have hoped for.
The visiting Chicago Bears and host Green Bay Packers were playing for the NFC Central Division lead, both had winning percentages of over .700 this late in the season (the first time that’s happened since December 11, 1932), the skies were clear, and the temperatures felt like single-digits by the time the late afternoon game concluded.
The fact that the game came down to the penultimate play, a Caleb Williams pass to the end zone was intercepte by Keisean Nixon sealed the Packers’ 28-21 victory.
The only things that would have made this a game 10-out-of-10 would have been that final Bears’ drive heading into the endzone we were seated in and an occasional snowflake falling to create a total commemorative snow globe moment.
All the Content from Event No. 34 Still Needs to be Created. Stay Tuned:-)
Number 4 – Lionel Messi’s (Likely) Final Competitive Home Match for Team Argentina
This sums up, perfectly, the adoration the Argentine fans have for Lionel Messi.
It’s widely assumed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final international go-round for Argentine soccer legend, Lionel Messi.
If this in fact remains true, then I’m able to say I was among the 77,000 spectators in Buenos Aires’ Estadio Mas Monumental for one of the game’s greatest of all-time’s final competitive home match when Argentina defeated Venezuela, 3-0, in CONMEBOL’s Matchday 17.
I understood next-to-nothing the public address speaker said throughout, but what I did understand the unmitigated affection that crowd had for Messi. From the standing ovation he received as he stepped off the bus in the loading dock, to his first appearance on the pitch, to the two goals he scored (and even the one that was disallowed by an offsides call), to his exit from the pitch following post-match media.
That no one in the stadium considered leaving until he was off the field is a visual I’m unsure can ever be erased from my mind.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 24 at this link.
Number 3 – Arkansas Pitcher Gage Wood No-Hits the Murray State Racers in the MCWS
Arkansas pitcher Gage Wood celebrates a big out during his 19 strikeout no-hitter of Murray State during the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.
Like so many, I walked into Omaha’s Charles Schwab Stadium that steamy June 16 afternoon pulling hard for the Cinderella team of the Men’s College World Series, the Murray State Racers.
By the fifth inning, however, allegiances were subtly shifting.
Arkansas Razorback starting pitcher Gage Wood was DEALING! It looked like the Racers’ batters were swinging wet lasagna noodles against Wood as the strikeouts mounted.
By the seventh inning, I’m fairly certain everyone in the park knew what was happening.
That it happened was too cool for school.
Wood threw the first no-hitter in MCWS play in 65 years. His 19 strikeouts were the most in a 9-inning MCWS game … ever.
That I was there and, through the generosity of a stranger, had seats behind homeplate, is truly remarkable.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 19 at this link.
Number 2 – Indiana Class 4A High School Sectional Final in Historic Muncie Fieldhouse
The opening tip between Greenfield-Central (white uniforms) and Mt. Vernon in the Indiana Class 4A High School Sectional Championship at Muncie Fieldhouse.
I was born and raised in Indiana and, as such, have a special fondness in my heart for high school basketball.
It was a fairly regular part of my weekly life as a youngster before my family moved to Michigan before sixth grade.
So, of the many events I planned to witness in 2025, I eagerly anticipated taking in some Indiana high school tournament basketball action. The first round is known as Sectionals in the Hoosier state and I was underwhelmed by the competitiveness I saw at the first two sites visited.
But on Saturday of Sectional Week … well I saw a gem.
I went with my cousin, Brandon, and his daughter, Calah, to see the Class 4A Sectional Final at historic Muncie Fieldhouse on a warm March evening. That there was a line to get in boded well and that the favored team, Greenfield-Central, was a among the top five teams in the state also provided optimism.
What none of us knew until the game began is who, exactly we were seeing.
Greenfield-Central’s star, Braylon Mullins, would go on to win Indiana’s coveted Mr. Basketball honor a few weeks later. He was a 5-star recruit who was destined for Storrs, CT, and the then 2-time defending NCAA Champion Connecticut Huskies. Mt. Vernon’s standout was a junior who’d already committed to Purdue named Luke Ertel.
The two duked it out all night, Mullins scored 38 and Ertel 36, but the upstarts from Mt. Vernon came away with an 83-76 double-overtime win. A thriller to be sure and a terrific way to cap off my week feasting on basketball in hoop-crazed Indiana.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 14 at this link.
Number 1 – Witnessing the Setting Sun at the Rose Bowl on January 1
The golden hour at the 2025 Rose Bowl. What a view!
Odd, isn’t it, that I traveled nearly 54,000 miles in 2025 and my most memorable moment came on the very first day?
Never mind the football game (which The Ohio State won in a rout over Oregon), I was there for the environment, the pagentry, and the sunset.
I got it all!
The Tournament of Roses Parade shortly after dawn, the B-2 bomber flyover at the conclusion of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the ceremonial coin flip featuring the Grand Marshal (Billie Jean King), the Goodyear blimp hovering overhead throughout, and, of course, the sunset that was appointment viewing for me during my youth and – who am I kidding?!? – adulthood.
I won’t lie, it was a long day – especially considering I participated in the Run with the Roses 5K at midnight – but it was the best day of the year by a long shot.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 11 at this link.
In a stroke of advertising campaign brilliance (in my opinion, at least), the folks at Nike launched the “Bo Knows” advertisements for its line of cross-training shoes in 1989 when Bo Jackson became the first modern athlete to play both Major League Baseball and NFL in the same season. Jackson played in both leagues during the 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 seasons before he suffered a football career-ending hip injury when tackled following a 34-yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 13, 1991. He eventually played three more seasons in the Majors for both the Chicago White Sox and California Angels before retiring.
The Nike poster from the “Bo Knows” advertising campaign. He was a man for all seasons.
The first advertisement in the campaign (seen in the video below at left) featured Jackson playing a variety of sports with other professional Nike-sponsored athletes commenting on what Bo knew (or did not) know. It ends with him playing guitar – badly – along with legendary blues guitarist, Bo Diddley, who delivers the commercial’s final line, “Bo, you don’t know Diddley!”
The second advertisement (seen in the video below at left) was all about Bo. He appeared in various gear depicting him not just as a baseball and football player, but also basketball, hockey, sprinter, surfer, tennis, jockey, cyclist, and soccer player. It’s from this phase of the campaign that the poster used for this week’s Fan Teaser originated. As you’ll see in the enlarged portion below, all of the sports that Bo knew are printed in the background of all the outfitted Bos.
A close up of the poster.
It seemed a great time to use something Bo Jackson-themed for the Fan Teaser as he was part of the trivia question included near the end of Fan Teaser Week 164Solution: Who are the only two Heisman Trophy winners to play Major League Baseball?
Jackson, of course, is one. The other was Ohio State University halfback, Vic Janowicz, who won the 1950 Heisman before playing two seasons as a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1953-54) before embarking on a 2-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins (1954-55).
Just one Fan Teaser reader responded with the correct answer, Jerry Hill (aka my father), so now I need to figure out what his prize is going to be.
Maybe Bo knows what it should be;-)
The original “Bo Knows” commercial.
And the sequel.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
A look at Gate City Bank Field in the Fargodome before November’s Northern Iowa-North Dakota State game.
My pants would be BLAZING if I tried to tell you with a straight face that when I sat down and began crafting a list of 80 of the most iconic sporting events and venues to experience during my journey Around the World in 80 Sporting Events, that a visit to the Fargodome for a North Dakota State Bison football game was on that list.
It was not!
In fact, until I began shopping airfares from Detroit to Winnipeg, Manitoba, with an eye toward attending the 112th CFL Grey Cup (which is Event No. 32) a trip to Fargo was never a consideration.
And then I saw the airfare to Winnipeg!
As I searched for nearby airports my options were, um, extremely limited. In fact, Fargo was pretty much the beginning and end of the list. Located a mere 3-hour drive from Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium where the Grey Cup was scheduled.
As a happy bonus, there was a flight out of Flint, MI, through O’Hare in Chicago to Fargo that was rougly a 67% discount on what it would be to fly directly into Winnipeg. Lodging costs, as one might expect for the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl, were considerably higher in Winnipeg that weekend than Fargo as well.
Having settled on flying to Fargo and renting a car then the curiosity in me checked to see what else might be occurring in North Dakota that weekend.
There were a couple of options that leapt off the page:
The defending FCS National Champion and top-ranked Bison had a mid-afternoon Saturday game against the University of Northern Iowa.
Now, I love college hockey – heck, covering it was one of my former jobs! – but the opportunity to see one of college football’s most successful programs, regardless of division, was too good an opportunity to pass up.
The Tipping Point
Erv Inniger, at right, was all too happy to play the role of host during my visit to NDSU.
Any lingering doubt about adding a NDSU football game to my 80 events was dismissed following a text exchange with Erv Inniger.
If the name Erv Inniger sounds familiar, there are several possible reasons for that:
Back in the early 1960s, Erv helped lead tiny Berne (IN) High School to three sectional titles, two regional championships, and a semi-state crown;
He played three years at Indiana University and was a captain on the 1966-67 Big Ten Champion Hoosiers’ squad;
He then coached at Golden Valley (MN) Lutheran College, Augsburg (MN) College, and NDSU, where he remains the career leader in coaching victories with 244;
He is a past-guest of Conversations with Sports Fans (S:1, E:30).
When I texted Erv to see if he might be able to help Wayne and I secure Bison tickets he seemed eager to assist. The fact that he’s a former schoolmate and longtime friend of my father, Jerry, might have greased the skids on my request, but after meeting Erv at the Fargodome prior to the NDSU-UNI game, I suspect he’d have assisted if I was some rando who stumbled upon his phone number.
Following his coaching days, Erv moved into the role of Associate Athletic Director for Development, which meant he, basically, worked the greater Fargo business community for donations to the athletic department.
That was evident as he took Wayne and I around the tailgate lot outside the Fargodome meeting folks such as Bison Bob, the Milkman, and myriad others who he grew to know during his 33 total years with the University.
Mid-November Tailgating in Fargo
The tailgating scene in Fargo mid-November was lively. Clockwise from upper left, some had buses, others had enclosed tents with plenty of weights or trailers to haul their supplies; the wind was stiff on this sunny November afternoon (check out those flags!); my buddy Wayne laughs with the locals.
The 40-degree temperature that day in Fargo was actually above average and the sunny skies only didn’t hurt either. What did hurt were steady winds that early afternoon in excess of 20 miles per hour. It certainly put a bit of a bite in the air as we sampled the fare at a few tailgates.
That got me to thinking about the conundrum that is dressing for the outdoor tailgating weather but also for attending a game indoors where the promised temperature is 70 degrees? I’m sure Detroit Lions’ fans and any other northern domed cities can help with this, but it was rather new to me.
Much like my time spent in Fairbanks, I found these Fargonians prepared for the elements. There were tents with plenty of weights to help anchor and prevent the wind from recreating scenes from The Wizard of Oz. Several set ups that we saw had some version of propane-fueled portable heaters and many had grills for the preparation of their protein of choice. And, yes, as you might have expected, there didn’t seem to be any problem keeping beverages chilled.
Easily the coolest cat we met during Erv’s tour was the previously mentioned, Bison Bob.
Bob Clark is a fan … a big fan … a rabid fan … a well-traveled fan.
When we met Bob, the sandwich board out front of his tailgate proudly announced that “Today was Bison Bob’s 560th consecutive game,” which means – as you read this – Bison Bob is at 561 consecutive games and holding because the Bison season has ended. The streak began in 1982 and he perservered through the COVID-19 pandemic and its wonky rules about fan allotments and who was allowed to attend.
That’s me and NDSU superfan, Bob Clark (aka Bison Bob), whose now witnessed 561 Bison games in person (Photos by Wayne Wilson).
A Visit to the Field
The view from the field, Wayne and I, a wide shot from the field, and a look at the pylon. (Photos by Troy Goergen and Wayne Wilson)
In his unofficial role as Hospitality Hank, Erv set up an opportunity for Wayne and I to get on the field pre-game with Senior Associate AD, Troy Goergen (my guest on a recent bonus Conversation about NDSU).
As Troy walked us down to field level we learned a bit of the history of the Fargodome.
Despite being built on the NDSU campus, it’s owned and operated by the City of Fargo;
It’s a multi-purpose venue and has hosted major concert acts, basketball games (including NBA exhibitions), commencement ceremonies, as well as football through the years;
The artificial turf is actually one continuous piece of turf that can be rolled up and housed inside one end of the facility, e.g. Magic Carpet system;
Due to static electricity potentially building up, groomers of the turf include some diluted fabric softener as they prep the field prior to games;
It’s purported to be the largest indoor event space between Minneapolis and Seattle.
From the outside, the facility is rather unassuming, and even once inside, it doesn’t seem all that large. However, from the field level, it’s a different perspective. Wayne and I are both veterans of many big stadiums and even we had to admit it was an impressive venue, especially when one considers its location … Fargo.
Equally impressive was watching Bison sophomore placekicker Eli Ozick go through his pre-game work. He was easily booming field goals from over 60 yards. If you’re an NFL general manager looking for your next kicker, you could do a lot worse than Eli.
Bison kicker Eli Ozick is about to nail a 46-yard field goal.
NDSU’s Storied History
Perhaps there’s not enough room to hang all of the banners? The Fargodome just includes years on existing banners (make room for 2025 for Conference Championships).
When I mentioned near the top that North Dakota State, historically, is one of college football’s most decorated programs I don’t believe I was exaggerating.
The school first fielded a football team in 1894 and, beginning in 1921, joined the now-defunct North Central Conference and played at the NCAA Division II level. During these 83 seasons, the Bison won eight national championships (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990). In 2003 they, along with South Dakota State University, made the athletic jump to the NCAA Division I level, though each play in the Football Championship Subdivision.
While it took the better part of a decade, the Bison became a major factor at the FCS level beginning in 2011. Since its first FCS Championship that year, its won nine more – including five in a row (’11-’15) and three in a row (’17-’19). Those 10 titles are the most in the history of FCS which begin in 1978 as NCAA I-AA. At one point during that stretch in mid-2010s run which included victory at Iowa, the Bison were receiving votes in the AP Top 25 polls and reached as high as No. 27.
Oh yeah, during its history, NDSU has won outright or shared 39 conference titles, including 12 of the past 15 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. It won the 2025 title by defeating intra-state rival, North Dakota, 15-10, the week prior to our visit.
As we heard plenty of times during our day at the Fargodome, NDSU fans are more-than-a-little spoiled by the success. That was evidenced by a less-than full house during our game (14,736 out of a possible 19,000) and a crowd that largely made its way to the exits following the halftime festivities with the Bison leading 31-2.
The Game
Clockwise from upper left, Thundar gives the fans the heart sign following the victory; the scoreboard says it all; the Bison take a knee post game at midfield.
As noted previously, this one was over pretty early.
North Dakota scored on two of its first three possessions, then crazily yielded a safety, before adding 17 more points before halftime for that 31-2 lead. It grew to 38-2 early in the third quarter when Bison quarterback Cole Payton busted off a 64-yard touchdown run.
By that time, NDSU began providing its bench players with plenty of opportunities to gain experience and showcase their wares en route to a 48-16 final score that really didn’t seem that close. The Bison outgained the Panthers 477-201 yards and had nearly twice as many first downs (24-13).
It was November 25, 1995, and University of Michigan running back with the hard-to-pronounce name – Tshimanga Biakabutuka (tish-ah-MINGA bee-ock-a-ba-TWO-kah) – went off on the unbeaten and second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. He carried the ball 37 times and rushed for 313 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines, ranked No. 18 at the time, sprang the upset, 31-23, thanks in large part to Biakabutuka.
University of Michigan running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka powers through the line during the 1995 Michigan-Ohio State game in Ann Arbor on his way to 313 yards over 37 carries during the 31-23 upset of the Buckeyes. (Photo by Larry E. Wright/The Ann Arbor News)
It was an epic performance – the second-most rushing yards by a UM running back in its history (Ron Johnson‘s 345 yards against Wisconsin in 1968 remains tops) – on the biggest stage (“The Game” for player who became known as “Touchdown Timmy” in Ann Arbor.
In large part, it was the apex of Biakabutuka’s football career. He was eighth overall draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 1996 and spent all six of his professional seasons with them. For what it’s worth, he only rushed for more than 313 yards in three of those six seasons.
The highlight reel from Biakabutuka’s career day against Ohio State from 1995.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Me in front of the Word of Life mural (aka Touchdown Jesus) on the south side of the Hesburgh Library.
As a youngster growing up in rural Indiana during the 1970s it meant I pretty much had my pick of teams to root for.
The Hoosier State had no Major League Baseball team (and still doesn’t), no National Football League team, no National Hockey League team (and still doesn’t), and a nascent National Basketball Association team.
(Side Note: Sure the Indiana Pacers were a dominant force in the upstart American Basketball Association [three titles in nine season], but after joining the NBA as part of the merger before the 1976 season, the Pacers didn’t participate in post-season basketball until 1981 and then not again until 1987, by which point I was all in on the Detroit Pistons, having moved to Michigan in 1978.)
Living in a professional football vacuum like we did, I primarily turned my gridiron focus to Saturday afternoons. And to most rationale Indiana youngsters in the mid-to-late 1970s that meant casting an eye to the northcentral part of the state and the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
Admittedly, I was probably a bit too young to remember the Coach Ara Parseghian era (1964-74), but I surely remember Coach Dan Devine‘s six seasons, especially 1977 when the Fighting Irish finished the regular-season 10-1 and then upset top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl, 38-10, to secure the National Championship.
Perhaps it was the ubiquitous “Word of Life” mural (aka Touchdown Jesus) always looming beyond the north endzone, but I always imagined attending a game at Notre Dame Stadium as akin to a religious experience.
And it probably was that frigid mid-November Saturday afternoon 41 years ago when my high school buddy, Jack, and I made the road trip from suburban Detroit and used a pair of tickets my father had somehow procurred for what should have been a marquee matchup (Penn State was in town), but instead featured a pair teams heading nowhere fast. By the time the Irish won, 44-7, both stood at 6-4.
Beyond being woefully underdressed and peering through the occasional snow flurry, I remember next-to-nothing from my only Notre Dame football game.
Therefore, it was with a fair amount of certainty that a Notre Dame football game was going appear on my list of 80 for the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
Which one?
As I surveyed the Irish’s future schedules during planning back in the winter of 2024, there was one game in South Bend that rose above the rest: the University of Southern California at Notre Dame, October 18, 2025.
Why the Trojans?
A Spirit of Troy twirler and Tommy Trojan during the Notre Dame game.
Simply stated, one of my core sports fan memories as an Indiana youngster was the afternoon of October 22, 1977, when the Notre Dame hosted USC.
The game was telecast on ABC and I recall sitting transfixed in front of the television as a roughly constructed horse (a Trojan Horse, if you will) was wheeled out in front of the tunnel and there came the Irish … in green jerseys! Never had I seen it before and 11th ranked Notre Dame rode the emotional boost of switching to green following warm ups (and quarterback Joe Montana‘s hot hand) to a 49-19 romp of the fifth-ranked Trojans.
Irish players from that era discuss the Green Jersey Game vs. USC from 1977.
The series dates to 1926 and has been played every year since with the exception of 1943-45 due to World War II and 2020 because of COVID-19. It is also not scheduled beyond 2026 in Los Angeles.
All the more reason to attend this year.
Logistics
Indiana’s Oliver Lake shortly before departing for South Bend.
I may be an Indiana native, but my connections to Notre Dame football are limited.
The one person I knew who attended Irish football games was my cousin Michelle’s husband, Todd. He grew up around South Bend and he and a longtime friend, Brian, get to a few game’s annually.
I reached out to Todd who promised to see what he could do.
In the meantime, I booked a room in Angola, IN, which was about as close I could get without risking a missed mortgage payment and kept an eye on the secondary ticket market, just in case. By mid-May, Todd let me know they had a ticket for me. By mid-July, he mentioned that we might be able to use a family cottage on Oliver Lake in LaGrange, IN, for our post-game respite.
Without digressing too deeply, spending the night at Oliver Lake was something I hadn’t done in close to 30 years, so – regardless of how the game might turn out – it would be a memorable night, regardless.
Unlike the previous college campuses I’d visited for football during the AtWi80SE (Ole Miss and Alabama) project, there is no tailgating on the campus quad or parts of the academic grounds. Rather, the tailgating is reserved for the lots surrounding the stadium.
This allows for unencumbered touring of the campus and an opportunity to linger at the spots noted above. Though, fair warning, if the weather’s nice you’ll have plenty of company strolling this picturesque campus.
While tailgating isn’t permitted in these areas, various student groups do have grills and/or food trucks set up to sell food and soft drinks to the fans who are getting their inner-Rudy on by wandering about and taking in the sights.
This walkabout is what I know I didn’t do those 41 years ago during my previous visit. I would have certainly remembered the lengthy line of fans queued to light a candle and say a prayer at the Grotto or the hushed whispers and ornate stained glass witnessed in the Basilica.
Clockwise from upper left, many Irish fans visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart before home games; a look at the rear of the Basilica and the organ pipes; the Irish Green was active during my walkabout; below the Basilica is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes; Knute Rockne may be the most-famous Notre Dame coach; the Word of Life mural on the side of Hesbergh Library; one of about eight bagpipers on entertained visitors; the Clarke Memorial Fountain honors over 500 ND alums who perished in WWII and the Korean and Vietnam Wars; the Rev. Robert Dowd’s message in front of the golden dome; the Lou Holtz statue; the Frank Leahy statue; the Ara Parseghian statue; fans line up to light a candle at the Grotto; an exterior view of the Basilica.
The Tailgate
As the rain increased in intensity, our parking lot neighbor’s tent became a gathering spot for several well-served USC students who made the trip to South Bend for the game.
My game is lacking in this area, but Todd – an ex-Navy submarine cook – handled the cooking and even mixed me a Canadian whiskey and ginger to feel a part of the crowd. (The crowd being me, Todd, and his longtime tailgate mates Ed [an Illinois grad] and Lynne [a Notre Dame grad].
With some heavy weather in the area, we eschewed the tent but were all too willing to utilize the one our neighbors had set up.
This was an interesting group. The host was a long-time Notre Dame fan whose daughter attended the school, but during a study abroad her senior year met her future husband, who was a USC student. So the father, his son-in-law and his younger brother and father (all from San Antonio) occupied the parking spot next to ours.
They shared their ice and we shared some of our chicken and adult beverages. Their tent came in handy as well when the skies opened up about two hours before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff and became a magnet for many of the rain-soaked USC students who’d made the trek east for the game.
The Game
A soggy Doug and Todd during the fourth quarter and a view of Notre Dame Stadium from our seats.
I shouldn’t say it was everything I’d hoped it would be (I could have done without the persistent rain;-), but it was pretty dang close.
The game was competitive into the fourth quarter, we had the opportunity to witness the power and speed of Irish running back, Jeremiyah Love, up close (he finished with 228 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries); the gun-slinging offense of Trojans’ head coach Lincoln Riley and his junior quarterback, Jayden Maiava (328 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions); one of the most exciting plays in sport when Notre Dame return man Jadarian Price answered USC’s lead-taking third-quarter TD with a 100-yard kickoff return for a score; and Notre Dame ultimately won, 34-24.
A Few Final Looks
Clockwise from upper left, fans in the stands now do pushups for each point ND has following scores ala the way the Leprechaun mascot has done for years; the concourses under the stadium are eerily empty while the game is ongoing; there was a crush of people attempting to get in about 45 minutes prior to the start of the game; the Irish offense sets up deep in USC territory; this Spirit of Troy drummer passed some peace to me; Notre Dame Stadium during quieter times early in the afternoon.
